This eight-month-old baby was treated by the Kyrgyz mobile medical trailer’s pediatrician. The medical trailer was able to arrange for free care at another childhood care center.

The emphasis of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is Witness, Mercy, Life Together. Check out how the work of the LCMS in Eurasia reflects this emphasis!

Witness

• Rev. David Mahsman played a crucial part in starting an English-language Lutheran worship service in Berlin, Germany, including preaching at the first-ever service.
• The first ever complete translation of the Kazakh Bible has been printed and is being distributed to the Kazakh minority living in Mongolia.
• Rev. Dr. Jonathan and Deaconess Rachel Mumme were both installed at their positions at Westfield House, Cambridge, England, and Jonathan as an assistant pastor at Resurrection Lutheran Church.

Mercy

• A mobile medical trailer in Kyrgyzstan, funded by LCMS World Relief and Human Care (WRHC), served nearly 4,000 people in the last four months of 2011, including all of the children from an orphanage in Bishkek, the capital city.
• A pro-life family counseling center in Russia, run by our partner church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria in Russia (ELCIR), was profiled in the WR-HC Sharing magazine.

Life Together

• LCMS missionaries David Fiala and Rev. Tony Booker attended the installation of a new bishop for the Silesian Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession (SCEAV) in the Czech Republic.
• Rev. Alexander Furs, a pastor with the ELCIR, spent time sharing the Gospel in an academic setting in Saratov, Russia, reaching professors and students alike.
• David Fiala shared about Lutheran education in Hungary.

Check out these stories and more!

“During the International Lutheran Theological Conference in Prague in October, David took time to reconnect with some of his former Slovak students who are now living in Prague. He caught up with them during a Bible study at St. Michael’s Lutheran Church. After music and a Bible study on Gideon, a group of 20 young adults spent time in fellowship. Among these young adults were four former students of the Evangelical Lutheran High School (EGT) in Tisovec, Slovakia, where David taught from 2005 to 2008.

“David asked them about their time at EGT and their plans for the future. One student, Roman Veverka, told him, ‘When I started at EGT, I was a non-believer — an atheist. But the missionaries that taught me English also told me about Jesus and God. Soon, I became a believer and now I am studying theology in Prague and I hope some day to be a pastor.’

“Each of the former EGT students are working towards a college degree in Prague. They attend a Slovak-speaking church of about 60 members and attend this same Bible study every Wednesday night. Each one told David that they would like to thank him and the others like him who answered God’s call to come and teach them English and about Jesus. Praise the Lord!”

• Learn more about LCMS witness and mercy ministry in Slovakia.
• Learn more about the Fialas’ ministry and how you can support their work.

Michelle Cagnin serves as the LCMS facilitator for human care in Asia and as the area facilitator for Southeast Asia. She recently shared an update about the Human Care Forum that she helped host in Hong Kong. Cagnin wrote, “The Asia Pacific Human Care Forum was Jan. 9-11, 2012 in Hong Kong. It brought Lutheran human care workers from the Asia Pacific region together to think, plan and dream together. Participants that are serving in Cambodia, China, Japan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Hong Kong, Papua New Guinea and the United States joined.

“One special guest was Genmar Pizarro, who is in the first row on the left hand side of the photo above. Genmar was hired in December by the Lutheran Church in the Philippines (LCP) to serve as the LCP human care coordinator. I will be traveling to the Philippines in February to work with Genmar as the LCP moves forward with two new human care programs: a microloan program for pastor’s families, sponsored by LCMS with loan money from Concordia Welfare and Education Foundation, and a community health program in rural areas of the Philippines sponsored by Lutherans in Medical Mission.”

Rev. John Mehl, LCMS regional director for the Asia Pacific region, wrote, “The theme of human care figures prominently in the picture of work in Hong Kong this month, but it has always been part of the Lutheran ministry in this region. The brokenness of humanity that came with the fall into sin included not only spiritual damage, but also physical. God told Adam and Eve that there would be great pain in childbirth and thorns and thistles would be part of the cursed ground (Gen. 3:16-18).

“But our loving God did not abandon us — He sent Jesus to bring healing. Jesus was concerned that the people be made ‘whole.’ Jesus continues to provide healing, and Christians have the privilege of being instruments in our Lord’s hands as we carry out human care ministry and connect people to the Gospel. We tell of the healing that Jesus has brought through His suffering, death and resurrection. We also help those who are in bondage to physical suffering, pain and sickness. That is who God has called us to be.”

• Learn more about LCMS witness and mercy work in the Asia Pacific region.
• Learn more about Sandro and Michelle Cagnin and how to support their ministry.
• Learn more about Rev. John and Susan Mehl and how to support their ministry.

This update was shared by GEO* missionary Rev. Michael Parris, who serves in Macau.

“‘Abraham settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled among the cities of the valley and moved his tent as far as Sodom. Now the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the Lord’ (Gen. 13:12-13).

“‘Wicked? What does wicked mean? Why were the people of Sodom wicked?’ These were the questions posed by my students at a recent Friday night English Corner session as we were studying about the patriarch Abraham. The lesson was about the separation of Lot and Abraham recorded in Genesis 13. Near the end of the chapter, the text mentions that Lot settled in the fertile plain of the Jordan Valley. In this same valley were many cities, including Sodom. According to the text, the people of Sodom were wicked and great sinners against the Lord.

“Some of my students were unsure as to the definition of wicked. It was explained that wicked means to be sinful, evil. But there was still puzzled looks, ‘Wicked? Sinful?’ Finally, we explained that wicked is ‘bad.’ At that, everyone understood. The people of Sodom were bad! But why?

“The discussion then turned to the scriptural teaching on sin. According to the Word, we are all sinful, or wicked. Abraham was sinful, Lot was sinful, the Sodomites were sinful and so are we. “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one” (Rom. 3:11-12).

“The class then questioned why Abraham was not listed as wicked and against God. We talked about the role of faith in our lives. Abraham trusted in Jesus. Even though Jesus had not come yet, he knew the Father would send a life-giving Savior. Abraham had faith in Jesus and it was counted to him as righteousness. We explained to the class that, even though Abraham had witnessed God’s love to the Sodomites, the Sodomites had rejected God’s Savior. It is always emphasized in the English Corner class that we are saved by grace through faith. Abraham daily confessed his sins; he was forgiven. The class was reminded that grace is offered to all of us as well — to Americans and to Chinese people alike!

*Note: GEO missionaries are globally engaged in outreach and serve in locations around the globe for one- to two-year terms.

• Learn more about LCMS witness and mercy ministry in Macau.
• Learn more about Michael’s work and how you can support him.

(Photo: HKIS’ Twitter) The world-renowned Hong Kong International School (HKIS) is one of three LCMS international schools in Asia. It opened its doors in 1966 to 170 students. Since then, it has grown to more than 2,600 students who represent 40 nationalities. Currently, HKIS is seeking to fill 10 open educator positions for the 2012-13 school year.

HKIS comprises four school divisions located on two campuses on the southern side of Hong Kong Island. The Lower Primary (pre-K to grade 2) and Upper Primary (grades 3-5) Schools are situated on the original HKIS campus in Repulse Bay, while the Middle and High Schools are found in Tai Tam, overlooking Tai Tam Tuk.

HKIS students are guided by a staff of 490 teachers, administrators and assistants who are amongst the best in the world; highly qualified and experienced, providing unparalleled qualities in teaching, guidance and care for their students. Consider joining the HKIS community!

The positions open for the 2012-13 school year include:

• Director of Educational Technology Services (a new administration position)
• Counselor, Lower Primary
• Physical Education Teacher, Lower Primary
• Speech Language Specialist, Lower Primary
• Classroom Teacher, Upper Primary
• French/Spanish Language Teacher, Middle School
• Learning Specialist, Middle School
• Counselor, Middle School
• Counselor, High School
• Science Teacher, High School

Interested candidates or those with questions about these positions can contact Jean Lau, the HKIS recruitment advisor, at jlau@hkis.edu.hk. More information about these positions and job descriptions are posted on the HKIS website www.hkis.edu.hk under ‘Working at HKIS.’

This update was shared by Rev. Ed and Cherie Auger, who serve as LCMS missionaries in the Cayman Islands and Central America. Photo: From left to right: Rev. Luis Turcios, the Lutheran Synod of Nicaragua; Rev. Ed Auger, LCMS; Rev. Dr. Ralph Mayan, the Lutheran Church–Canada.

Great excitement filled the Lutheran Synod of Nicaragua as 35 men and women began their formal studies to become pastors and deaconesses. The new class of seminary students gathered for their first two-week intensive session, Oct. 3-14, at the Mission Center in Chinandega, Nicaragua. Begun as a church planting effort by Lutheran Church—Canada 14 years ago, the national church now includes more than 20 congregations.

Students will study in a series of two-week intensive sessions every three months for two years, with the goal of being prepared for ordination as pastors and commissioning as deaconesses in January 2014.

The Lutheran Seminary in Nicaragua is operated in partnership with Lutheran Church—Canada, which provides professors and financial support for the training program. Tulio Cesar Meza from Tegucigalpa, Honduras, whom Pastor Ed has been mentoring for the past two years, has been accepted as a student in this group of future church workers. A partnership agreement between the Lutheran Synod of Nicaragua, Lutheran Church—Canada and the LCMS calls for Pastor Ed to continue serving as a mentor for Tulio and also assist with visitation to other Honduras church-planting efforts in Olanchito. Hope abounds for the future of Lutheran ministry in Central America!

• Learn more about LCMS witness and mercy work in Latin America and the Caribbean.
• Learn more about the Augers’ ministry and how you can support them.

The complete translation of the Bible into Kazakh is now being distributed to the Kazakh minority living in Mongolia.

There are approximately 150,000 Kazakh speaking people living in Mongolia. Until recently, there has not been a complete translation of the Bible available in their heart language. Over the last few months, a Lutheran church and its local partners have been working hard to facilitate the first large-scale distribution of the Kazakh Bible among the unreached Kazakhs of Mongolia. More than 2,000 Bibles in the Kazakh language are already being distributed to Kazakhs in Mongolia. To ensure that God’s precious Word gets into the hands of as many people as possible, contact has been made with various churches, ministry groups and individuals working among the Kazakh people.

God’s Word is being received whole-heartedly by those Kazakh people living in Mongolia. Many stories have been shared about the abundant joy people feel when reading the Bible for the very first time in their own language. We praise God for all those who helped support this project with their prayers and gifts and pray that He continues to bless the efforts of all working in this region.

Rev. Matthew Heise, an LCMS missionary whose work includes theological education in Mongolia, shared, “With this Kazakh Bible distribution project, we have the great opportunity to reach a people group that is unreached in the world, the Kazakhs within the country of Mongolia.”

• Support the work of the LCMS within Mongolia and to the Kazakh people.
• Check out pictures from Rev. Heise’s ministry in Mongolia.

Armed Forces Sunday is scheduled for May 20, 2012. If your congregation chooses to celebrate Armed Forces Sunday on a day other than May 20, appropriate days could include a Sunday close to Memorial Day, Independence Day or Veterans Day.

These resources are free to your congregation for celebrating Armed Forces Ministry Sunday. Resources for 2012 include a suggested sermon, responsive prayer and a theme bulletin insert.

All congregations must place a new order to receive 2012 bulletin inserts. To receive the bulletin inserts, please fill out our simple order form by clicking here. Please place your order by Friday, Feb. 10. Placing your order today, for use now or later in the year, allows us to order all bulletin inserts at one time at a substantial cost savings. If you do not plan to use the bulletin insert until later in the year, just let us know in the comments box on the order form. Those orders will be shipped closer to the date you requested.

• Learn more about LCMS’ Ministry to the Armed Forces
• Send ‘Ministry-by-Mail’ to our Lutheran servicemen and women
• Learn about Operation Barnabas

This interview on KFUO AM 850 with Erin Alter, director of the GEO Missionary Program for the LCMS Office of International Mission, provides a glimpse at the opportunities available for LCMS members to serve overseas for one- to two-year terms. (GEO missionaries are globally engaged in outreach and serve in a number of locations around the world in various capacities.)

Learn more:

• Search the LCMS service opportunities database to learn more about what GEO service opportunities are available right now.
• Browse the online LCMS prayer cards database to learn about GEO missionaries who are currently serving around the world.
• Learn more about Sarah Cusson’s ministry in Hungary (Erin mentions Sarah during her interview).
• Contact the Office of International Mission to speak with a placement counselor. Call 888-843-5267 or send an email to mission.recruitment@lcms.org.

Rev. Dr. Jonathan and Deaconess Rachel Mumme are pictured center with their daughter Miranda after the installation service.

This last weekend, Rev. Dr. Jonathan Mumme was installed as an international tutor at Westfield House in Cambridge, England and as the assistant pastor at Resurrection Lutheran Church. Pastor Mumme’s wife, Rachel Mumme, a deaconess, was installed as a project coordinator for Westfield House during the same service. Westfield House is the theological college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of England (ELCE).

Pastor Mumme received a call to England through The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod’s (LCMS) Board for International Mission. As a tutor, he helps educate British, African, Scandinavian and European students, as well as welcoming exchange students from both LCMS seminaries and several Concordia universities. Rachel develops communications materials for Westfield House, helps recruit new students, expands the Friends of Westfield House network, and works with deaconess students who are studying there.

Prior to moving to Cambridge, the Mumme family lived in Berlin, Germany and welcomed daughter Miranda in August 2011.

• Support the Mumme family through prayer and financial gifts.
• Pray for the work of the LCMS and partners in England.