Robert Granke, the executive director of CLWR, arrived in Nicaragua on Tuesday, November 24^th to begin a 5 day visit to our LCC Mission and the congregations, pastors and deaconesses of Iglesia Luterana Sinodo de Nicaragua.  In extending the invitation to this Social Ministry partner of our Synod, our desire was to provide an on-sight view of the social ministry projects carried out through our mission centering especially on the Christian Children’s Education Program which CLWR has been supporting. 

The program, conducted in all 23 congregations of ILSN, provides an average of 25 scholarships in each community to the neediest children. The scholarship includes the required school uniform, shoes, backpack and school supplies. Each child is also enrolled in the tutoring and Christian Education class held five days a week during that period of time when the children are not in school (Children attend school either during the morning or afternoon hours.)  These classes held in the churches and led by teachers and deaconesses provide tutoring and homework support for the children in Math, Spanish and other subjects; A portion of the time is also set aside for Christian Education and cultural activities.   There are over 750 children enrolled in the program. CLWR has provided support for about 250 children. 

Robert Granke’s tour included visits to the communities of El Piloto and Racheria on Tuesday; to Las Marias, Marionelle and Chichigulpa on Wednesday. Thursday’s visits included El Bonete, Israel, Camilo Ortega and Santa Patricia. In each of the communities, Mr. Granke expressed delight in being able to see firsthand how the program has met with success creating in the communities an appreciation for education and in each child, a desire to learn and to do well in school. 

In addition to seeing first hand the Christian Education Program, Robert Granke was able to visit our Medical/Dental Clinic, our Sewing School, the Rancheria Food Program and hear an overview of our “Micro Loan” Program and our soon to begin “eyeglass lab”.  Continuing discussions during the week explored other opportunities for LCC, ILSN and CLWR to collaborate on social projects in the region.

Sunday (November 15) was a special day of celebration for the members of San Pablo in La Cartonera. They had been asked by Missionary Maximo Urroz, their former missionary and pastor, if they would host in their worship service the confirmation of the first four converts in the Synod’s new outreach ministry in Leon. Both Pastor Henry Chong, the present pastor and the congregation were  pleased to oblige and we were excited in being invited to join in the celebration.

While all baptisms and confirmations are joyous occasions in the church, this particular Sunday’s celebration was unique in the history of this young church. All three confirmands were men. A fourth man, Jairo Soto, was called in to work at the last minute and not able to attend.(His confirmation will take place in a later service) Of the three, Jose Martinez was the youngest in his middle twenties. The oldest was retired school teacher and poet, Fernando Nuñes in his early eighties. Silvio Fransico Sequia, a civil engineer, was somewhere between the two. 

The service was led by Pastor Henry Chong; Missionary Maximo shared the Word of God in the sermon and together the pastors carried out the rite of confirmation. As in our confirmations, each confirmand confessed their faith using the words of the Apostles Creed, and in pledging their faithfulness to Christ and to His Word, they received their blessing. Following the blessing, each confirmand was given the privilege of addressing the congregation. Each spoke from the heart as they shared their faith in Christ and their thankfulness to God. My attempt to attach to this column a short video of Fernando Nunos address was not successful. Here is a rough translation of his message.  “I give thanks to God for sending Dr. Martin Luther to show the truth and for all saints who through the years have shared this truth in the World. I give thanks to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit for the spiritual gifts given to me and for permitting me to become part of His church. I thank Him for this day when I am confirmed into this Christian faith through these Christian Pastors. 

And so God’s work of saving continues as our missionaries reach out with the Gospel.

This past Sunday, All Saints Day, we were privileged to join with members and friends of Iglesia de Dios en Jesucristo in the community of La Joya as they gave praise to God for their blessings and dedicated their newly completed church. The following is a little of the history of this community and church. 

The community itself is a rather new. It developed shortly after the Hurricane Mitch disaster when residents formerly living near the base of Volcano Casita (which also erupted at that time) were uprooted and settled in the area. Efforts to reach these transplanted people with both physical and spiritual care was carried out by Deaconess Mayra Elena Lara and other members from the neighbouring church, itself newly formed, in the community of Rancheria. God blessed their labour and soon a small community of believers began to gather for worship and study, first under the trees, then in a “Ranchero” built with the support of a team traveling with Orphan Grain train.  The “Ranchero” served well as a centre for worship and for the newly started Christian Children’s Education Program carried out by the church in the community. 

It was approximately 3 years ago that a team made up of members and friends from Mt. Calvary Lutheran, Red Deer and St. Paul Lutheran, Chilliwack, British Columbia began construction of a more permanent facility made of cinder block.  This past May another team from St. Paul Lutheran returned to complete the structure adding windows, doors, a septic system and bathroom. The congregation hopes to have electricity and water before the end of the year. 

Pastor Marvin Donaire led the service of dedication assisted by Pastor Junior Martinez, Pastor Angel Salazar and Missionary Maximo Urroz. Pastor Junior shared God’s Word in the sermon. Basing his sermon on I Peter 2:5, he reminded us of the “church” which Christ Himself is building. This church is not made with cinder block, but with “living stones” which He Himself has brought into being by grace alone, through faith in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Made “living stones” he told us, we are now privileged to “proclaim the excellencies of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvellous light.”  Special guests from the neighbouring congregation in El Pilote (also served by Pastor Marvin) walked four kilometers so that they could join in the celebration.

Iglesia de Dios en Jesucristo carries out an active outreach program in their community under the direction of Pastor Marvin and Deaconess Mayra. A highlight of that ministry continues to be  their Children’s Christian Education Program. It is no wonder therefore that almost one half of those worshipping this morning were children.

Last March, with the graduation of 3 new pastoral candidates, our Nicaraguan missionaries were freed of their congregational responsibilities and fanned out to begin new outreach ministries. In this report, I will share with you a new beginning initiated by Missionary Maximo in Gracios a Dios, a small community north of the city of Leon.

The name of the community is most interesting. According to one resident, there had once been a large farm in the area. The farmer in developing the land had taken out a rather significant loan. After a number of years he was able to pay off that loan and his wife heard him exclaim in joy, “Gracios a Dios (Thanks be to God!)” Later when he asked his wife what name they should give to the farm, she said, “You’ve already named it!” It’s “Gracios a Dios.” Over the years a community grew up around that farm and it took the name. The farm is now gone, but the community and name remain.

Missionary Maximo made his first visit to the community several months ago. He discovered that there was no church in the community, but that people were open to his visit and the message he brought. He began making regular visits to the community going from home to home sharing a little of who he was and the “Good News” that he brought. Homes opened to his visits; People responded to his message. Soon, one family invited him to use their yard and shade trees as a place for people to gather for study and worship.

On the day that I visited the community, over 30 adults gathered under the large shade tree. Missionary Maximo led them in Bible Study on John chapter 3, the story of Jesus and Nicodemus. Assisting him was Pastor Henry, the new graduate pastor now serving the two congregations that Missionary Maximo had formerly served. Together they shared the message of God’s grace and love for Nicodemus and for the world. They heard how “God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son. . . .”

Under another shade tree in that yard were some 25 children gathered around Deaconesses Jyrll, Maximo’s wife and Deaconess Anna. Using a flannel board and felt characters, they were also telling another Gospel story. After the lesson, the Deaconesses joined with the children in play and then returned to review the story and have a Bible quiz and win little prizes.

Sitting under that shade tree with its large branches, I was reminded of the story of Zaccheus and the words of Jesus, “Zaccheus, come down for I must stay at your house today.” Given the chance to speak, I told that story and how Jesus wanted to stay in their homes too. It didn’t matter who they were or what kind of a mess their house or their life might be in.  Jesus still wanted to stay. And you, dear reader, know the reason why? Because “God so loved the world. . . .” Give thanks to God for “Gracios a Dios” and remember these dear people and our missionaries in your prayers!

Our travel this Sunday (October 4th) took us to the community of Potosi, a coastal village on the Gulf of Fonseco in North West Nicaragua. This village like many others had been affected by Hurricane Mitch in 1998 and like many others it was one assisted through the social ministry efforts of our LCC Mission.

Two identified community leaders (teachers) from Potosi who had come to know of the Mission while visiting in El Viejo were recruited to provide assistance to their community. They would travel to Chinandega each week to receive food aid as well as spiritual instruction and encouragement from Missionary Arguello. Upon their return to their community, these leaders would share what they had learned and distribute the aid which they had received. It was through these efforts that a small community of believers began to gather in Potosi. Encouraged by the Mission, the community identified one of their own, a farmer by the name of Angel (pronounced Anhil) Salazar, to prepare to serve as their pastor. He in turn attended the first theological seminary program operated by the Mission and upon his ordination was installed as Pastor of Jesus El Boen Pastor (Jesus the Good Shepherd).

The Sunday we visited the congregation, 12 people had gathered for worship. Pastor Angel shared with us that a tragic accident had taken place during the night. A fisherman, in trying to start a gas generator, had been electrocuted. Many from the community were attending the funeral and caring for the needs of the family. Our worship however was meaningful. Pastor Angel shared a message on the basis of the Gospel reading for the day and we joined our voices with those gathered in singing our praise to God. I told Pastor Angel after the service that I appreciated his ability to start the hymns at a pitch at which we could all sing and that he was able to strongly lead the singing in spite all the sounds coming from the outside. 

In Canada, we would call Pastor Angel a worker priest. He continues to operate his farm. He grows corn, sesame seeds and mixed vegetables in his fields; He also raises cattle and goats, chickens and turkeys. He uses equipment very much like that used in biblical days, a wooden plough and two oxen. Looking at the rows of corn, you can see that he ploughs a straight furrow.

The community had also identified two women to serve as deaconesses. Both were trained through our theological program; one in the first program, the second in the second. Both deaconesses however have now immigrated to Costa Rica and so the congregation has been left without the service of a deaconess. Picking up the slack however is Teacher Conception Guerrero.  She oversees the Children’s Christian Education Program (A CLWR and CLMS project) with 25 children registered and an additional six children present.  We admired how clean she keeps the building, the posters she has made for the walls (including Luther’s morning and evening prayers) and the flowers she has planted in the front. Pastor Angel says that she is a very competent teacher.

The travel to Potosi was difficult with the last 30 kilometers in need of serious repair; much easier to reach by motorcycle. Nevertheless it was a blessing to visit this congregation and to worship with them. Keep the congregation of Potosi, Pastor Angel and Conception in your prayers this week.

With the formation of Iglesia Luterana Sinodo de Nicaragua, our LCC Mission in Nicaragua now focuses on resourcing this new Synod so that they are better able to carry out their God-given mission of Gospel proclamation. In the preceding article, I described two microfinance programs which provide assistance to our church workers. In this article I share a little about our Mission Medical/Dental Clinic that not only provides a service to our pastors and deaconesses and their families, but reaches out to the communities that surround the Mission Centre and provides a witness of care and concern.

The clinic had its official beginning on Easter Monday, 2009, but did not begin receiving patients until May. It opens every Thursday at 8:00 a.m. and remains open until all the patients who arrive for care have had a chance to visit with the doctor (around 4:00 p.m.). We are pleased to have the most basic medicines available at the clinic which permits us to fill most prescriptions provided by the Doctor. Since opening, well over 500 patients have visited the clinic and received medical care from Dr. Benjamin Garcia or dental care from Dr. Maria Andrea. Santos Alvir Soriano, our sewing school instructor, pitches in and serves as the clinic receptionist. There is always one pastor and a deaconess also present to provide spiritual encouragement, witness and support.

We came to know Dr. Benjamin through his service with visiting Short Term Volunteer Medical teams who carry out clinics at our various churches. Nicaraguan regulations require any visiting medical team to have at least one or two Nicaraguan doctors working with them. It was easy to see in that context the passion he has for working with the poor. He himself comes from that background, but had the privilege of attending medical school “It’s a privilege,” he says, “to be at the clinic providing care to those who might not otherwise receive it.”

Dr. Benjamin keeps a record of the various ailments that he encounters at the clinic. Many, patients,  he says, come with respiratory problems. The heavy humidity at this time of the year combined with smoke from open fires has an impact on many and in their compromised physical health, they have difficulty fighting off infection.  On the day of our visit,  He also treated  a variety of dermatological problems such as scabies and ring worm. People came with kidney infections and gastrointestinal problems. Among the elderly, he also treated hypertension and arthritis. When asked whether there was any equipment that would be beneficial for the clinic, he mentioned the need for a “Glucose Meter.” He has run into a number of cases of diabetes.

In the room down the hall, Dr. Maria sees 4 or 5 patients during the day. While extractions are quite common at the clinic, most of the work done this time involved filling cavities. People in Nicaragua appear reluctant to visit the dentist. Many associate dentists with pain and so they wait until the situation is serious. Dr. Maria has also worked with the Short Term Volunteer Dental teams who have visited Nicaragua and on occasion does some follow up work after the team has returned.

Dr. Benjamin also has the same experience. In fact, one of the reasons for establishing the clinic was to meet this need for on-going care especially with patients suffering from hypertension or diabetes. Dr. Benjamin has a small number of these patients; more will be added to it after the visiting clinics in January and February of next year.

Now that the clinic has been established, our annual budget runs about $10,000.00 per year. The two major elements of that budget are the stipends for our doctors and money for the purchase of medications. We are grateful to LCMS World Relief who provided a start-up grant of $5,000.00 enabling us to purchase some furnishings and other basics for the clinic in addition to several months of operating funds. Our goal is to finance the clinic through individual donors willing to become Clinic Sponsors  through a gift of $500.00 or more. Gifts can be made on line at www.lutheranchurch.ca/donate or by cheque to LCC 3074 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3K 0Y2. Our American friends can receive a tax receipt by sending their gift through Immanuel Lutheran Church, 415 N 9th Street, St. Clair, Michigan 48079. (This congregation has sponsored a number of volunteer medical teams over the past years.) Please designate your gift, Nicaragua Medical Clinic.

I said earlier that a pastor and deaconess are always present at the clinic to provide spiritual encouragement, witness and support. By God’s blessing the result of this ministry has been the establishment of a bible class each Wednesday afternoon and a Sunday Worship Service at the Mission Centre. As our Synodical theme says, “Give Jesus Glory!”

Over the following weeks, I plan to share with you some of the programs that your mission in Nicaragua carries out as together we assist Iglesia Luterana Sinodo de Nicaragua, her pastors and deaconesses carry out the work of Gospel proclamation. The particular project addressed in this article is not directly related to proclamation but it does help in relieving our pastor and deaconess families of some of the burdens of living in poverty by providing them with additional sources of income in addition to the small stipend that they receive.

The program is entitled the “Mission Microfinance Program.” It’s goal is to provide small loans of up to $500.00 U.S. to pastors and deaconesses and their families for the establishment of a small family business. The loan is extended for a six month period at a small interest rate which covers the administrative costs. Over the past two years forty-four loans have been extended to our families from every part of the church. Twenty one have been paid in full; All of the other loans are being paid back as arranged. There has never been an outstanding loan to date. A record that is much better than some North American banks.

Some of the small business funded include a (1) Phone Recharging Service, (2) Grocery Corner Stores, (3) Using Clothing Business. (4) A hair stylist shop (5) Some of the farming families have used loans to purchase seed to plant crops of beans or plantain. The families here are most creative in identifying a community need and seeking to respond to that need with a business. By God’s grace, all ventures have been successful to date.

LCC Mission is grateful to Martin Bender and other members and friends of Faith Lutheran in Kitchener Ontario. They provided the original 10,000 dollars to establish the program. The program is administered by Deaconess Milagros Martinez. Because of the interest in securing a loan (some requests have been put on hold because of insufficient available funds), our goal is to increase the available funds by another $5,000 dollars. If this program appeals to you and you would like to make a contribution, please do so through our LCC Office in Winnipeg or through Faith Lutheran in Kitchener.

And yes, there is another loan program available at the mission as well. We give it the name, “Health Loan Program.” Loans are provided through this fund to our pastor/deaconess families without interest to assist them in paying any unusual medical/dental or pharmaceutical costs that a family might encounter. Because of our own Medical/Dental Clinic, the loans from this program have been minimal. We have approximately $2,000 dollars available through this program. It too was initiated through members and friends of Faith Lutheran. As mentioned above, neither of these programs is directly related to the ministry of proclamation, but they do provide a resource for our workers which assists them in meeting their materials needs. Relieved of some of these concerns, they are able to center their attention on the work to which they have been called.

Patients exercise patience as they await their turn with the doctor.

Corn fields behind the Mission Chapel

 

Changes mark our arrival in Nicaragua as we begin our second three month service in the country. Our previous visits have been during the dry season. This time we arrived in the midst of the rainy season. The evidence is all around.  The country side is lush and green; crops are growing in most fields and even now beginning to mature. We are pleased to see that a crop of corn and squash were planted in the back fields of the Mission Centre.  The proceeds that come from the crop will certainly assist in the upkeep of the Centre itself. 

Even the insects appear different in the rainy season and of course we are seeing a lot more of them. My first major encounter came when I stepped into a fire ant hill and almost immediately had my feet and legs covered with the biting insects. Now I know why they are called fire ants; the pain of their bite feels like fire. Linda and I have also begun to take our malaria tablets as a precautionary measure as the rainy season is equated with malaria season in the country

Just as we see growth and maturing in the countryside, so we see it in the mission and the church. The planting of three new mission outreaches in the communities of Leon, Rivas and Sebaco, initiated in the spring of the year, are beginning to bear fruit.  Small communities of believers are gathering for study and prayer and by God’s grace others are being added to their assemblies. Continue to remember Missionaries Maximo, Rufino and  Hector and their outreach efforts in your prayers. 

In the spring of the year, just before our departure from Nicaragua we were privileged to participate in the dedication of our Mission Medical/Dental Clinic. The Clinic has now been in operation for almost five months. The medical ledger reads that over 500 patients have been seen by Doctors Benjamin and Maria. What makes this number amazing is that the clinic is only open one day per week.

God has used this clinic to provide healing to many who might not normally receive medical attention. He has also used it as a vehicle by which our pastors and deaconesses can make new contacts and share a little of who we are and Whom we proclaim.  The result?  A weekly bible class is now being held in the Mission Centre Chapel each Wednesday as well as a worship service each Sunday. At the present time, President Luis is providing the leadership. He reports that last Sunday 23 people were in worship. He shrugs his shoulders and say, “Just a small group, but God will bless!”

Once again, it is a privilege for us to be serving in Nicaragua. The task and mission is much the same as it was during our first stint in the spring of this year. I will serve as a pastoral counsellor and advisor to the new church and its board and until we have a new administrative missionary located in Nicaragua, I will also serve in that capacity. We had hoped to make a trip into Honduras to explore new opportunities for outreach, but we must wait until the political situation stabilizes in the country. Please keep us in your prayers  — that God would keep us in good health and provide us with the wisdom to be of service to the church and mission.

Treasured friends,

Representatives of around 30 churches in the International Lutheran Council (ILC) said their good-byes today in Seoul, Korea, beginning around 5:30 a.m. as the first buses left to take them to the airport. We just concluded a week’s worth of meetings in what is called the ILC’s “World Conference,” now scheduled to happen every three years.

For Gail and me, this was a first trip to Asia in general and to Korea in particular. Seoul is a massive city, hard to even get your mind around. They told me 10 million residents in the city proper, and 22 million if you add all its surrounding suburbs. It takes forever to get from one end of it to the other, despite the wide and modern expressways. You’re often wise to schedule two hours if you’re traveling somewhere on the “far side” from where you began. Despite all the driving we did around Seoul, I don’t recall seeing a single detached family house. Massive apartment blocks are everywhere, often stretching as far as the eye can see, each building obviously housing hundreds of people. (It actually made Toronto look small, which is quite an achievement!) I was not surprised to be told that many Koreans struggle with a sense of isolation and loneliness in this environment, and that suicide was identified as a serious social problem.

President Um of the Lutheran Church of Korea is a delightful host. Not only was he gentle and helpful in explaining everything to us foreigners, but he personally guided the tours of Luther Seminary, their growing Lutheran university, and of the city of Seoul when we spent Saturday looking around. The staff from his office gave so much of themselves during our conference days, making themselves available from early morning until late at night to see that visitors got all the assistance they needed. He and his co-workers lined up outside our buses as we departed, bowing deeply and giving us a very ceremonial send-off. When we arrived at Incheon airport to leave the country, we saw other groups of Koreans standing in lines with costumes and flowers, treating even ordinary people the same way, as though they were just concluding a “state” visit! When our Korean Airlines plane arrived in Chicago, again, the full crew of that 747 jumbo jet stood at the exits and along the jetway in lines, bowing and thanking us for being with them. Courtesy looms large in Korea! And it’s not merely an idle custom! It really DOES make you feel as though you matter to these folks! Is there a lesson for God’s people in Canada to learn here? Hmm…

A real highlight of this week was the visit Gail and I made to a young mission congregation, “Clear Spring Water Lutheran Church,” in a northwestern suburb of Seoul. This congregation, begun just six years ago, meets in rented rooms in the basement level of an office/apartment building. Each week when the service is ended, the members ALWAYS stay and have dinner together, I’m told. Their church was the farthest from our conference site, and so our little LCC delegation (a.k.a. Gail and I) were the only foreign visitors to this particular worshipping community. The service is very reverent, as pastor and deacon remove their shoes before entering the chancel area, donning little slippers for that part of God’s House. During the Old Testament and Epistle readings (done by the deacon), the pastor sits in his chancel chair, slippered feet on a pillow, with his eyes shut tight as he listens very attentively to God’s Word and by his body language sets a strong example for the worshippers to follow. The singing is rich and full for such a small group. Afterward they made elaborate preparations for a special dinner to honour us, complete with a “rice cake,” topped with little green peas forming the Korean lettering for “Welcome”. (Never compare these to the snacks WE call rice cakes from the supermarket. This was a filling dessert!)

A surprising and happy feature of the ILC conference is to see how many Latin Americans were there, since Biblical Lutheran churches are springing up all over the Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking lands of this world region. And how heartwarming to see how our sister church in Brazil, a Portuguese-speaking nation, sent a missionary back to the ancestral “homeland” to get Lutheran mission starts going in Portugal!

I may have more to say on the International Lutheran Council itself in another post, but let these reflections be enough for now while impressions are still so fresh in my mind. I’m so grateful to God that our Lutheran Church-Canada is part of this strong and very loving family. It’s also heartwarming to see how our leaders of days gone by, Presidents Lehman and Mayan, represented us so well and carved out a big place for the Canadian church in the hearts of these brothers and sisters.

Gail and Robert Bugbee

After a 13-hour flight from Chicago, Gail and I arrived safely in Seoul, Korea, on Tuesday afternoon. It took two hours to drive around the edges of this city of 10 million to arrive at the hotel which is hosting this 23rd World Conference of the International Lutheran Council.

Surprisingly enough, we were met at the airport by Michael Choi, a member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Moncton, New Brunswick, who is here on holidays visiting loved ones in Korea! He and his pastor drove us to our accomodations to spare us a long bus ride.

The days are filled with business, Bible study, and getting to know the Korean Church. We visited Luther University and Seminary yesterday. Despite its small size, the Korean Church has published Bible studies which have been used by nearly a half-million of their fellow citizens. And the university touches the lives of many people far beyond the church’s modest membership.

Our topic studies are arranged around the theme “In Christ: Living Life to the Full.” I will serve as a Bible study leader on the final day of the conference. This coming Sunday we will be attending the services of one of our sister congregations in the Seoul area, which is hosting us at a special dinner afterward.

It’s the end of the rainy season, which means hot and humid here in Korea! Thank the Lord for air conditioning. Also had a wonderful luncheon with President and Mrs. Mike Semmler of the Lutheran Church in Australia, who are good friends of President and Mrs. Ralph Mayan, and who send their greetings to our Synod and their friends in Canada.

If I can get some more time on this coin-operated public computer, I’ll try to check in with you again sometime later in the week.

From Yongin, Korea…

Gail and Robert Bugbee