Putnam_Dominican Republic_Feb2021

The Fruits of His Word 

The Schumann Putnam Family Newsletter 
February 2021

Deaconess Program – The past several months have been filled with many blessings! In September, Concordia Seminary in the Dominican Republic started off their 4^th academic year faced with having to do on-line classes.  With a combination of a digital or printed course manual, Zoom, email, and a cell phone texting app called, WhatsApp, we were able to teach an 8-week course on Luke-Acts to 120 women in the countries of Mexico, Guatemala, Panamá, Dominican Republic and Venezuela. Along with coordinating the program, I also co-wrote and taught the course, and served as a mentor to the countries of Mexico, Guatemala, and a group of women here in the DR.  I would meet with them on a weekly basis over Zoom to review the material and help them with their homework.

Many of the students made sacrifices to be able to receive the course.  In Venezuela, 6 women who did not have internet in their town traveled each week by bus to the next closest Lutheran congregation where the pastor’s wife is also a deaconess student. There, they spent the day studying together in the pastor’s house and joined in the Zoom class on one computer.  The pastor’s family would cook for them and host them over night each week so they could receive class.  I was humbled and encouraged by the thankfulness of the women and their desire to learn God’s Word. 

Wedding!!! Right the middle of course writing, coordinating, and teaching Luke-Acts, I got married! I was married to Carlos Schumann on October 17, 2020.  After the wedding being on hold for 6 months, Carlos was finally able to leave Argentina and join me in Oregon at the farm where my dad grew up for an outdoor wedding that we planned in 7 days while there.  My dad preached a wonderful message on Ephesians 5:22-33. We were blessed to have many family and friends gather for the celebration despite short notice and the pandemic.  

Carlos is from Argentina. He is a pastor who served as a missionary to Chile for 29 years.  Now he serves as the director for Luther Academy in Latin America.  Luther Academy is an organization that provides continuing theological education for pastors. He coordinates and sometimes teaches courses for pastors, hosts pastoral meetings, and works on the translation of Luther Academy materials, such as LOGIA journal articles for the use of pastors.   

PLANTAINED – The goal of a foreigner in the Dominican is to become “aplatanao” or “plantained”.  One of the main staples of the Dominican diet are plantains, which are like a banana that you cook. So, when you learn to eat Dominican food, drive like a Dominican, and can speak like a Dominican, then you are “plantained”.  Although Carlos already speaks Spanish, the Dominican Republic being a Caribbean country is quite different from Argentina and Chile.  It takes time to adjust and adapt to the culture.  He is purposefully trying to get to know the history and the country as well as learn his way around the city of Santiago where we live. Above, Carlos is eating a traditional plantain dish called, “Mofongo”. Finishing one is a rite of passage in becoming “aplatanao”.

Over 10 years ago, I started a monthly disability ministry called Amigos de Jesús that was the impetus of one of our congregations, Lamb of God Lutheran Church.  The ministry is still active and reaching out to families with children with disability.  Since we are not able to meet as a group, we have been visiting the families individually during the time of the pandemic.  Over Christmas, three deaconess students that I teach from this congregation did their final Luke-Acts course project on the story of the birth of Jesus. They did individual puppet shows for the participants with disability, sang songs and prayed with the family.  When the government imposed a strict curfew right after Christmas, the ladies took to YouTube to share the story of Christ’s birth with our Amigos de Jesús.  We are thankful for this congregation’s faithful witness of Jesús to people with disabilities over the many years!

Please pray for:  Deaconess students now studying their 2^nd on-line course on the Catechism, Carlos’ cultural adaptation, and our ministry to people with disabilities during this challenging time of pandemic.
Thank you, in Jesus’ name!