| 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 2nd 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! |
|
|
|
|
