Missionary Dan and Karen Kroll have temporarily relocated to Lilongwe, Malawi while the situation on the ground is being assessed.
As we sat with our fellow workers from our mission field, we learned much about the situation there. They had come from the place we call “home,” a place which had now become unsafe for us to return.

They had traveled in a military convoy of about two hundred vehicles, not sure if or when some opposition leaders might attack. The government is strong, but so are those who oppose them in the name of independence. Everybody here was raised with a “might makes right,” so violence becomes the order of the day.

There is a hopelessness in the air as the proverb rolls off his tongue “we are walking between two elephants.” We learn the other half of the proverb about five minutes later as he continues: “when two elephants fight, it’s the grass that suffers .” We (ordinary people) are only spectators in this fight and we don’t choose sides (ANYBODY with a gun makes us run into the bush to hide, makes us afraid to be home), but we are the ones who suffer in this fight. We are the grass.

As Isaiah begins his encouragement to the people of Israel who had been informed of God’s impending judgement, he acknowledges the same idea: “The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever “(40:7-8). “It isn’t easy” is a common phrase that comes up in our area – it usually refers to a tragic event or near impossible project that needs to be done. This is a classic such situation: walking between two elephants, and its getting uglier every day.

When God decides that we need to “walk between two elephants,” or he finds it necessary to allow the “elephants” to fight, the best we can do is to prepare for any outcome. This is out of our hands. Almost any way we become involved, we will agitate somebody – we will most likely only make it worse.

“…BUT the word of our God stands forever.” A pretty important “but” that turns our attention away from the terrible things that are happening in a different part of the world, a war zone, across town or even in our own home. Whenever we look to people or expect anything of this world to bring peace and happiness we will surely be disappointed. In fact, the devil will use that to get our attention away from our Savior Jesus. As soon as independence, peace, prosperity or personal satisfaction rule our hearts and lives, we can be lost, trampled underfoot.

Is there a way for us to leave the “elephants” alone? In spite of the worldly suffering in this situation, might we rather focus on the good news that our ever-gracious and wise LORD is still in charge, even stronger than the elephants. We remember always that he plans only good things for us (Romans 8:28). The best example is the sacrifice of his own son to keep us close to him for eternity. Let us continue to read and study his word to remind us that even our biggest “elephant” (death) no longer has power over us. Together with Jesus we cannot lose. The whole world needs to know about this great victory in Jesus – even if it means we have “walk between two elephants” while we tell them!

Missionary Dan Kroll

Please pray for those working in fields that are ripe for harvest. Share their story, engage with future news and receive updates. Go to this link to learn more about our mission fields in Africa and how the Holy Spirit is working faith in people’s hearts https://wels.net/serving-others/missions/africa

This week’s post is written by Rev. James Aderman, a pastor who has served congregations in Florida and Wisconsin and is currently retired. Pastor Aderman recently came to Malawi to teach continuing education courses for pastors from Malawi and Zambia.

The topic was familiar. If I had closed my eyes I could easily have imagined myself in a group of WELS pastors in the United States.

But I was 8500 miles from Wisconsin. I was south of the equator in Malawi, Africa.

The Lutheran Church of Central Africa hosts an annual continuing education week for its pastors at the Lutheran Bible Institute in Lilongwe. I had the privilege of leading the 40 LCCA pastors who attended the 2018 conference in a discussion of Bible interpretation principles and of Christ-centered worship. It was the worship material that launched this discussion.

“My people think liturgy-based worship services are dull,” one pastor said. Others nodded in agreement. “That’s why some of my members slip off to Pentecostal churches on Sunday,” another said. “We Lutherans have so much to celebrate because of God’s grace,” said someone else. “Why can’t our worship be more lively?”

“But the liturgy reflects our teaching about grace,” another pastor countered. “Everything about it points us to Jesus. We dare not lose that.”

The discussion volleyed for some time. At the end there was consensus.

• God’s grace in Jesus motivates us to worship him in the best ways possible.
• Lutheran liturgy provides a solid structure on which to build our worship.
• Liturgy doesn’t have to be dull or repetitive.
• Our excellent hymn texts can be placed into music that is more familiar to African ears.
• Pastors can do a better job teaching the Lutheran approach to worship.
• The liturgy offers the freedom to help Christians of any culture fully rejoice in God’s grace.
• We pastors can improve the way we lead God’s people in worship.

“I applaud you, my brothers,” I told them, “for your willingness to wrestle with developing worship services that bring praise to God and best benefits God’s people. You’ve given me new encouragement to keep my eyes open wide, so I do the same for fellow Christians in America.”

James Aderman lives in Greenfield, WI

Please pray for those working in fields that are ripe for harvest. Share their story, engage with future news and receive updates. Go to this link to learn more about our mission fields in Africa and how the Holy Spirit is working faith in people’s hearts  https://wels.net/serving-others/missions/africa

“It’s cold, go outside and warm up!”  Anyone growing up in the USA Midwest should find that a little strange.  Mom would say, “It’s cold outside, come in and warm up.”  Inside is warm.  Outside is cold in the winter.  It’s the opposite here in the middle of Malawian winter.

Temperatures get as low as 45°F at night.  All our buildings and houses here are brick and concrete fridges that hold in the cold.  But in the dry, sunny winter it’s 70°F and above during the day.  So, what do you do?  After shivering for a while in my office with my feet on icy concrete, I go out and stand in the warm sun.  Everyone here does it.

I could give a dozen other examples of things that seem upside down to this Midwesterner, even after 25 years living here.  Some of those things are much more important than the strangeness of going outside to warm up.

One example is our different cultural views of what is righteousness.

Imagine the eulogy of an American businessman.  This is a bit of a caricature, but I could imagine a eulogy going something like this, “Mr. Hard-Worker was a really, really hard worker.  He provided well for his family.  He built up his business from nothing.  He was gruff and rude, but hey, that’s Fred.”  I think we Americans view hard work as a very high cultural value or righteousness.  Being rude is bad, but not too bad if it means you get work done.

Now, again this is sort of a caricature, but I could imagine this eulogy in these parts, “Mr. Get-Along was a very peaceful man.  He never got angry and was always polite and hospitable.  Of course, he couldn’t hold down a job and was unsuccessful at his farming, but what an admirable man he was.”  Getting along and being polite is a very high cultural value here.  Failing to work very hard is bad, but not too bad if you have managed to get along with everyone.

These big differences in culture can be all at once fascinating, frustrating, enlightening, and depressing for us pastors working in a culture that is very different from our own.   Let me share a more profound difference we’ve been studying that really falls on the side of fascinating and enlightening.

Recently, we have been studying the different views that people groups have on what God requires and what he gives.   Most Westerners like we Americans view things according to a Western law-based view– guilt and innocence.  We talk about the Word that way, too.  God has an unchangeable and unnegotiable demands of us.  We fail to obey but Jesus obeyed for us and put his innocence on us.   The Bible certainly speaks to us in those terms, but it also portrays God’s demands and promises in other ways, ways that probably connect better with people around here.

One way is to think in terms of honor and shame.  We are unworthy and shameful because of who we are and how we are.  But through Christ, our honor in the eyes of the Father is restored.  We are his sons, valued and loved.

Another way to view things is in terms of fear and power.  We are harassed and frightened by the evil powers of Satan, sin, and death.  But through Christ’s power, we have overcome those fears and have confidence before the Father.  God’s Word speaks in all three ways: guilt/innocence, honor/shame, and fear/power.  To me, this is fascinating stuff and gives me new insight as I learn about God and his Word.

If you come to Malawi in the winter, you might have to think upside down.  Go outside when you’re cold.  As you share the Word with others in the USA, consider some ways that might seem upside down.  Who do you know who suffers from shame?  He or she has honor in Christ.  If someone is stressed and fearful, let them know they have power and confidence to even stand before God, in Christ.

Missionary Paul Nitz lives in Malawi and is the Principal of the Lutheran Bible Institute

Please pray for those working in fields that are ripe for harvest. Share their story, engage with future news and receive updates. Go to this link to learn more about our mission fields in Africa and how the Holy Spirit is working faith in people’s hearts  https://wels.net/serving-others/missions/africa