The Best Laid Plans

“We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28 NIV). We know that this is true, but sometimes it doesn’t feel that way.

In western Ethiopia is a region called Gambella. Gambella is home to three Lutheran Synods seeking fellowship with WELS. Together, these three groups may have as many as 40,000 members, perhaps more. Many of them are refugees from South Sudan. These synods do not have many trained pastors or church elders, but they are eager to receive instruction from God’s word. It is a tremendous opportunity to reach out with the gospel!

Missionaries Howard Mohlke, Christopher Pluger, and Mark Panning were set to go. Fourteen delegates from the three synods were going to meet us in Bishoftu, Ethiopia, along with three delegates from our sister-synod, the Lutheran Church of Ethiopia. We were excited about the meeting. We purchased airline tickets for the 14 representatives and booked a conference hall in Bishoftu. Everything was ready.

God had other plans. A few days before the meeting, civil war returned to Ethiopia. Seven rebel groups had banded together against the government. Armed militias had captured several airports, and airline service was suspended. In Gambella, long-standing tribal disputes immediately boiled over. Roads were blocked. Then we learned that a Lutheran youth group was traveling to a meeting when their bus was attacked by rebels. Several of those Lutheran youth were wounded in the attack. One of them was killed – a young Lutheran woman named Martha Nyalam Chuol.

I heard about the fighting at 6:30 a.m. on September 22. By 1:00 p.m. on the same day, the meeting was already canceled. To be honest, I felt very discouraged.

But I did not hear discouragement from our Lutheran friends in Gambella. They understood that the meeting had to be postponed. Yet even as we were canceling the tickets, I heard some say, “We will pray to God. Maybe things will improve if we wait a few days.” Others said, “This meeting is very important! When can we reschedule?” On the following Sunday, Lutherans in Gambella gathered to comfort and encourage one another with the word of God. They were not discouraged.

Nothing happened the way we thought it would. It didn’t feel like a triumphant march toward glory. But that’s exactly what it was. In his infinite love and wisdom, God carried out his plans in the way he knew was best. The faith and trust of God’s people were tested in fire and purified like gold. The leaders of those Lutheran churches grew in their resolve to serve God and his people. Those who suffered painful trials found peace and comfort from God’s word. And a young Christian named Martha received her everlasting crown of glory, and it will never be taken from her.

“We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.” It often happens in ways that we do not expect, but God’s kingdom marches on.

Missionary Mark Panning lives in Malawi.

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

Karibu Kenya

Recently my wife and I journeyed to Kenya with three students enrolled at Martin Luther College, the WELS college of Ministry, and ten students from Wisconsin Lutheran High School. This was our first trip to Kenya, and the first group of teens to be received by the WELS’ sister synod, the Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC Kenya).

While every new venture brings some anxiousness and concerns, our group could not have been welcomed more warmly. Whether it was at church on Sunday, visiting local schools, or shopping at local markets, everyone was happy to greet us by saying, “Karibu” (meaning, “Welcome”), a big smile, and often a warm embrace.

A Variety of Experiences

The main goals of the trip were to strengthen our bonds of fellowship, learn about Kenyan culture and ministry to Kenyan people, and to offer volunteer services as much as possible. The biggest opportunity for this came when we visited three schools throughout the week. The connection was made through LCMC President Rev. Mark Anariko and his wife, Grace, who teaches in Nairobi at Dandora Primary School. It was certainly a life-changing experience to visit these schools! We had only been in Nairobi for 36 hours when we first visited Dandora Primary School, a school of over 3,600 students from Pre-K to 9th grade! Our students had the opportunity to teach a Bible lesson, sing songs, and do a Bible-themed craft with students. We were then treated to a special program of songs and dances from various student groups.

This same program was repeated at each school we visited. Our students enjoyed this so much that we actually went back to Dandora Primary School a second time! At each school we were welcomed (and swarmed!) with many smiles and hugs, and so much love as we were sent on our way that most of our students left with tears in their eyes. It made for great conversation and reflection each evening!

Scattered throughout the week, we also had various Kenyan immersion experiences. We went on a safari at Nairobi National Park and visited an elephant orphanage. We took pictures on the helipad rooftop of the Kenya International Convention Center. We visited the Kenya National Museum, as well as local malls and markets. Each experience was an adventure as we saw the wonders of God’s creation, learned about the history of Kenya, and interacted with many people of every background. We had lots of time to think as we sat in traffic for hours, as is inevitable for any visitor to Nairobi.

Highlight of the Visit

The greatest highlight of the trip was the opportunity to worship at Umoja Lutheran Church on two consecutive Sundays. The congregation welcomed our group with great love and joy, and our young people eagerly talked with and enjoyed time with their young adults and young children. It was a very different experience to worship for more than two hours each week and sing ten hymns.

And yet, it was a very familiar experience as we followed the same liturgy (only in Swahili) and sang several familiar hymns. Personally, I had the privilege of preaching each Sunday and also distributing the Lord’s Supper. What an extraordinary blessing to be able to worship with brothers and sisters across the world the same true God and confess our shared faith in Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

As a whole, the trip was unforgettable from start to finish, and every person in our group was touched to their heart by the warm welcome, the love shared, and our strong bonds of Christian unity. We look forward to sending another team again in the near future. In the meantime, we pray fervently for our dear brothers and sisters in Christ in Kenya. Whether we meet them in person face to face again or not, we eagerly look forward to the day when our Savior in heaven tells us, “Karibu!”

Dr. Phil Huebner lives in the United States and is the Campus Pastor for Wisconsin Lutheran High School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Best Reformation Ever

The Lutheran Reformation continues to bear fruit all over the world and especially in Gambella, Ethiopia today. Gambella Evangelical Lutheran Church (GELC) started in 2018 with a few men who had become frustrated with the false teaching of their other denominations. In 2021, the One Africa Team of the Wisconsin Synod directed their leader, Opiew Okugn to investigate the TELL Bible Study program from WELS’ Multi-Language Productions.

Learning About Baptism

One Africa Team member first met the church leaders face-to-face in March of 2023. The congregation had the common misunderstanding: “Since we don’t have an ordained pastor, we cannot make use of the sacraments.”

OAT representatives Joel Hoff and Dan Kroll taught about the sacraments in 2024. Any Christian who has a true understanding of the three persons of the Trinity can and should baptize. GELC leaders requested a baptismal liturgy from OAT. They even organized baptismal certificates for the fifty-seven who were baptized on that weekend.

More than a year later, the members of GELC are still baptizing. Four infants were brought into God’s kingdom through baptism just the week before Missionary Kroll arrived in mid-October. We praise the Lord for growth in this understanding. We also thank God for the growth of his kingdom amongst the Anuak Tribe living in Gambella!

Teaching the Lutheran Confessions

In some inhospitable weather (i.e., hot and humid), Missionary Kroll studied the Lutheran Confessions with GELC members. Everyone took notes on the historic Confessions of the Lutheran Reformation contained in the Book of Concord. These are the Augsburg Confession, the Apology (Defense) of the Augsburg Confession, The Smalcald Articles, The Power and Primacy of the Pope, and The Formula of Concord.

Missionary Kroll used this opportunity to review the foundational teaching of Scripture – salvation by grace alone – with GELC members. He explained the concept of the opinio legis. This is a false idea that we can gain God’s favor by obeying his law. Missionary Kroll also warned GELC member about the Roman Catholic false teaching on the Sacraments. Namely, it is impossible to merit God’s favor by virtue what the priest is doing ex opere operato (from the work done), without regard to the faith of the person receiving the sacrament. The Bible urges us to receive God’s blessings with faith in Jesus’ salvation, as promised and delivered by the Sacraments.

The theological terms themselves are not important. We do however encounter the concepts they express often. We find them in the Lutheran Confessions, in our own communities, and even in our own hearts. With trust in God’s Word we look forward the battle against false teachings, wherever they may be found.

Discussing Church Practice

GELC members and Missionary Kroll discussed how traditions can interfere with worship when people focus on what they like. Our Anuak brothers recognized that they could be flexible about the number of hymns in a worship service. They acknowledged that desire for authority and honor can lead to conflict in the church. GELC currently utilizes only those offices of ministry that are necessary for good order.

Missionary Kroll and GELC members tackled these subjects with a lot of interactive homework and discussions. There was much laughter, a little spirited debate, and much time spent enjoying good meals together. It was a week of building relationship based on the true Word of God.

The week’s meetings ended with a Reformation Festival on Sunday. Worshippers enjoyed plenty of singing and a strong message about freedom. They listened to readings from Jeremiah 31, Galatians 5 and heard a great gospel sermon on John 8:31-36. David was the “moderator.” Mataya played the keyboard. Okwori delivered the sermon. Omod Ochalla, Opiew Okugn and Omod Otong read the Scripture lessons. In other words, every GELC leader had a role to play. A key theme of the Lutheran Reformation is that in the Church, everybody has a job to do.

Please offer a prayer for this congregation to hold firmly to the gospel they have learned. “We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.” (Hebrews 3:13).

Missionary Dan Kroll lives in Malawi.