It is hard to believe that the Lutheran Church of Central Africa (LCCA) has been running the Greater African Theological Studies Institute (GRATSI) now for almost 9 years. With assistance of visiting professors from the Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary’s Pastoral Studies Institute (PSI) LCCA pastors from Malawi and Zambia receive further opportunities to obtain advanced degrees in theological studies. The first class called GRATSI 2010 graduated in 2014 and now the second GRATSI class called GRATSI 2014 graduated on July 19, 2019.

The GRATSI 2014 class spent nearly five years meeting two to three times a year in week-long face to face study courses with visiting PSI professors. Class sessions were taught alternatively on the campuses of the Lutheran Bible Institute in Lilongwe, Malawi and the Lutheran Seminary in Lusaka, Zambia.  On July 19, nine LCCA pastors received a Bachelors of Divinity Diploma from visiting Professor Paul Koelpin, who was representing the PSI program of the Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary. Over 30 other LCCA pastors were able to take part in the graduation ceremonies as well, because the graduation event coincided with the close of this year’s Pastors’ Continuing Education course.

The GRATSI program is a work in progress. For the first time, a cohort of four GRATSI 2010 graduates has been formed to pursue a GRATSI Master’s Degree.  These men have been meeting in several on-line courses, as well as a face to face classes with visiting Professor Paul Koelpin. In an attempt to broaden the GRATSI program beyond the borders of Malawi and Zambia to all of Africa, pastors from other African Synods in our fellowship were invited to attend several sessions of the just concluded GRATSI 2014 cohort. This is in keeping with the GRATSI namesake of the Greater African Theological Studies Institute.

But the Lord has blessed One Africa Team with an even broader vision for our efforts to deliver advanced theological training to our partners in Africa. Soon the name “GRATSI” will be changing to “Confessional Lutheran Institute” (CLI). Course work prepared by the Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary’s PSI for the GRATSI program has now also been used in other Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference (CELC) church bodies outside of Africa. God has blessed WELS with the opportunity to continue advanced training for Lutheran theological workers and pastors not only in Africa, but also throughout the world. May God grant success to our endeavors as we seek to “encourage one another and build each other up” (1 Thessalonians 5:11).

Acting LCCA Seminary Principal
Philip Birner

Moses was on his bike at sunup this morning, with his wife
and child riding behind him. He pedaled for two hours on dirt footpaths through
rolling hills to reach the village of Msambo, where the Lutheran Mobile Clinic
is seeing patients today. His child has ringworm, and the Lutheran clinic in
Msambo is the best bet for a cure since government-run hospitals rarely have
medicines in stock.

But Moses has another task to perform. He is an elder in his
church at the village of Thawale, where he reads sermons to people worshipping
at the local LCCA congregation when the pastor is absent. Moses has the
privilege of speaking a message from God’s word to the patients gathered in
Msambo today. He has chosen Psalm 39 as his text: “Show me, Lord, my life’s end
and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is” (v4). Watch a
video of Moses reading these verses in Chichewa at https://youtu.be/QLOByFGjY48

The average life expectancy in Malawi today is 64 years –
about 15 years less than in the United States, but up considerably from the
mid-40’s in the early 2000’s. AIDS, Malaria, diarrhea and respiratory
infections are the leading causes of death in Malawi. The consequences of
mankind’s fall from grace are clearly evident here.

The treatment that the Lutheran Mobile Clinic provides is
primarily preventative in nature. The development of expectant mothers and
young children is monitored, patients are screened for malaria and children are
given immunizations. Classes on nutrition and hygiene are taught and vitamins, food
supplements and formula for orphans are distributed. Children under the age of 5
and pregnant women receive Vitamin A  to
support normal vision, and infants from 6 months to 2 years receive
micronutrient supplements. The level of care is basic, but greatly appreciated
by those who have nowhere else to turn.

On clinic days, the people line up to be seen on a first
come, first serve basis. Adult patients pay a fee of 500 kwacha (about 75 cents,
half a day’s wages) to be seen and receive treatment, including medicine. Expecting
mothers pay a one-time fee of 500 kwacha and receive free prenatal exams
thereafter. All pregnant women receive HIV testing and counseling, and tests
for syphilis and anemia. The fee for children under the age of 5 is 300 kwacha.
There are different stations for the exams of children and adults, and a room
for private consultations. During the rainy season when malaria is endemic,
clinic workers can see over 300 patients in a day. 

The Bible urges us to do good to all people and especially
our fellow Christians as we have the opportunity to put our Christian love into
action (Gal. 6:10). Whether you live in a developing country or in the United
States, your days are numbered by God. Make faithful use of the resources he
has entrusted to you for this life, as you look forward to days without end. 

The Lutheran Mobile Clinic in Malawi is an arm of the
Central African Medical Mission (CAMM), a subsidiary of WELS World Missions.
This program is completely funded by private donors and groups, and not by
Congregational Mission Offerings to the WELS. You can find out more about CAMM
at http://www.camm.us/

“Your weapon is more powerful than mine.” He wore green camouflage.  Emblazoned on his uniform were the letters, UWA: Uganda Wildlife Authority.  Comfortably cradled in his arms was an aged and scarred rifle.  As he spoke the words, he patted the barrel. “Your weapon is more powerful than mine.” I knew what he meant because he knew who we were.

We were a group of Lutheran Pastors.  We carried no weapons crafted from steel or fashioned from wood.  No guns or knives or spears were in our hands.  The only weapon we bore was a book.  No, not just a book but THE book, the Bible.  Inspired. Inerrant.  Enduring. Living.  Active.

Powerful.

After visiting with the UWA Officer for some time, he knew, not only what we represented (The Lutheran Church) but who we represented: the Lord Jesus Christ.  He made quite a statement.  More like a confession: “Your weapon is more powerful than mine.” Indeed it is.  And it was with our “weapon” that we came to Uganda.  Again.

Pastor Pembeleka,
Missionary Hartmann and I returned to the “Pearl of Africa.”  We made our 2^nd mission outreach
trip to Uganda.  Like our first one in
December 2018, it was planned for several purposes:  visiting congregations, meeting the pastors
and evangelists, building relationships and teaching God’s Word.

The Holy Spirit is
on the move.

From the way it’s
developing, the Lord certainly seems to have opened the door for us into Uganda!  A wonderful opportunity
to step through it!

Visiting the
congregations allows us to see how extensive this Lutheran synod is and to
observe what’s “on the ground.” 
Attending worship services, listening to sermons and talking with the leaders
gives us opportunity to evaluate messages and doctrines being preached; this in
turn helps inform our teaching approach and course work.  We aim to design and teach the classes that
can have the most impact as we move towards declaration of fellowship.

Please pray for us!

We planned an aggressive
course schedule.  The topics we covered to
date:

• Justification
• Church and Ministry
• Stewardship
• God’s Great Exchange
• The Bible
• The Work of a Christian Congregation
• The Trinity
• The First Article -God the Father
• The Second Article – God the Son
• The Fall into Sin
• Jesus – His person
• Jesus – His Work
• The Judgement – The Last Day
• The Third Article – God the Holy Spirit
• Conversion

I know, “tip of the
iceberg,” right?

There’s a lot more of the Bible to share.  More congregations to visit, more leaders to meet and many more lessons to teach.  So much witnessing to do! Even in the unplanned situations.  Especially in the unplanned ones!  As when we were found ourselves in the office of the Uganda Wildlife Authority.

We had just finished visiting a group of people from the Acholi tribe in Kitgum.  We were on the road in our van traveling to our accommodation for the night.  From our vehicle we noticed a waterfall. We stopped to take in the view, then hoped that we could walk closer.  We soon discovered, however, that we could only do so if we obtained permission from the Uganda Wildlife Authority.

We were directed to an office and that’s where we met up with the uniformed man – and another opportunity to witness and share our faith. We explained who we were, what we were doing and why three of us had come to Uganda.  It was during this conversation then that he confessed: “Your weapon is more powerful than mine.” Even so, I’m glad he had his.  Because when permission was granted to go to the waterfall, there was one requirement:  we needed an officer escort – an armed one!

Why an officer
toting a high-power rifle? Because we’d be
hiking through an area (Karuma Forest Reserve) which was home to big “Tuskers.”  Elephants!

So with the rifle slung over his shoulder, UWA Officer Mr. Waako led us through the dense forest on the way to the waterfall. 

We came upon signs
of elephant but didn’t actually see any. But as we trekked behind him – and
even to this day – I couldn’t help but think of his words…

Your weapon is more powerful than mine.

His weapon is man-made;
Ours is God-given.
His can scare away elephants;
  Ours can send away the devil.
His can bring death;
  Ours can give life.
His will rust and deteriorate;
  Ours is eternal.

Talk about “high-caliber”
weapon!

And with it we came
to Uganda.

The first time we visited Uganda in December 2018 the leaders of the church excitedly told us that they had chosen the name New Hope for their synod.  However, at that point, they were not registered with the government.  When they did a little more digging about registration procedure, the government of religious affairs informed them that another organization had already registered under the name New Hope.  So that name was no longer available.

A few weeks ago, the synod leaders met again and opted on the name, Obadiah Lutheran Synod—Uganda. They now are fully registered with the government.

But why Obadiah?  Pastor Musa explains:

“(We) chose the name Obadiah because we’re a small growing group of worshipers of the LORD and Obadiah means ‘worshipers of the Lord.’   Obadiah is a minor prophet…it’s the shortest book…when you look at our synod it is also minor.  We are (still small) and at a growing stage…”

Big or small, long time in existence or short, well established or still organizing, an assembly of be-lievers in the True God is part of the body of Christ! We rejoice with you, Obadiah!  And thank God for the opportunity to share the gospel of Jesus and bring His Word among you. 

Exactly what Satan
wouldn’t want to happen. Speaking of the
devil, imagine for a moment this scene…

We are in his office talking frankly.  He snickers and sneers and tells us about all the tricks up his sleeve that he uses on people to try to get them to abandon their Christian faith. His arsenal is scattered around the room: lies, deception, half-truths, doubt, despair, enticements. He snidely informs us that he picks and chooses his weapons accordingly. 

But then we remind
him of the cross, the empty tomb and our living Lord.  His eyes drop and he sinks down in his seat. Before
we get up to leave, we ask him for one thing. “We know you’re the Father of Lies, but just for once tell us something
that you know in your heart that is true but that you don’t want to admit
outside this room.” 

He scans his office
at his own armament then sullenly speaks…

“Your weapon is more powerful than mine.”

 Sincerely,

Your Malawi Mission
Partner, John Holtz