“Amazing Grace”—we Americans love this song!  Recently I used this popular song and its local language equivalent “Chisomo Chodabwitsacho” as a springboard to truly understanding “GRACE” at a women’s meeting at Crown of Life Lutheran Church in Lilongwe, Malawi. With it we reviewed the theme, “Salvation comes by Grace,” which we had boldly proclaimed in red to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation.     

Women love singing in Malawi Lutheran worship services!   My goal was to capitalize on the enthusiasm of singing to further reflect on the amazing truth that God saved us through Jesus.  I directed the 35 women in attendance to divide into 11 groups.  They quickly practiced singing a stanza of the hymn or reading a verse from Psalm 25 aloud.

The participants were well prepared to share their part with the large group.  First, I called forward the group that I assigned the first verse of “Chisomo Chodabwitsacho—Amazing Grace.”  We pondered the question, “What is Grace?”  We discussed how grace “saved me” and how it gave life.  Then I called forward the groups who I assigned to read Psalm 25: 6 and 7.  We discussed how “mercy,” “steadfast love” and “goodness” are the reason why individuals ask the Lord to “remember” them.  We answered the question, “Who am I?” with the song’s description – “a complete sinner.”  The group assigned to read Psalm 25:11 added that we are individuals who need the Lord to “pardon my guilt, for it is great.”

After listening to another group sing stanza 2 of “Chisomo Chodabwitsacho—Amazing Grace,” we pursued the answer to “What has the Lord done?”  In Chichewa we exuberantly exclaimed that “grace removed the fear of death when people believe in the Lord Jesus.”  The groups who read aloud Psalm 25: 7 and 11 connected us to the Lord, “the God of my Salvation.” We pleaded Him “for Your name’s sake” to “pardon” us and to not remember “the sins of…youth or… transgressions.”

Then we pondered, “So, what path do I now want as a Christian?” The group that sang stanza 3 of “Chisomo Chodabwitsacho—Amazing Grace” reminded us that the Lord has cared for us and will continue to care for us until we reach home.  The group that read Psalm 25:8-9 reminded us to stay in the Lord’s truth. We asked that we know His ways and paths given in the Bible.

The group assigned the last stanza of the hymn echoed, “I will sing of His grace at home, praising the Lord in unending time.” But are we “at home with God” only after we die?  The group that read Psalm 25:1 stated, “To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.”  We asked God to “guard my soul, and deliver me” for “I take refuge in You.”  As a grand finale, our voices completely filled the church by singing all four verses of “Chisomo Chodabwitsacho—Amazing Grace.”  With this song study we had a foretaste of praising God our Savior in heaven.  We pray that it reminds us that God’s Word is for all of us to share and reflect on each day on the path home.

Nancy Roebke lives in Lilongwe, Malawi where her husband, Missionary John Roebke serves as the Missionary of Publications

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

The Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC/Kenya) approached The Lutheran Church of Central Africa (LCCA/Zambia) with a formal request to establish formal church relations.  On a prior visit to Zambia in 2015 the chairman of their Synod, Pastor Mark Onunda, invited the LCCA to come and start the process.  The LCMC had left the fellowship of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Kenya (ELCK) for compromising true confessional Lutheran doctrine and practice.   The LCMC desires to join in fellowship with a confessional Lutheran church body in Africa.

LCCA/Z members made their first visit to Kenya in October 2016.  Pastor Merven Shanzala and Missionary Daniel Sargent made a second visit to Kenya in October, 2017.   One Africa Team is working with the LCCA/Z to make these trips possible.

The purpose of the most recent visit was to present lessons on “Church Fellowship” and “A Confessional Lutheran Look at Pentecostals.” The meeting took place at Kadongo Parish in Kisi Province.  After the lessons an older gentleman by the name of Richard Ajure got up before the congregation to make a comment on the teaching lessons he had just heard.  He told the group that he joined the Lutheran church in Kenya in 1948, at which time the church was called the Swedish Lutheran Mission.  In 1968 he graduated from Bible school to serve as an evangelist in the church.  He said the Swedish Lutheran Mission used this catch phrase all the time: “We are true friends of the Bible.” He told the group his beloved church body, now called the ELCK, is no longer a “true friend of the Bible.”  Then he added, “Today the true friends of the Bible have come back to us.” Others who were present then began to comment that they also want to have a true confessional Lutheran fellowship with the LCCA and like-minded Lutherans.

Missionary John Hartmann and Pastor Simon Mweete from Zambia joined us as we met with the LCMC Synodical Council in Nairobi to discuss some doctrinal issues in their constitution.  The group discussed the doctrine of the Divine Call and the doctrine of Church and Ministry.  We agreed on a road map for discussing issues that are still unclear.  We then invited the LCMC to send a team of pastors to Zambia in April 2018 to continue fellowship discussions.

The LORD is truly blessing this work.  Keep the LCCA and the LCMC in your prayers as they work towards establishing formal church relations.

Missionary Daniel Sargent serves in Zambia

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

Once you’ve become a friend of Africa, you’re a friend for life. Today’s post is written by Noah Schroeder, a college student who recently held a video game fundraiser for our mission in Zambia. His story reminds us of our Lord’s words, “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.” (Mt. 10:42)   

Noah’s Story

I attended Wisconsin Lutheran High School (Wisco) and was selected to go on a mission trip to Zambia after my junior year of high school. I went with 5 other students and Mrs. Karen Kilchemann as the chaperone in August of 2013 to do a Vacation Bible School at the church by the LCCA seminary in Lusaka, as well as teach lessons at other LCCA churches and schools and a couple of bush churches.

Chris Pluger, a former teacher at Wisco, and his son were our guides for the trip. At the time of my visit Chris was translating the Bible into the Nsenga language and living in the town of Petauke, in the Eastern Province of Zambia. We were in Zambia for a total of two weeks, and they are some of the most memorable and impactful days of my entire life. It was very busy, hectic, and stressful at times but this trip was one of the most incredible things I have ever done.

The Zambian people were incredible. Their joy and love was pure and truly amazing. It was special to see that I had brothers and sisters in Christ all the way across the world. However, the experience that touched me the most was participating in the week long Vacation Bible School held at the church located on the campus of the Lutheran Church of Central Africa (LCCA) Seminary. It was a lot of work, and we were constantly adjusting our lesson plans. We had close to hundred kids show up every single day, and getting to know them and teach them about God was the most rewarding week of my life.

It was a great week, but I wanted to do more. Many of the kids that we were teaching were very poor and did not have any shoes. As I was leaving Zambia I promised myself that I would not forget my experience and if I could, I would help in the future.

I am currently enrolled as a senior at Wisconsin Lutheran College (WLC) in Milwaukee, WI. This fall I’m taking the COM 333 Leadership and Communication course. Our big project this semester is to run an event that benefits a cause. Zambia made such an impression on me that I took advantage of the opportunity to give back.

On November 16, 2017 I hosted a video game tournament at our school. We had Chick-Fil-A sandwiches, lots of cookies and brownies, and two TVs set up for the FIFA18 tournament, but more important than scoring goals on the screen was our goal of helping the churches and schools of the LCCA in Lusaka, Zambia. We raised a total of $217 as a result of our efforts! Many thanks to WLC for their support.

My experience in Zambia was a great blessing to me and the happiness and kindness of the Zambian people is something I will never forget.

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