Things did not go according to the plan. No, not even by a mile.

What was the plan? The Lutheran Church of Ethiopia (LCE) wanted to start a Lutheran nursery school. The plan was that there would be three age levels – something like nursery school, preschool, and kindergarten. In addition to the normal subjects, students would be taught the word of God. The LCE planned to offer these classes in the city of Bishoftu, in the building where their largest congregation gathers to worship every Sunday. They planned to enroll about 75 students, some from their own membership and others from their community. The LCE leaders contacted all the appropriate government offices. They were very careful to follow all the government rules and regulations. And if everything went well with the nursery school, then they would add Grade 1 the following year. That was the plan.

But things did not go according to the plan. In fact, none of it happened. Everything failed. There is no nursery school in Bishoftu. Not a single child is enrolled there.

A Snag in Plans

What happened? As the time drew near for the school to open, it became clear that things were not going to go smoothly. All along, the government officials had been saying, “Oh yes, everything is fine,” yet they were delaying and delaying and delaying. They were refusing to give their final approval for the school. No one would say what the reason for their refusal was, but the bottom line for the LCE was that the local government officials would not grant permission for the school. All their carefully laid plans had failed.

But God had other plans. Shortly after the bottom fell out in Bishoftu, the LCE was contacted by the Bureau of Education from a nearby town. The nearby town is called Dukem; it’s just a few miles from Bishoftu. The government officials from Dukem urgently pleaded with the members of the LCE, “If they will not let you have a school in Bishoftu… please, please, please come and have your school in Dukem!”  They helped the LCE find two buildings where classes could be held. The officials in Dukem promised that they would provide government land on which to build a new facility in the future. They strongly urged the LCE not to limit the enrollment to just three levels of nursery school, but also to include some higher grades as well. They quickly processed all the paperwork and gave the necessary approvals.

A Greater Opportunity

And what was the end result? A brand new school in Dukem with two separate campuses.  About 30 new teachers. Students in the 3 nursery levels, plus Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3 and Grade 4.  Current enrollment: 759. That’s right, seven hundred and fifty-nine. That’s ten times more than the LCE had originally planned.

Do you ever end your prayers the way Jesus did in the Garden of Gethsemane: “Not my will, but yours be done”? How do you feel when you say those words? Honestly, when I say those words, I’m often thinking to myself, “My will is the best. God’s will is second-best, and I’ll be disappointed if that’s what I receive. So God, please help me to grin and bear it when I don’t get what I want.”

Our Christian brothers and sisters in the LCE did not get what they had planned or wanted. They got ten times more than that.

So go ahead and make your plans. Make those plans as bold and ambitious as you see fit. But in the end, submit yourself to the will of God – not because you have to, but because God’s plans are better than yours.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20,21).

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

Pastors in the United States spend a lot of time alone. They work alone to prepare sermons and Bible studies. They sit in their office getting themselves organized for meetings and various events. When a member drops in for an unannounced visit, most Pastors welcome the interruption. I feel the isolation even more acutely as a world missionary. There aren’t any church members that might drop in for a visit. I work remotely with the leaders of national churches across the continent of Africa.

That’s why I jumped at the opportunity to give an online presentation this month. The LWMS Central Office passed on my name to the LWMS Grand Canyon West Circuit part of the Befriend a Mission (BAM) program. The women of the circuit pray for the mission and missionary. They also and encourage him and his family in various ways for a period of two years. Their cards and gifts always seem to arrive at just the right moment.

I’d given a few online mission presentations before so I felt comfortable with the format. Any group can host a virtual world mission speaker regardless of their proximity to the Upper Midwest. The members of the LWMS Grand Canyon West Circuit gathered at Arizona Lutheran Academy in Phoenix, AZ. I gave my presentation from my living room in Lilongwe, Malawi. I was able to sleep in my own bed that night and preach the next morning.

Most WELS congregations have a reliable connection to the internet, a digital projector, and speakers on hand. The LWMS Grand Canyon West Circuit used Zoom to host their online mission rally. Other platforms like Google Meet or Facebook live are viable alternatives. It’s vital to find someone who knows what they’re doing and get them to help you with the setup. It’s also important that they can also be there during the presentation in case things don’t go as planned. We ran into some minor audio glitches the day of the event. Nevertheless, I was able to field questions from both the live and virtual audience in attendance that day. They were able to hear me clearly.

Pastor Ben Foxen, the Spiritual Advisor to the Grand Canyon West Circuit, was a great help. He facilitated the connection with the WELS Missions Promotions Office and was my main point of contact. As a former world missionary, Pastor Foxen understands what my wife and I are facing here.  He wrote me the following: “Seeing and hearing about your blessings and challenges and those of the people you serve reminded me of my times in Russia. The challenges were different in some ways, similar in others. The blessings of seeing God at work in the hearts of his people, though, are universal. Your presentation brought all that back for me.”

I am grateful for the friendship of the members of the LWMS Grand Canyon West Circuit. We are closely connected to each other through Christ (and the internet) as we carry out his Great Commission.

You can request a live or virtual mission speaker for your next event at www.wels.net/speaker-request

Missionary John Roebke lives in Malawi and manages the Communications for One Africa Team

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

Dan Kroll and John Holtz have been in Buwembula Village, Uganda at the home of Obadiah Lutheran Synod (OLS) President, Pastor Makisimu Musa for a week of classes. They facilitated learning tasks for 5 straight days, Sunday, 3rd October – 7th October 2021 to a group representing the OLS.  28 people were invited.  One person joined us unexpectedly.  But she was more than welcome:  

Joy. 

Meetings can get long and tiring.  Daresay even boring?  God provided what we needed. Who wouldn’t want a little Joy in a meeting?

Amazingly she attended the entire stretch!   She stuck right along with her mom, Racheal Nambi who is a Lutheran member of Obadiah Lutheran Church.  On the last day of classes John Holtz had just given an opportunity for the participants to evaluate the learning event.  Just at that time, Joy grabbed a paper and pen, found the nearest writing surface (a blue chair in front of the class) and began to draw something.  I don’t know, but did her picture that looked like a rock symbolize that the classes were getting too heavy for her?  Or that she realized that her parents and OLS as a whole was indeed building their lives and homes on Jesus, a rock-solid foundation: immoveable, unbreakable. 

Did we laugh or what? 

I don’t know how she evaluated our classes, but she certainly brought joy to them!  Oh, and help, too.  She was bound and determined every day to chase away all the chickens that were continually entering our tent looking for scurrying insects and dropped food bits in the grass. With Joy around, they didn’t stand a chance.

But after 5 days she had it.  It was enough. The days were long.  The tasks were many.  The chickens were relentless. The body was tired.  Pen in hand, she fell asleep.

I think it’s time for us to do the same.  

Missionary John Holtz 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