O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever.
Psalm 30:12
WELS missionary families from around the globe reflect on the blessings for which they have to be thankful. Read the article.
The Lord has been so generous and caring for me, my family, and the mission in Zambia this past year. Thanksgiving is always a time to reflect on the past year and be humbled by how much the Lord has done.
My husband and I received an amazing blessing this year in the gift of a child. We just recently welcomed him into our arms on October 16th, a healthy baby boy, Ezra Daniel Paltzer. We marvel with David as he says in Psalm 139 “I praise you O Lord for I am fearfully and wonderfully made”. We touch his little feet, hands, and soft skin and thank God for his amazing work. We are again humbled by the great responsibility God has given us in taking care of this child of his. We see just a glimpse of God’s great love for us and the relationship he has with us, his children who are completely dependent on him.
The mission family has been blessed with changes in the mission and LCCA. Slowly, the missionaries and LCCA pastors are working together to increase the independence of the national church and the roles of missionaries are shifting to more supportive roles. Even though there is not a clear path or direction of how to make this happen, it is a blessing for all to work together to build each other and the church up in love.
We are also thankful for the seemingly small things such as: safety on the dangerous roads in Zambia, daily provision of physical needs, relationships in the mission family, and health. Of course the greatest blessing of all is God’s great love for us in his son Jesus. In him we live and move and have our being. Thanks be to God for all he has done and continues to do for his children and his church!
In Hong Kong, Thanksgiving prayers are included for…
multitude of ways on the front lines.Rob Siirila
October was another month of opportunity. In our outreach to the Navajo Nation, we spend a great deal of time building trust and familiarity with our ministry at Christ the Rock. There are many barriers to overcome – social issues, religion, language, racism, etc. Over the years God blessed our efforts and we’ve established trust in many different ways, most notably though through our youth programs.
Five years ago, a young girl named Noel attended our Kid’s Club Bible School. I visited Noel’s parents for almost two years before they came to a Christmas Eve service. They eventually took classes and joined our church. A little over a year ago, Noel’s uncle, Derrick, suffered a terrible car accident that left his legs partially paralyzed. After I visited him in the hospital and rehab center for a few months, he attended several Sunday worship services. During this time of difficulty for Derrick, Noel’s grandparents, Cecelia and Patrick, also visited our Sunday worship services and later began a Bible Information Class. While they have not yet finished classes, they consider Christ the Rock their church. Over the past year I have had opportunities to get to know two more of Noel’s relatives: her aunt, Patrica, and uncle, Everett. Everett is presently “church shopping” and has heard good things about Christ the Rock from the rest of the family. He says that he and his girlfriend will visit us, too.
Trust takes time to establish. You can see how the trust built with Noel and her parents has spread to the rest of their family. There are many other stories similar to Noel’s that I could share with you. Pray now that through trust in Christ the Rock, the Spirit works in the hearts of those who we serve to create trust in their Savior Jesus. Pray that God continues to bless our WELS outreach to the Navajo Nation.
In Him,
Pastor Jim Fleming
Eric Duwe, a WELS Kingdom Worker Volunteer in Thailand, expresses his thanks to the Lord for…
1. A place to serve (and even be served). I’m thankful that God led me to the Thailand Mission. I know that God provided me with the opportunity to do His work here, because I never would have thought on my own to come here. I don’t know if there’s a greater earthly blessing than to know that the work you’re doing is of eternal value, and that’s the joy I have each day here. I love to serve God in this place. And I am thankful for the ways God has served me through my time here. I have learned a lot of what you might call “life skills” here, I’ve made some extraordinary friends, and I’ve grown in my own desire to live for and serve God.
2. Family. I’m thankful for those people in my life that are part of my family. I think first of my family back home in Wisconsin. It was a blessing to be able to return home for one month this summer, to meet my new niece and goddaughter (and even be present for the baptism), to celebrate with my grandparents their 60th wedding anniversary, and to see my oldest brother get married. I’m thankful also for the people who have become my “surrogate family” here in Thailand: most especially the mission team, but also the students of the Bible Institute who are like my brothers and sisters.
3. Communication. I’m thankful that God has provided me the means to stay in touch with the aforementioned people. It’s amazing that I can use my computer, and from across the world talk to and even see my family and other loved ones instantly. I’m thankful when I hear from friends from back home out of the blue, and when I receive messages of encouragement that I never would’ve expected. I’m thankful that communication means so much more than the ability to speak and understand words. This is important anywhere you live, but the ability to communicate beyond words is essential for life in a place that speaks a foreign language!
4. Neighbors. I’m thankful that while living in a foreign city, I’ve gotten to know some familiar faces, and they’ve gotten to know me – even if it’s just a little bit – as well. There’s the old man who likes to race with me on the community track during my morning workouts. There’s the lady who knows that I have a sweet tooth for warm pumpkin juice and is surprised when I ask for warm soy milk instead. There’s the store clerk who starts every conversation with a comment about the day’s weather. For a country which takes such pride in its spicy foods, it’s the everyday life interactions with these local people that seems to add the “spice” to life here. Read more ›
