Tag Archive for: Faces of Faith Joint Missions

Faces of Faith – Kim Nga

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I arrived in Garden Grove, California in the first week of October to begin my work to answer the Lord’s call to serve at King of Kings. I’ve spent a lot of time visiting nursing homes and care centers. One of the places I often visit is Chapman Care Center. It appears this place is owned by a Korean.

On November 2, I visited and met Uncle Minh, who is Vietnamese. His wife, Ms. Le Thi Kim Nga, had been in the hospital for a while. When he heard me greet him and talk, he was surprised and somewhat excited because he’d thought I was a Korean. When I heard their story, I asked for his permission to visit his wife and pray for her. Through the story, I learned that the uncle came back to Vietnam and married his wife and brought her to America recently. A few years ago she had a brain tumor, they removed almost half of her brain. Now she can’t walk, she must stay in bed and have special care. Uncle Minh is retired and takes care of his wife every day. I was very touched by their story!

After praying for Ms. Nga, I continued to come back and share Jesus with her, explaining God’s love to her. She was quiet and attentive, and in December when I came back to visit, I asked her if she wanted to be a child of God. She replied that she did and asked me what she should do if she wants to become a child of God? I told her I would help her!

On December 12, 2023, I called uncle Minh as usual. I didn’t know how we could talk about Baptism. He shared that he asked a Vietnamese pastor to visit, pray, and baptize his wife, but that pastor was busy and had no time. I said I could help complete the Baptism for her. He agreed. Within a period of 2 hours. I prepared water in a cup, and a certificate along with it, and on December 12, 2023, I baptized Ms. Nga in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. One more soul has been recorded in the book of heaven.

When it ended, Ms. Nga told me she was happy, and proclaimed that God is real, and that she wanted to share God with many more people. I replied that she could share with everyone because she was now a child of God.

From Trung Le, home missionary at King of Kings Lutheran Church in Garden Grove, Calif.

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Faces of Faith – Ismar

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Almost four years ago, Ismar Camacho left Venezuela with her husband and four children. Crossing the border into Colombia, like many other refugees, they thought they had found a new home. Both Ismar and her husband were employed, but something was lacking. They just didn’t know what it was.

In July 2023, they decided to travel to the U.S. To save money, they traveled on foot from Colombia to the border of Panama. They continued walking through the forest in Darien National Park. They struggled with muddy paths and highway bandits, often going days without food. But they continued to walk.

When they got to the southern border of Mexico, they found an non-government agency (NGO) that was providing bus rides to Mexico City. Once in Mexico City, they found out that a freight train on the north side of the city was leaving in a couple of days. They walked across Mexico City and hopped on that train. Sleeping in empty freight cars, they took the four-day trip from Mexico City to Ciudad Juarez, where they crossed the border.

They stood in line with other asylum seekers. They were processed and separated: the men going one way to a dormitory and the women and children going a different way. For seven days, Ismar and the four kids didn’t see her husband and their father.

Then, one Saturday afternoon in mid-September, the border officials came through the dormitory and asked if anyone wanted to be sent elsewhere. Ismar contacted her husband, and they agreed. With the four children in tow, they boarded a bus for Las Cruces, New Mexico. With one night in the hotel and some cash for food, they were dropped off in the middle of town. Sunday morning, they started walking again.

God blessed that walk because their path went right by Cross of Christ Lutheran Church. Pastor Nathaneal Jensen was standing outside of the rental facility before worship, and they walked up to him. Ismar and her husband hardly know English. Pastor Jensen is a rookie in the Spanish language. But Pastor’s wife, Elena? She’s fluent.

Ismar and her family pictured with Vicar Samuel Boeder at Sure Foundation in New York City

For two weeks, Pastor Jensen and Elena hosted the family in their home, helping them figure out what to do next. I happened to be visiting the congregation on the last Sunday in September, and after a long afternoon of conversation and a Sunday morning worship, Ismar and her husband echoed the words of the Ethiopian eunuch: “Here is some water. What is stopping baptism?”

Their two youngest children were baptized that day (pictured above), and now the family doesn’t have to walk any more.

Even though they made it to Chicago by air and then on to New York by train, they aren’t walking to find God. God used Pastor Seth Haakenson while the family was in the Chicago area. God is using Pastor Tim Bourman and his vicar to help Ismar and her family so they don’t have to walk anymore.

The oldest daughter is in confirmation class. The parents are studying for membership. They aren’t walking anymore. . . because God has found them and has let them know, “You are mine”.

From Timothy Flunker, Hispanic Outreach Consultant for WELS Home Missions

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Faces of Faith – Daniel

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My name is Daniel, and I was born and raised in East Asia. I attended St. Croix Lutheran Academy in St. Paul, Minn., for high schooland then was accepted at Colby College. I am currently studying Computer Science, Statistics, and Mathematics. While the courses are intellectually challenging, I was still looking to continue my spiritual education. My studies at Colby enable me to make a living, but my studies with PSI give me a purpose and life as I learn God’s Word and prepare to share the good news of Jesus with others. I even found an opportunity to explain the great exchange on the cross to my Chinese friends at a statistics tournament! I would not have been able to do so without training through PSI.

As I prepare to enter society fully, I often feel anxious that I do not know enough about life and that I am not smart or virtuous enough to face its challenges. It really comforts me that God’s wisdom is always by my side. The modern world is full of temptations, chaos, and sin, and it made me confused and resentful, while at the same time, I am arrogant and sinful from within. God’s Word is like music to my ears and medicine to my soul. It is what gives me direction, courage, and wisdom in life.

I hope to continue growing intellectually, morally, and spiritually through my college and PSI education. I pray that by God’s guidance, I can become someone who lives by faith, and my knowledge can be used in God’s kingdom.

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Faces of Faith – Jake, Gary, and Michelle

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WELS Mission Journeys provides an opportunity for all WELS members to walk together in the Great Commission. Short- or long-term service opportunities in WELS mission fields at home and abroad will prayerfully inspire a lifelong journey of service for all who volunteer. Ascension in Harrisburg, Penn., sent a Mission Journeys team to volunteer at Living Savior, a home mission congregation in Hendersonville, N.C. Hear from a couple of their team members:

Faces of Faith – Jake (pictured second from left)

Our church, Ascension in Harrisburg, Penn., was deemed a home mission restart in 2019. The Lord has blessed our church immensely since then, and we couldn’t think of a better way to share our joy in his blessings than by sharing ourselves as blessings to another church in need, as many had done for us!

Mission trips are an incredible way to live the Great Commission. As we shared the Good News with many people of Huntersville, N.C., the Lord found ways to work even more through our trip. He drew our team of five volunteers tighter together, strengthened our bond, and sharpened our outreach skills as we returned to reach out to our local community. We found fellowship within our group and within the greater body of believers as we connected with many members of Living Savior. These mission trips open you up for God to bless you in ways you never imagined!

Faces of Faith – Gary (pictured left)

I’m Gary Piatkowski, and I’m a member at Ascension in Harrisburg, Pa. It’s so exciting to share the Good News of salvation on a Mission Journey trip. I was overwhelmed with the outpouring of love and generosity to spread the gospel amongst the unchurched. With the Holy Spirt guiding us, we let people know how life-changing his word can be. Mission Journeys give you the opportunity to change lives, just as our lives have been changed, in Christ.

Faces of Faith – Michelle (pictured center)

Our Mission Journeys team helped Living Savior go door-to-door in neighborhoods nearby to spread the word about their upcoming youth sports camp. At first, I was nervous and slightly hesitant to participate, as I am more introverted and was only confirmed in WELS less than two months prior. My attitude changed quickly. I really enjoyed the opportunity to go door-to-door in a new community to not only promote the sports camp, but to also shine Christ’s light and love to strangers. The congregation was very appreciative of the work we completed while we were with them. They were so welcoming and kind, and it was wonderful to experience and interact with a WELS community outside of our own!

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Faces of Faith – Angel and Maribel

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Hispanic ministry in Deltona, Fla., seems like a natural fit. Over 40% of the population speaks Spanish at home. But, how does a WELS congregation in Deltona without any Spanish speaking leaders get started? Well, as is always the case, what human eyes couldn’t see, God had already figured out.

In 2017, Angel Otero and his wife, Maribel, moved to Deltona. Angel was born and grew up in Puerto Rico and like many U.S. citizens there he joined the U.S. military. After serving, he was able to retire at 55 and settled in near Good Shepherd , a WELS church in the Deltona area, where they became members.

That was not all that the Lord had planned for Angel and Maribel. The Good Shepherd School reflected the community. Over 40% of the children in the school came from Hispanic homes. The church leadership and Angel began to explore how they might find a way to share the good news. They were introduced to our WELS Latin American mission efforts and the use of a Spanish training program called Academia Cristo. This program has been designed to train up interested Bible students using online materials. It had been designed to train people where there were no other Lutherans around. Of course, Academia Cristo was never intended to just be an online platform. The program has a focus on training and providing materials in such a way that those who have studied can begin to share what they have learned with others near them. It did not take long for the leadership in Deltona to realize that it would also work at Good Shepherd where there were no trained Hispanics to carry out ministry. Angel enrolled in Academia Cristo. He couldn’t get enough. The more he studied the more he wanted to share with others. Now, Good Shepherd in Deltona has a Spanish speaking outreach leader. Angel and Maribel are very active in reaching out to the school families and the community. Angel leads weekly Bible studies in Spanish at the church using the Academia Cristo program.

And, that’s not all. Angel was still connected to his family back in Puerto Rico. He heard that WELS World Missions was working with a church that had been planted there. The next time Angel visited Puerto Rico he made contact with the local church. The church in Puerto Rico had pastors who had been trained by WELS missionaries, but there was a growing concern that new candidates for pastoral ministry on the island were not being identified. Angel knew that the Academia Cristo program could serve them well in Puerto Rico as well. This connection has also been blessed. Recently the church in Deltona hosted a Puerto Rican pig roast and invited members from the church in Puerto Rico to attend. Thirteen members bought plane tickets and joined them for a delightful weekend of food, fellowship, and planning for the future. All reported a delightful time full of hope for the future. There are now four Academia Cristo students beginning studies in Puerto Rico.

It still may not be clear to our human eyes exactly what the Lord has planned for his saints in Deltona and Puerto Rico before they get to heaven. Even so, what we can see is a reason to rejoice. Economic distress in Puerto Rico, made worse by recent hurricanes, has led many from Puerto Rico to move to Florida. This Puerto Rican diaspora is well networked and keeps the family ties strong to the island and around the US. As the gospel is proclaimed in their midst, we know God has promised to go to work. Please, join us to ask our Lord to bless the work of his gospel through Angel and Maribel. May he raise up the next generation of Puerto Rican gospel proclaimers to build his church.

If you are interested in learning more about how Academia Cristo can help you in your community share the good news in Spanish, please, contact WELS Missions at [email protected].

Written by Rev. Larry Schlomer, Hispanic diaspora ministry facilitator and WELS World Missions administrator.

Hear more from Angel and Maribel about how you could reach out to Hispanics in your community in this special Faces of Faith video.

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Faces of Faith – David and Guili

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It’s an enormous blessing for a congregation to have a PSI student in their midst, but two? Hope in Toronto, Ont., has been blessed with just that. In February 2021, Dr. David Shang was accepted as a Pastoral Studies Institute (PSI) student. He has been advancing quickly through his studies and gaining a large following through his monthly YouTube lectures. He currently has over 3,000 viewers in five countries which has led to approximately 19 baptisms (with 18 more on the way) in three countries.

In January 2023, Guili and Dujie Chi were received into membership at Hope. Guili also wants to reach more of his fellow Chinese with the gospel of Jesus. With some encouragement, Guili became the second PSI student at Hope.

David and Guili’s dream is to create a Chinese church within Hope’s congregation in Toronto. It’s beginning with David’s online lectures and carrying over to in person bible studies in Guili and Dujie’s home every Sunday night where they regularly have 10-15 in attendance. Guili recently shared, “Many Chinese immigrants come to Canada for a better life or better future for their children. It’s a country that God has blessed. People should come to know the true God, to know that only through Christ we can live in peace and preserve the future of our children. Live in his grace, share the gospel, live a godly life, keep the faith, and blessings from generation to generation will come.”

From Harland Goetzinger, Pastoral Studies Institute director

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Faces of Faith – Laura

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Northcross in Lakeville, Minn., sent six members to Nong Khai, Thailand, where we visited missionary Tom Chaleunsouk, his wife, Kaysone, and the congregation there. Facilitating a Vacation Bible School at the church was rewarding for all involved! We all worked together to make cross-cultural connections. I knew traveling to Thailand would be an enriching experience for myself, but I was amazed by how many people across the globe were encouraged in their faith by the trip. It was an honor as well as humbling to be sent as an ambassador to this world mission congregation.

One of the most memorable moments was standing barefoot on a Sunday morning, worshiping with Christian brothers and sisters singing a song I knew in a language I didn’t. It was a small glimpse of what’s to come in heaven!

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Faces of Faith – Lah

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“It is our choices that define us.” While this sounds like it came straight out of a movie, people like Lah might say it is true. Lah is an Educational Assistant at Christ-St. Peter Lutheran Grade School in Milwaukee, Wis. She grew up in Mae Hong Son, Thailand, but her family migrated to the United States when she was ten. Lah had the opportunity to attend Christ-St. Peter starting in sixth grade; she was the only one amongst her friends to do so. It was this choice that would not only set Lah apart from her friends, but also greatly change her faith life. Growing up, Lah’s entire family had been Baptist. To this day, Lah is one of only two Lutherans in her family. Thanks to her time at Christ-St. Peter, Lah came to have a new perspective on her faith, and she was both confirmed and baptized in 2016. Now, Lah is a member at St. Peter, adding to the number of other worshipers in attendance who immigrated from Thailand. She says that she is constantly thankful for her faith because “there’s temptation every day,” and she would not be where she is without God.

From Rachel Volkman, member at St. Peter in Milwaukee, Wis.

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Faces of Faith – Salma

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“Pastor, there’s just one thing holding me up.” My stomach dropped. It was Salma’s day to be confirmed in worship—was she going to back out?

Salma is an immigrant to Detroit from a country in Latin America. She comes from a family with Islamic roots. She and her sister are the only two converted Christians in their family. So, they began a ministry—first to reach their family with the gospel, then to reach people in their community. Before they had left their country, they’d essentially established churches for women. All sorts of women were coming. . . from skeptics interested in the faith to the wives of local governors suffering from the stress of being in such a high position. Since moving to Detroit, she has been reaching out to Spanish-speaking immigrant women with the gospel to teach them about Christ and plug them into the ministry of a local congregation.

And so, the one thing holding her up on that Sunday morning was this: “Pastor, can I work within the scope of the church’s mission to reach out to women, teach them about their identity in Christ, and bring them to church?” My emotions flipped from that feeling of rejection to pure joy. “Salma, we can figure that out! So, yes!” May God bless her heart for Christ and those who don’t yet know him, and may she bring as many people to church as possible!

From Ryan Kolander, home missionary at Palabra de Vida in Detroit, Mich.

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Faces of Faith – Harry

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HoonSik, Harry Jo, graduated from Martin Luther College a few weeks ago with a degree in elementary education. He was fully qualified to serve anywhere, and he made himself available to serve anywhere.

His connection to WELS began in 2008 when Mr. Jay Wendland, the principal of Immanuel Lutheran School in Salem, Ore., came to Seoul, Korea, to tell people about the Christian education that his school offered. HoonSik’s mom decided her son should attend. He was in fifth grade at the time.

Harry at Martin Luther College graduation in May 2023.

At Immanuel Lutheran School, HoonSik, better known as Harry, learned about Jesus, was baptized, and eventually confirmed. His faith continued to grow at his time at Evergreen Lutheran High School in Tacoma, Wash. Then, in his senior year, Harry decided to pursue public ministry at Martin Luther College, a decision supported by his parents and his Oregon host family, the Wassers.

While in the United States, Harry embraced some of the American lifestyle and interests. He loves American sports and culture. He played on the MLC football team. He took a cross-country trek to further explore this place he calls home. “Montana took forever,” he always says.

But Harry still stayed in touch with his Korean roots. He cheered for the Korean soccer team in the World Cup. He remains fluent in both Korean and English. And his fiancé, who he is marrying this month, is also Korean.

With all of those interests and abilities, what would be the best place for Harry Jo to serve? His assignment, his very first call, is to serve as the 5th-6th grade teacher at Jerusalem Lutheran School in Morton Grove, Ill., where there are many Korean immigrant parents who have enrolled their children.

Jerusalem’s principal is Chiseon Kim, who came from Korea himself to train for service in WELS. “Our dream is to have a vibrant Korean ministry here at Jerusalem,” says Chiseon. And with the blessing of the Lord, Jerusalem is well on their way to seeing the fulfillment of that dream.

Written by Rev. Paul Prange, Administrator for Ministerial Education and Chairman of the Joint Mission Council. 

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Faces of Faith – Contreras Family

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Salvador Contreras has always been a student of God’s Word with lots of questions. In his research online, he came across the app Academia Cristo, which is an online Bible training tool used by the WELS Latin America mission team. Through personal study and the Bible classes offered via Academia Cristo, Salvador and Natividad knew they wanted to find a Lutheran church to continue growing in their faith and bring their children up in the Word. And so they walked into our building (a home mission congregation) one Sunday last summer. Their children were baptized in July 2021, and Salvador and Natividad were confirmed in March 2022. Now our discussions revolve around promoting Academia Cristo to Spanish speakers in the Denver area so Salvador can share the same peace he has found. As the seeds are planted and watered, we have a church community ready to serve them!

From Paul Biedenbender, missionary at Christ Lutheran Church in Denver, Colo.

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Faces of Faith – Semson Lor

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I remember being in high school 10 years ago and people would ask me if I wanted to become a pastor, just like my father (Daniel Lor – Trinity Hmong, Manitowoc, Wis.). I would automatically answer “No” without giving it a second thought. This all changed when I left home and lived by myself. Suddenly everything I had learned growing up in the Lutheran church became something of the past. But as I fell into sin and personal struggles, the Holy Spirit kept tugging at my heart. I knew this wasn’t how God wanted me to live my life. As a child and a teen, I did not think much about my faith. But when struggles came, the foundations of my faith were what I could fall back on for hope and comfort. Even though I tried so hard to run away from the Lord, he was always pursuing me and being true to his promises that he had given to me in my baptism. I moved back home and became obsessed with reading scripture and studying theology and our Lutheran doctrine. I also started helping my father out at church, and I fell in love with ministry. It’s been a great blessing be able study in the PSI program. I’ve been able to learn from great teachers who are equipping me to proclaim this message of forgiveness to a world that is hurting, depressed, scared, and have no hope. They need to know that they have a Savior that lived perfectly for us so God could wash away all their guilt and sin. Though we may hurt, though we may suffer depression, though we may still be scared, we now have hope.

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Faces of Faith – Belniz

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How do you reach out cross-culturally when there is a language barrier? By seeing the barrier itself as an opportunity.

Jonatan Hernandez’ niece, Belniz, came to stay with family in an apartment complex in Appleton, Wis. The whole family is made up of immigrants from Guatemala. Belniz was set to start school in the middle of the year with hardly any knowledge of the English language. A neighbor, who happens to be a member of Eternal Love Lutheran Church in Appleton, wanted to help. She saw the language barrier as her opportunity. She drove Belniz to Bethel Lutheran Church in Menasha to talk to the Spanish-speaking pastors she was aware of but had never met. Two months later, when Jonatan and his family had just arrived from Guatemala themselves, she drove the whole group to Bethel’s Spanish service at noon on Sunday.

Jonatan and his family have no experience with Lutherans. Few of them speak any English at all. All of them are facing the daunting task of beginning a new life in a land that is utterly foreign to them. But because one lady was determined to be helpful and to leverage the language barrier as a meaningful ministry connection, Jonatan and his family have been welcomed to their new home by being brought before the Means of Grace in their heart language. Whatever comes of it, this is how outreach is supposed to work. Barriers are opportunities to show Christian love, which is universal.

From Ethan Cherney, home missionary at Bethel Lutheran Church in Menasha, Wis.

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