Update from the Caribbean

 DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

The one congregation of our fellowship and its pastor continue to reach out to the people of Santiago, Dominican Republic. 

  

HAITI

The humanitarian and gospel outreach work continues amongst the orphanages of Leogane and with a small congregation in Cap Haitian served by a Haitian pastor trained by LATTE in the Dominican Republic.

Putting it into Practice

The joys of the ministry are many. For me as a LATTE professor, it is a joy to train men and women for the gospel ministry. And my joy is multiplied when I see our students put what they are learning into practice.

I am not called to be a parish pastor right now, so I am not out there directing evangelism programs for a congregation. I do not preach every Sunday or teach Catechism class to the youth. But I am training others to do that.

What a joy, then, to see God reign in the ministries of our students.  Our students are reaching out with the Gospel.  

I'd like to share a short video of Alex and Obed handing out copies of "The Promise" -- a booklet produced by our WELS Multi-Language Publications to explain God's promise of salvation.  

This video selection was recorded a few years ago in the Dominican Republic.

News from the Caribbean

Although the work is slow, the Lord continues to provide believers and to bless the work being done in various countries of the Spanish-speaking Caribbean through the efforts of national pastors and visiting teachers.

In the Dominican Republic (DR), a key component to the strategy is to involve national Lutherans in the formation and development of a national church body. A congregation in Santiago, DR is leading the efforts in that direction.

 Children of the Congregation

In many ways, the country of Haiti is worse off now than it was two years ago.  Over 350,000 more Haitians live in Port au Prince than before the earthquake.  Vodou permeates the entire culture.  Our missionary works with a Haitian national pastor who graduated from the LATTE program to do outreach to a small congregation in Cap Haitian and with almost 20 orphanages in Leogane not far from Port Au Prince.  A third pastor/trainer position is being considered for work in this country.

Sancocho (Dominican Style)

This traditional hearty stew type dish is usually made with 5-7 different meats (or whatever is on-hand in the kitchen).  It is a special meal usually served for Christmas or New Years. There are many versions.

Ingredients

• 3 lbs chicken
• 2 lbs pork chops or ham -include bones
• 2 lbs beef -- include bones
• 1 lb  goat meat
• 2 lbs of assorted sausages
• 4 large unripe platanos -- cut into large pieces
• 1 lb potatoes
• 2 lbs yucca -- cut in pieces
• 2 lbs  malanga -- cut in pieces
• 2 lbs  auyama
• 5 ears of corn on the cob -- cut in chunks
• 1 lb yams -- cut into pieces
• 6 liters water
• 4 TBSP oil
• 1 1/2 TBSP oregano
• 5 tsp salt
• 2  sour oranges or 4 lemons
• 2 TBSP celery
• 2 green bell pepper -- cut in large pieces
• 3 onions -- medium size
• 1 TBSP garlic -- smashed
• Thyme -- to taste
• Cilantro -- to taste
• 2 cubes of chicken or beef bouillon
• 2 tsp vinegar
• 2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce

Directions

1. Cut chicken into pieces
2. Wash meat (except the sausages) & rub with sour oranges (lemons)
3. Cut into small pieces
4. Brown beef in the oil with oregano, cilantro, thyme, onions, garlic, pepper, Worcestershire sauce (Soy), & salt for 20 minutes
5. Add pork & simmer 15 minutes
6. Add water as necessary to avoid sticking to pan
7. Add chicken with stock & simmer another 10 minutes
8. Bring the water to a boil & add veggies
9. Simmer for about 10 minutes
10. Add meat & simmer until the veggies are soft
11. Mash some of these veggies & place back into pot to thicken broth
12. Serve with white rice and avocado on the side & add some hot sauce (optional) 

Serves a large gathering of family and friends.

 

 

If you are up to the challenge, try cooking up a smaller batch.  I have made this recipe with my English students and congregation members in the Dominican Republic. Each time the ingredients and directions were different, according to the chef, but every time it was absolutely delicious. 

Update from the Caribbean

The Lord continues to provide believers and to bless the work being done in the Caribbean. A teaching trip was completed this October to one of the Spanish speaking countries with the objective to teach the Psalms and to do sermon text studies.

Dominican Republic

The Dominican mission field has experienced many great blessings in the first half of this year. The members and workers there are passionate about the gospel and have a great mindset for evangelism. The pastor in Santiago has been considered capable by two LATTE pastors of teaching seminary-level courses to his fellow Dominicans. The Dominican field receives no subsidy at the present.

Haiti

The Haitian outreach has also experienced tremendous blessings this year. The connections with Haitian orphanages have resulted in 62 orphans receiving saving faith through the washing of Holy Baptism. It is the hope that the current partnerships and other orphanage leaders can continue and even expand (with the hope of also reaching out to an additional area) so that more souls may be reached and may hear the gospel in a country where voodoo and other false practices are the norm.

LATTE's work focuses on Spanish-speaking countries plus Haiti. WELS also serves English-speaking countries of the Caribbean -- Antigua, Grenada, and St Lucia.

Moros de Habichuela Negra - Black Beans & Rice

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Ingredients

• 3 cups rice
• 2 1/2 cups of black beans -- soaked overnight & boiled until really soft or canned 
• 3 cups hot water
• 2 garlic cloves -- minced
• 1 Tbsp cilantro
• 1/2 cup celery
• 3 Tbsp oregano
• 1 chicken bouillon cube
• 1/2 large onion
• Green peppers -- optional 
  
• 3 Tbsp Adobe (multi purpose Caribbean seasoning)
• Black pepper -- to taste
• Salt -- a few pinches to taste
• Canola oil -- to coat bottom of pan
• Olive oil -- to drizzle over rice once ready

Directions

1. Add canola oil to bottom of a heavy pan & heat oil on medium high heat
2. Add garlic, onions, chicken bouillon cube, salt, pepper, cilantro, celery & green peppers & saute until garlic & onion are tender (after oil is heated)
3. Add black beans (soft) and saute all together for about 5-6 minutes until the mixture begins to bubble (after garlic & onion are tender)
4. Taste the black bean mixture to adjust seasoning  -- add more salt or adobo if needed
5. Add rice & combine with the bean mixture (after seasoning is adjusted)
6. Stir together until rice & beans are well incorporated
7. Add hot water to rice & beans and stir (water should be about 1 inch above the rice mixture)
8. Bring to a simmer until the water meets the level of rice
9. Stir whole mixture once & then cover the pot
10. Lower heat to low and DO NOT OPEN THE POT OR STIR for 20 minutes
11. Uncover & drizzle some olive oil over rice mixture

 Recipe provided by congregation member in the Dominican Republic.

Quesillo (Flan)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 6 eggs
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 oz)
• 14 oz milk

Directions

• Stir sugar in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until melted and caramel-colored (it is easy to burn, so stir constantly)
• Pour the sugar mixture into a double boiler pan
• Whisk together eggs, sweetened condensed milk, & regular milk

Double Boiler Option:

1. Pour milk mixture over sugar mixture in double boiler pan after blended well
2. Add water to the double boiler & cook at medium heat for 1 hour (it is done when a knife comes out clean) 
3. Remove from the double boiler and cool for 15 min before turning out onto a plate

Oven Option: 

1. Pour sugar mixture into a round pan (glass) or loaf pan (glass)
2. Pour milk mixture into the pan over sugar mixture
3. Place pan (glass) into a larger pan (glass) & put into a 350 degree pre-heated oven
4. Pour boiling water into outer pan to a height of about 1 inch
5. Bake for about an hour or until knife comes out clean
6. Turn the quesillo out onto a plate or serve from pan

This recipe is from the Dominican Republic, but is common throughout Latin America.

Work in the Dominican Republic

Mission Established: 1993

LATTE Service:

• Professors train national leaders at the Bible institute and seminary levels in 2003
• Professor Philip (and Kathy) and Professor Natán relocate to Santiago in 2006
• Professor Natán serves as Field Coordinator from 2006-2009
• Seminary students also serve as pastors of local congregations and train others
• Professor Natán is redeployed to another mission field in 2009 
• Professor Philip (and Kathy) are redeployed to another mission field in 2011
• LATTE plans to continue the students' theological training through online education

Mangú - Mashed Plantains

Ingredients:

• 4 unripe plantains
• 4 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp oil
• 2 large onions
• 1 Tbsp vinegar
• 1 cup cold water
• Salt - to taste

Directions:

1. Peel plantains & cut into 8 pieces
2. Boil plantains & add 2 tsp salt to water
3. Turn off the heat when plantains are tender
4. Heat a Tbsp of oil in a shallow pan while plantains are boiling
5. Saute onions, add salt & vinegar, set aside
6. Take plantains out of the water & mash them with a fork
7. Add the butter & cold water 
8. Mash until smooth
9. Garnish with the onions
10. Serve with scrambled eggs or deep-fried slices of salami (optional, yet traditional)

This is a common dish served in the Dominican Republic.

Serves: 4 people

Work in Mexico & Theological Education

Mexico

God continues to bless and refine His church as they deal with challenges related to the ‘drug wars’ affecting significant portions of the country. During the past few months, the national church has begun outreach in a new region of the country (Costa Maya) and increased outreach in their home base of Torreón as well as in their new outreach effort in a new city. In the past 12 months mission work being done by nationals has spread from five regions to eight different regions in the country. LATTE continues to teach onsite  in México and offers online courses for a student in Puebla.

Seminary Training Throughout Latin America

The LATTE professors are continuing to carry out teaching according to the scheduled plan drawn up in September of 2010. Teaching trips have been made to Bolivia, the Caribbean, and Colombia. National churches were encouraged in their evangelism efforts and were provided with the theological education that they had requested. A plan for finalizing the seminary training of a student in the Dominican Republic and in Puerto Rico is still being formulated.

Work in the Caribbean

Dominican Republic

The Lord continues to bless the work being done presently among the members of the congregation in Moca, near Santiago. The Dominican believers and their LATTE Trained Pastors seem very energetic and passionate for the gospel and for sharing it with others. Although numbers are small in comparison to other mission fields, great outreach work is being done in this country. 

Haiti

Despite the many problems that face the country of Haiti presently, the Lord continues to work through pastors, like LATTE Graduate Pastor Rona, who have a strong desire to share the Word in its truth. The possibility of an orphanage could be a way to share the gospel with young souls.  Humanitarian aid efforts by WELS Christian Aid and Relief Committee  have created bridges to an orphanage association in Haiti.  Seven of nine orphanages visited invited our expatriate missionary and national pastor to work with them in providing a religious education to the orphanage directors, staffs, and children.  There are 12 more orphanages in the association yet to be visited.

Puerto Rico

The Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Church of Puerto Rico, a World Mission field for over 40 years will formally ask at the convention to be recognized by WELS as an independent sister church.  Partnership with this independent Lutheran church will be maintained through regular contact with the Commission on Inter-Church Relations (CICR).  A former missionary to Puerto Rico, is the CICR’s current contact man for this ongoing partnership. LATTE continues training Seminary Student Eligio through online education. 

The ministerial training work continues to be done among the leaders and members in the various congregations throughout the Caribbean by LATTE.  As in past years, there are some government and cultural obstacles toward the work of the church. Despite these challenges, the Lord continues to provide believers and to bless the work being done in some countries.

Patacones/Tostones

Patacones (Colombian) or Tostones (Caribbean)

Ingredients:


• Plantain (ripe or green)
- 3 
• Oil
- 2 cups
• Salt - to taste

Directions: 

1. Peel plantains
2. Cut into 1” chunks
3. Fry them in hot oil (like you would for French fries) until golden
4. Remove from oil, drain on a paper towel
5. Smash the pieces flat to about 1/3 “ thick with something flat and heavy
• Colombia - we used a rock 
• The Caribbean - there is a special wood press 
• A heavy pan also works
6. Fry again in oil until golden brow
7. Drain and salt to taste

Makes 6 servings
Notes:
 

My children loved to have these as a snack.  Some prefer them with ripe plantain as they have a sweet taste, others like it prepared with green fruit.  

No Hay

In early February, we spent the entire day trying to advance work on our Bolivian visas.  We got up at 4:30 am to get the early bus to Santo Domingo.  When we got there the line for the bathroom was quite long, so we walked across the street to use the bathroom in the mall.  Now came the first clue of the day!  All of the cleaning ladies were standing in front of the men's bathroom and wouldn't let Philip in.  He asked politely to get by, but they kept saying, "No hay - there is none" No hay servicio -there is no service, No hay entrada - there is no entrance".  First clue of the day!!

Then we got a taxi to the Bolivian consulate.  We found it and got in without any problem.  She looked over our papers and we were quite hopeful of a positive answer.  She said, "All your papers look good.  You have everything you need.  Everything seems to be in order".  So just as we were getting our hopes up, (GASP!!) she speaks those two dreaded words -- No hay - there is none!!   No hay timbres - there are no stamps!  No hay sellos - there are no seals!  She said it would be about 10 - 15 days until she expected to receive more stamps and seals from Bolivia!

So, on to step three.  Since we are going to have to wait for them to get their supplies, we decided to go to the US Consulate to see about getting additional pages put into our passports.  We had to wait a couple of hours until that specific office opened.  When we got up to the window, the lady looked at our papers and said everything looked ok.  She could do it right away, but (GAAASP!!)  NO HAY cajero - there is no cashier!!  The cashier had gone home for the day.  Come back on Monday!!!

So after a 14 hour day, five hours on the bus, six taxis around town, and one meal - No hay - there is none!

This past Friday, Missionary Philip and Kathy received their entrance visas for Bolivia after two additional trips from Santiago to Santo Domingo.

Decision Made to Move LATTE Professor to Bolivia

As many of the readers of this blog know, trips to Bolivia have been made twice a year by LATTE Professor Lorenzo since November of 2007.  These trips began because a group of Lutherans in Bolivia has expressed its desire to become confessional Lutherans in fellowship with the WELS. 

Significant progress has been made as a result of the trips made by Lorenzo.  However, the desire was expressed to be able to advance more rapidly in conservative theological studies.  For this reason, in a meeting of LATTE professors and the Administrative Committee for Latin American Missions in November of 2010, Professor Philip was asked to move with his wife Kathryn from the Dominican Republic to Bolivia early in 2011 in order to continue these studies with the Lutheran leaders in Bolivia full time.  

Remain Calm

"Place the oxygen mask over your nose and mouth. Breathe normally. Remain calm."

Anyone who has ever flown hears these words over and over again before the plane leaves the ground. But they are not the words you want to hear when the plane has reached cruising altitude.

On a recent flight, our plane had reached 25,000 feet and we were expecting the flight to go well when the pilot announced that the plane was losing pressure. The pilot started a steep decline and the oxygen masks fell out of the ceiling. As everyone worked at putting on the masks, the plane kept going down until we leveled out at 10,000 feet. After about 15 minutes we were allowed to take off the oxygen masks.


At that time, the man sitting next to me was visibly shaking. The first words he said were, "What if we had all died?" During the remaining portion of the flight I was able to tell him about the Savior. Jesus lived the perfect life we have not been able to live. He gives us that perfection which we have not earned and do not deserve. What happens to all the sins that we have already committed? Jesus paid for all of them with his innocent death on the cross. His perfect life and innocent death are all we need to enter heaven. And He gives them to us freely.

A frightening situation became the open door to talk to someone about the peace God gives us through faith in his Son Jesus. Now we do not need to fear death because we know what comes after this life ends. We can be calm, Jesus is there.

Missionary Philip and Kathy currently reside in the Dominican Republic.

A New Start

It has been a little over a year since the last blog entry. Many changes have taken place in Latin America during that time.

Reduced budgets, increased online training, new mission fields, additional seminary students, seminary graduates, new congregations, diseases, relocation of seminary professors, increased security precautions, earthquakes, hurricanes, new members of the Latin America Administrative Committee-all of these have had an impact on the seminary training in Latin America.

But one thing has, does, and will always remain the same-God's Word and his promise. What a comfort we have and a privilege to share.

Join us as we go, tell, and train souls in Latin America to share God's Word following Jesus' Great Commission.

“ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” - Matthew 28:19-20

Sharing the joy!

When I was recently in the Dominican Republic I get to meet Tiny (Chiquito - below, on the right). Chiquito is the leader of a small group of Christians in Licey, just outside of Santiago. He was a member of Pastor Alex in Moca (in red shirt) who had taught him Bible Institute courses and trained him to serve the Lord's church. Alex's joy and enthusiasm is evident to all. And Chiquito has been infected with that same attitude. They are both evidence that Jesus' promises to be with us with his power and grace are being fulfilled. LATTE's goal of preparing pastors and leaders for the national churches we serve so that they can function independently is being met with people like Alex and Chiquito. Soli Deo gloria!

(Posted by Professor Larry)

Blessings experienced

In the lower photo are Pastor Freddy (right) of Santiago in the Dominican Republic and Juan. Juan is the leader of a small group of Christians (whose chapel is in the upper image) who were looking for someone to help them understand the Bible and to grow in their knowledge of God's Word and promises for them. Juan contacted Pastor Freddy and he agreed to study with Juan and his group. Juan and his group are nearly ready to join our Santiago congregation. Pastor Freddy is an example of what LATTE is trying to accomplish with our work of training nationals to be pastors and leaders of their churches. He has been trained by us so that he is now anxious and able to go out and teach and train others. God be praised.

LATTE continues training in the Dominican Republic

On Wednesday and Thursday of last week I traveled to the Dominican Republic with Pastor Robert Smith, the new chairman of the Administrative Committee for Latin America. We met with Missionary Professor Phil and the men with whom he is working there, training them for ministry. As you will have seen from previous blogs, the budget crunch in the WELS almost lost us Phil's position and we wanted to speak with him and his students to assure them of our continued support and of their professor's continued presence with them to finish their seminary training. The second picture shows student-pastor Alex speaking with Prof. Philip about the progress on the work on their new church property. Look for more pictures of this trip in the coming days.

(Posted by Larry)

By God's grace and power, LATTE is spared from a cut in manpower

The LATTE team has some very good news to report today. During the last two days our administrative committee for Latin America has been meeting to deal with the effect of the budgetary cuts that are effecting our Synod. I had previously blogged that Prof. Philip was being withdrawn from our team and from his work in the Dominican Republic. While that was the official news from headquarters, it apparently was premature. We have just been informed by our committee that our Latin American mission work will continue to focus on theological education (the preparation of national workers) in our mission churches and sister churches in Latin America. Therefore LATTE will be able to continue with our four remaining professors. We are indeed grateful to a loving and all-powerful God.

To be able to make this work, the committee has had to withdraw our last missionary from Brazil. We know how difficult this will be for the Brazilian national church, and pray God to strengthen them to continue to teach and preach His word there. LATTE will be helping them as we are able with occasional visits to teach and encourage.

We are comforted and strenghtened by the fact that although human plans falter and change, our good Lord's plan for our eternal salvation never changes. He is good indeed.