50 Years in Puerto Rico

Retired Missionary Ralph and Roxanne served souls in Latin America for the majority of their ministry. Recently, they joined other missionaries who served in Puerto Rico to celebrate 50 years of ministry in Puerto Rico. They gathered together with local congregation members and pastors in Guayama, Puerto Rico to celebrate the 50th anniverary and participate in the annual Reformation retreat full of Bible studies, devotions, and fellowship.

More than once during the celebration the sentiment was expressed as in the Sunday worship text, "Not to us, oh Lord, not to us be the glory, but to your name, for your mercy and truth" - Ps.115:1.

The Iglesia Evangelica Luterana Confesional (the Puerto Rican national church) and particularly Christ Lutheran Congregation in Guayama had worked hard to put the property in optimum condition: the grass was cut, new paint everywhere, and Rafi (one of the members)  had installed a one-step concrete and tile riser for the chancel/altar area. The choir was impressively organized (burgundy colored tops for all nine members) directed by Mary. They sang for both the Saturday evening tribute to national Pastors Sergio and Manuel and for the worship service on Sunday. The music was generally praise songs sung to prerecorded sound tracks, but we did get a pretty rousing rendition of "A Mighty Fortress" on Sunday. We were some 90-100 people on Sunday with members from the San Juan, Humacao and Guayama congregations participating in Holy Communion.

Traditional foods (rice and gandules/chick peas, roast pork and chicken, fruit, ham & cheese sandwiches on criollo bread, and more) were served both for breakfast, lunch and suppers. The ladies of the IELC had organized the Saturday tribute and awarded plaques of recognition not only to their pastors, but also to faithful laborers who had and have served over the past 50 years--people like Kelly and Miguel, Rafi and a number of young men--and gifts for the expats.

Former Missionary Paul & Carol

Retired Missionary Ralph & Roxanne

Retired Missionary Ron & Karen

 Former Missionary John & Barb

Former Missionary Tim & Lorna

Former Missionary Steve & Brenda

CELC President - Dan Koelpin

WELS WM Administrator- Larry M. Schlomer

WELS World Missions Administrator Larry M. Schlomer, Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference President Dan Koelpin and Multi-Language Publications Coordinator Paul Hartman greeted and reported to the people for WELS, CELC and MLP respectively. Pastor Roger Sprain of the original Missioner Corps who came to the island in 1964 sent his greetings by mail which were read to the assembly on Saturaday when each of the expats were given an opportunity to share an update on their life and family.

The expats were housed at Pastor Sergio's house bringing the total occupancy to some 27. Those who arrived on Thursday were greeted by a torrential downpour and the remainder of the weekend was beautiful tropical weather: clear skies, heat and humidity. 

The Lord's mercy and truth have preserved a little flock in Puerto Rico for 50 years, and we pray they will continue to preach the good news wherever they may be.

Photo Credit: Former Missionary Steve & Brenda

Sharing Peace in Jesus

Seminary Student Eligio and his wife, Noemi

 Eligio was born into a family that was very religious, and as such he participated as a young person in many of the activities that his church offered. However he did not know peace with Jesus until years later when he was sitting on the front step of his house when a WELS missionary named Paul Hartman came walking up to him and asked if he could talk with him.  Eligio was struck by the Bible teachings that he learned at the new mission, and he continued studying any Bible course that was offered. So he now says that he began studying for the ministry without being aware of it. When he recommended to his pastor that a different member of the church would be a good candidate to study for the ministry, he found out about the Bible Institute that the mission was offering and signed up to take some classes.

Eligio has served in his congregation in many ways, giving the liturgy, learning how to preach sermons, teaching Sunday school and VBS classes. He has already served as a student pastor. His greatest joy in the ministry has been when he was privileged to preach to larger crowds of people about the wonder of God's grace and the peace we have in Jesus' forgiveness. 

His goal is to retire from the police force (he is a detective sergeant in the municipal police force) and offer his full-time service to the church by the end of this year. Eligio has almost finished his seminary studies with LATTE and should soon graduate from the seminary. We pray that he would continue to be a blessing to the church in Puerto Rico, and that God richly bless his continuing ministry in His name.

Pana

 

Pana (Puerto Rico) = panpan (Nigerian pidgen English) = breadfruit (English) 

Off the patio of our room here in Puerto Rico there is a Pana tree. While I have eaten it here and in Africa, I didn’t know how to prepare it. It tastes somewhat like a potato. Larry’s student, Elijio, helped me prepare it. Here are the steps:

Directions:

1. Cut pana in 8 wedges
2. Peel and core  
3. Drop it immediately into water (or it will turn brown quickly)
4. Add salt
5. Boil until it is tender to a fork
6. Drain excess water
7. Pour the prepared Recao Dressing (see below) over the warm pana
8. Serve

Recao Dressing:

• 1/3 cup oil
• 1/4 medium onion chopped
• 8 green olives
• 1 Tbsp ground garlic
• Handful of recao chopped (can substitute standard cilantro)
• 2 Tbsp Sofrito
• Salt to taste
• Adobo to taste

Encouraging a Brother

Larry and I have served in World Missions 35 years. A large part of that time he has been training pastors. We have been blessed by strong personal relationships with many of his students and families, something highly valued in Latin America. This often means walking with them through their celebrations and trials in life. 

This week we were given the opportunity to attend one of the celebrations. Eligio (student here in Puerto Rico) asked us to accompany him to a special recognition by his home town and mayor for the charity work of his youngest brother who is a double amputee in a wheelchair. 

Professor Larry & Marlene with the Family & Mayor

As you can see we were included in the pictures along with his family, brother and the mayor. These times are often strained by conflict in the family over the Lutheran student or pastor’s distinct doctrine and as representatives of their “new family in the faith”, our presence is appreciated. There have been frequent opportunities to witness to our faith at these gatherings. It also is a great opportunity to understand the culture and students better.

Puerto Rico

On the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico (PR), Pastor Manuel serves a congregation in San Juan and another in Humacao as Pastor Sergio serves the Guayama congregation.  One seminary student, Eligio, is getting close to his completion of seminary courses.  During the past two years, he has been studying online via Skype with a LATTE professor.

Professor Natán& Seminary Student Eligio at WELS Synod Convention -- July, 2011

This month, Professor Larry is teaching Eligio one of his courses on-site in Humacao, PR.

 Seminary Student Eligio & Professor Larry

This teaching trip is a great opportunity for face to face interaction between teacher and student while also providing encouragement to Eligio. Often times, seminary students in Latin America do not have fellow classmates in the same city or even country.  That is one of the many benefits of LATTE trips in letting the student know they are not alone and also a chance for the teacher to see his student 'in action' as he serves his local congregation.

At the WELS Synod Convention in July, 2011, the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Church of Puerto Rico was formally recognized as an independent sister church in full fellowship with WELS.  Contact with this church will continue through the Commission on Inter-Church Relations (CICR).

One in Mission

This week over 400 pastors, teachers, and congregation members gather at the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) 61st Biennial Convention (click here for details) in Watertown, Wisconsin to work together as one body to review, plan, and prepare ministry efforts of the synod. LATTE Professor Natán is one of the world missionaries participating as a delegate at this event. Follow his daily blog for updates.

The days are full of devotions, special events, discussions, proposals, and resolutions with fellowship in between. Some highlights for Latin America:  

Declaration of fellowship 
with the Lutheran Church of Puerto Rico

LATTE seminary student Eligio attended as a representative for the Iglesia Evangelica Luterana Cristiana of Puerto Rico (IELC - PR). Former LATTE Professor Ralph and Roxy also attended this special event.

LATTE Presentation

Professor Natán shared an evening presentation on the work of Latin American Traveling Theological Educators with the delegates.

In addition to the work in Latin America, many presentations and handouts feature mission work in other world mission fields-75th year anniversary in Nigeria, 50th anniversary in the Central Africa Medical Mission, updates from Zambia and other places around the world.  A great opportunity to share and learn!

Work in Puerto Rico

Mission Established: 1963

LATTE Service:

• Professor John (and Barb) continue to reside in San Juan from 2003 until he is recalled due to reduced funding in 2006
• Professor Ralph (and Roxanne) relocate to Caguas in 2006 until he is recalled due to reduced funding  in 2008 and accepts a missionary call to Mexico
• Additional professors teach classes on a rotating basis
• Seminary students also serve as pastors of local congregations and train others
• Professors continue to serve a seminary student in 2011 with online education and occasional teaching trips

Arroz con Coco - Coconut Rice

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rice (Arroz Sella Jojo-PR)
• 5 1/2 cups water
• 8 oz coconut milk (Coco Lopez-PR)
• 6 sticks cinnamon
• 1 small piece crushed ginger
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 small snack size boxes raisins
• Ground cinnamon (optional)

Directions:

1. Soak rice for one hour
2. Boil water mixed with coconut milk, cinnamon, & ginger for 30 min
3. Remove cinnamon & ginger
4. Add rice & cook on low for 40 min
5. Add sugar & raisins & cook on low
6. Turn rice occasionally & scape bottom
7. Spoon rice onto serving platter
8. Sprinkle with cinnamon
9. Allow to cool at room temperature

Makes 12 servings.

This recipe is from Puerto Rico (PR).

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.

New Trimester at Mexico Seminary

The seminary in México just began a new trimester.  LATTE Professor Natán continues to teach four days a week.  His schedule varies between 8:45 in the morning and 2:00 in the afternoon. He is currently teaching Homiletics, Pastoral Theology, New Testament Isagogics, and Reformation History. Most of these classes require additional preparation time for it is the first time he has taught some of these courses.

In additional to the onsite classes here in México, Prof. Natán also teaches a student in Puerto Rico through Skype two times a week. They try to maintain a regular schedule, but due to the nature of the student’s occupation, internet availability, and weather effecting utilities, often times classes are rescheduled.

As this is the second week of the new schedule, everyone is still in adjustment mode. What a privilege be a part of training reliable men to teach others the true Word of God. All praise and thanks to God!

And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. – 2 Timothy 2:2

Note:  LATTE Professor Larry also teaches onsite at the seminary in México in additional to other online courses.

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.

Spring Update - 2011

At the beginning of November 2010 LATTE met with the Latin American Administrative Committee. This meeting was a blessing in many ways, principally in improving communication and planning the work and how best to do it. LATTE professors will be able to continue the course delivery that had been planned in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, the Caribbean, Colombia, Bolivia, Puerto Rico, and Brazil. 

Henry, a student in Colombia has also been included in the training done in the Dominican Republic by SKYPE so fewer teaching trips will be needed in the coming year. A final trip to Puerto Rico to finish the class work with seminary student Eligio is planned for mid 2011. After that no trips will be planned except at the express request for continuing education by the Puerto Rican church and the Commission on Inter-Church Relations liaison to Puerto Rico.

Not all LATTE teaching sites are listed on the map above.

Latin America Online

All of the LATTE professors are teaching courses online in Latin America. I have used Skype to teach Genesis to a student in Puerto Rico. I opened the course comments and questions for each lesson on my desktop, which he could also see. We both had good Internet connections so we could converse without any problems. We also used video cameras so we could see each other for the opening and closing sessions of the class. 

Many of our pastors and leaders in Latin America are dedicated Skype users. Our two pastors in Medellín, Colombia, use Skype to reach out to people in other cities and to teach. They also have an International Internet Church with members in South America, USA, France, Spain, that meets each Sunday using Skype.

The Pain and Loss of Budget Cuts

Missionaries are not immune to a difficulty afflicting many kinds of people all over the world today -- the economic crisis. But it has affected us in a drastic way. Ten years ago we were 15 WELS missionaries working in Latin America. At the end of February we were eight. LATTE has gone from five to six, then back to five. Last November our team was cut again when Prof. Ralph Martens (top) was called to serve in Mexico with no replacement on our team.


Now we have just received word that Prof. Philip  (bottom) will be cut and sent back to the United States. And depending on how our Synod votes in its biennial convention in July, Latin America could lose yet another missionary.

The pain comes from saying goodbye to friends and co-workers of many years. The loss to God's kingdom comes from losing two valued, experienced missionary-professors, both of whom have decades of experience serving His church in Latin America. They will both be sorely missed in the training and preparation of future church workers all over Latin America.

We are grateful to God that he has seen fit to call Prof. Ralph to Mexico so that is expertise is not lost to our mission effort in Mexico. And we pray to our Sovereign Lord for Prof. Philip to receive a call at the opportune moment so his service to the church may continue, all according to His will. To Him alone be the glory and honor.

Puerto Rican Lutheran women celebrate

“This is the day which the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it” and that is exactly what the national women’s organization of the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Church of Puerto Rico did as they were spiritually rejuvenated recently by a service of praise with the message given by Eligio Rodriguez, a student pastor being trained by LATTE professors. The service was followed by a study on “The Armor of God”. In the afternoon a very enlightening presentation by Sandra Lopez on “Reflecting the Light of Christ”. There was also a coronation and a quick hand project. Interspersed in the activities were hymns, songs, and spiritual songs , fourteen in fact! What a blessing to share Christ’s goodness together and be lifted up.

(Posted by R. Martens)

Back Home

With the end of November two of our LATTE professors are back home again. Professor Ralph  is back home in Caguas, PR after having spent nearly three months teaching at the Mexican Confessional Lutheran Seminary in Torreón. And Professor Larry is now back in Torreón after his three months of teaching in Puerto Rico. The two professors and their wives swapped houses for their teaching trips. Both made good progress in their course instruction. Prof. Ralph was teaching dogmatics and early church history as well as some review of homiletics and pedagogy. Prof. Larry concentrated on teaching Hebrew grammar, trying to get as much of the normal six-month course taught as possible during the three month stay. He also taught the course of Romans exegesis.

By the way, check back here soon for the latest news on the last trip into Bolivia to work with a small Lutheran church body there.

(Posted by Professor Larry)

New Pastor in Puerto Rico

On Sunday, November 18, 2007, Puerto Rican LATTE seminary student Eligio Rodríguez was installed as student-pastor of Cordero de Dios (Lamb of God) Lutheran Church of Humacao, PR. Pastor Manuel Monroig performed the installation. As mentioned here, Pastor Eligio is a police sergeant in Humacao. He has been doing pastoral studies with our LATTE professors for over two years and helping the pastor of his congregation in the regular preaching and teaching rotation. He and his wife, Noemí, also run a small care facility for the elderly where the residents can enjoy the warmth and comfort of living with a caring family. They also have two children, Noemí and Natanael, at home. We ask for your prayers for Eligio as he begins this new phase of his service to our forgiving Lord Jesus.

(Posted by Professor Larry)

Hearing the Word

Recently we had the privilege of hearing God’s Word from Pastor Sergio in Guayama, PR. We heard about faithfulness from St. Paul’s second letter to Timothy. He tells us how he wants to see his friend and student “so that I may be filled with joy.” Faithfulness does that. It fills others with joy. There is joy in a laborer for the Lord when he sees faithfulness demonstrated in one of his spiritual children. There is even greater joy when we see the faithfulness demonstrated by our loving Savior in his redemptive work and in his precious promises to us. “I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.” (2 Timothy 1:12)

Pastor Sergio (on the right) was just installed as the president of the IELC (Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Church) of Puerto Rico. We pray that God grand him faithfulness in this new opportunity for service in God’s kingdom.

(Posted by Professor Larry)

Weekend Family Retreat in Yauco

This past weekend Marlene and I were privileged to attend the Puerto Rican national church's annual retreat. It was a very spiritually uplifting time for both of us. We participated in four very good Bible studies (shown in photo), two given by our LATTE students here. The worship service on Sunday was a delight. I especially like all the hymn-singing we did. Our thanks to the Evangelical Confessional Lutheran Church of Puerto Rico for the invitation. Fellowship is another of the great blessings we enjoy from our loving Lord Jesus.


(Posted by Professor Larry)

excuses with apology

Sorry to be so long between blogs. The internet has been off at the apartment here in Puerto Rico for the last three days. But I guess "having to" go to Starbucks to use the internet isn't all bad. :-)