Lutheran Heritage Foundation:
THE WORD AT WORK IRANIAN MUSLIM IMMIGRANTS EMBRACE CATECHISM
by Rev. Knud Skov, Danish Balkan Mission
Since 2015, streams of refugees and migrants have been coming to Europe, and now hundreds of Iranians and Syrians have found themselves in Denmark. The Iranians (former Shiite Muslims) sought the Christian community, and some of them came into our Lutheran churches. Recently Syrians and Africans (Somalis, Sudanese and those from the Berber countries like Libya, Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco), most former Sunni Muslims, have been looking for churches.
In addition to a recent reprint of the Farsi-language Small Catechism, Iranian immigrants are eager for A Child’s Garden of Bible Stories (pictured in header photo) and Only One Thing Is Needed (above), a book of daily devotions.
Not many in the Church here can speak Farsi, so the Christian mission efforts of anyone who can help are carried out by every means available, especially literature.
As soon as we had access to the Farsi Small Catechism
2-3:
from LHF, we could let them read and comprehend for themselves. Since that beginning, the Prayer Book in Dari from LHF has arrived, which has been for many a wonderful help for prayer because Muslims come from their own tradition of prayer, and they find it extraordinary and different that they can pray to our Heavenly Father. The books have been distributed from 10 large refugee centers where everyone can attend Lutheran instruction. In North Jutland, around 100 Iranians have sought out the Church. Some came from other church communities where there was no one who was prepared to give them catechism instruction. The locals asked for a few catechisms and gave them to the Ira-
Iranian immigrants
cont. on page 3
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Thrivent members: Action Team grants provide seed money for mission events, LHF books
by Mary Harrington, former president, LWML North Wisconsin District
Our mission to Lozandier was planned for Nov. 7-14. We were on a medical and eyeglass mission to Haiti, where we saw and treated more than 1,000 people in our 5 days of mission work. The Lord was with us every step of the way.
WISCONSIN MEDICAL MERCY TEAM SHARES GOOD NEWS HAITI:
Our original plan was to travel to the fishing village of Lozandier, which is on the southern edge of Haiti. Due to unrest, road closures and safety issues, our mission trip to Lozandier was redirected and we traveled north and west out of Port au Prince, and to tell the truth, I have no idea where we were. These little country churches were in the middle of nowhere; our constant city to drive through was Mirabalais and once we left there, I don’t know if we went east or west. The roads were through mountain switchbacks and what an adventure!
AND THOSE BOOKS!
We’d packed 50 French-language A Child’s Garden of Bible Stories LHF sent me and delivered them to 3 different churches. Those who received them were absolutely thrilled. I wish we could have packed in more, but with joy we shared what we had.
On the first day of mission, we arrived at the church we called the “mud hut” - little windows, so very dark inside. We brought a generator along so we were able to have some lights and fans while we worked. The children were all in their best clothes, and to receive a book was joy beyond measure. People waited outside in patches of shade as the trees provided. We left a few copies with the pastor; his smile lit up the church!
The following days, we had to walk in with our supplies, books and clothing we had brought along with us. It was about 3/4 mile (pictured at left). I don’t know who was more excited when we arrived at the church, us or the village people waiting for us! A pastor played some games with the people as they waited to be seen by us. The books were prizes. I know they are called Bible stories for children, but the adults were most thrilled when they were chosen. Two of the Haitian men who helped us each day asked for copies for their churches, and I sent six copies with each of them. They were so happy to receive them! The pastor was proud to be part of the “gifting,” I think.
Pray for the people of Haiti; there is much unrest and so much poverty. Thank you, LHF, for sharing these books with the mission team. We were all blessed by what we shared with the people and thankful that we were in mission for physical and spiritual needs.
Iranian immigrants
cont. from page 1
nians. They began to read in groups — they learn through memorization — and as they have come to know Danish better, they’ve been able to express their faith and understanding of the Lutheran faith clearly.
But there are also refugee centers near Bording in central Jutland, where Iranians wait to be sent back to Iran (a kind of limbo, since Iran will take no compulsory returnees). Every Wednesday evening, there is a cafe gathering where 50 men (women can remain in Denmark — they are not sent back) have more or less all read the Farsi Catechism, and some have come to faith. This has given these men hope, not only for asylum, but for the Hope that comes through faith in Christ.
One of the pastors has written to me that Luther’s Small Catechism in Farsi has become the basic book for catechism instruction. It is a pedagogical masterpiece that has transcended time and culture.
Another man, an engineer who is a volunteer with the refugees, told me of an Iranian family who was in the process of being sent back to Iran. The father couldn’t read, so he didn’t know how he should prepare for the required interviews with the government authorities. In his interview, the father was asked why he had joined the Lutheran Church. His answer illustrated how he had learned to memorize the catechism because he replied that the Christian Church, first and foremost, is a place where love and loving people meet, not like in the mosque.
“Perhaps I can’t give my life for my own children, but I have come to realize that Jesus went to the cross and died for me, so that my sins can be forgiven,” he explained. “The spirit of Jesus has come and changed me, so that I am one with others who believe in Him.” This man had memorized the foundations of the Christian faith ONLY because his family had read the catechism to him!
(Reprinted with permission from the Missionsblatt of the Bleckmar Mission, August-September 2018.)
LHF’s Farsi translations are also being used in North America. At left, Rev. Derek Mathers (vice president of the LCMS English District) presents LHF’s Farsi translation of A Child’s Garden of Bible Stories to Iranian immigrant families at St. Luke Lutheran Church in Toronto, Ontario (Canada).
View more photos at LHF’s Facebook page.
HOLDING UP THE PROPHETS’ HANDS:
USING YOUR THRIVENT BENEFITS TO SOW THE SEEDS OF THE GOSPEL
At St. Paul Lutheran High School in Concordia, Missouri, international students are learning the Lutheran faith through LHF-translated catechismsthanks to a Thrivent Financial Action Team grant.
“We call ourselves a global mission in the heart of Missouri,” explained Clint Colwell, admissions director at SPLHS. “We have just over 200 students, and 60 of them come from 17 different countries.”
The international students come to SPLHS from a variety of religious backgrounds, but while at the school, they are required to take a Lutheran religion class each semester. Many have little or no knowledge of the Christian faith.
Action Team Grant, which Thrivent offers to all members as seed money for a one-time fundraiser, service activity or educational event that will make a positive impact in the community.
Rev. Benkendorf completed the short application for the $250 Action
Action Team grant and used the $250 seed money to purchase food for the event. The freewill donation collected at the dinner is helping LHF to publish Lutheran books for the people of Ukraine.
“We have found that Thrivent is ready and willing to support projects, especially those that help to deliver the Gospel through community outreach and missions,” said event organizer Rev. Steve Bagnall of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Cass City, Mich.
“So to have the 10 Commandments and their meanings in their own heart language makes the material a little more digestible for these students,” Colwell said. “Then once they graduate and go back home, taking the books back to share with family members is a big deal.”
When learning about SPLHS, “I saw a real opportunity for these students to have good Lutheran literature in their own language – both for studying and for taking home with them,” said Rev. Rod Benkendorf, LHF development associate.
As a Thrivent member, Rev. Benkendorf knew he could apply for a $250
Team gift card, which he then used to order more than two dozen books from the LHF website.
SPECIAL EVENT SEED MONEY
Other Thrivent members have chosen to use their Action Team seed money to cover the costs of a special event, which in turn raises awareness and support of the LHF mission.
In November 2018, the Thumb East and West Circuits of the Michigan District hosted an educational mission rally, attended by more than 300 people. A Thrivent member applied for an
“At our mission rally, Thrivent’s $250 gift card made all the difference. With their support, we were able to offer the meal free of charge, so that the entire offering could go toward delivering the Gospel of Jesus Christ to people around the world.”
MORE IDEAS
“Thrivent seed money can provide LHF books - and introduce people to the Savior - in a wide variety of situations: an event to reach out to immigrants in your neighborhood or school, or to provide books to take along on a short-term mission trip,” said Rev. Benkendorf. “It’s a wonderful way to reach out with the love of Christ!”
To learn how you can apply for a Thrivent Action Team grant, go to www. Thrivent. org, or call (800) 847-4836 and say “Thrivent Action Teams.”
Through a Thrivent Action Team grant, over 300 people learned about the LHF mission and enjoyed a time of fellowship at a Michigan mission rally.