LHF - The Word at Work; Vol. 26 No. 4

Somalia

Lutheran Heritage Foundation:

THE WORD AT WORK

Volume 26 Number 4 ■ July/August 2019

Books go where missionaries cannot...

Somalia, in northeast Africa, is one of the world’s most dangerous places to be a Christian.

Over 99 percent of the country’s population identifies as Muslim, and it’s not hard to see why. Sharia law is enshrined in Somalia’s constitution, and anyone who expresses doubt about Islam or even curiosity about another religion faces intense persecution: harassment, property damage and physical attacks.

Religious leaders speak openly about eliminating Christianity from Somalia, and any Somali who is found to worship Jesus − or worse, shares the Good News with others − risks immediate execution.

Despite the dangers, a small community of Christians (probably fewer than 10,000 people of the country’s 8 million inhabitants) perseveres.

Where does a believer turn when there are no churches?

The isolation felt by the one-in-a-thousand Somali Christian is significant. Though it is a dangerous proposition − and some have died in the process − small, secret groups of Christians have formed, including a Somali Lutheran Church.

With no known trained pastors inside Somalia’s borders, LHF’s catechisms and devotions published in the Somali

language bring answers to questions, comfort and a sense of belonging to a larger church family.

Rev. Warsame (names are changed for their protection), a Lutheran pastor and evangelist, is passionate about sharing LHF publications with his Somali people. Though he himself has suffered physical attacks and threats of death, Rev. Warsame is determined to share LHF books inside Somalia’s borders.

And now, he writes, he may have found a way: “Greetings! I have traveled to Ethiopia...[and met] Brother Diric, a young man who graduated from Mekane Yesus Seminary a few years ago. He requested that LHF books be delivered to

Somali Christians cont. on page 3

INSIDE:

TRANSLATING PUBLISHING INTRODUCING DISTRIBUTING REFORMATION BIBLE-BASED CHRIST-CENTERE BOOKS TRANSLATING PUBLISHING INTRODUCING DISTRIBUTING REFORMATION BIBLE-BASED CHRIS PAGE 4: TERED BOOKS TRANSLATING INTRODUCING TRANSLATING REFORMATION BIBLE-BASED PAGESPUBLISHING 2-3: Check out LHF’s new mission project for CHRIST-CENTERED BOOKS DISTRIBUTING REFORMATION B LHF beginsTRANSLATING new work among thePUBLISHING INTRODUCING Lutheran Sunday schools and day schools, Eritrean people.

BLE-BASED CHRIST-CENTERED BOOKS TRANSLATING PUBLISHING INTRODUCING DISTRIBUTING REFO providing Bible books for Ethiopia.

TION BIBLE-BASED CHRIST-CENTERED BOOKS TRANSLATING PUBLISHING INTRODUCING DISTRIBUTIN REFORMATION BIBLE-BASED CHRIST-CENTERED BOOKS TRANSLATING PUBLISHING INTRODUCING DIS

LHF begins work in a new region of the world: Eritrea

Less than 400 miles up the coast from Somalia in east Africa, there is a small country called Eritrea. Though there is much greater freedom of religion in Eritrea than in Somalia (half the population is Christian, and the other half Sunni Muslim), Eritreans are leaving their country in droves.

At a rate of 3,000 people per month, nearly 10 percent of the population has fled to other countries like Ethiopia, Italy, the United States and Canada to evade forced conscription in Eritrea’s military (which can last indefinitely) and to embrace liberties like

a free press and speech.

Among those who remain are a group of about 20,000 Christians who belong to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Eritrea, the result of the Gospel sown by Swedish missionaries in the late 1800s.

Excited to share the Good News with those who hadn’t yet heard, Eritrean Lutherans were actually responsible for spreading the faith to the Oromo people in Ethiopia, where today Mekane Yesus numbers more than 9 million people!

This passion for the Gospel continues among the Eritrean people today, including those who have relocated to other countries.

THE DIASPORA: SCATTERING THE SEED

Sow the Seed!

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“Diaspora is a word that refers to God’s scattered Church that has been dispersed outside its traditional homeland,” explains Rev. Dr. Dinku Bato, LHF’s coordinator for African translation projects. “There is a large Eritrean Lutheran diaspora here in the United States, and they believe they are missionaries.

“Think of the parable of the sower and the

seed. If you see Eritrean immigra think they are missionaries to this said. “This is their second home, are sent to share the Gospel with Rev. Bato recently connected w the Eritrean diaspora who now liv Dakota, where he learned of thei good Lutheran books in the Kuna guage.

“So far, we’ve learned of nearly itrean congregations. They do ha of the Kunama Small Catechism, done in the 1960s. Church leade there are fewer than 10 copies th among the diaspora; lay people d it,” he said.

The congregations have also materials in the Tigrigna languag is the official language of Eritrea. identified Kunama and Tigrigna tr and work is now underway on a v projects, including the Jesus Nev votional tract, the Small Catechism Parts) and A Child’s Garden of Bib “There is a lot of work to be d

ants, they s land,” he where they h us.” with part of ves in South ir need for ama lan-

y a dozen Erave a version but it was ers estimate hat remain don’t have

asked for ge, which LHF has ranslators, variety of ver Fails dem (Six Chief ble Stories. done,” com-

Somali Christians cont. from page 1

mented Rev. Bato. “I met a young Eritrean vicar in St. Paul, Minnesota, who told me that though he knows about the Small Catechism with Explanation, his people have never seen it. So the need is great.”

A GIFT FOR THE HOMELAND Once completed, these LHF translations will be used not only among Eritrean immigrants here in the United States, but also for the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Eritrea.

Rev. Bato said he looks forward to traveling to Eritrea to meet with church leaders about how the books can be used in their congregations.

“Though they now live on the other side of the world, the Eritrean diaspora has not forgotten their mother church,” Rev. Bato said.

“As immigrants in a new land, they cannot offer a lot of financial support for their churches back home. But through their work with LHF, they can send them this great gift of the faith, which will help keep the faith strong in Eritrea for generations to come.”

a group of believers in Somalia. He said that even though the number of those who attend his Friday service is small, there are many converts and seekers there who would very much like to receive and read the books by themselves, as they fear persecution if their Christian faith is exposed. He said that LHF books are a great source for teaching and learning the Christian faith.

“Since the Somali border police will not permit Christian literature into their country, he suggested that we smuggle about 100 books every month, and he promised to distribute them immediately.

My church elders and I applauded his proposal and assured him that we will start the process of smuggling as soon as the books arrive.

“Two weeks ago, I met a trader of my clan who regularly smuggles contraband goods, and I asked about the possibility of delivering three boxes of Christian books to someone in Somalia. The trader said, ‘That is not problem at all. We don’t care about the contents; just pack and seal them well, and we will take them to anywhere you want in Somalia.’

“Brother Diric also proposed that his congregation, which currently has about eight members, become part of our Somali Lutheran Church, which the elders and I welcomed.

“Additionally, one of the elders and I traveled to a camp of internally displaced people to visit some converts there and to deliver Somali Bibles. We met five believers in the camp and three in town. They told us that there are more believers and seekers in their areas and they requested for teaching and Christian literature. We spent two days in each location, during which I answered their questions about Christianity, Islam and the difference between the two faiths, and I instructed them on how to pray and how to read the Bible.

“Finally, in my own city, I have been teaching five new converts (three women and two men), separately at different hours and in different venues, to make sure that before they are allowed to join the fellowship, their conversion is genuine and they are reliable people.”

To help support this important work, go to www.LHFmissions.org/Donate and select “Somalia” from the dropdown menu.

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New mission project for Lutheran schools & Sunday schools:

“How Can I Understand?”

Bible storybooks for children in Ethiopia

2,000 years ago, the Ethiopian eunuch couldn’t understand what the Bible was teaching. As he sat in his chariot puzzling over the Book of Isaiah, God sent His disciple, Philip, to help.

Today, Ethiopian children have the same problem. And just like Philip, your Sunday school, VBS or Lutheran day school students can help!

For children, the Bible’s hundreds of pages can seem overwhelming.

They need books, written on their level, to introduce them to the love of Jesus.

For young children, brightly illustrated, easy-to-read Bible storybooks can tell them in a simple way about the Savior Jesus and how He died for them. For teens who are old enough to start reading the Bible for themselves, Luther’s Small Catechism answers the question first posed centuries by the Ethiopian “What does for thisthese mean?”

At St. Paulago Lutheran High School ineunuch: more digestible students,” Concordia, Missouri, international stu- Lutheran Colwellschools said. “Then theyschools gradThere are hundreds of Ethiopian andonce Sunday dents arewith learning theyoung Lutheran faith and goface backahome, takingthey the packed eager students, butuate teachers dilemma: through LHF-translated catechisms books back to share with family have no Bible storybooks from which to teach. From week to week,memthey thanks to a Thrivent Financial Action bers is a big deal.” must make do with teaching the lessons to the children orally.

Team grant.

When learning about SPLHS, “I saw “We call ourselves a global mission a real opportunity for these students in the heart of Missouri,” explained to have good Lutheran literature in Even the smallest Sunday can every–$5 Clint Colwell, admissions directorschools at theirhelp. own For language both for studySPLHS. “We have just over 200 stuing and for taking home with them,” your students can send to LHF, we can print a Bible dents, and 60 them Catechism come from 17in the languages said Rev. Rod storybook orofSmall ofBenkendorf, LHF develdifferent countries.” opment associate.

Ethiopia, such as Amharic, Oromo, Kambaata, The international students As a Thrivent member, Rev. BenkenHadiyya, and many more!come to SPLHS from a variety of religious dorf knew he could apply for a $250 backgrounds, but while at the school, Action Team Grant, which Thrivent ofthey are required to take a Lutheran fers to all members as seed money for To order your freesemester.

Resource Kit (including a shortfundraiser, service activity religion class each Many a one-time DVDlittle about the project, bulletin photos, have or no knowledge of the boardor educational event that will make a Christian faith. activities), call LHF at positive impact in the community. and classroom “So to have the 10 Rev. Benkendorf completed the (800)554-0723 orCommandments send an email with your and theirchurch/school meanings in their own heart short application for the $250 Action name, and shipping language makes the material a little Team gift card, which he then used address to info@LHFmissions.org.

Your students can help change that – for just $5 per child!

Order your FREE Ethiopia Resource Kit:

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 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,

WE’RE NEARLY THERE!

LUTHERAN HERITAGE FOUNDATION 51474 Romeo Plank Rd. Macomb, MI 48042 ■ 1-800-554-0723 ■ info@LHFmissions.org ■ www.LHFmissions.org ■

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“The Word at Work” is the official publication of the Lutheran Heritage Foundation. Permission is hereby granted to excerpt from this publication for not-for-profit purposes. The Lutheran Heritage Foundation is a Recognized Service Organization of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. LHF translates, publishes, distributes and introduces confessional Lutheran materials throughout the world so that people can be brought to Christ. LHF is not subsidized by the LCMS or any other church body. It is entirely supported by individual donations and grants. (“Word at Work” staff: Rev. Dr. Matthew Heise, executive editor; Jennifer Bagnall, managing editor and graphic design)