LHF - The Word at Work; Vol. 26 No. 6

“I came that they may have

Life...”

Please pray...

Your prayers are urgently requested for translator Päivi Räsänen in Finland. Päivi, who is a Christian medical doctor and a member of the Finnish Parliament (Christian Democrats), is being investigated for “incitement to hatred” for her work on a 2004 publication supported by LHF, concerning Christian marriage and homosexuality. “[This is] a Preliminary Investigation of a pamphlet I wrote in 2004,” writes Päivi. “Not only was I interrogated by the police for four hours last Friday regarding my Twitter account, but now I am facing further interrogations.” (To read the inspector’s press release, go to LHFmissions.org.)

“Police investigations concern not only Päivi who wrote it, but also the Lutheran Foundation - Finland, which published it,” said Rev. Juhana Pohjola, coordinator of the Finnish translation projects.

Sharing the Gospel while doors are still open

As LHF nears its 27th anniversary, situations like this illustrate why the Lutheran Heritage Foundation was first founded: to share the Good News of our Savior, Jesus Christ, while doors are open.

Once those doors to Christianity close, the printed Word becomes essential. Books, translated into the languages of the people, pass from parent to child to grandchild, preserving the faith for generations.

Please, prayerfully consider how you can help provide this foundation of Lutheranism for years to come. www.LHFmissions.org

In Him was life, and the life Uganda, Africa:

A mother chooses life for her son...

Twenty-four years ago, in the small city of Kakinga, Uganda, a baby boy was born. His parents named him Obed, but sadly, Obed was not well.

“As I was still a baby, a disease attacked me,” recalled Obed Orishaba. “For three years, my mom carried me to hospital every day, ten miles per walk. My dad reached the extent of being very poor and told Mom to leave me home and die. But Mom refused the advice and kept walking.”

By God’s grace, Obed did not die and instead was healed. His parents decided to send him to a Christian preschool, where the Holy Spirit strengthened Obed’s faith.

“As a child, my best [favorite] play was all about communing my fellow kids,” he laughed. “I used to cut banana fibers and tie them on myself as a robe and stole – I was a kids’ pastor!”

As the years passed, Obed’s play as a pastor started to become a reality. He met a Lutheran missionary who involved him in helping Vicar Obed Orishaba to lead the liturgy. “I loved the Lutheran way of worshiping,” Obed and his mother said. He also appreciated the Lutheran, Biblical approach to the sacraments. “In Uganda, there are many churches that sell the Holy Sacraments; you must pay to be baptized and to be confirmed for Holy Communion.”

Once Obed completed his public schooling, he decided he wanted to start working again for the church.

“I started evangelizing slowly, wanting to plant a Lutheran church in Bunyoro, in western Uganda.

That is when God called me officially through the congregation to the seminary, up to now,” he said.

Sharing the Gospel with youth As part of his vicarage, Obed is very involved with youth ministries. He helps lead a football (soccer) outreach, where he shares Bible stories with the kids after practice (pictured at left).

Additionally, “I have ministry to refugees from Congo and South Sudan; I have altogether 300 people, 100 Sudanese and 200 Rwandese,” he explained. “We are lacking materials in their local languages, both Kinyarwanda and Acholi. I kindly request LHF to help in providing those materials like Bibles, catechisms and service books.”

Thanks to the faithful support of LHF donors, these materials are now on their way to Obed!

To help provide books like these to Obed and other Christians around the world, give online at www.LHFmissions.org/donate, or use the enclosed envelope to mail your mission offering.

2

e was the light of men! John 1:4 Thailand, Southeast Asia:

Lutherans model a different way of life to Buddhists In a country that’s about 95 percent Buddhist, it’s not always easy to be a Christian. But since 2004, the Thailand Concordia Lutheran Church (TCLC) has been making inroads in shining the Light of Christ among their Buddhist neighbors.

Fewer than 600 of Thailand’s 69 million people belong to the TCLC’s 8 congregations and 4 preaching stations.

Nearly all their members are first-generation Christians.

Representatives were glad to gather at the TCLC’s recent 15th anniversary celebration for fellowship, review of their constitution and Bible study.

Above: TCLC members from the “I thank God Hmong people of Thailand celethat we have peace brated in their traditional dress (Rev. NaThalang in yellow). and good teaching among our church- Right: Thai children pore over A Child’s Garden of Bible Stories. es,” said Rev. Ted NaThalang, LHF’s coordinator for Southeast Asian projects, who was also elected TCLC chairman (president).

That good teaching has come in part from LHF books, which have been essential for introducing Buddhists to the love of Christ.

“LHF’s books have been important in helping the TCLC to grow because we’ve learned to know Lutheran teachings and God’s Word,” said Rev. Niran Temsakun, who with Rev. NaThalang was one of the TCLC’s first pastors. “We use evan-

gelism to help people of all ages to know Christ.

The Bible storybooks show Jesus’ love to children and teenagers, and lets them know that Jesus will never fail in their lives. Every life is valuable in His hands.”

Forgiveness

One of the main topics of study at the anniversary celebration was forgiveness.

“Forgiving others is a hard teaching for Buddhists, because in Buddhism, if a person isn’t sorry, you don’t forgive them,” explained Rev. NaThalang. “But we went to the Scriptures to see how Christ, when he was on the cross, asked His Father to forgive his persecutors.

“We concluded that Christians have the privilege of receiving God’s love, which is how we forgive others. We, ourselves, could never forgive or love our enemies. But because of what Christ has done for us, He’s given us the power to forgive and love other people.”

Even though there are fewer than 600 TCLC members, LHF has printed literally thousands of catechisms, Bible storybooks, and parts of the Book of Concord there.

Where have they gone?

“LHF books are used by non-Lutherans!” exclaimed Rev. NaThalang. “They’re used by seminaries – even Catholic ones – where they give our books to their graduates. They’re not yet Lutheran, but they see that the books are Scriptural and they like that. I think Martin Luther would like that, too.”

3

Sharing the Message of Life to All the World!

by Rev. Rod Benkendorf, LHF Development Associate

Just recently, I heard that $10 million dollars was raised for one very specific initiative. At first I was in awe – $10 million raised! That’s incredible!

But then I reflected on what it was raised for. It was raised to fund the “abortion pill” in California public universities. Ten million dollars raised to abort unborn babies. Ten million raised to bring death. We need to pray, pray, and pray!

But we can do more than just pray. If that much money can be raised to bring death, how much money can we raise to support life?

In 2019 alone, LHF has produced over 100 Lutheran titles in more than 30 languages – over 500,000 books and pamphlets that proclaim the Life-Giving Gospel. Imagine how many lives could be impacted by $10 million. At $5 per book, that would be 2 million books!

Imagine 2 million individuals/households reading in their own languages about the Savior, Jesus Christ – who loves the little children, and died that they may live!

Is $10 million an outrageous goal? Well, that much was raised to support death. How much are we willing to give to support life?

This Christmas, every $100 gift shares the Good News with 20 or more individuals/households. You can make a “Life” impact – an Eternal Life impact! – by telling of God’s deep, never-ending love for them in a Gospel book, in their own language.

Read on to learn how the Holy Spirit is using your gifts to bring Life to the nations!