LHF - The Word at Work; Vol. 27 No. 4

Indonesia

Lutheran Heritage Foundation:

THE WORD AT WORK

FORG RE NG N I Volume 27 Number 4 ■ July/August 2020 T U I ISTRIB TRANSLAT NG D ING UCI NG BLISH TRODUCI INTROD TROG N I G IN IN NG INSIDE: BLISH UBLISHIN PUBLISHU P GClassroom-to-classroom children’s project: TING LATING P LATING LATIN S S S N N N A A R A TR N T TION TR N TRANS ATIO RORM REFORMA ORMATIO REFO F E G G R N TI ING UTIN UTING TRIBU TRODUC G B S I I R D T IN DIS ATIN CING HING ANSL G RODU G PUBLIS ATION TR TRIBUTINIndonesia has the biggest Muslim population S N I I M T D ING NSLA G REFOR CING BLISH inN U P the entire world.

U N I ROD LATING ORMATIO BUT INTPAGE S F G E N N 2: R I C G Andrew leading his brother Simon to be a ISHIN N TRA UTING ODU INLike R T B O I I N R I T G DISTcatechisms new RMAT Five NSLAdisciple NG A I G F- of Jesus, your Sunday school or Lutheran R H T N I S I L C G RE N for N PUBdistribution I O ODU ready I T T U T MA DISTRIB dayLAschool students can lead Indonesian children TING To help this mission project come EFORAfrica RANS G T NSLA G in REast G G N N N I I I T C H N A I S U L to the Savior by adopting “Come and See Jesus!”

I T L S D U alive for your students, LHF offers a RIB TRO ING PUB N TRAN EFORR G IN T mission offerings.

SHIN TRANSLA ORMATIO IBUTINGwithCtheir G free Indonesia Resource Kit, which U IN EF TR N B TROD As Preported ATIO UTING R ING DIS in the last issue of “The Word at U N I G includes: IB C ING DISTR INTRODU UBLISHIN NSLATWork,” A- has an amazing opportunity to share RM LHF P A O R F T G E G R N IS• A six-minute video about life in G SHI LATIN ION G D faith in Indonesia’s state schools.

RANS FORMAT ISTRIBUTIN Uthe INLutheran T C G N N E D I O D R H Indonesia, a simple explanation of G INTRO NG UBLIS NS-is part of the public school curriculum A IBUTI RODUCIN BLISHING LATING P Religion R T Islam, and how your students’ offerN S PU FINT IOIndonesia, NG SLATING ON TRAN FORMATin G RE and Christians are often allowed to N I T I E U T ings will spread the Good News G IB AN RMA 3:UTING R UCINown faith. The challenge? Our Luthertheir DISTRteach N TR REFOPAGE D O B R G I G T TR IN G N about Jesus HIN UTIN ING DIS TRODUC SHING Ian Ppartners UBLIS SLdon’t T- have the textbooks they need I A L N C I G Former LHF translator, B U N U • A related chapel/classroom devotion AN ANG ING P OD SLATI books N TR like LISHI coordinator A Child’s Garden of Bible Stories, LAT UBproject RM TRAN MAT–IO P S O F N G N E A R R N R O • A variety of classroom activities UTMATI home REFO IBULuther’s N T to heavenly called TING DISmall and catechism workSTRIB Catechism ATIO G REFOR BUTING R T G S I (arts and crafts, songs, games) that N D I IN TRI ING in UCIndonesian D the language.

O RIBUT ING DIS DUCING TRODUCbooks R T O R N bring Indonesia to life!

IN GI RO C INT ODU ING INT LISHING UBLISHIN For ING$5 per your students’ mission Hjust SHchild, I S I L L H B B P B S U I U P G PU • A colorful bulletin board display PUBL ATING P ATIN ING SLATINGcan SLAT- one of these books for SL ANprovide ANSL RANSLAT TRAofferings N R R N T T A R N • Info on having LHF mission T T N ON ATIO ATIO child another Your classroom TION ORM TION MATI ORMin Indonesia.

R F E F O EFOR REFORMA REFORMA R F E speakers visit your school or G R G REcan ING of provide a whole classroom of IN$100 T T U U TING RIBUTING STRIBUTIN ISTRIBUToffering B I B I livestream with your D DISTR NG DI IST DISTR G kids with CI books about Jesus, written in G D UCING N CING DUCING Indonesian I U U C D D U students INTRO Ican TRODlanguage TRO- and understand!

TROD G INTRO G INTRO G N Sread ING HIthey G IN LaISH N I N N I N H I H S H I H IS LIS 4:UBLIS UBL PUB UBLI UBPAGE PUBL more NGatP www.LHFmissions.org/children.

NG P ATING P SLATING LATINGLearn I I T T SLAT A A L L L S S 14-year-old TRAN ON AN TRAN ANS R ANS Nconfirmation R T R T T N I N N IO ON student ATIOyour RMAT and ToRM order See Jesus” Indonesia resource kit, call LHF at ATIO ORMATIO EFO RMAT sends EFO“Come RMGospel R FORO F E R F E REFO R E G R R to Nigeria N G G I (800)554-0723 or send an email to info@LHFmissions.org.

T G N G message N TIN TIN IBUT IBUTI TRIBU IBUTI ISTRwill TRIBU DISTRIBU DISTR NG DIS G DISTR G DKits be available after Aug. 1, 2020.

G I CING ODUCIN TRODUC RODUCIN RODUCIN R T N T I INT IN G G IN

BIBLE BOOKS FOR

BRING INDONESIA TO LIFE FOR YOUR STUDENTS!

5 NEW CATECHISM TRANSLATIONS DELIVER

More than 40,000 copies of Luther's Small Catechism, translated by LHF into 8 different languages, have arrived in Nai For 5 of those groups, it is the first time they can read the catechism in their own

Päri The Päri people are a minority tribe who fled the violence of South Sudan to the huge refugee camps of northern Kenya.

The extremely hot and arid climate makes everyday survival difficult.

"They have nothing in the camps, but often nothing to return to back home either," explains Simojoki. "For too many of them, there is nothing in the foreseeable future that would give earthly hope.

So the Gospel spreads to comfort them.

They might have been forsaken by people, but they have not been forsaken by Jesus, who is the lover of the weak and lowly. He loves those who are trampled on by the strong. LHF wants to assist in this precious work."

"As a time-tested publication, Luther's Small Catechism continues to teach, inspi comfort thousands in Africa through its uncomplicated grasp of the Christian faith," s Dinku Bato, LHF's coordinator of African translation projects.

"And why is this?" adds Tuomo Simojoki, who manages projects out of LHF's Ken "Because it is so simple. In Africa, there are so many different churches and teaching ple come across. Then someone gives them a booklet that lays out the teaching of t simple format, and also has Bible passages that explain where the teaching stems from. It is helpful, refreshing and convincing. This is the power of the catechism!"

Rundi "The Lutheran Church is small and young in Burundi. This is the first time Luther's Small Catechism is translated in the Rundi language. There are a few independent Lutheran Churches in Burundi, but this translation was done in collaboration with two of them.

"The Rundi language is spoken by all people in Burundi, which is rare in Africa because usually the colonial borders broke language groups in an illogical way. This is a great assistance with LHF's translation work, in that we are able to cover an entire country with a single language translation," Simojoki said.

Gikuyu

The Gikuyu people are the largest tribe in Kenya, yet the Lutheran Church has few congregations amongst them. Therefore, there haven't really been transla into their language before. "Now the time is ripe for the catechism! We were lu get an active team of three people: two pastors and a deaconess who did the tion quickly and precisely," Simojoki said.

"We have found that getting materials into any language helps the Lutheran Ch grow, as other Christians come across the materials and become interested in Biblical theology of the Lutheran Church."

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Faithful supporters of LHF provided a stock gift to help cover the printing of these Small Catechism e

RED TO EAST AFRICA

irobi, Kenya for distribution throughout East Africa. n language.

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Dholuo Dholuo is the second biggest language used within the Lutheran Church in Kenya, and there is a strong base of Lutheran churches in Luo territory. The Luo people stand out because they started educating themselves early, and there is an appreciation of books in their language.

"On a practical note, with a large number of educated pastors and theologians it gives LHF the opportunity to find good translators easily. This is not so in every language!" reflected Simojoki. "Sometimes perhaps there is only one person who has the theological and academic training necessary to provide a faithful and accurate translation."

Kalenjin The Kalenjin people are actually made up of nine different "clans" with their own variations of the language. This demonstrates the difficulty of translation in Africa: Many languages vary from region to region and sometimes the differences are quite big.

"We then need to decide whether we treat certain language variations as distinct languages, or whether we try and find a common translation that suits the majority.

With the Kalenjin, we chose this latter option. For some fringe areas the translation might be difficult to follow, but the majority will be able to use it. Future projects include the Small Catechism with Explanation and a hymnal, which are almost ready too," Simojoki concluded.

editions. Soli Deo Gloria!

A pioneer of Lutheran missions in Africa

REV. DR. ANSSI SIMOJOKI CALLED TO ETERNAL HOME Respected theologian and pioneer in Lutheran missions in Africa, Rev. Dr. Anssi Simojoki (former LHF translator and project coordinator in East Africa) has entered his heavenly home. He was 75.

“The impact of Anssi’s leadership in Africa in the late 1990s and 2000s cannot be overstated,” said Rev. Dr. Matthew Heise, LHF executive director. “For 13 years, he spearheaded LHF’s efforts to translate and publish books like Luther’s Small Catechism, The Good News About Jesus and even the Book of Concord into dozens of African languages. He was a tireless teacher, laying a firm foundation of our Lutheran understanding of Scripture in countries like Kenya, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo.”

“Anssi was a pioneer, blazing trails of Lutheran translation and carrying the Gospel message into hostile regions like Somalia, Afghanistan and Turkey,” recalled Rev. Robert Rahn, founder of LHF. “When LHF was a young organization, just four years old, Anssi saw the importance of translating and publishing the good books of our Lutheran faith for people who had never heard these teachings before. Those translations are an eternal gift that will live on for generations, in dozens of countries around the globe.”

One of Rev. Simojoki’s strengths was guiding young Christians into leadership roles as Lutheran pastors, evangelists and translators. In areas where there were few Christians, such as Muslim Somalia, he formed close mentoring relationships with translators, introducing them to the peace and comfort found in the Lutheran Confessions as they began translation projects together.

“Not a few LHF translators in Africa have shared with me the significance of that intensive training and constant coaching from Dr. Simojoki,” said Rev. Dr. Dinku Bato, who today coordinates LHF’s work in Africa. “Today, these books that found their way into the hands of many African pastors, church leaders, seminarians, youth and children resonate the legacy of this veteran Lutheran teacher as they continue to spiritually nourish thousands of souls in Africa.”

Rev. Simojoki is survived by his wife, Marja, their 6 children and 24 grandchildren. Their son, Tuomo, is a missionary who manages LHF projects in Kenya (see story at left).

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HOLDING UP THE PROPHETS' HANDS:

CONFIRMAND SENDS GOSPEL TO NIGERIA Faithful LHF supporter Beata Raedeke writes:

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to a suitable project. We were given two options: Luther’s Small Catechism or the 'Jesus Never Fails' devotion booklet, in the Yala translation for people in Nigeria.

"We directed the funds to the 'Jesus Never Fails' translation and notified the folks to whom we sent confirmation announcements that gifts would be sent to LHF to fund this project. We gave them the address of LHF and suggested if they wished to honor Chipper in this way, they could either send the designated gifts directly to LHF or give them to Chipper to send.

"When we mailed our grateful thank you notes, we included a copy of the English 'Jesus Never Fails.' Chipper

"Chipper is 14. He is my great-grandson. My late husband and I assumed custody of him when he was two years old.

"I was directly involved with Chipper's confirmation instruction [at Mt. Olive Lutheran Church in Loveland, Colorado] for the past two years. Parents are encouraged

by Pastor Nierman to attend the confirmation classes with their students.

I attended all of the classes with Chipper.

"When we announced also received a considerable amount of cash gifts in Chipper’s upcoming P ING S H addition to the LHF gifts.

He opted to send $500 of those S I L I confirmation in early PUB PUBL INGserve Twe ING NS T A gifts to LHF, too!

Blessings to LHF as together L A L S S A June, friends and family TRAN N TRAN ON TR N our Savior, the One who 'never fails' M us."

ATIO ATIO FORMATI M asked, 'What can we give R O E F E R G RE UTING R ING Editor's Note: Due to the funding that was provided, Chipper?' He already UTIN STRLHF B B I I R R T T I IS I DIS G D G G D Never is printing not only 3,000 copies of the Yala "Jesus N N I I had the most obvious: C C IN U DU TROD TRinODUC IN N I Fails," but also 1,500 copies of the Small Catechism N G I Bibles, hymnal, catechism, IN Chipper Banks HING BLISHING RA the Hausa language for Nigeria. ToPGod thePglory!

T U UBLISbe G concordance, jewelry, ON T MATI LATIN DIS crosses, etc.

PU "After Chipper prepared his Profession of Faith REF paper, we talked of the value of being able to INT TRA express what we believe, and ways to do that...

DIS most importantly regularly 'feeding' our faith, being PUB always mindful of our responsibility to share, and OR to recognize opportunities.

ING "Chipper and I have attended and supported PU MA LHF presentations here in Colorado. I have shared DIS the LHF newsletters with Chipper to help educate LIS him regarding world missions.

TIO "When I suggested we invite friends and TRI relatives to send a gift to LHF to mark his IN AT L confirmation, he gave a thumbs up! We discussed R O that this could also be a good way of introducing I DS our friends and family to the work of LHF and IN world missions. I contacted (LHF founder) Pastor ING Baptisms among the Yala people of the Lutheran Church of Nigeria Bob Rahn to see whether we might direct the gifts TION ING IB DISTR N C DU I LUTHERAN HERITAGE FOUNDATION G N 51474 Romeo Plank Rd. ■ Macomb, MI 48042 ■ 1-800-554-0723 ■ info@LHFmissions.org ■ www.LHFmissions.org I G IN “The Word at Work” is the official publication of the Lutheran Heritage Foundation. Permission is hereby granted to excerpt from this publication for RA not-for-profit purposes. The Lutheran Heritage Foundation is a Recognized Service Organization of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. LHF trans-T lates, publishes, distributes and introduces confessional Lutheran materials throughout the world so that people can be brought to Christ. LHF is not MA subsidized by the LCMS or any other church body. It is entirely supported by individual donations and grants.

IN (“Word at Work” staff: Rev. Dr. Matthew Heise, executive editor; Jennifer Bagnall, managing editor and graphic design) D D