Mission and Ministry work in Latin America & the Caribbean
August came and went in what seemed like the blink of an eye. We finished up our final hurricane prep as well as a few of our on-going summer projects. We received a new executive order that forced us in Ponce to go back to online services (we couldn’t meet the capacity requirements).
In spite of the pandemic, Lutherans in Panama continue to reach out to those in their communities with the hope we have in Christ. On August 29, 2020, LCMS missionary, Rev. Arthur Rickman, in conjunction with Christ for all the Nations (CPTLN-Lutheran Hour Ministries in Latin America), had the opportunity to serve their neighbors with a workshop on family relationships.
he quarantines and shutdowns aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19 have made ministry difficult this year. But the Lord uses for good even the evil effects of sin in the world – like viruses. Teaching English online, for instance, has turned into one of the great outreach opportunities of this time.
During the past few months, the Confessional Lutheran Church of Chile has continued to reach out to local communities with the Gospel, despite the lockdowns. Worship services, devotions, catechism classes and Bible studies are shared online while in-person services are not permitted. Pastors maintain phone contact to encourage and assist members whenever possible.
Sixty Lutheran pastors and church members from Guatemala and Honduras gathered online for four days of Disaster Response Training last week. Pastor Alejandro Lopez presented the virtual classes from his location in Panama. Missionary Deaconess Cheryl Naumann from the Dominican Republic coordinated the instruction through the Mercy Center, an institute of Concordia the Reformer Seminary in the Dominican Republic.
Concordia the Reformer Seminary and Mercy Center (CMSCR) in the Dominican Republic boasts a rigorous course of study with a practical, church-planting emphasis. Her international influence is perhaps most evident in the only theological symposium tailored to the needs of Spanish-speaking Lutheran theologians worldwide.
Although the Covid-19 situation is seeing little improvement in Peru, the Church continues to be a beacon of hope in the community, reaching out with the Gospel, and sharing His mercy with those in need.
We are excited to welcome new missionaries to the LAC Region! The Rev. Dr. Gerald Paul has accepted a Divine Call to serve as a missionary in the Cayman Islands. He will be joined by his wife, Heidi, who is a preschool teacher.
Quite a number of our Latin American Lutheran pastors serve two or three or more congregations at the same time. With the nearest pastor often living several hours away, opportunities for these men to be built up in the Word and to have fellowship time with other pastors are crucial. Luther Academy encourages these opportunities for our pastors.
As this pandemic has continued to spread, over the past several weeks, Panama has rapidly become the worst-hit country in Central America according to infections per capita, and second only to Chile in all of Latin America.
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