Fortifying the Future

Like all Lutheran World Relief staff who must travel the world where we work, I sometimes hate being away so far and for so long, from family and from the office—though with Jeff Whisenant holding down the helm at LWR, we’re steered well.

The time away is redeemed, however, by the promise of fortifying our diakonic partnerships to serve the most vulnerable. For example, partnerships with churches will be one way to spread the information and interventions that will help to stamp out malaria as the number one killer of children globally. That promise, that children might have a future with dignity makes it all worthwhile. I really hope my own children read this entry.

Off to Kenya…

Through the Dust in Addis

My two days of participation in this consultation in Addis Ababa had that distinctive LWR worldwide feel. Occasional blog commentator from our partner Lutheran World Federation, Department of World Service, Eberhard Hitzler—assisted by St. George (smile)—provided me with surefooted hospitality. Presenters from the Global South, the Americas, and Europe gave papers and engaged in edifying dialogue about diakonia—which means in biblical Greek, “service,” and could be literally translated, “through the dust.” A good bit of theological dust was kicked up and practical implications worked through in our lively formal and informal conversation.

Three participants from the USA were (from left to right): Megan Bradfield, the new Associate Director for International Development, Global Mission, ELCA; Rev. Rafael Malpica-Padilla, LWR board member and the Executive Director for Global Mission, ELCA; Ruth Reko, Director for Social Ministry Organizations, Church and Society, ELCA. You can see there wasn’t much actual dust where we met at Red Cross International Training Center.

I invite you to reflect on this energetic definition suggested by an insightful professor from Diakonhjemmet University College in Oslo, Norway, Stephanie Dietrich: “Diakonia is the social care of the Church. It is the acting out of the Gospel and is expressed through love for fellow human beings, inclusive community, care for creation and fighting for justice.” A few considered that definition over-reaching and attempting too much. A few others suggested it critically omits erstwhile notions of “humble service.” What’s your opinion?

A Morning Choir

The day is gloriously alive as I rise in urban Addis Ababa, nothing like the Inner Harbor of urban Baltimore. Here, the morning welcomes me with a symphony of bass and tenor dogs barking, soprano and alto birds chirping, one regal rooster crowing for the sun and soaring melismatic calls to Islamic prayer.

The Church that Development Built

Why has this Lutheran-affiliated church body, Mekane Yesus, grown from 20 000 members in 1959 to nearly 6 million now? 6 percent growth would be a normal year. I asked the church body president Pastor Iteffa Gobena. He quickly cited three factors: (1) strong lay ministry; (2) spiritual revival; and, (3) service to the whole person, or, what we call at Lutheran World Relief, “development.” Such whole person mission, conducted with high technical excellence, is the subject of this Diakonia Consultation today and tomorrow.

An Impromptu Sunday

Photo from left to right:
John, Rev. Jira Dufera, Central Ethiopia Synod
Diakonia Coordinator, Demissie Legesse Karorsa

The assembly was electric in receiving us, and even more in receiving the Gospel teaching from Demissie Legesse Karorsa. When he’s not being a lay preacher, Demissie, according to his business card, is a project manager for USAID Ethiopia.

First, he spoke in this nation’s official language, Amharic, which then was translated into the most popular people’s language, Omoro. Beforehand, during my impromptu visitor’s remarks, representing Lutheran World Relief, but also Wolfgang Vogelmann, a German pastor, and Wanda Falk, a Polish churchworker, I mentioned that although we did not speak the same language we were united with them in Christ’s love as God’s children. Then quoting, more or less, from Psalm 133, I riffed: “How good and how pleasant it is when sisters and brothers come together, sing together and work together in unity.” What I did not know was that Psalm 133 was the basis of preacher’s pre-prepared message. I first suspected Demissie was merely being hospitable, saying this as some act of gentle ingratiation, by mentioning our common citation. But after the joyous service ended he showed me the manuscript with this text. Amazing, in light of the thousands either of us could have chosen! What a blessing to be among this community of faith, Entoto Mekane Yesus congregation, which, I learned, has been struggling to remain united, not because of decline, but due to its rapid growth.

What sometimes seems impromptu to us exhibits the best in timing.