Rites of passage

July 2022 was a time of transitions for us. We closed our first school of in-person classes since 2020 and saw two former preschool students graduate from high school. Luz Maria and I took our first road trip together since 2019 for the graduation of 35 women who Luz Maria mentored for three years as deaconesses.

We were able to reopen the preschool in October 2021 under a number of restrictions. Our 25 students were split into four groups of five, each one attending two days a week. Strict sanitary procedures were required, including wearing of masks. Getting two- to three-year-old children to wear masks at all times was as easy as you might expect. This situation lasted through the fall, but after the Christmas/New Year break, all of the children were able to gather in one group each day. On July 6, we celebrated the end of the 2021/2022 school year with the children and their parents.

Our high school graduates were Yaneth Torres and Daiyamar Aranguran. Daiyamar attended our preschool until 2010, when she graduated to Virginia de Contreras Elementary School. Yaneth not only attended our preschool, but was one of the first children baptized at our mission, was later confirmed and remains a communicant member. She graduated third in her class. Yaneth’s younger sister, Diana, also attended our preschool, was baptized at our mission, and on October 31, 2021, became a communicant member.

The Torres sisters both received scholarships to continue their education from LeadaChild, an Olathe, Kansas-based mission society which promotes Christian education around the world. LeadaChild has supported children in our mission since 2006.

Also, Anyi Garrido, Luz Maria’s granddaughter, graduated from Virginia de Contreras and will begin high school this fall.

Deaconess formation at the end of a long road

Luz Maria and I set out across the country of Venezuela on July 7, from La Caramuca, which is closer to the Colombian border than to the capital city of Caracas, to Maturin in Monagas state, which is a nearly equal distance to the east of Caracas. We stayed the night in Caracas, then arrived in Maturin for the beginning of a final seminar for the women who had been studying to become deaconesses for three years. Together with Pastor Ángel Eliezer Montoya, director of the Juan de Frías Theological Institute, Luz Maria had guided these women in their studies, mostly online during the COVID-19 crisis. This was despite frequent lapses in electrical power and Internet service. Their graduation service was on Friday, July 22, at Cristo Rey Lutheran Church, with preaching by Pastor Sergio Fritzler of Seminario Concordia El Reformador, the Dominican Republic.

The diaconate, or “helping ministry” has its origin in the ancient church. In Acts 6 we find the apostles delegating tasks essential to the life of the church, but not to the pastoral office, to trusted laypeople. The seven men mentioned in that chapter are the first to be called “deacons”, a word which means servant. In Romans 16:1-2, St. Paul describes Phoebe of Cenchrea as a “deacon”. The word is masculine in form, but since it refers to a woman, some English translations render it as “deaconess”. Phoebe is the only woman to explicitly receive this designation, but we read of other women who held responsible positions of service in the New Testament church, including Dorcas (Acts 9:39-41), Lydia (Acts 16:14, 40) and Priscilla (Acts 18:2,18,26).

In later centuries of the church, both deacon and deaconess became formal titles. The earliest reference to deaconesses outside of the New Testament is the infamous letter by Pliny the Younger, a Roman magistrate of the second century A.D., to the Emperor Trajan. In his effort to investigate the new Christian religion, Pliny mentions that he had two deaconesses tortured to find out what it was really about, but they would give no answers that satisfied Pliny. After the end of Roman persecution in the early fourth century, deaconesses would play an important role in assisting pastors and bishops. Among the classics of post-apostolic Christian literature are the 17 letters that John Chrysostom, archbishop of Constantinople from the late fourth to early fifth centuries, wrote from exile to his chief deaconess, Olympias. The letters typically begin in this way: “To the most reverend and divinely favored deaconess Olympias, I John, Bishop, send greeting in the Lord.”

While deaconesses were excluded from the pastoral office of public preaching and administration of the sacraments, their works of mercy and spiritual were was considered equal with the male diaconate. The diaconate was at first a lay ministry, but as the church developed more of a hierarchy, male deacons were elevated from the equivalent of modern lay elders to the lowest rank of the ordained clergy. The role of deaconesses was taken over by nuns, and use of the word eventually stopped.

But as early as the tenth century there flourished in Germany and Belgium the Beguine Sisterhoods, founded on the principle of fellowship and consisting of widows and unmarried girls who, without vowing perpetual chastity, led lives of prayer, meditation, and charitable ministrations. These sisters cared for orphans and the aged, went out to nurse the sick, to attend deathbeds.

The modern deaconess movement began in Kaiserswerth, Germany, in 1836, revived by Theodore Fliedner, a Lutheran pastor. Fliedner opened a hospital and a deaconess motherhouse. The Kaiserswerth-based institution of also purchased and staffed hospitals, homes, orphanages, and schools in other parts of Germany and around the world.

In 1853, Johann Konrad Wilhelm Loehe opened a school for deaconesses in Neuendettelsau, Bavaria, on stricter Lutheran principles. Loehe’s school had a strong impact on deaconess programs within the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod (LCMS).

Laying groundwork in Venezuela

Before the 2000s, the Lutheran Church of Venezuela’s Juan de Frias Theological Institute did not offer a deaconess program distinct from its training of both male and female lay leaders. Two women who achieved the highest level of theological training offered by the institute, Luz Maria and Elsy Valladares de Machado, eventually were given the title “deaconess” by the national church and named co-coordinators of a national deaconess program.

From 2002 to 2003, Mireya Johnson, who received her deaconess certificate is from Concordia University Chicago, and an MA in Religious Studies from Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana, laid the groundwork for a deaconess program in Venezuela. Her husband, Dr. Ross Johnson, now director of LCMS Disaster Response and another Fort Wayne graduate, served his vicarage at La Fortaleza Lutheran Church in Maracay, Venezuela, during that time. Thanks to Mireya’s hard work and example, many young women in Maracay were moved to consider becoming deaconesses.

Deaconess Rosie Gilbert Adle in 2007 served her deaconess internship in Venezuela. She had earned a BA in Spanish from Valparaiso University in Indiana in 2003, and graduated from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, in 2006 with an MA in deaconess studies and systematic theology. She worked with Luz Maria, Elsy and Pastor Ted Krey, now region director for Latin America and the Caribbean for LCMS World Missions, on a training program for deaconesses in Venezuela.

In May, 2009, Luz Maria and Elsy traveled to Seminario Concordia, Buenos Aires, Argentina, for the first-ever conference of deaconesses throughout Latin America. In 2016, Luz Maria and I traveled with Elsy, Pastor Mendoza and his wife, Ginnatriz, to the second conference of Latin American deaconesses at the newly established Seminario Concordia El Reformador in the Dominican Republic. Although Venezuelan by birth, Ginnatriz was trained as a deaconess at the Buenos Aires seminary.

Seminario Concordia El Reformador has committed a great deal of resources to this program. Congratulations also are in order for deaconesses Danelle Putnam and Caitlin Ramírez, who provided online instruction from the Dominican Republic.

Meaningful memorabilia

Of the women who completed the coursework, 31 were able to attend the graduation ceremony in Maturín and four were recognized despite their absence. Those present received their certificate and several gifts, including a copy of “Un Siglo de Consagración”, collection of sermons preached at the consecration or installation of deaconesses from 1924 to 2017. The book is the excellent work of Deaconess Cheryl Dorothy Naumann from the Dominican Republic, filled with the sermons of well-known preachers in the history of the Missouri Synod. However, the most recent entries have special meaning for Luz María and me. The 30th sermon was preached on Matthew 25:31-46, October 3, 2015, by Pastor Bruce Keseman at Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church, Freeburg, Illinois, on the occasion of the commissioning of Deaconess Dorothy E.A.C. Glenn Nauman. This congregation is my mother's church and has faithfully supported our mission in La Caramuca. Pastor Keseman preached at my father's funeral in 2000 and at the funeral of my sister, Deborah, on February 26, 2022. The thirty-first sermon was preached by Pastor Theodore Krey on October 1, 2017 at the “Concordia” Lutheran Church in Palmar Arriba, the Dominican Republic, for the consecration of deaconesses Confesora Cabrera, Xiomara Cruz Pería, Carmen Helena de Santos and Elizabeth Hernández Toribio. Pastor Krey officiated the wedding of Luz María and I, on July 25, 2004, at the “La Fortaleza” Lutheran Church, in Maracay, Edo. Aragua, Venezuela. He was also one of the pastors who laid hands on me at my ordination, on December 13, 2008, in the “El Salvador” Lutheran Church, Caracas, Venezuela. Prior to my ordination, Pastor Krey preached and administered the sacraments at La Epiphany Lutheran Mission in La Caramuca.

Introduction to new Spanish hymnal

While Luz Maria and the other women were summing up what they had learned over the last three years, Pastor Fritzler was giving me and the other pastors of the Lutheran Church of Venezuela an introduction to Himnario Luterano, the new Spanish hymnal which is the fruit of 14 years of work by churches throughout Latin America with quia subscription to the Unaltered Augsburg Confession of 1530. This really deserves a newsletter to itself, but here are some preliminary observations:

• Himnario Luterano looks a lot like the Lutheran Service Book: same typography, illustrations, organizational structure and numbering format. Unlike the LSB, it combines many more liturgical and devotional resources into just one book. It is intended as a multi-use volume for the home as well as public worship.

• Why even a printed volume? I will not now discuss why I do not think electronic screens belong in the sanctuary in principle, but only note with the publishers of the hymnal that only about 20 percent of Lutheran congregations in Latin America even have access to screens. Certainly in La Caramuca, our Sunday service cannot depend on a constant flow of electricity.

• The musical notation is written for guitar and piano. There are many who say the pipe organ is the best instrument to accompany congregational song, but pipe organs are expensive here, and it is difficult to find people who know how to play, maintain and repair them.

One too many potholes

Our journey to Maturín was without incident. However, we discovered that the roads in eastern Venezuela are in worse condition than the west, and we failed to avoid one to many potholes. A shock absorber blew out while we were only an hour’s drive west of Caracas. Thanks be to God, we were able to find a tow truck that would take us into the city and one of the women riding with us had a son who is a mechanic.

Our mission-mobile is a Volkswagen Parati Crossover, a station wagon (or “small SUV”, if you will) that was sold in North America as the VW Fox Wagon. It is named after Paraty, a city on the southern coast of Rio de Janeiro state. Volkwagen is the largest auto manufacturer in Brazil. Autoweek thinks the Parati is not up to U.S. standards, but it works for us.

Visitation and Godspeed

On Thursday, July 2, 2020, we organized a small graduation ceremony for the six students of our preschool who will advance to first grade in the next school year. At this point, it is not certain whether the next school year will begin in September or in January 2021. We have not had the preschool meet on site since the COVID-19 crisis began about four months ago, but every weekday morning our teachers have distributed food and homework assignments to the families of the preschool children. The children completed the work required for their promotion to first grade at home and submitted the results on-line or by telephone. Our graduating students include:

• Leonanyelis Milano;
• Thamar Cárdenas;
• Melany Torrealba;
• Cristofer Aldana;
• Elimelek Valero;
• José Ayala.

July 2 is the traditional date on the church calendar to celebrate the Visitation of the Virgin Mary to Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist. So, in our opening devotion, I read Lucas 1:39-45.

“In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”

Elizabeth’s greeting echoes that of the archangel Gabriel at the Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38). Did you know there is a Lutheran version of the Ave Maria? It can be found on page 87 of the 1941 Lutheran Hymnal.

“Blessed art thou, Mary, among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. Behold, there shall be a performance of those things which were told thee from the Lord.”

This was more or less the form used in Christian devotions since at least the 11th Century. In 1522 Luther wrote a commentary on it (WA 10 II, 407–409; 17 II, 398–410; but see also 11, 59–61). It is interesting to note at this time that the part of the Ave Maria to which we Lutherans object, “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us poor sinners now and in the hour of our death” was added in the 14th Century for “added protection” in the face of the bubonic plague and did not become the official Roman Catholic form until 1568. (Additional note: We do not object to calling Mary the “Mother of God”, but rather the invocatory nature of the second clause.)

Anyway, to apply this to our preschool graduation, I noted that this text is part of our defense of unborn children, because it shows:

1. Human life begins at conception
2. God has a purpose for every human life.

Furthermore, it shows children in the womb have consciousness and, in fact, may be aware of the presence of God. And that is part of our defense of infant baptism, that once the child has been separated from its mother it may feel the water on its forehead and hear God claim it as His child by redemption in Jesus Christ. Children are a gift and a blessing from God, and it is our privilege to care for them and bring them up in the faith bestowed on them through the Holy Spirit.

What will be our new normal?

Our preschool program is subject to regulations by the secular government’s Ministry of Education. Over the years we have had to adapt to changing rules and requirements. When we reopen the preschool, there may be more modifications in store. There is a growing need for the care of children under two years of age, and we are being asked to shift the emphasis of our program in that direction. One proposal is that we limit our enrollment to children under three years of age. Another is that we convert entirely to nursery care of infants. In any event, we would have to purchase additional equipment and make other adjustments in our program. Thanks be to God, we just received a donation from the LeadaChild organization that will help us make a start in that direction.

Luz Maria’s afterschool tutoring program technically is on hold, due to the closing of schools, but we continue to meet with young people in the program for Bible studies and English classes.

Latest COVID-19 count

At last report, there were more than 7,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Venezuela. There are supposed to 123 cases in the state of Barinas, but the disease has not yet appeared in our community. The government’s efforts at control seem aimed at limiting traffic in and out of the major population centers like Caracas, Maracaibo, Maracay-Valencia, Barquisimeto, Maturín and Ciudad Guayana.

Pushing pedal power

We thank Ruth Carpenter for the suggestion and plans for building a pedal-powered generator for running our water pumps during prolonged blackouts. We are looking to gather all the needed parts. Once I regularly went on long bicycle rides, but it is too risky to wander alone on the streets and roads of Venezuela today. This would provide me, at least, with the opportunity for exercise, as well as additional electrical power.

Confessions of a godfather

Receiving a plaque.

The words “padrino” (godfather) and “madrina” (godmother) mean something more in Venezuela than just sponsors at a Christian baptism. Anyone who serves as a mentor or patron to an individual, or even to a group, may be honored with the title of padrino or madrina, and it is quite an honor.

So I was moved when I was named padrino of the 10th group of children to graduate from our preschool. They do not choose a padrino every year. In fact, the only other padrino in the last 10 years was a fellow who had children in the preschool and, as head of the neighborhood council, was a great promoter of it.

As padrino, I presided over the graduation ceremony, presenting the children with their diplomas and various gifts. Graduates from our preschool, who will be starting first grade in the public elementary school in September, include:

Yuliannys E. Ascanio	Ximena V. Barrueta Z.
Edwar J. Garrido S.	Ailyn T. Noguera S.
Angela I. Piñero A.	Luís L.Rivas M.
Nazareth Zambrano P.

The children and their teachers, in turn, presented me with two plaques. Two, because there will be some changes in our preschool this next school year, starting with the name. Up to now the preschool has been known as “Centro de Educación Integral Nutriniño Mi Pequeña Lucecita”. One plaque was from the preschool under this name, thanking me for my support and dedication to Christian education and “teaching us the Word of God.”

The second plaque was from the preschool under its new name, “Simoncito Comunitario Mi Pequeña Lucecita,” thanking me for my support and “bringing us to know the love of God in Christ.” Of all the plaque that I have received in my life, none have mattered more.

To explain the situation a bit more: In 2003 there was in our area a program called "Nutriniño" funded by a state-supported, non-profit  organization called "Fundación del Niño." This program allowed persons living in poverty-stricken neighborhoods to open preschools in their homes, provided the homes passed inspection. The program provided the money for two nutritionally balanced meals per day for the children, and paid the salaries of certified preschool teachers to conduct classes.

Meeting with local authorities.

Luz Maria enrolled in the program and ours has become the most successful of the "Nutriniño" preschools. So successful, in fact, that it is the only one left.  All of the others, across the country, have now been closed as funds to continue the program have dwindled. The Nutriniño program no longer exists.

Now we will be subject to state supervision under the auspices of “Proyecto Simoncito.” This is a similar program to provide free preschool education and nutritionally balanced meals to children, ages 2 to 6, but under more direct control of the Ministry of Education.

There are three reasons, on this end, why our preschool will remain open, despite the closing of the other Nutriniño preschools:

1.  We have gained the confidence of local authorities, who see us as an extremely positive influence in the community;

2. We have the enthusiastic support of the preschool children's parents, several of whom showed up for our meeting with the local authorities to support the continuation of the preschool;

3. We meet an urgent need for quality Christian preschool education.

There are some adjustments that we will have to make. Up to now, our preschool hours have been 8 a.m. to  noon weekdays, leaving us plenty of time to prepare for Luz Maria's tutoring of older children from 4 to 6 p.m. Starting in September we will have to keep the preschool open from 7:30 a.m. to 3.30 p.m.  This will require a number of things from us, such as making provision for as many as 25 children to take midday naps and baths, as is the custom. Luz Maria will continue her tutoring program, which also is quite popular and growing in numbers of students. Of course, we expect that the longer preschool hours will allow us additional opportunity to provide basic instruction in the Christian faith.

What we consider a real setback is that starting in September we will only be able to enroll children from 2 to 4 years of age. Five-year-olds will be required to transfer to another preschool, ostensibly to make the best use of existing educational resources. These are the children who we will lose as a result of this decision:

José Ignacio Garrido S.	Aliesca F. Ascanio V.
Anyilimar K. Meza R.	Dalmarys F. Barrios T.
Greisy C. Altuve R.	Erick A. Salinas M.
Angel M. Ascanio D.

We hope and pray that, God willing, we will get our five- and six-year-olds back in the 2014-2015 school year. The fact that our preschool remains open is also due to the prayers and financial  support of individuals, congregations and mission societies in the United States. God bless you all. We ask that you continue to pray for us and support us as we face the challenges of another 10 years.

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Eight graduate from preschool in 2011

We closed the 2010-2011 school year July 11 with an informal graduation ceremony for the eight children who will be leaving our preschool for first grade in September. Our graduates are:

• Marli A. Albarran P.
• Karla V. Altuve R.
• Dayimar A. Aranguren F.
• Brayan J. Arteaga P.
• Geiver J. Cordero U.
• Marlenis J. Piñero R.
• Solibeth del V. Sanchez S.
• Lorianny P. Vivas. M.

All of these children were born in 2005, three years after my first visit to Venezuela.

We also were delighted that many of the older children in our afternoon tutoring program finished the school year with overall grades of "A" or "B", a fact for which we gave thanks during the Sunday service.

My second bicentennial

I am experiencing a national bicentennial celebration for the second time this year. The first time, of course, was in 1976 in the United States. Now, in 2011, Venezuela is marking the 200th anniversary of its Declaration of Independence from Spain. Actually, not just Venezuela, but also Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Mexico are celebrating their national bicentennials.

There was a big parade in Caracas and formal ceremonies in other parts of the country, but no fireworks to mark the bicentennial on July 5. That's Independence Day here, but fireworks are not part of the Independence Day tradition in Venezuela, but rather are associated with the Christmas season (setting off fireworks in the nighttime to early morning hours is supposed to mimic the appearance of the angels to the shepherds watching their flocks by night). By the way, Venezuelans also observe April 19 as a national holiday since April 19, 1810, was the day when revolutionary forces deposed the Spanish governor of Venezuela, effectively ending Spanish rule. However, July 5, 1811, was when Venezuela formally declared its independence.

The last decade has been one of economic and political upheaval, conflict and controversy in Venezuela. Despite being on different sides of the issues, I have been impressed from the beginning with the common desire of Venezuelans for a strong, independent nation. No one wants outside interference in Venezuelan affairs, which perhaps reflects the fact that despite winning independence from Spain 200 years ago, Venezuela has since struggled to be free of foreign economic domination and to realize the ideal of equal economic opportunity for all.Venezuela has enormous potential with abundant natural and human resources waiting to be used in the right way.

And what do I remember about my first bicentennial? Apart from the U.S. flag-themed license plates, T-shirts and other paraphernalia, more than a decade of scandal, disillusionment, inflation and unemployment, with still a few dark, depressing years to go.

But in the decade that followed, there was a renewal of national hope and confidence, buoyed by nearly 10 years of sustained economic recovery and the unexpected collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War. It was an exciting time to be alive to be alive and to be an American. I saw really grand fireworks displays for the first time during this period, over the waters of Lake Michigan. This occurred at at various times in Chicago, Racine, WI, and Milwaukee. It was one great bicentennial decade.

Those happy days came to an end, of course. Both the best of times and the worst of times in this world pass. The ultimate triumph of good over evil will not occur in the political arena, and the interests of one nation, or alliance of nations, cannot be equated with the kingdom of God (for the elect of God will be gather from all nations, Isaiah 66:18, Revelation 7:9) God will raise up a nation or alliance of nation as a judgment against those that tolerate immorality and injustice (Job 12:23, Jeremiah 25:14). Yet for this reason, all kingdoms and empires of the earth eventually crumble to dust, for all are tainted by sin. Thus the counsel of Psalm 118:9, "It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes." We should beware of political movements that promise the complete elimination of war, poverty and other societal problems, for only the Gospel of Christ can transform sinful human nature.

Nevertheless, God Himself ordained civil government to execute the first use of the divine Law: to restrain the outward manifestations of sin, maintain external order and the safety of its citizens. Good government is a blessing and so St. Paul in 1 Timothy 2:2, admonishes all Christians to pray "for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty" and so we do every Sunday in La Caramuca, first for the peace of the whole world, but especially for the national leadership of Venezuela, that it, too, may know a period of confidence, independence and hope for the future.

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Preschool graduation 2010

We concluded our 2009-2010 school year with a graduation ceremony at the preschool, July 16. Most of our eight graduates and their families attended the previous Sunday's service, at which we gave thanks for having the children in our preschool and prayed for their future starting with first grade in September. I was pleased to note on both Sunday and Friday that for the first time two of our graduates, Elias Montoya and Genesis Marquina were baptized at our mission.



The other six graduates were:

• Diego Sanchez
• Breitny Morales
• Suneisbeth Pacheco
• Eduar Cuevas
• Carla Peralta
• Anny Arteaga

We also were pleased and honored to have two important figures in our local community attend the graduation ceremony: Noel Marquina, father of Genesis and president of the Barrio Las Lomas community council; and Yelvis Selina, director of all the preschools in our sector. These two left early from graduation ceremonies at other preschools specifically to attend our graduation.

There is reason for us to feel optimistic at this point. The population of La Caramuca continues to grow and the existing first-grade classrooms will be filled to capacity this year. If we could raise the money to build additional classroom space, the next few years would be a good time for us to expand our program to include first grade students.

Honoring marriage and martyrdom

On July 25, 2010, Luz Maria and I marked the sixth anniversary of our wedding ceremony at La Fortaleza Lutheran Church in Maracay. Of course, we have two anniversaries, since we were married in a civil ceremony in La Caramuca November 29, 2003. In Venezuela, religious marriage ceremonies are not legally binding. You have to publicly sign the contract, along with witnesses, in front of a civil magistrate. Actually, first you have to apply for the marriage license and the date for the civil ceremony is set by the magistrate according to his (or her) convenience.It took us seven months from the date of the civil ceremony to arrange a church service asking God's blessing on our marriage. Because of the complications and expenses involved in a "proper" church wedding, many people will forgo it in favor of having their pastor come to the magistrate's office and say a prayer before the civil proceedings begin.

On both our dates, Luz Maria and I always give thanks for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that we received to work in partnership toward the realization of a Lutheran mission in La Caramuca. There is no doubt that we have accomplished much more as a married couple than either of us could have on our own.

On the church calendar, July 25 is the day of the Apostle James the Elder. This is James, the son of Zebedee and brother of John, fellow apostle and evangelist, as distinguished from James, son of Alphaeus (or Clopas), another of the original 12 apostles, and James the Just, brother of Jesus and bishop of the church in Jerusalem after the death of James the Elder.

Image via Wikipedia

By the way, Venezuela's national capital is named after James the Elder. The city was founded July 25, 1567, and its full name is Santiago de Leon de Caracas (literally, "St. James of the Lion of Caracas"). The city seal incorporates the Cross of St. James and a lion,
James the Elder is the second Christian martyr mentioned by name in the New Testament, after the deacon Stephen, and one of the only two apostles whose deaths are recorded (the other being Judas Iscariot). According to post-apostolic Christian writings, his brother John was the only apostle to die of old age. The Scripture readings appointed in our lectionary for the Day of St. James reinforce the theme of sacrificing all for Christ and there are lessons to be learned by all Christians, these passages speak quite directly to those who have been called into the public ministry of the church.

The Old Testament reading, 1 Kings 19:7-18, God finds the prophet Elijah hiding in a cave and asks him what he is doing there. Elijah replies, “I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, thrown down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” There always are those who rebel against the authority of God's Word, and thus against those who attempt to preach and teach it, even with violence. But as God revealed to Elijah that he was not alone, that were 7,000 in Israel who had not bowed down and kissed Baal, God in various ways reminds those of us charged with preaching the Word that wherever it is preached, there also will be those who respond in faith and so will be saved.

Likewise, in the epistle reading, 1 Corinthians 4:9-15, "For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men. We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless, and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we entreat. We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things."

Kretzmann´s commentary says, "Paul has in mind either a public procession on a great festival day, in which the condemned criminals on their way to the arena marched last, or he thinks of gladiators who, no matter how often they escaped death on one day or during one season, were always brought forth again and were thus doomed to die... The ministers of Christ must pass for fools, because they preach Christ crucified, a message which in no way conforms with the wisdom of the world..." The lay Christian, not obligated to preach publicly, may escape for a time being the target of the world's wrath, but it is the pastor's duty to be such a target, to endure all manner of humilliation and mockery that the Gospel of Christ may be proclaimed in all its power and purity. For this reason, the pulpit and altar must be kept off-limits to those who are not prepared to be stewards of God's mysteries, those who only want a soapbox for their own opinions, and the attention and praise of the crowds.

Jesus Himself makes this point in the Gospel reading, Matthew 20:20-28. After the mother of James and John has requested special positions of honor for his sons in the kingdom of heaven, He says, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” All Christians must be prepared to serve and care for the needs of other, but especially those entrusted with positions of authority in the church must be the servants of the servants of Christ. Those who publicly preach the Word especially must be prepared to share the "cup" and "baptism" of which our Lord speaks in these verses. This means that the public ministry is not just a ministry of words, but of actions which reflect, on a smaller scale, the suffering and death of Christ.

Giving thanks for a successful semester

On July 5, the first Sunday in July this year (and also Independence Day in Venezuela) Sandro Perez requested a special prayer of thanksgiving for the completion of another semester of school. Our summer break has begun and the new semester begins in mid September. Sandro, who suffered a couple of bouts with dengue fever this past year, will start seventh grade. This is an important moment for Sandro, because many children in our community drop out of school after sixth grade (the maximum amount of education required by law).

Angie Perez and Noel Marquina also will enter seventh grade next semester. Sandro and Noel have been confirmed, while Angi is preparing for her confirmation this fall. She and Sandro are not related; Perez is a name like Smith, Jones or Johnson in the United States. The Venezuelan equivalent of "John Smith" would be "Pedro Perez".

We also prayed for the health of Angi s brother, Jimmy Perez, who was ill to the point of coughing up blood, but who now is recuperating and for the nations of the world to peacefully resolve their problems. Amid our everyday concerns, all eyes have been glued to the television for news of -- well, not so much the aftermath of Michael Jackson's death, although the pop star's funeral was enough of a spectacle to merit extensive coverage. People here are more concerned with the civil unrest in Honduras and what it means for all of Latin America.
Later in the week Luz Maria went to town with Sandro and some of the other children receiving scholarships from Children's Christian Concern Society of Topeka, Kansas, to help them buy school uniforms with their scholarship money. Almost all Venezuelan schools, public or private, require school uniforms. The children in our preschool wear a uniform that consists of a red shirt and blue slacks.

On Wednesday, July 15, we had a graduation ceremony for 12 children who will be leaving our preschool and starting first grade next semester. The group included Luz Maria's granddaughter, Oriana Montoya, who will celebrate her seventh birthday in December. Oriana was born just six months before my arrival in Venezuela in 2003, so strange as it seems to say, I have known her nearly all her life.

The other graduates were:

• Kelvis Artahona
• Yerika Galindez
• Kemberling Altuve
• Gianny Roa
• Jeiximar Arellano
• Yorman Poveda
• Maikel Caraballo
• Jhon Piñero
• Ana Garcia
• Gaudis Rangel

Only Gaudis was not able to attend the graduation. The rest were there with their families. I opened by reading from the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 18, verses 1-10. Then, since the children learned the Lord's Prayer this semester, I led them in singing a version of it set to music. I liked this song from the first time I heard it. Ruth Witte, wife of Pastor Henry Witte, a former missionary to Venezuela, sang it to a group of vacation Bible school children at Roca de Eternidad (Rock of Ages) Lutheran Church in Quebrada Seca, Monagas.

Padre nuestro, que estás en los cielos,
Santificado, santificado sea Tu nombre.

Venga a nos, Tu reino, Señor, hágase tu santa voluntad.
En el cielo y la tierra, haremos Tu santo voluntad.

Danos hoy, dánoslo Señor, nuestro pan, el pan de cada día,
Y perdona nuestras deudas, así nosotros perdonamos.

No nos dejes caer en tentación; antes bien, líbranos del mal.
No nos dejes caer en tentación, líbranos del mal.

Porque tuyo es el reino, Señor, el poder y toda la gloria,
Por los siglos de los siglos, para siempre, aleluya, amén.

I cannot sing like Ruthie Witte, nor can I play the cuatro (four-stringed guitar). But the children sang from memory and with impressive volume and enthusiasm, which was the main idea.

Later on, Vicar Alonso Franco arrived from Barinas to lead the children in more songs to the accompaniment of a guitar. He was delayed by rain and road construction, but that really did not matter. Alonso has begun teaching the guitar to a group of boys in La Caramuca on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I have given up trying to learn guitar chords for the time being so these guys will have the chance to practice with our guitar.

After saying a prayer for the coming semester, for the children passing on to first grade and for those returning to our preschool, the graduation ceremony continued with the awarding of diplomas, and, of course, cake and refreshments.

Homilectics and hermeneutics

From June 29 to July 3, 2009, I attended a seminar in homilectics in Caracas, taught Dr. Douglas Rutt of Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana. Actually, the course combined the study of homilectics (preaching) and hermeneutics (Biblical interpretation) as the two are closely related. It is a course generally taught to second-year students at the Fort Wayne seminary. Our thanks to Dr. Rutt for his willingness to travel to Venezuela to teach this course.

Luz Maria receives her education degree

Luz Maria received her "licenciatura" in elementary education on June 3, 2009.

In Venezuela's educational system, there are nine grades of elementary school. Then you go to the equivalent of high school, except that in only two years you receive the title of "bachiller". This is what in English we would call a "bachelor's degree", except that it is really the equivalent of a high school diploma. You need your bachiller before you can enroll in a university. But instead of four years of undergraduate coursework, you have to take six years worth of university courses before you get the licenciatura.

As alternatives to public and private universities, there also are vocational-technical colleges that offer "technical" degrees, but these do not count toward the licenciatura. The title of licenciatura is necessary if you want to be a doctor, lawyer or some other type of professional.

After you get your licenciatura, you may, much like in the United States, earn a master's degree after two more years of postgraduate study and, two years after that, a doctorate.

Luz Maria earned her licienciatura by taking continuing education courses from la Universidad Nacional Experimental de los Llanos "Ezequiel Zamora". This translates roughly as "Ezequiel Zamora National Research University of the
Plains". It's a mouthful in either Spanish or English, so the university is commonly known by its acronym, UNELLEZ. It's pronounced "oo-nay-zhays", except the way people say it here it sounds like one syllable.

UNELLEZ is much like the "land-grant" universities of the United States, in that it was established as a combination of an agricultural research station and a teacher's college. In fact, the UNELLEZ motto is "La universidad que siembra" or "The university that plants". They mean this both in an agricultural sense and in the sense of teachers sowing the seeds of knowledge. It's as good a university motto as any, I suppose.

Most of Luz Maria's fellow graduates also received their degrees in education, but there was a smaller group that received licenciaturas in animal science.

UNELLEZ is located on the road from La Caramucas to Barinas. On our way into town we first pass the military base, then the prosperous suburb of Alto Barinas (where you find the big, North American-style shopping malls) and finally, on the outskirts of the city itself, the entrance to the UNELLEZ campus. This is a circle with a fountain in the center and surrounded by food stands and street vendors' kiosks.

UNELLEZ owns a large tract of land in La Caramuca, just a few blocks from us. Rumor has it that one day the university will develop this property into a branch campus. The resulting influx of jobs and people would have a great impact on the community and on our mission.

Image via Wikipedia

By the way, Ezequiel Zamora was a hero of Venezuela's Guerra Federal, a five-year-long civil war in the mid-19th Century. Zamora was born in 1817, in the midst of Venezuela's War of Independence from Spain. As a grown man, he became a champion of the Federalist cause. The Federalists envisioned Venezuela as a constitutional republic with a strong central government, similar to the United States. This plan was opposed by the powerful land-owning class that wanted to keep Venezuela a feudal aristocracy (but without having to pay taxes to the King of Spain).

On December 10, 1859, as a general in the federal army, Zamora led his troops to a sweeping victory in the Battle of Santa Ines, which took place only 36 kilometers (22 miles) southeast of the city of Barinas. This was one of three critical battles which led to a Federalist victory in 1863. However, Zamora was killed in 1860, less than year following the Battle of Santa Ines.

Trinity Sunday and the Athanasian Creed

Image via Wikipedia

June 7, 2009, was Trinity Sunday and I took advantage of the opportunity to introduce our flock to the Athanasian Creed. They know the Apostle's and Nicene creeds. I reminded the members of our new confirmation class that the Apostle's Creed, which we will study in depth, is the shortest and simplest of the three great creeds. The Nicene Creed is a little longer and more involved,
but the Athanasian Creed is undoubtedly the longest and most complex.

Despite its length, the Athanasian Creed was always a favorite of mine. Because the congregation only recited it publicly once a year, on Trinity Sunday, I was sure that made it a very special creed. Later, as an adult, I realized that nobody was clamoring to recite the Athanasian Creed more than once a year because of its length and the use of words that you never hear in everyday conversation, like "uncreated" and "co-eternal".

Nevertheless, I hope to introduce the custom of publicly reciting the Athanasian Creed on Trinity Sunday in La Caramuca. This year I just read it as part of the sermon, after a brief discussion of the sermon text, Matthew 28: 18-20, as one of the key passages that provide the foundation for the doctrine of the Trinity and of the life of Athanasius of Alexandria, the brilliant and courageous fourth-century theologian who defended the Trinitarian doctrine against the Arian heretics.

Without getting into the intricacies of the Arian controversy, I explained that in Athanasius' day, just like today, there are people who think that it should be enough to say there is one God and leave it at that. As Athanasius maintained, however, the Scriptures do teach the doctrine of the Trinity and without a proper understanding of the Trinity is essential to understanding the person and work of Jesus Christ. And apart from know Christ as He reveals Himself in the Scriptures (rather than some wish-fulfillment portrait of what you think Christ should be), there is no hope of salvation.

Which is, of course, why Jesus commanded His disciples, "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe all the things that I have commanded you..."

Alonso Franco joins us as vicar

Alonso Franco was installed as vicar at Corpus Christi Lutheran Church on Sunday, January 18, 2009. He will serve in Barinas and La Caramuca for three months before being transferred to Fuente de Vida (Fountain of Life) Lutheran Church in Puerto Ordaz.

Alonso led the Service of the Word, Pastor Eduardo Flores preached the sermon, and I led the Service of Holy Communion, with Alonso assisting in the distribution of the sacrament. For the next three months, Alonso will preach at least two Sundays per month and lead Bible studies at Corpus Christi. I will be responsible for reviewing his sermons and Bible studies and lending him whatever counsel and aid he requires.

Alonso's father, Pastor Alcides Franco, served as president of the Lutheran Church of Venezuela for 14 years, and also as pastor of La Santa Trinidad (Holy Trinity) Lutheran Church in Caracas, and La Ascensión ( Ascension) Lutheran Church in San Felix de Guayana before becoming pastor of La Reforma (Reformation) Lutheran Church in the same city.

His older brother, Pastor Jonathan Franco, served for a number of years as leader of the national Lutheran youth organization, and is currently treasurer of the national church. Jonathan also has been chosen to go to Argentina for advanced theological study at Concordia Seminary in Buenos Aires. Of course, this means someone else will have to be selected as national church treasurer, but we cross every bridge when we come to it.

We loaned Alonso a microwave oven to use while he stays in the pastoral residence at Corpus Christi. Luz Maria saved up some money and bought the microwave last year, but about that time the wiring in our kitchen died and we have yet to replace that. So up to now we had not even taken the microwave out of the box. I should add that the preschool has its own, separate kitchen where the wiring still is more or less okay.

Luz Maria has been working very hard on completing her thesis for the fifth-level teaching degree. She will finish by the end of this month. However, since the semester does not end until July, she will have to wait until then to receive her degree.

Christian art workshop a success

Twenty-three people attended the Christian art workshop that Luz Maria organized in Caracas on January 9, 2009, including myself, Luz Maria, and Luz Maria's daughters, Yepci and Charli. The emphasis was on visual art (rather than, say, music) in the form of liturgical vestments and paraments, banners, crosses, crucifixes and the like. The attendees included clergy and laypeople from Barquisimeto, Barinas, Maracay, Caracas, Barcelona, Maturin and San Felix de Guayana.

Yoxandris Marcano of Cristo Rey (Christ the King) Lutheran Church in Maturin gave what was perhaps the best presentation. In fact, it was a well-organized PowerPoint presentation highlighting not only her own work, but that of several other members of Cristo Rey. She had stored presentation on a USB flash drive (which are everywhere in Venezuela now, one gigabyte costs about $20 to $25, two gigabytes about $40 to $50). To show it, we used my laptop computer and a projector borrowed from Elsy de Machado (there was no screen, we just used a blank wall).

This may only mean something to my readers who have been to Maturin on short-term mission trips, but Yoxandris is a niece of Dagnys Marcano, who is now married to Pastor Francisco Cabarcas, and Oveida Marcano, former manager of Tierra de Gracia Lutheran Farm. Oveida recently married, but I do not know her husband's name. Yoxandris' father restored the walls and put a new roof on what is not the pastoral residence at Tierra de Gracia. It is rather exciting to have lived in Venezuela onl five years, yet to see already a new generation of leadership emerging within the Lutheran Church of Venezuela.

Yoxandris made the red stoles that were presented to Eduardo Flores, Sergio Maita and myself upon our ordinations. She has also made for me a purple stole for use during the seasons of Advent and Lent, and paraments for our altar in La Caramuca. Our altar consists of a green plastic table about the size of a card table, but without foldable legs. Nevertheless, it looks fairly impressive when covered with the white altar-cloth bearing the alpha and omega symbols in front.

Others who made presentations at the workshop included:

• Natasha Sanchez of La Fortaleza Lutheran Church in Maracay, banners and vestments;
• Luis Miguel Silva, La Fortaleza, wooden crosses and other items crafted from wood and leather;
• Pastor Luis Moya of La Reforma Lutheran Church, San Felix de Guayana, speaking on behalf of his wife, who makes banners and vestments;
• Yepci Santana, Corpus Christi Lutheran Church of Barinas, banners.

In addition, I presented slides of the wrought-iron version of Luther's seal incorporated into the gates of our mission in La Caramuca and the work that inspired it, the windows of Roca de Eternidad (Rock of Ages) Lutheran Church, Quebrada Seca, Monagas. Like many buildings in rural Venezuela, the church in Quebrada Seca does not have glassed windows, but rather ironwork on the outside of the windows to keep out intruders. And the ironwork in every window in Roca de Eternidad has symbols of the Holy Trinity, Baptism, Creation and other themes.

I also showed a picture of the beautiful Advent wreath made for Corpus Christi by Ludy de Tarrazona (the one that caught on fire).

Everyone was excited by the talent and resources on display. There were four major concerns:

1. That Christian art might give members of Lutheran congregations an avenue to use their God-given talents;
2. That promotion of Christian art might preserve Venezuelan folk arts and crafts, which some fear are in danger of disappearing;
3. That artistic expression through liturgical tradition might help the Lutheran Church of Venezuela develop a distinctive identity in Venezuela and a sense of solidarity with other confessional Lutheran church-bodies throughout the world.
4. That liturgical art might serve to express and teach Lutheran doctrine.

Workshop participants favored the inclusion of formal art courses in the curriculum of the Juan de Frias Theological Institute and the formation of committees to promote Christian art in every congregation.

International perspective on abortion

This week marks a definite regime change in the United States as well as the 36^th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's Roe vs. Wade decision, which legalized abortion on demand. Exit George W. Bush, whose record shows him to have been the most pro-life President so far, and enter Barack Obama, who at the very least promises to be the most pro-abortion President ever.

Here is an on-line chart which shows the status of abortion laws in nearly every country in the world as of 2007. You may notice that while abortion on demand tends to be the rule in the United States and Europe, Latin America is something of a mixed bag. Here in Venezuela, abortion is only legal in situations where the life of the prospective mother might be endangered by bringing the baby to term. Neighboring Colombia is more permissive in regard to abortion than Venezuela (although I am told pious, practicing Roman Catholics are more common there), but more restrictive than the United States. Direct abortion is illegal under any circumstances in El Salvador, Nicaragua and Chile, although the Chilean government in 2006 authorized the sale of the abortifacient "morning-after" birth control pill.

This Sunday Bolivians will vote on a new constitution that, if ratified, would throw open the door to elective abortion. Please pray for Bolivia and also for other nations that are under pressure to change pro-life stands.

Please pray also for the United States and other nations that, hardened in sin, refuse to recognize the sanctity of human life and marriage, and the rights of the unborn, that they may repent before judgment falls.

Baptism of Jose Ignacio

José
Ignacio Garrido Santana was baptized Friday, July 18, 2008, by Pastor Miguelángel Pérez. We had been talking about having him baptized in another month or so, after the baby had to undergo surgery, we decided to have him baptized immediately upon release from the hospital. Miguelángel made a special trip from Barquisimeto Friday afternoon, baptized José Ignacio that evening and returned home Saturday morning. He is the youngest of Luz María's seven grandchildren and the eleventh person to be baptized at our mission in La Caramuca.

José Ignacio spent four or five days in the hospital and only his mother, Sarai, was allowed to see him. The problem seemed to be some obstruction in the passage to his stomach. There were members of both sides of José Ignacio's family present and also friends of the family. We celebrated his baptism and return home with soft drinks, cake and Jello. I never have in my life cared much for Jello, despite it being a staple in the German- and Scandinavian-American communities in which I was raised. Nevertheless, Jello also is a favorite in Venezuela, and you seldom get cake or ice cream without Jello.

At any rate,José Ignacio is recuperating after a tough spell. The occasion of his baptism was oddly appropriate for the text for my July 20 sermon in Corpus Christi, Romans 8:28-30.

Romans 8 is full of hope and assurance. The chapter begins by saying,"There is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death" (Romans 8:1-2 New King James Version).

Likewise, St. Paul closes Romans 8 with these words: "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39 NKJV).

Verse 28 also begins with consolation: "And we know all things work together for good to those who love God..." , but then introduces a most difficult concept, "...to those who are called according to His purpose."

Verses 29-30 continue with this theme: "For those He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the Firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called, whom He called, He also justified, and whom He justified, these He also glorified."

People often ask how, if God is both all-powerful and compassionate,can he allow the degree of suffering and death that there is in the world? Why do children starve to death, while other people live to a ripe old age? Why do a few survive earthquakes, floods, wars and other catastrophes while hundreds, thousands, perhaps millions do not?

To these types of questions, the Bible simply tells us to trust that God is sovereign over His creation, knows what we cannot understand, and actually does not owe us any explanations. As He said to Job in his suffering:

"Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Who stretched the line upon it? To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone, when all the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?" (Job 38:4-7 NKJV).

We must trust that God has ordered all things for the ultimate good and that He will balance all accounts:

Moreover I saw under the sun: In the place of judgment, wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, iniquity was there. I said in my heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every purpose and for every work" (Ecclesiastes 3:16-17 NJKV).

This is not all that hard to accept. This world is the way it is, full of suffering and death, whether we believe in God or not. We all die, sooner or later. Nothing in this world lasts forever, whether good or bad. In the midst of our trials, it is comforting to believe
that there is a just and merciful God who places both our pain and our joys in a broader context.

Furthermore we know that God is not capricious for He has created an orderly world where certain outcomes are predictable. (For instance, if I build my house below sealevel in a coastal area where hurricanes appear annually, I should not be shocked when disaster strikes.)

But here is the more difficult question. What are we to make of what's hinted at in Romans, chapter 8, more so in chapter 9 and other passages such as Matthew 20:1-16 and Matthew 22:1-14? That God sent His only-begotten Son into the world to suffer and die, so that all who believe in Him might have eternal life, but that the number who actually gain eternal life will be smaller than all for whom Christ sacrificed Himself?

How do we reconcile "God...desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:3-4) with "He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world...having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will" (Ephesians 1:3-4)?

To be more specific, why if God wills all to have eternal life in His name, why are some among "the elect" from before the foundation of the world and others not? This is the unsettling implication of salvation by grace alone. If we are saved solely through God's grace, not by any
worthiness or action on our own part, why are we sinners saved and others, no less deserving of God's judgment than ourselves, damned for eternity?

In this case also we must accept by faith something the Bible affirms without explanation. We must not try to reduce a mystery of God to something that human reason can comprehend. The Bible speaks of an election to grace, but not of an election to damnation. We are saved wholly through God's
action, but the damned are lost through a rejection of the Holy Spirit for they alone are responsible, and not by divine decree.

The point of these verses about predestination is to assure us that our salvation from sin was part of God's purpose for our lives from the beginning, that God is faithful to His promises and will not abandon those whom He has chosen as His own. His grace is both universal (revealed in visible form to all humanity when Jesus died on the cross) and particular (revealed to each of us specifically in the sacrament of baptism).

Thus, we thank God that José Ignacio has received divine grace and the regeneration of the Holy Spirit through the Word and water of baptism. Throughout his life he will be able to recall the day he was baptized and know that redemption may always be his.

Preschool graduation

Another semester of the Venezuelan school year has passed and four children have graduated from our preschool. Next semester (which begins in September) they will begin first grade. This semester's graduates are:

• Carlos Morales


• Jesús Enrique Piñero


• Esther Cuevas


• José Gregorio Meza

On Sunday afternoon, July 6, I led a short prayer service for these children and their families. Afterward We went to visit Esther Cuevas and her family in their home, because her mother had just given birth and could not attend the prayer service. On Friday, July 11, we threw a party in the preschool to honor the graduates and to mark the end of the semester.

Cultural celebration

On Sunday afternoon, July 20, the Sunday school children participated in a "cultural celebration" within the community (essentially it was a big talent show). The children sang songs they had learned in Sunday school.

My new photoblog

Venezuela is a beautiful country with a diverse population and a diverse geography. Over the past six years, I have accumulated a collection of hundreds of digital photos of Venezuelan people, places and things, which do not necessarily have anything to do with our mission work. Also, I have traveled to and taken pictures in Bolivia and the island republic of Trinidad-Tobago. To showcase some of these photos, I have started a new photoblog at davidternst02.wordpress.com. You can flip through the photos by using the arrows at the bottom of the page.

Two graduate in Caracas

It was quite a week for graduation ceremonies. On December 11, Luz María's daughter, Wuendy Santana de Mogollón, and Luz María's brother, Moisés Henríquez, both graduated from the Central University of Venezuela in Caracas.

Founded in 1721, the Central University is the oldest university in Venezuela and one of the first in Latin America. The present main campus was designed by architect Carlos Raúl Villanueva and declared a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2000. The campus is considered a masterpiece of architecture and urban planning.

Wuendy graduated with a degree in social work, while Moisés received his degree in statistical science. There were around 400 graduates, all social science majors (psychology, sociology, anthropology, economics and international studies were among the other disciplines). There are other graduation ceremonies for the university's 10 other divisions. Eighteen Presidents of Venezuela have graduates of the Central University.

Wuendy almost missed the ceremony. She and her husband, Jesús, had taken a trip to Panama the week before and were scheduled to return the night before the graduation. But their flight was delayed until that very morning. Simón Bolívar International Airport is about an hour away from Caracas, even supposing no traffic jams. Wuendy rode on the back of a "moto-taxi" (hired motorcycle) from the airport to the university. Traffic rules do not apply to motorcycles and scooters; they weave in and out of traffic at will and often ignore stoplights. Thus she was able to arrive in time, but was not able to change into formal clothes. She threw her graduation gown on over a casual blouse and blue jeans.

My graduating class was smaller: four instead of 400. We received our assignments as vicars in the Lutheran Church of Venezuela December 15, 2007, at El Salvador (The Savior) Lutheran Church in Caracas.

In Lutheran usage, the word vicar means a candidate for ordained pastoral ministry, serving in a vicariate or internship, usually in the third year of seminary training. Typically at the end of the year of vicarage, the candidate returns to seminary and completes a final year of studies. After being issued a call or assignment, the candidate is ordained as a pastor in the ministry of Word and Sacrament. The role of a vicar in the Lutheran tradition is most comparable to that of a transitional deacon in the Anglican and Roman Catholic churches, except that Lutheran vicars are not ordained.

In our case, we were invited to participate in an intensive program to train national pastors and missionaries for the Lutheran Church of Venezuela. Actually, ours is a five-year commitment. In 2008 we will serve our vicarages, then, God willing, be ordained as pastors. But we still will be obligated to take a certain amount of theological extension courses every year for three more years.

The vicarage assignments are as follows:

• Sergio Maita, Rock of Ages Lutheran Church in the town of Quebrada Seca, state of Monagas, under the supervision of Adrian Ventura, pastor of Cristo Rey (Christ the King) Lutheran Church in Maturin, Monagas.
• Juan Carlos Silva, La Fortaleza (Fortress) Lutheran Church in the city of Maracay, under the supervision of Marco Valencia, pastor of La Fortaleza.
• Eduardo Flores and myself will share responsibilities for Corpus Christi (Body of Christ) Lutheran Church in the city of Barinas, and La Caramuca Lutheran Mission, state of Barinas. Eduardo will live in the pastor's apartment under construction at Corpus Christi.

I first met Eduardo in 2003 when he was 17 years old. He is very talented in music and we hope that he might teach some of our young people to play instruments.

Our plan for La Caramuca is to have a church planted by the end of 2008. I then would be able to receive a call to serve as resident pastor for our mission and to teach adult Bible classes.

As graduation gifts, I received a copy of Luther's Works, Vol. 5, in Spanish, from Ricardo Granado, director of the Juan de Frias Theological Institute, and Introduction to the New Testament by Robert Hoerber, also translated into Spanish, from Dale and Sandra Saville, agricultural missionaries in rural Monagas. I believe my fellow seminaristas all received the same books. We greatly appreciate them because of the scarcity of theological works in Spanish. I have become aware of my advantage in being to read English texts. The books I "borrowed" from my late father's library proved very helpful this past year, especially the commentaries on 1 Corinthians. Also, I discovered Paul Kretzmann´s Popular Commentary on-line.

The lack of Spanish translations is somewhat surprising, given that Spanish is one of the six most widely spoken languages in the world. Mandarin Chinese is unquestionably in first place. The other five include English, Spanish, Hindi, Arabic and Russian.

Later this year Luz María will complete the extension courses she has been taking from Ezequiel Zamora University and receive a degree fully qualifying her to teach from preschool through ninth grade. This will be an important step for our school. She received the equivalent of a bachelor's degree in basic education in 1983 from Liceo Alberto Arvelo Torrealba in Barinas. In 1993, Luz María received an additional degree in preschool education from Instituto San Rafael in Barinas.

We wish everyone feliz Navidad y un año prospero nuevo.