Every third Sunday in July is Children’s Day in Venezuela a date chosen to coincide with the close of the school year. In 1936, the Venezuelan Federation of Teachers first promoted the idea of a date that recognized the rights of children. That year, a table of children's rights was drawn up, much of which is incorporated into the current national constitution and Organic Law for the Protection of Children and Adolescents. These rights. by the way, include the right to life conception. Abortion in Venezuela is currently illegal except in cases where the mother’s life is in danger. Penalties range from six months to two years in prison for women who seek abortions and two to three years for medical personnel who perform them. Also the right to live as a family, with priority on the biological family. Right to identity: Includes the right to a name, nationality and knowledge of family origin.
This year, Children’s Day fell on July 19, the seventh Sunday after Trinity. We held vacation Bible school on the preceding Thursday and Friday with the theme “Rescatados por Cristo para su gloria” (“Rescued by Christ for His glory”). A dozen children attended the first day and 17 the second day, mostly Luz Maria’s afterschool tutoring students, plus friends and family that they had invited.
Bible stories were the crossing of the Red Sea (Exodus 14) and the Apostle Peter being saved from drowning by Jesus as our Lord walked on the water of the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 14:22-33). The miracle of Jesus walking on water is also recorded in Mark 6:45-52 and John 6:15-21, but only Matthew includes the detail of Peter walking on the water toward Jesus until overcome by doubt. The crossing of the Red Sea is referenced in Hebrews 11:29 as an example of faith, but the example of Peter shows we are not saved by the strength of our faith, but by the power of the object of our faith, Jesus. In 1 Corinthians 10:1-4, St. Paul makes a direct comparison between the crossing of the Red Sea and baptism, and, while St. Peter does not describe his own experience, he speaks of being saved by the Lord’s action in baptism as Noah and his family were saved from the waters of the Great Flood (1 Peter 3:20-21).
The Feeding of 4,000
and fried rice
Sixteen children also attended the July 19 service, where we distributed school supplies to all and prizes to those who did the best at memory work. The service was followed by a meal of fried rice with chicken (often called “arroz chino” or “Chinese rice” and a birthday cake for Elzo Meza, one of the students.
The theme fit in well with the Gospel reading appointed for the seventh Sunday after Trinity, Mark 8:1-9, St. Mark’s account of the miraculous feeding of 4,000 people. In Matthew 15:32-39 as well, Jesus walking on the water is sandwiched between the feeding of the 5,000, mentioned in all four Gospels, and the feeding of the 4,000. In both cases, the multiplication of loaves and fishes prefigures the institution of the Lord’s Supper (the Lord gives thanks, eucaristia, breaks bread and gives it to His disciples to distribute), while the multitudes following Jesus into the desert reveal that He is the Prophet greater than Moses (Deuteronomy 18:18). The difference being that the feeding of the 5,000 was for a predominantly Jewish crowd, while the feeding of the 4,000 took place in non-Jewish territory, indicating the Gospel was first for the Jews, then all nations.
The following week (July 20-24), we made our kitchen available for Luz Maria's sisters, Deniece Vergara and Rosaura Castillo, to prepare more chicken and fried rice for 55 students graduating from the main preschool in La Caramuca. Deniece is a certified gourmet chef and runs a restaurant, "La Mazorka", with her husband and daughter.
The banner we used to advertise our vacation Bible school online was designed by Anyi Garrido, Luz Maria’s granddaughter. Starting in September, Anyi will begin her last year of “liceo” (equivalent to high school). She completed an extracurricular course in graphic design, as well as earning the second-highest grades in her class.
Señora safe and sound
We give thanks for the safe return of Rita Zapata from receiving cancer treatment in Barquisimeto, which is about three hours north of us. Rita was staying at “Cristo es Amor” (Christ is Love) Lutheran Church when the double earthquake struck on June 24. Barquisimeto was much closer to the epicenter so she experienced the walls and her bed shaking, but was unharmed.
Earthquake recovery continues
Venezuela as a whole continues to recover from the devastating earthquakes. Therefore, Global Lutheran Outreach has expanded its Venezuela relief program to include help for earthquake victims, as well as continuing the shipment of non-prescription medicines from Chile. To find out more, please visit the GLO earthquake relief page.
Luz Maria's daughter named deaconess
On August 1, 2026, Luz Maria's daughter, Yepci Santana, was consecrated as a deaconess at "Castillo Fuerte: Casa de Misericordia" ("Mighty Fortress: House of Mercy") in La Victoria (Lima), Peru. Yepci is director in charge of the afterschool program, assisting 40 children , sports, musicin, crafts, cooking and workshops on Christian values, national identity, coexistence and personal improvement.
On July 11, Luz Maria and I had our first meeting, via Zoom videoconference, with the Reverend André Luiz Müller, GLO regional director for Latin America. Born in Brazil and raised in Paraguay, André has more than two decades of church and missionary service. He credits the support of his faith and his family—his wife Maíra Ferrari Reis and their three children, Helena, Martín, and Francisco—with helping him carry out his responsibilities. For more information, see his GLO page.
Sermon preached at the funeral of Jeanette A. Ernst by Adam Hiles, pastor of Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church, Freeburg, Illinois, June 26, 2026. Scripture readings: Job 19:23-27; 1 Peter 1:3-9; Philippians 1:19-26; John 14:1-6, Psalm 23.
Grace, mercy, and peace are yours this day, forever, from God our Father, and from the Lord our Savior, He who is himself the way, the truth, and the life, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Christian life is not a life that is lived in ignorance. It's not a life filled with lies about really anything. Most especially, it is not a life lived in ignorance about this life. It's not a life where we are just happy-go-lucky about everything, and we act like none of the bad things that go on in this world go on. And we're completely ignorant of the fact that life is hard. And it is filled with hardships.
In fact, you can see all of God’s saints who write for us today, Job, and Peter, and Paul. They are all very honest about that fact of this world. Job is in the midst of great suffering, and he really has not done anything to bring it on himself.
And yet, where he should get comfort from his friends, they are the ones in fact scorning him. You must have done something to deserve all of these terrible things. Losing your family. Losing your house. Losing your livestock. The boils. The sickness. All of the things that have come upon your health. You must have done something to deserve that. Throughout the book, Job, is very honest. He hasn't done anything explicitly to deserve those things. Those things have all come upon him.
Peter says it very clearly. That in this life, we are grieved by various trials. And Paul is honest about that fact. He has lived that fact as he writes this letter. Because when he writes this letter, he is in prison. And he has not done any horrible deed to deserve it. He has not killed anybody. He has not worshipped false gods. He has not besmirched or slandered the name of the emperor or anybody else. He has preached Jesus Christ. And that has gotten him wound up in prison.
And Paul himself is very honest about this fact. Because he is hard pressed between the two options that he has. He has the one option, as he says, that he could continue on in this life. And he knows that it will be fruitful labor. It will be good. And whatever good he does in this life, it will produce some kind of fruit. He is hard pressed between that option and the other option: To depart, to die, and to be with Jesus Christ. And he is very honest about the fact that he would much rather choose to die and be with Christ. Because that is far better.
None of us need to be dishonest and say that this life is sunshine, rainbows, butterflies, and roses all the time. The saints of God are very honest that that is not true. We can be honest about that fact.
Jeanette was honest about that fact. In reality, she actually said, almost verbatim, the very same thing that St. Paul says here in Philippians. And I don't even think it was intentional. She was just being honest. That she would much rather die and be with Christ. But at that time, God had not yet brought her to be with Jesus. Jesus had not come and brought her to heaven. She knew there was a purpose for why that day had not yet come. And she told me very explicitly, I know that God is keeping me here for a reason.
And that it will be fruitful. That is not to say that she did not love this life. She did. She was very happy to remain because she knew her purpose was to serve her family. She loved you all very, very much. She knew that her purpose was even to show Jesus Christ and his truth to all of the people around her in the nursing home.
And every time I visited her, and I'm sure it was the same for you , Pastor Keseman, she would tell me about the conversations and sometimes would turn to the arguments with the various residents that she would talk with at lunch and at dinner. She was happy to be here in this life. But Jeanette knew that to die and be with Christ was far better.
On the one hand, because she longed to be with Christ and to be with His Son. She longed to see her husband and she longed to see her daughter. But she was also longing to be with Christ because she was honest that this life was not easy.
Jeanette was grieved by the same kinds of trials that Job and Peter and Paul were all grieved by. She was grieved by the same thing that Job was grieved by. He misunderstood, in fact, other residents that she was with. She was grieved even by things that Peter and Paul were grieved with by her own illnesses, of which she had many, especially later on in life. So of course, of course she was honest about that and we should all be honest about that. The Christian life is not one lived in ignorance. We do not act like our sufferings are not, in fact, sufferings. They are.
Life is not easy, especially for the Christian in the midst of a world that does not understand. But that honesty comes not in the sense of complaining. I will be honest, I did not hear Jeanette complain about any of those things.
We can be honest about the fact that this life is hard because we live in the truth. Yes, we can be honest about the truth that this life is hard because we live in the truth, even in Jesus Christ who is Himself the way, the truth, and the life. The Christian life is honest, in fact, we can be honest about our hardships because we know that these trials do not last forever and that what we are going through today pales in comparison, not only to what is promised to us, but to what Jesus Christ has given us now and today.
That truth, the promise that He has died for us, that He has risen to new life for us, that He took on our sins, that He died for them, and that by His resurrection He has defeated their power over us. He has destroyed death forever, turned the whole thing upside down, and that He has banished Satan and his powers. That changes everything for us.
Because as we can see from Peter, it turns what should be all of our sufferings into reason for despair and defeat. It even turns them into a great reason to rejoice. That's a kind of testing of our faith. Not, oh, Jeanette, oh, Dan, oh, Veronica, oh, all of you listening, oh, all Christians, you have to make sure you pass this test and get an A or else you're out of the game. The testing of your faith is the same way that gold is put into a furnace and it is tested, where the impurities are removed, and when it comes out, it is pristine, it is perfect. That is what the trials that we go through, that is what they are for.
Jeanette knew that. Consciously she said it, but also unconsciously she showed it by her life. There was a time where I visited Jeannette in the hospital. At that time, she was intubated, she had a tube down her throat, and she was suffering. And as I sat there with her in the hospital, she was conscious, she was looking at me, but she could not speak, literally. And so as I sat there, reading the 23rd Psalm, reading to her about how Jesus is the Good Shepherd, and kind of just stumbling my way and explaining that and trying to give comfort, she grabbed my hand, held it tightly, and as I told her that the Shepherd never left her and was with her now, was right now leading her out of this valley of the shadow of death But there, even in the midst of hardship, there is always a reason to rejoice, even as Peter says, with joy inexpressible.
Because our faith is founded on Jesus Christ. He is the one who left his father's throne in love to die for the world. Even when we were enemies of God, God showed His love for us, and while we were still sinners, Christ Jesus came to die for us, risen to new life.
He has defeated sin, death, and the power of the devil, and those are promises that He gives to us, not just in the future when he returns. That is when He will make good on those promises. Not just even when we die and we receive all the inheritance that He stored up, but even now in this life.
That He is the way, and the truth, and the life. Because He has brought us into the way of everlasting life. That is the way that we walk today, day by day.
It is the way that He walked, not a way without suffering, but it is a way of glory. Not our glory, His glory. A glory that rises from the dead, a glory that will never die again.
A promise made to us, a promise given to us, that we can stake our lives on today. He is the truth, the truth that He himself admits, that this world is filled with darkness, and hardships, and all manner of evil. But the truth is that He has overcome all of those things.
For he is the life that the darkness can never overcome. And he is the life, the light of men. He is the life that gives us life. Not just gives meaning to our lives, He gives us life. When Jeanette was washed in those baptismal waters, she received the life of Jesus. He is death, He is resurrection.
And at every single point of her life, He was with her. Of that she knew very well, confessing, every time I saw her, I know He is with me. I talk to Him every day.
She knew Him not to be far, she knew Him to be there with her, in her sufferings, personally. That is a fact, that is the truth, that Job, and Peter, and Paul, they all speak about today. Because Job, could even say, in the depth of sufferings, when my flesh is destroyed, yet in my flesh, I will see my Savior face to face.
Paul says, it is good for me to remain in the flesh, because when I die, I will be with Christ. And Peter talks all about the great gift we have, the inheritance he has stored up for us, that we are all pressing for. The outcome of our faith, salvation of our souls.
That is what Jeanette suffered in. She suffered in the truth, in faith, with the promises of God given to her, that now she is rejoicing in, face to face, her, her husband, her daughter, with all of the saints, your friends, your family, what all of us will receive when we die, when Christ comes for us. But those are promises and gifts that God has given even now.
So to you all, all of you here, all of you watching online, all of you who now remain in the flesh, know that Jesus Christ is the way, and the truth, and the life. Know that He has laid his life down for you, and taken it up with you. Know that He is your Shepherd, who is with you, that His rod and staff, with those things, He will comfort you, He will protect you, He will guide you.
To know that He has, in fact, gone to death, gone to resurrection, gone to be with the Father, to prepare a place for you. Each and every single one of you has a place prepared with Him and the Father. He went to prepare a place for Jeanette, and now Jeanette is there in that place, and she is not alone.
Even now, you are not alone. Your Savior is with you. The saints are with you. The saints in heaven pray for you. But the saints on earth are here for you, here throughout the world to pray, but also here in this church. God is with you, in the midst of your suffering, in the midst of your hardship, so that you can be honest. Honest about the fact that this life is not easy, but far more than that, honest about the fact that the eternal life Jesus Christ has given, that is yours, and will always be yours, in Him. Amen.
“Mirad cual amor nos ha dado el Padre al hacernos hijos de Dios. Para ser llamados hijos de Dios. Para ser llamados hijos de Dios.”
That’s the refrain from a favorite song here based on 1 John 3:1. “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!”
The third Sunday in June this year was not only the third Sunday after Trinity Sunday, but Father’s Day as well. So the appointed Gospel reading, the parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) was particularly fitting. It offers a portrait of God as Father. The father in the parable is longsuffering and merciful; he grieves at the loss of his rebellious son, but rejoices in reconciliation with him. Likewise, our heavenly Father does not desire our condemnation, but restoration of a right relationship with Himself. We may pray to God as our Father, not only because He gave us the gift of life by means of our earthly parents, but also reclaims us in baptism as reconciled children through the atoning death of Jesus.Our earthly father is not the template for understanding God; rather, God is the model for understanding what a father should be. Our Lord commanded us to pray this way in the Lord's Prayer: "Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name."
Our earthly fathers are human beings—sinners, not perfect. Families and marriages often face many problems, so we may not have an ideal father figure, yet every father remains a gift from God to us. We should give thanks if we have a father figure in our lives, for this, too, is a gift from God. Paul tells us to honor our father and mother; it is the first commandment with a promise—that if we honor our parents, we will live a long life on this earth.
I also dealt with this theme in the opening devotion for our Father’s Day activity June 18 with Luz Maria´s afterschool tutoring students, before the games and gift-giving. As Scripture references I cited Matthew 7:7-12 and Ephesians 6:2-4. The students were invited to bring their fathers. Of those who attended, four brought their biological fathers and the rest brought their closest male relatives or their mothers. Of the biological fathers, only two were actually living with their children.
Lack of a strong paternal figure in the home is the source of many of Venezuela’s societal problems and a major challenge for our mission. Luz Maria and I began our educational project to try and help young people break the generational cycle of poverty in which many in the surrounding community have been trapped: The young women dropping out of school after sixth grade because of pregnancy before they are ready physically or emotionally to be mother and the young men drifting into alcohol and drug abuse and petty crime because of the lack of skills to find decent jobs. This situation has only gotten worse because of the political and economic problems that have gripped the country over the last 20 years and the availability of smartphones which make young people even more vulnerable to sex traffickers.And we have learned from experience that family formation is essential to church growth. That is, when believers marry, have children and bring raise the children in the fear and admonition of the Lord. The book of Acts informs us that entire households being baptized was typical in the early church (Acts 16: 14-15; 23-32). Having only his mother and grandmother to teach him the Scriptures may have worked for Timothy (1:5), but most young people find it difficult to persevere in the faith without the support of an intact family.
Sociological studies show that fathers set the trajectory for their children's religious participation, a cross-cultural phenomenon observed in western Europe, North America, and parts of the Middle East. A Swiss government study (conducted in the 1990s, published around 2000) established the baseline for western Europe: A child is much more likely to regularly attend church as an adult if the father attends regularly, compared to the mother’s influence alone. A smaller-scale US study found nearly identical results to the Swiss data, reinforcing that when only the father attends regularly, roughly 67% of children attend as adults, compared to a sharp drop when only the mother attends. A 2025 analysis of the Global Flourishing Study (covering 22 diverse countries) confirmed that father-child relations and early-life religious attendance are robust predictors of adult religious practice (prayer/meditation) across geographically and economically diverse nations. The study noted that while national contexts affect the strength of transmission, the link between early paternal involvement and adult faith is a "near universal aspect of religious socialization."
Therefore, we continue with our goals of involving both parents in Christian education as much as possible, encouraging home Bible study and prayer as well as regular public worship attendance, and teaching youth to look for a faithful spouse (in both senses of the term).
From celebration to tragedy
According to our historic church calendar, June 24 is the day to remember the birth of John the Baptist. It is six months before December 25, and Luke 1:36 says that John’s mother and Mary’s cousin, Elizabeth, was six months pregnant when the archangel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would conceive a son by the power of the Holy Spirit. Luke than recounts how Mary went to visit Elizabeth and the child in Elizabeth’s womb leaped in joy at the presence of the child in Mary’s womb (Luke 1:39-45, a powerful pro-life passage). Luke 1:56 says that Mary stayed with Elizabeth three months and then John the Baptist was born, which would imply he was born later in the fall. But the martyrdom of John the Baptist is celebrated on August 29, so perhaps the earlier date was chosen to avoid confusion.
At any rate, since the 18th Century in Venezuela, the Nativity of John the Baptist has been linked with popular festivals in areas where people of African descent are concentrated. This is because on that date, African slaves would be given a holiday. The traditional festivities include music and dancing that have little to do with the Biblical John the Baptist, and rites that are thinly disguised survivals of African tribal religions. These festivities are most closely associated with the states of Miranda, Vargas, Aragua, Carabobo, Guárico y Yaracuy. Except for Guárico, all of these states are located along the Caribbean coast.
The annual celebrations turned to tragedy at 6:04 p.m., June 24, 2026. Two major earthquakes, 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude respectively, occurred 39 seconds and five kilometers apart. Because the John the Baptist events are tourist attractions, there were even more people than usual gathered in areas that are among the most heavily populated in Venezuela. The epicenters of both earthquakes were in Veroes, a municipality of Yaracuy state. The two earthquakes caused widespread damage across north central and northwestern Venezuela, particularly in the metro areas La Guaira (Vargas state) and Caracas (Miranda state).
According to the American Geographical Society: “At least 1,450 people have died since last week’s devastating twin earthquakes in Venezuela, with international rescue teams and local volunteers still digging through the rubble as part of frantic rescue efforts. Up to 6.76 million people could be affected by the devastating earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24, according to initial estimates by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The projections, based on the available population and damage analysis, include up to 2 million people in Caracas alone. There are currently over 70,000 people reported missing, over 3,150 people are injured, and 774 buildings have collapsed.”
La Caramuca is closer to the Colombian border than to Caracas in a country that has roughly the same surface area as Oklahoma and Texas combined or twice that of California. We were aware of the earthquakes, first of all because Luz Maria discovered, along with many other Venezuelans, that her Android cellphone has a earthquake alert feature. She received a text message just before the events. Some people with Android phones, including those in the affected areas, received the same messages, but others didn’t. Apparently it has to do with whether the phone has GPS activated or not. We also saw hanging objects sway without any wind, but there was no sensation of the earth moving under our feet (apologies to Carole King). There was not damage to persons or property in Barinas.
We thank God for the fact that, based on what we have heard, none of the scattered congregations of our national church, the Lutheran Church of Venezuela, were directly affected. There were reports of cracks in the walls of some church buildings, but these may have be pre-existing damage. Two of our largest congregations, Fuente de Vida (Fountain of Life) in Puerto Ordaz and Ascension in San Felix de Guayana, organized the collection of bottled water, foodstuffs and clothing to be sent to the affected areas. Members of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod may donate to earthquake relief efforts at this Web site (the Synod recommends not trying to directly ship supplies):
Update: Global Lutheran Outreach is expanding its Venezuela Relief Program to help earthquake victims. According to James Tino, director of Global Lutheran Outreach:
"Since 2017, Global Lutheran Outreach has been operating a program called “Venezuela Relief” which regularly sends medication to thousands of people unable to afford or acquire medical help. The medicines are distributed through a network of Lutheran churches in more than 20 communities. With the latest shipment which is going out right now, a total of more than 9,800 patients have received life-giving and life-sustaining medicine, free of charge.
Venezuelan brothers and sisters need our help more than ever today. In response to the earthquakes, we are expanding our Venezuela Relief program. We are in communication with our network of contacts in Venezuela who have agreed to channel whatever funds are donated to the specific needs of those who have lost everything. For example, one of our contacts told us that baby bottles are an urgent need. Yes, regular baby bottles. Hospitals and medical clinics are using towels dipped in formula to feed the infants.
Go to Venezuela Relief on the GLO website to learn more. Your tax-deductible contribution, large or small, will help alleviate the suffering caused by this natural disaster and by the ongoing crisis in Venezuela. Updates will be given regularly on our Venezuela Relief website so that we can pray for those affected.
We celebrated the Feast of the Holy Trinity on May 30 at Corpus Christi Lutheran Church in Barinas on May 30 and in La Caramuca on May 31The sermon emphasized the evidence for the Trinity in the Old Testament, especially the appointed Old Testament lesson, Isaiah 6:1-7. In the prophet’s vision, the seraphim around God’s throne sing, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts.” We have a hymn here that asks the question, “Why three times holy?” And why, in the Aaronic benediction of Numbers 6:24-26, is the Old Testament name of God (Yahweh or Jehovah) repeated three times? Then, in Genesis 1:26 and 11:7, God speaks of Himself in the plural, as Jesus does of Himself and the Holy Spirit in the Gospel appointed for Trinity Sunday (John 3:1-15). “Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness” (John 3:11)
The Great Commission on Ascension.
We observed Ascension Day on Sunday, May 17, 2026, and we were pleased to have as visitors, Luz Maria’s brother, Robert Henriquez and his wife, Fanny Yamilet Ibarra Vielma.
St. Matthew does not describe the Ascension of Christ, but Mark 16:14-18; Luke 24:36-49; and Acts 1:1-11 link the Great Commission with the Ascension. So I emphasized this missional imperative by explaining the symbolism of the Jerusalem Cross, a large Greek cross flanked by four smaller crosses: First in Jerusalem, then to the four corners of the earth. (The Jerusalem Cross is the emblem of the Lutheran Church of Venezuela’s Juan de Frías Theological Institute.)
donation of study Bibles
We received a donation of eight needed study Bibles from an unexpected source: The Roman Catholic diocese of Barinas. The Bibles were published by the Lutheran Heritage Foundation and are bound together with Luther’s Small Catecism! Also included are a biblical glossary, maps and lists of suggested Bible verses for daily reading and special occasions. Luz Maria’s nephew, Roamird Castillo, learned the diocese was doing some housecleaning and wanted to get rid of them. So he obtained permission to take them for us.
Remember in prayer Rita Zapata
We continue to pray for Rita Zapata, who was taken to Barquisimeto (about three hours north of here) for cancer treatment. Rita joined our mission by affirmation of faith on January 11, 2020. She attends our Sunday morning service when staying with her sister, Sotera, in La Caramuca, and Corpus Christi Lutheran Church in Barinas with her son, Eliezer Montoya. Rita is the grandmother of Aaron, Oriana and Elias Montoya who were all confirmed at our mission, but now live with their mother, Yepci, in Lima, Peru.
Venezuelans graduate from seminary
Concordia El Reformador Seminary was opened in 2017 in the Dominican Republic, and serves Spanish speakers in Latin America and the Caribbean region. Commencement ceremonies were held May 29, 2026, and several Venezuelans received diplomas. Jesús Barceló of Ciudad Guayana, Venezuela, graduated from the residential seminary program and is eligible for a call. Edgar Coronado, pastor of La Fortaleza (Fortress) Lutheran Church and Mission Cagua in Maracay, Venezuela, completed the Formación Pastoral Hispanoamérica program, which provides continuing education for ordained pastors. Two Venezuelan women completed the deaconess training program and received certificates in absentia. These were Etamarys Rengifo of Cristo Vencedor (Christus Victor) Lutheran Church in La Pica, Monagas state, who was mentored by Luz Maria; and Yepci Santana, Luz Maria’s daughter, who once taught in our preschool. Oriana Montoya, Yepci’s daughter, already graduated from the deaconess program and both mother and daughter teach in the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod-sponsored preschool program in Lima, Peru.
Baptized members in the afterschool program
Luz Maria’s afterschool tutoring program continues to advance. We purchased a new electric fan for better ventilation and maintenance work done on the plumbing. All the student have shown improvement in their grades, but two that have shown notable progress in the last few months are Sandro Deonel Pérez and Juan Diego Rodriquez. Sandro Deonel was baptized at our mission on December 15, 2019, while his father, Sandro Pérez, was confirmed here on October 31, 2008. Juan Diego was baptized at our mission on December 15, 2019.
“Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints. O LORD, I am truly Your servant, the son of Your maidservant, You have loosed my bonds. I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving and will call upon the name of the LORD” Psalm 116:15-17.
My mother, Jeanette Anne Hemmingson Ernst, died April 30, 2026, during Eastertide like my father did on May 9, 2000. I chose Psalm 116 for memorial services on May 3, the fifth Sunday of Easter, at our mission in La Caramuca and at Corpus Christi Lutheran Church in Barinas. The sermon text was 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17.
“But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus."
During the Easter season, we celebrate our Lord’s victory over sin, death and the power of the devil by His atoning death on the cross and resurrection on the third day, as He promised. We rejoice that as we have been baptized with water and the Word, as He was, we will share in His resurrection (Romans 6:3-8; 1 Corinthians 15:20-26). This is the great gift that we receive from Christian parents when we are baptized as infants. But not only do we have the promise of resurrection for ourselves, but also the consolation that our parents will be among the great multitude gathered around the throne of Christ, our Paschal Lamb, they that “shall neither hunger anymore, nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them anymore, nor any heat...and God will wipe every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 7:16-17). They already are among that “great cloud of witnesses” whose testimony inspires us and they will be with us in the true rapture, which which occur after (not before) the great tribulation when the Lord returns for the once and final time.
The promise is for you and your children
I returned to the theme of Christian families for the opening devotion of a special meeting on May 5 with Luz Maria's afterschool students and their mothers. The occasion was in anticipation of Mother's Day, Sunday, May 10, and to celebrate Luz Maria's birthday. I read from Acts 2:37-47. First, I emphasized the real manifestation of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost was not so much the speaking in tongues and the preaching of Peter and the baptism of 3,000 souls. Then I focused on verse 39: "This promise is for you and your children," citing examples of how entire households, including children, were baptized (Acts 16:14-15; 22:22-34). Nevertheless, although parents have the privilege and responsibility to bring infants and children forward for baptism, there also is the reponsibility to bring children up in the teaching and admonition of the Lord. This is the basis of Christian education: Not simply the formal instruction, but also the formation of living faith through the power of the Holy Spirit which has become active in their lives through baptism.
After the opening devotion, Luz Maria review with the students and their mothers what the children had learned so far and how it was helping them in their public school classes. Then the children sang a lengthy Venezuelan birthday song to Luz Maria before she cut into two cakes, one donated by her daughter, Sarai, and the other by her brother, Robert Henriquez. It is customary in Venezuela to not only a Spanish version of the brief "Happy Birthday to you" as in the United States, but also to sing one or more longer melodies. These may go on as long as five minutes, or, at least, so it seems. That evening, after a videoconference with women enrolled in the diaconess training program of Concordia Seminary "El Reformador" and Amy Rast, associate director of deaconess formation at Concordia Theoogical Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana, the Venezuelan women sang another long birthday song to Luz Maria.
On April 13, we celebrated the sixteenth birthday of Anyi Garrido, Luz Maria's granddaughter. Anyi assists Luz Maria with the afterschool tutoring program. She has the highest academic profile of any student in her high school and is taking an extracurricular course in graphic design.
On April 12, the second Sunday of Easter, Ana Andreina Cabello Gomez, a member of "Fuente de Vida" (Fountain of Life) Lutheran Church in Puerto Ordaz and her sister, Milade, of the city of Guanare, brought an offering of packaged foodstuffs. Puerto Ordaz is in eastern Venezuela, while Guanare is about an hour and a half drive to the north of us.
As a mentor of Venezuelan women in the deaconess training program, Luz Maria was invited to hear annual program reports from Concordia Seminary "El Reformador" online April 24. We were pleased to learn the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod-sponsored seminary in the Dominican Republic is continuing in partnership with one of our sponsoring mission societies, LeadaChild of Olathe, Kansas.
We began Holy Week with the procession of palm branches and the adult confirmation of Josehp Manuel Sala Díaz on Palm Sunday, March 24. Josehp is a contract maintenance worker. We welcome him as a member of our congregation.
In Venezuela, real palm branches are easy to find. We have observed the Palm Sunday processional every year except for the two years of the COVID-19 lockdown. The reenactment of our Lord’s triumphant entry into the city of Jerusalem is ancient. Perhaps the earliest account is that of Egeria, a woman who lived in northern Spain, in a region now known as Galicia (many Venezuelans can trace their ancestry to this region). From 381 to 384 A.D., Egeria went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. She kept a journal in which she gives firsthand testimony about how Holy Week was celebrated in Jerusalem in the fourth century. On the Sunday before Easter, people would gather on the Mount of Olives and march into the city with palm and olive branches. Participants sang psalms and proclaimed blessings as they moved toward the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. This year, because of the war with Iran, this procession was cancelled for the first time in centuries as the Israeli government prevented the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. After the Reformation, the tradition of a Palm Sunday procession was preserved, especially at certain locations like Magdeburg. In April 2003, I spent the entire month in Venezuela (yes, that was during the U.S. invasion of Iraq) and was privileged to witness that year’s Palm Sunday procession at Fuente de Vida (Fountain of Life) Lutheran Church in Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela.
Disciples for life
On March 23, I had the opportunity to visit Corpus Christi Lutheran Church in Barinas and teach a session in “Discípulos de por vida,” a catechetical course based as much on Luther’s Large Catechism, as much as the Small Catechism. The course was developed as a unit in the deaconess training program of Seminario Concordia El Reformador in the Dominican Republic. The Lutheran Church of Venezuela’s Juan de Frias Theological Institute is now offering the course to all interested members and and all catechumens. Since Corpus Christi has not called a full-time pastor, I will be taking turns every three months with Eliezer Mendoza, pastor of Cristo es Amor (Christ is Love) Lutheran Church in Barquesimeto (about three to four hours north of Barinas) and his assistant pastor, Juan Carlos Silva. Pastor Mendoza also is director of the Juan de Frias Theological Institute. The congregations in Barinas and Barquesimeto comprise the entire Western Zone of the Lutheran Church of Venezuela, which is all the territory between Valencia (an hour and a half west of Caracas) and the Colombian border.The theme was the “first tablet of the Law”, by which is meant the first three commandments. These deal with what constitutes a right relationship with God. “ “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind” (Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27). The other seven commandments comprise the “second tablet”, right relationship with other people. “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 22:39; Mark 12:31; Luke 10:27; Romans 13:9; Galatians 5:14; James 2:8). These commandments constitute the universal moral law, that is, God’s will for how all people should live. We also discussed the other types of law contained in the covenant of Mount Sinai: Civil laws for the governing of the ancient nation of Israel, many of which did not apply outside the land of Israel, even at the time; and ceremonial laws governing private and public worship, which distinguished the worship of the true God from idolatry and pointed to the first coming of the Messiah, and why these types of rules and regulations were not intended for all people for all time. Then we discussed the three uses of the moral law: as a brake to keep the evil impulses of men from getting out of hand in the social order; as a mirror, to convict people of their sins and show them the need for a Savior; and as a guide for Christian in making life decisions.
Maximiliano reading the story of Jonah.
Learning in our library
Before the schools closed, Luz Maria had her afterschool students do activities in preparation for Holy Week. The afterschool program continues with 10 to 12 students attending regularly, Monday through Thursday. There are also always five to six in attendance who are not involved with the program full-time, but who are using our books and other study resources for specific projects. We have made our educational space into something of a public library (which the community does not have). It is a place for older students to drop in and study in quiet area with books and no distractions. Two of Luz Maria’s more outstanding students are Mateo and Maximiliano. Maxi is in third grade and came to us not even knowing the complete alphabet or how to write his name. It had been recommended that he receive psychological evaluation to treat his incapacity to learn. Now he reads and writes at a level appropriate to a boy his age. Mateo was delighted to discover that he was named after an apostle and evangelist, and is most enthusiastic about Bible study, in addition to improving his grades at his public school.
“Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly” (Matthew 6:16-18).
At first glance, this might seem an odd Gospel reading for Ash Wednesday. Making the sign of the cross on one’s forehead with ashes is what this verse forbids. Or, is it? In Matthew 6:5-15, our Lord gives similar instructions on prayer: “But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” This is followed by Matthew’s account of Jesus teaching His disciples the Lord’s Prayer, which Christians all over the world and for hundreds of years have prayed in public as well as in private. There are other verses in Scripture to meet regularly to pray and worship God regularly and as openly as possible (Hebrews 10:23-25: 1 Timothy 2:1-7).
In fact, St. Matthew begins the entire section by saying, “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise, you have no reward from your Father in heaven” (Matthew 6:1). “Charitable deeds” is a translation of δικαιοσύνην (dikaiosynēn: righteousness, justice) which refers to good works in general. Yet in 1 Peter 2:12 we are told, “Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.”
Then Matthew 6:2 reads, “Thus, when you give to the needy (ἐλεημοσύνην, eleēmosynēn) sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.” Yet 2 Corinthians 9:13 describes the gathering of offerings for the poor and for the work of the kingdom as “proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the Gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and with all men.” From the earliest days of the church, offerings have been brought forward and placed on the altar as sacrifices of thanksgiving during public worship.
Our Lord is addressing what we would today call “virtue signaling”, ostentatious displays of piety without genuine faith in God. “Sees in secret (κρυπτῷ; kryptō)” implies seeing that which is hidden, or within the heart.
The outward acts, even giving away all one’s possessions to the poor avail nothing if not done in sincere faith and love (1 Corinthians 13:3). They do not gain for us salvation, nor blessing from the Lord. But if done in faith and love, and in common confession with others, not drawing attention to ourselves as individuals, they testify to God’s love and mercy.
One suggested Old Testament lesson for Ash Wednesday, Jonah 3:1-10, illustrates the ancient association of sackcloth and ashes with a fast, or time of repentance, and the other, Joel 2:12-19, speaks of the entire people of God declaring a season of fasting.
We began our observance of Lent on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, with a vespers service of public confession and absolution with the imposition of ashes. Our catechism teaches that we may confess our sins before the congregation as part of the liturgy, or to the pastor in private. Either way we have the assurance that the word of absolution are as sure as if we heard them directly from the Lord Himself.
The imposition of ashes is a more elaborate form of making the sign of the cross, which Lutherans have done since the 16th Century. Martin Luther strongly encouraged Christians to make the sign of the cross as a daily devotional practice. He also retained the practice at the beginning of the service as Trinitarin invocation, during baptism, confession and absolution, during the Lord’s Supper and the closing benediction. Luther viewed the sign not as superstition but as a spiritual weapon against the devil and a proclamation of faith in Christ’s victory on the cross. He believed it strengthened the conscience and reminded believers of God’s promises. Ashes remind us of our sinful nature that will not pass away until we die physically. “For dust you are, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19).
Third cycle of deaconess program
Luz Maria has again been asked to mentor deaconess students in the third cycle of the diaconal program offered by Concordia Seminary "El Reformador" in the Dominican Republic. On Tuesday, March 3, we partipicated in an online orientation meeting for "Practical Diaconal Guidance I". Exis Freites and Mineida García, ladies of "Prince of Peace" Lutheran Church, Sierra Caroní, represented Venezuela among the more than 50 women from other Latin American countries. Concordia Seminary "El Reformador", established in 2017 by the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, serves Spanish -speaking Lutherans from all over Central and South America by training pastors and deaconesses .
Pray for victims of tragedy in Chile
We received word from our fellow Global Lutheran Outreach (GLO) missionary, Pastor Adrian Ventura, that on Thursday, February 19, a truck carrying liquefied gas overturned, spilling its entire cargo onto an avenue in the Renca district of Santiago, Chile. Following the spill, a raging fire engulfed several cars, including their occupants; four people died at the scene, and several others suffered burns over 90 percent of their bodies. One of the young men caught in the flames was Luis Miguel Gómez, a Venezuelan and son of Belkis Mendoza, a member of “Cristo es Amor” (Christ is Love) Lutheran Church in Barquisimeto. Luis passed away on Wednesday, February 25, at the Workers' Hospital. Belkis was able to obtain a humanitarian visa and spend her son Luis's final days with him. We ask for your prayers for the Gómez Mendoza family, who are grieving the loss of a loved one.
“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20).
I would like to begin 2026 by assuring all our family, friends and supporters that Luz Maria and I are safe and sound and continuing our ministry in Venezuela. My resident visa has been renewed until 2030, a necessary first step toward naturalization, a course I intend to pursue this year. I meet all the requirements for dual citizenship, although I really had not thought about applying until I read about the new Pope being a citizen of both the USA and Ecuador. Dual citizenship represents the best option for me in view of travel restrictions and political instability throughout the world, and it better reflects the commitment I have made to Luz Maria and our work together. About 76% of nations now permit dual citizenship (vs. 33% in 1960), which has become a strategic tool for mobility, security, and diversification.
Always bearing in mind Philippians 3:20, in which St. Paul reminds the Christians of Philippi, a prominent Roman colony whose inhabitants enjoyed the prized status of Roman citizenship, that our highest allegiance is to Jesus as members of the kingdom of God’s grace through baptism. Nevertheless, this citizenship (πολίτευμα) does not make Christians laws unto themselves (Roman 13:1-7). Rather, we live in accord with the laws of whatever land where are placed, whether by birth or adoption, to the extent that those conform with the revealed will of God.
Join our online Mission Circle
Thank you to everyone who has been praying for us and for Venezuela. I have created a WhatsApp group, CÍrculo de Misión "La Epífanía", where can leave your prayers and peitions. You can leave an audio message if you like, as I intend to incorporate these into a periodic devotional podcast.
Strategic planning for Barinas
On Saturday, January 24, 2026, we received a vist from Pastor Eliezer Mendoza, our counselor for the Western Zone of the Lutheran Church of Venezuela (which consists of three congregations). Eliezer is the head pastor of "Cristo es Amor" (Christ is Love) Lutheran Church in Barquisimeto, a city three to four hours north of us. (By the way, the "Cristo es Amor" congregation was planted by James Tino, executive director of Global Lutheran Outreach when he was a Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod missionary to Venezuela.) We discussed the strategic plan for the Lutheran Church of Venezuela. This includes dividing up the responsibility for preaching at Corpus Christi Lutheran Church in Barinas among myself, Pastor Eliezer and Juan Carlos Silva, assistant pastor at "Cristo es Amor." There is at present no candidate for full-time pastor at Corpus Christi.
New Creation in Christ
Our first service of the new year was Sunday, January 4, 2026, when we celebrated the circumcision and naming of Jesus. Afterward, we began our “New Creation in Christ” vacation Bible school with a study of the creation of the world by the triune God with emphasis on the first chapter of the gospel according to Saint John. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. All things were made through him, and without him nothing was made that was made" (John 1:1-2). “In the beginning” are the same words that begin the first chapter of Genesis, the first book of the Bible. The similarity between Genesis 1:1 and John 1:1 is intentional. Referring to the first creation, John maintains that God made everything with the Logos, a Greek word that can be translated as “Verb” or “Word.” God created heaven and earth only with his creative Word. “And God said, Let there be light, and there was light.” This creative Word, the instrument of the first creation, was also God Himself. This Word, the second person of the Holy Trinity, “was made flesh” (John 1:14) in Jesus Christ as the agent of the new creation redeemed from death and evil (Romans 8:19-23). Also the Holy Spirit who “moved on the face of the waters” (Genesis 1:2) and made Adam, the first man, “a living being” (Genesis 2:7) brought about the conception of Jesus Christ as the second Adam and creates faith and new life in the waters of baptism.
Monday, January 5, 2026, the topic was the Law and the Gospel. The Law is God's holy will for us to live as his children. However, because of the total corruption of human nature that we have inherited from Adam and Eve, none of us can perfectly fulfill the will of God. This will is “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” and “You shall love your neighbor yourself” (Matthew 22:34-40; Mark 12:28-34; Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18). Every Sunday we confess to God, "We have not loved you with all our heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. For the love of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us." The Gospel (good news) is “Almighty God, our heavenly Father, in his great mercy has given us his Son and through him, forgives us all our sins.” We are not saved by works of the Law, but by faith in the propitiatory sacrifice of Christ, which bears fruit in works of love for God and our neighbor.
On Tuesday, January 6, 2026, we concluded the vacation Bible school with the study of the means of grace: the preaching of the Word of God; Baptism; and the Holy Supper. In preaching, the Word is broadcast to all who can hear; In the sacraments, through his Word and visible elements, God calls each person by name and gives them his gifts of forgiveness, salvation and eternal life.
In the evening service of Epiphany, we heard the words of St. Paul in Ephesians 3:1-12: “That the Gentiles may be fellow heirs of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ through the gospel.” We celebrate the arrival of the Three Wise Men to Bethlehem, who represented that the Gospel would reach all nations after Jesus preached it to the Jews. Just as God's Law was first revealed to the people of Israel through Moses and the prophets, the Gospel was revealed first to the Jews by Jesus, then to the entire world by the apostles. Both the Law and the Gospel are “the mystery of Christ” that Saint Paul speaks of in Ephesians.
For our afternoon Bible study on December, we had the youth and children color a picture of the Holy Family’s flight to Egypt. The Scriptures provide no descriptions of Mary riding a donkey, either to Bethlehem or Egypt, but it only makes sense that she would, given the distances involved and that, in one instance she was nearly ready to give birth and cradling a small child on way to Egypt.
In Venezuela, as in most Spanish-speaking countries, December 28 rather than April 1 is the day for pranks, practical jokes and hoaxes. In Caucagua, Venezuela, there is every year an elaborate festival based on the fact that, before slavery was abolished, African slaves would be given that day off. During that time, they would be free to mock their masters. The Monkey Dance of Caicara de Maturín, based on indigenous traditions, takes place on December 28 and has become a major tourist attraction.
According to our historic church calendar, December 28 is the day we remember the Holy Innocents, the male babies of Bethlehem who were massacred by order of King Herod the Great. The rationale for the jesting and tomfoolery is that the Magi made a fool of King Herod by telling him they would lead him to the Christ Child, but departing by a different route (Matthew 2:7-12).
So, why do our churches remember the Holy Innocents two days after Christmas when we celebrate Epiphany, the visit of the Magi, on January 6? Chronologically, the Magi arrived in Bethlehem about two years after the shepherds on the night of the Savior’s birth. That is why Herod asks the Magi when they first saw the star (Matthew 2:7). The star appeared to them on the night of Christ’s birth and it took them two years to travel to Jerusalem (the Magi probably lived in what is nowadays Iran or Iraq). The massacre of the infants definitely took place after the Magi left.
But the purpose of the church calendar is not simply to teach the chronology of our Lord’s life, but also to highlight certain themes when most appropriate. The festival of the Holy Innocents is the dark side of Christmas, a counterpoint to all the love, peace and good will.
The light of Christ first shone, and continues to shine, in a very dark world. Like Herod, there still are those who say they want to find the light, but only want to put it out.
But there is comfort in the story of the Holy Innocents. We know that every human life, no matter how brief, serves God’s purpose, although we may not understand that purpose. That is true for the children of Bethlehem, also for the stillborn, the aborted and all who die before growing old enough to have children of their own. It’s also true of all those who outlive their own children, other family and friends, wondering why God has left them in this world of trouble and strife.
'Tis the season for hallacas
It would not be Christmas in Venezuela without the traditional holiday meal of hallacas, pan de jamón (bread filled with ham, raisins and olives) and potato salad. Hallacas resemble Mexican tamales, but do not say that out loud. Tamales are more corn dough than filling, while the hallaca's rich filling is surrounded by a very thin layer of dough. Hallacas are made by stuffing a mixture of seasoned meats (chicken, beef and pork), olives, raisins, and capers into a masa (corn dough) made from a blend of cornmeal and various spices, then boiling it while wrapped in banana leaves. The filling can vary from region to region and even from family to family. Hallacas are not only served for Christmas dinner, but given as gifts. After our Christmas Eve service on December 24, we served all who attended a dinner of hallacas, pan de jamón and salad. We sent packages of hallacas to shut-ins around the neighborhood. And we had enough left over to have potato salad and pan de jamón for our breakfast on Christmas Day!
We were able to celebrate the second Sunday of Advent (Populus Zion) with the members of Corpus Christi Lutheran Church. The service was held in their roofed patio because of the breakdown of the electrical system in the church building. Due to car trouble, we were not able to attend their annual Christmas dinner. But they sent Eliezer Montoya with a care package of cake and hallacas, plus a bottle of sangria wine. Luz Maria and I used the sangria to toast the New Year.
LeadaChild: In it for the long haul
Once again, we would like to thank LeadaChild, a mission society based in Olathe, Kansas, for supporting our Christian education initiative. Because of LeadaChild's support, not only our afterschool tutoring students, but Luz María's teaching assistants (all high school students and communicant members of the mission) continue to get good grades.
"Some fruit of our Christian labor can be seen quickly, especially when we provide human care and acts of mercy and service to those in need or experiencing great hardships. However, the fruit of our labor in Christian education may not be revealed for many years… sometimes generations. Educational ministry and mission is an 'in it for the long haul' commitment. Children attend school for many years; discipleship is an ongoing and drawn-out process. For many educators, they may not experience the fruit in the lives of many of the children that they helped develop through their teaching, correction, encouragement…. and especially prayer."
The Feeding of 4,000
The banner we used to advertise our vacation Bible school online was designed by Anyi Garrido, Luz Maria’s granddaughter. Starting in September, Anyi will begin her last year of “liceo” (equivalent to high school). She completed an extracurricular course in graphic design, as well as earning the second-highest grades in her class.
“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20).
