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 Rev. James May is called to the Lutheran Heritage Foundation to assist Rev. Dr. Anssi Simojoki in overseeing LHF activities throughout Africa. Centered in Nairobi, Kenya, Rev. May is learning Swahili to help translate and introduce Lutheran books for people in East Africa.
Read past blog entries:
November 2008
December 2008
January 2009
March 2009
May 2009
July 2009
September 2009
November 2009
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REV. JAMES MAY REPORT: JAN. 29, 2009
Lately we have been getting a few emails asking, “Where are you? Have you made the move to Nairobi? How are things going?” The truth is we are still in “limbo”. We cannot move to Nairobi, Kenya until my work permit is approved. You may have heard on the news last fall that the writer/journalist, Jerome Corsi, was deported from Kenya because he was working there without a work permit. We could fly to Kenya with a visa permit while awaiting the work permit but the entire family would have to leave the country and re-enter with the work permit and this would be much more expensive that waiting here in Mikkeli, Finland. We expect the work permit to be approved and for us to make the move in March. Until then, we are in limbo. Being in limbo does not mean that we have been idle. In some ways it seems we have been even busier than when we were on the mission field. During the four weeks of Advent, I flew to West Africa to teach at the Lutheran Seminary in Dapaong, Togo. This seminary is the only confessional Lutheran seminary in francophone West Africa and has students from seven different countries. It is incredible the sacrifices many of these students make by leaving house, home, family, and country to train as a Lutheran pastor for three years. Their sacrifice is a testament to the importance of knowing correct teaching, orthodox teaching, so that they may go back and equip the saints in their home countries so that the Christian faith may spread and many more may be saved. While I was there I taught a course on how to teach Luther’s Small Catechism. The Lutheran Churches in West Africa have been struggling with their denominational identity. Most of the churches do not have a Lutheran hymnal. As I mentioned there is only one seminary in a region of more than 14 countries. To make matters more challenging, until now only a handful of catechisms have been distributed. Now that Lutheran Heritage Foundation has begun distributing French catechisms, churches have found a way to express their identity. They have found a way to confess the Christian faith with a small but clear explanation of the faith. Non-believers have been as excited as the members. The challenge that arose was how to teach the catechism in a way that is not dry doctrine, which can at times appear separated from the Scriptures. When I was at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Professor John Pless taught a course in which students were required to design a set of Bible studies to teach the faith. This was the basis for the course I now teach in Dapaong, Togo. We use Bible stories to teach the catechism. For instance we don’t just repeat the First Commandment but we use the story of the Golden Calf that the Hebrews made while they waited for Moses (Exodus 32). This way Bible literacy accompanies teaching elements of the faith. These courses take off so fast that we always run out of catechisms midway through the course. We need more French catechisms! In addition many churches have taken the initiative of translating the catechism into their native language. The work is exciting and it is glorious to see people excited to learn the faith and come to Bible studies in a way that is uncommon in America. Teaching Bible literacy is just as important as doctrine because we praise God by recounting His works and deeds (Psalm 150). We cannot properly praise Him if we don’t know the history. One example is the historical account of the sacrifice of Isaac by his father Abraham. Muslims change this story and say it was Ishmael and not Isaac. Furthermore, the second greatest holiday after Ramadan is Tabaski (El aid Adha) during which Muslims are required to make a sacrifice of a ram or goat to God. There are prayers that accompany this sacrificial act and then people are to go out and share the sacrificial meat. Should Christians eat it? If not, how do they respond? These were questions discussed during Advent at the seminary. The consensus was that Christians should not eat the sacrificial meat but that we should take the opportunity to talk about the sacrifice of Abraham. The key is not Abraham’s obedience but that God provided a substitute so that Abraham did not have to kill his son. This story finds its fulfillment in God the Father offering Jesus Christ as our substitute. Just a week ago I traveled from Mikkeli to Tampere, Finland for the release and presentation of the Finnish Confessional Lutheran Hymnal. Because the Finnish Confessional Lutheran Church is so young and persecuted (they cannot meet in the State owned Lutheran Churches although - get this - Muslims can!) we held this presentation in a Methodist church. The Confessional Lutherans filled the church and loudly and proudly sang many hymns on this encouraging day. Aside from enjoying life with our five active children (making homemade toboggan chutes) and my beautiful wife, the Confessional Lutheran Church in Finland has kept me quite busy. I have been teaching Bible studies and leading services in Finnish. Many other hours are filled by writing and preparing lectures in French for the churches in Togo and Burkina Faso. Then I have been trying to work in an hour a day to learn Swahili since it is the primary language of East Africa. In addition to understanding a new meaning of limbo, I now understand what mumbo jumbo is! (From Tiina:) What a blessing to spend winter in Finland! The kids have been excited to learn how to ski and ice skate. Even just digging “mole holes” in the snow has been a great source of fun. We have loved to have my parents, sister’s family, grandma, and other friends over for meals and fellowship. James’s delicious dishes have been very much praised and appreciated (Don’t worry – I have prepared something every time too. For example sliced tomatoes for a salad :-). All three older kids enjoy their school or preschool time and friends they have made. Maggie and Tristan have learned to read Finnish. As the transition to Nairobi and the commencement of the children’s international school studies are prolonged I am growing a little anxious. Will they know enough English? How will they cope with long school days when they are used to short ones here? Thankfully I can leave these and all other worries to our Heavenly Father who certainly takes care of us in the best way possible.
| Field ReportsClick on the links below to read the reports of LHF staff and associates working in the mission fields.  SOUTHEAST ASIA
The Muellers
 CAMBODIA
Ken Precht 
TURKEY
Laura Davis
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