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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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| This time of the year, many children and adults are heading back to school for the new academic year.  When we returned from Tanzania, we visited our children's school and spoke with the principal, because education is very important. This year, Maggie and Tristan have enrolled in Hillcrest Academy and will be attending primary school outside of home for the first time in their lives. Up until this point they have been homeschooled. Mom is quite nervous. I am sure all you moms understand. The kids are quite excited, although Tristan would rather just live in the jungle chasing wildlife.
The Bible says, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). Although this passage is often used by educators, the real meaning relates to the ways of the Lord and not simply math, science, and reading. But at the same time, reading, writing, and arithmetic are indispensable even in the church. Can you imagine what the church financial situation would look like if the treasurer did not have any arithmetic skills? At the time of the Reformation, most people were illiterate. A formal education was only offered to the rich; as a result, the majority of the people could not read God’s Word. On top of that, the Bible was only available in Latin, and the common person only knew German. This is the reason that Martin Luther translated the Bible into German - the people’s language - so that everyone had access to God’s Word. Nevertheless, just translating the Word of God was not enough to give everyone access to God’s Word because (1) they still didn’t know how to read, and (2) they couldn’t afford to buy a Bible. The conditions at the time of the Reformation are very similar to the current situation in Africa. Although there are more public schools in Africa, the education is very poor and children are often abused physically and sexually. Therefore, when unemployment and poverty are everywhere, many children drop out because they're more useful to the family working the farm. This past week the new academic year at the Lutheran seminary in Togo also started. There are 24 new students, and their education suffers in part because of the poor elementary education they received as children. Even though all the students come from French-speaking countries, they must attend French grammar courses because they were poorly taught. Students often cannot read publicly, much less know the difference between a noun and a verb. (Given what we saw in Togo and Kenya, you can understand why we are not sending our children to a public school!) Of course, this is not the fault of the people. Rather, those of us who have received a good education and who have the resources must care for those who are poor in spirit, education, and resources. Would you send your children to a school that had no books? The same question could be asked in regard to the spiritual school (i.e., the church). Would you want your children trained by a pastor who never read a book and who could barely read the Bible? Maybe now you can understand why the charismatic churches grow faster than the churches which have sound teaching, which takes more time. Therefore we should thank God for the opportunities and blessings He has given to us in developed countries where children learn how to read and write, and where properly trained pastors preach the Word of God in truth and purity. We should not neglect this gift. At the same time, I would like you to think of those who do not have these basic opportunities. When introducing the books we translate, the Lutheran Heritage Foundation seeks and implements ways to help train pastors and all Christians in the Word of God. In a context where books are so expensive in relation to the people's daily salary, these books that teach the faith are always given free to those who desire to learn. Please base your generosity in response to the gifts God has given to you. Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths.
Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all the day long. Psalm 25:4-5 
Children at the Lutheran School in Lünenburg, South Africa. In times past the Lutheran missionaries always started a school with the church so that people could learn to read God’s Word. This, sadly, has ceased to be the pattern.
We always need your prayer support. At this time we ask your prayers for: - Our language learning, so that we may properly and efficiently learn Kiswahili and teach more people the Gospel of our Savior.
- The seminary students in Matongo Lutheran Seminary in Kenya, that they would receive the best training possible in order to be equipped to feed the Lord’s sheep.
- Peace for our family, as we continue in transition.
| 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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