January 2013 - Kinsmen Lutheran Church

P AGE 12
THE FACE OF GLOBAL MISSION…TODAY
When you think of “global mission”,
what comes to mind? As you
ponder that, consider these facts:
�� In 1900, 70 percent of the
world’s Christians were
European or North American.
Today, the majority of
Christians live in Africa, Asia
and Latin America. The
number of African Christians
has increased more than 4,400
percent since 1900. By 2025,
there will be almost 600 million
Christians in Africa and 500
million in Asia, and by 2100, there
will be three times more Christians in
the global South than in the North
where Christianity is on the decline.
�� In 1900, foreign missionaries filled
the leadership positions in the
mission fields of Africa, Asia, Latin
America and the like. Today, local,
indigenous Lutheran church leaders
serve as bishops, pastors, evangelists
and teachers.
�� In 1900, North American and
European churches saw themselves
as “senders” of personnel, expertise
and money. Today, the ELCA sends
and receives amazing gifts of
witness, music, culture, personnel,
prayer and financial support to and
from companion churches.
�� In 1900, North American and
European churches saw themselves
as “establishing churches” in mission
lands. Today, North American and
European churches like the ELCA
see themselves as “accompanying
churches” that build and strengthen
companion churches in their
ministries.
All too often, the church uses big words
that can be lost on many of us. The
word “accompaniment” might be one of
them. But it is one of those words that
becomes real and takes on full meaning
when we understand what it is God is
calling us to do and be in the world.
Accompaniment is our response to the
changing world; it describes the way
God walks with us and leads us to walk
with others; it is the act of walking
together in solidarity that practices
interdependence and mutuality; it is both
a lens for seeing the world and a way to
engage one another in global mission.
It is what Kinsmen will be focusing on in
January as we walk in accompaniment
with Talitha Kum in Peru and the people
of the Central African Republic.
Talitha Kum, which means “little girl, get
up”, is a small congregation in the
remote mountain village of Cuzco where
life is hard and poor, but the church is
blessed with dedicated, passionate and
spirit filled members . The blessings
overflowed in past months because
Pastor Dana and her husband Tom and
their two little children took the call to
walk with that church and the
community. Pastor Dana guides the
worship services, nurtures the small
congregation of mostly women and
children, teaches confirmation, leads
Bible studies, oversees the very primitive
kitchen that serves more than 50 little
kids each day, many of whom are
orphans who would not eat without
Talitha Kum. Tom is overseeing the
completion of the small building that is
designed to serve as sanctuary, kitchen
for the community and parsonage. This
is happening in very great part to monies
received from Kinsmen.
Our walk with the Central African
Republic often treads across primitive,
rough, dusty paths to reach the
small seminary where Pr. Deb
Troester teaches, or a “church”
with logs for pews where Pr. Deb
shares the Gospel. At some points
the dust gives way to spring boxes
built by villagers that Joe Troester
oversees so the people may have
safe drinking water. As we
continue our walk, we find small
groups of women gathering to
conduct their micro-finance
programs that are blossoming into
opportunities for better lives. A
slightly better path and roadway
takes us to the Gallo Health Clinic—
the only medical facility for miles and
miles, but one that is growing and vitally
instrumental in the fight against malaria
and AIDS. We can walk with a mother
who praises her children’s village school
and gives thanks to God for all those
who came together in her village to pay
the teacher’s salary.
Accompaniment...walking together,
sending and receiving, mutuality, seeing
the world with new eyes, engaging with
our brothers and sisters in Peru,
CAR…face to face…sharing grace.
When we think of “global mission”, we
reflect on what we can learn and receive.
When we think of “global mission”, we
rejoice in the lives and faces of our sisters
and brothers in Peru and the Central
African Republic.
When we think of “global mission”, we
know it is… God’s Work, Our Hands!