Mission Updates & Articles

Central America Mission Update

September 21, 2009


Newly ordained Pastor Edmundo Retana, in San Jose, Costa Rica with the Rev. Pedro Adolfo Quintero (L) and President Luis Diaz (R).

(Report by Dr. Ralph Mayan, Past President of Lutheran Church Canada, currently serving as Interim Mission Director for Lutheran Church Canada)

God continues to bless the proclamation of the Gospel in Central America as two new mission starts were given birth this summer.

The first is related to the ordination and installation of a new missionary, Rev. Edmundo Retana, in San Jose, Costa Rica. Since June, he has been working in an area called Manuel de Jesús Jiménez, near Birristio in the province of Cartago. God has blessed his labour with the formation of a small community of believers who are now being catechized. But being touched with the Gospel, they are not satisfied to just be gathering together for study. They have joined with the missionary in organizing an outreach ministry to children and adolescents and their families in their community. At their first activity, 27 children attended. They now have over 60 children attending, many of these children accompanied by their mothers and fathers.

The missionary writes, “Our goal is to proclaim the Gospel.” “In the weeks that we have been here, we have seen light and joy in the faces of the people as they talk about the salvation that Jesus has brought them and as we answer questions about this new Lutheran church that is emerging in the middle of their community.”

The missionary then continues with an apology. “I know the idea of renting a room was not in the plan for these first eight months. I apologize for that. It is a decision that involves some sacrifice on our part, but it satisfies the needs of the pastoral work that is being developed. None of our homes provide the necessary conditions for meetings with these numbers.”

Blessings overflowing! Stand back and watch God at work! What can we do but “Give Jesus Glory!”

The second new mission start is in the community of Sebaco, Nicaragua and involves Missionary Hector Morales. Now freed from his missionary responsibilities in Matagalpa and Jinotega because of the ordination and installation of their resident pastor, Pastor Immer Montoya, Missionary Hector is able to begin new work in other communities. In July, Missionary Hector and volunteers from the congregations of Matagalpa and Jinotega conducted their first major outreach undertaking visiting in the homes of 500 individuals, listening to the concerns of the people and sharing their story of God’s grace in Jesus Christ. In describing the goal for this major undertaking, Missionary Hector wrote: “We want to know the religious attitudes of the inhabitants of the city of Sebaco so that subsequently we can contact those struggling to live without Jesus and share with them the consolation of our powerful Saviour Jesus.”

Remember Missionary Hector in your prayers as the proclamation of the Gospel continues to expand here and in other places in Central America.

Central America Update PDF