Catechists in Madagascar review their new copies of the Malagasy language version of GOOD NEWS.
In Kenya, Pastor Koch confers with Bishop Bwanangela of the Lutheran Church in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Using a map they discussed shipping routes for mailing the Swahili version of GOOD NEWS._____________________
In June Pastor Ronnie Koch of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Fredericksburg traveled to Madagascar, Kenya and Ethiopia. With the assistance of translators, he was able to preach at a congregation in Madagascar on Pentecost Sunday and a mission church in Ethiopia on Trinity Sunday.
On his two week tour, Pastor Koch represented GOOD NEWS, a journal of Biblical essays, devotions and Bible Studies. GOOD NEWS is translated into 18 languages and distributed world wide. Koch checked on the distribution and use of the magazine, meeting with several of the translators and distributors. He also taught at pastors and teachers conferences and met with leaders of several Lutheran church bodies.
Christianity is nothing new in this part of the world. There are over 5 million Lutherans in Madagascar; there have been Christians in Ethiopia since Acts 8:39. Yet, as in many parts of the world, the Christians and Christian churches in these East African countries struggle. Poverty, war, and Islamic terrorists work against the church and its gospel. We Christians in the U.S., by contrast, often take the resources we have for granted. We can serve our brothers and sisters around the world by sharing our resources -- most especially, the Word of God. The Christians in East Africa that Pastor Koch met, crave sound Biblical doctrine. They are very appreciative of Biblical teaching and teaching resources, like those they find in GOOD NEWS.
A participant at one of the conferences, Rev. Molla Gojam, of the Ethiopian Evangelical Church-- Mekane Yesus, said about Pastor Koch and GOOD NEWS, “Our church needs such kind of partners who stick on the teaching of the Word of God.”
Pastor Koch's trip was made possible by generous support from Peace Lutheran Church, Shell Rock; Good Shepherd, West Union; St. Peter, Westgate; and various individuals in the Westgate Circuit. He will present more about his trip at a Mission Festival at Peace, Shell Rock on the afternoon of September 17. For more information you can call him at 563-237-5759.
