Rev. Dean Christ, Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Chariton, traveled to West Africa the last week of May to teach at the Lutheran Seminary in Dapaong, Togo. He taught a two-week intensive course “La Famille Chretienne,” (The Christian Family). The course was offered to second-year seminarians and their wives from the countries of Togo, Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea (Conakry), Ivory Coast, Congo (Brazzaville), and Congo (Kinshasa). CLET, (The Lutheran Center for Theological Education) is associated with the LC-MS and our sister churches in these countries. Students attend the seminary for three years, after which they return to their home country for their vicarage. The vicarage is task oriented instead of time oriented although the vicars only have four years to complete all the designated objectives. After their vicarage they are ordained in their respective countries.
When he was invited to teach last April,Trinity Lutheran Church in Chariton wanted to help financially with the travel expenses. However, due to financial difficulties, CLET was not sure they would be able to fund the Sem. through the end of the school year and Rev. Christ asked the church to help CLET with their finances instead. As a result, LWML and the youth did fundraisers and raised nearly $500 for CLET. The youth put on an Easter breakfast for the church at which they highlighted the CLET and asked for donations for the Seminary. The LWML added to the youth’s funds by having a plant sale. In addition to this aid the church faithfully prayed for CLET and for Rev. Christ and their outreach efforts.
Pastor Christ lived in French speaking West Africa for most of the time between 1966 and 1983. During that time he served with the Peace Corps, and worked for the United Nations, USAID, and the US Foreign Service. He is looking forward to being invited back next year to teach another intensive course as the students are quite enthusiastic and eager learners. They are truly extraordinary servants of the Word as most evangelists and pastors in these countries are unpaid. They do what they do because of their love for God, His Word, and His people.
