ELCA Missionaries Meet

ELCA MISSIONARIES MEET=20

About 30 missionaries of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America met =
July 20-24 at Texas Lutheran University, Seguin, Texas, for a conference =
on Lutheran missionary efforts in Latin America and the Caribbean.  =
Participants engaged in Bible study, shared information about
international=
 ministry, compared work styles and told stories.  Harold T. Hanson, ELCA =
director for international personnel said, *Together with national =
Lutheran churches we determine what work will be done in that particular =
country.*  Missionaries are scattered throughout Latin America; not very =
many serve in each particular country.  *All missionaries are part of a =
larger community.  We need to alleviate the sense of being isolated, which
=
is why this gathering is so important,* he said.  *Here, missionaries came
=
together for the first time as a family and built community,* said the =
Rev. Rafael Malpica-Padilla, ELCA program director for Latin America and =
the Caribbean.  Missionaries discussed involvment in local politics, =
adopting a modest lifestyle, language, culture and Christian faith and =
practice.  Missionaries *need to accept their identity as foreigners and =
guests in the host country and church,* said Hanson.  ELCA missionaries =
currently serve in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Costa Rica, Jamaica
=
and Puerto Rico. =20

For information contact:=20
Ann Hafften, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS=40ELCA.ORG
http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html