The DR in a Cacao Pod

What better time to put up an overdue post than while breakfast is in the oven?! 

You thought we were done with ones where all the pictures are of my computer screen though, didn't you? Au contraire. The short-term unit had a few COVID-driven ideas that have outlived the pandemic, one of which is Virtual Mission Education. It's the DR* in a cacao pod (the tropical version of a nutshell!): 10.5 hours of evening and weekend Zoom-based content to mirror the on-field experience as closely as possible. In the past it's been open to individuals from disparate congregations; the session earlier this month was customized for Trinity Lutheran Church in Garden City, KS, a congregation that sent an in-person short-term team in September 2022 and returned home on fire to share God's mission in this place with a wider circle. 

The pastor's wife handled publicity such that a group assembled in a meeting room at church each day to listen in - anywhere from a handful to several dozen when the timing coincided with regular congregational gatherings; 2,213 miles away, I emceed from my couch or kitchen table as we were joined by a parade of different speakers:

Regional Director Rev. Ted Krey defined what Lutheran mission is and is not, then gave a pop quiz to see if they'd been paying attention. 

The pastor's wife commented that Deac. Clarion Fritsche's outline of diaconal formation and ministry was the best she'd ever heard. My favorite moment, perhaps from the entire event, was a question about the youngest deaconess Clarion knew from a 4 yr. old girl.

We began each day with a devotion led by a different missionary or national pastor. Rev. Idjon Fritz (bottom right) led Thursday's. 

I feel like I'm forever rushing Deac. Danelle Putnam through her phenomenal talk on mercy + church planting because she has SO many good things to say. 

In the kitchen with Rafael, Jamielynn, and Tirzah!

The first devotion I didn't have to interpret into English was Friday's, led by regional chaplain Rev. Dr. Jonathan Naumann (left, 2nd from top). 

Despite being midway through about 2 mos. of solid travel, Rev. Joel Fritsche shared an overview of the seminary, which was followed by a virtual walkthrough and a presentation by one of the 4th year students on his evangelism project. 

I'm not musical in the least, but I loved Rev. Lucas Elberhardt's (bottom left) Saturday morning devotion on Psalm 150, which dovetailed nicely with Rev. Sergio Fritzler's (bottom right) intro to Himnario Luterano. 

Saturday afternoon was a mixed bag. First, I borrowed the intro-to-family-life idea from November 2020 and joined the Kreys for a peek into school, making music together, and the biggest yard in Cerro Alto. New in 2023 were Deac. Cheryl Naumann explaining the VDMA project, now in its 9th year, and Jana Inglehart peeling back the curtain on all things LAC Communications. 

Nothing replaces COMING and SEEING, but there is a time and a place to rejoice in God's good gift of technology. Trinity is a poster child for something that's an ever-present goal of mine when I host volunteers: seeking out ways to remain connected to the field even after returning home. I look forward to how God will use them as His instruments both at home and abroad in the months and years to come. 

Until next time, blessings in Christ!

*Currently also offered in Peru.