Fill… Spill… Thrill…

Pastor Martin Russell
Assistant to the Bishop
Nebraska Synod, ELCA

The church does not have a mission - the mission of God has a church! God is in charge of God’s mission to the world.

We do mission. Mission is the very identity of every Christian and every church. As Bishop deFreese likes to remind us, congregations should be ‘centers for mission’ both in local communities and worldwide. The world yearns for the life-giving message of Jesus. You, your congregation and all of us together as the Nebraska Synod are called to be Jesus’ partner in proclaiming the Gospel through word and deed. Our mission statement as a Nebraska Synod, “Together, we live love with the grace and courage of Jesus” unfolds this understanding.

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In mid-January, six Midland Lutheran College nursing students “invaded” Machame Lutheran Hospital for a week, experiencing healthcare in a resource poor environment.

They assisted at deliveries, started IVs, scrubbed for surgery, did compound wound cleanings, assisted in the HIV-AIDS treatment clinic and more. They also had a blood pressure clinic at Nkwarungo Lutheran Parish where more than 40 individuals with high blood pressure were referred for care. Machame Lutheran Hospital is one of three hospitals run by our companion synod, the Northern Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania.

Visits to local rural markets, schools and an orphanage were part of their introduction to Tanzanian life. The students were surprised at how welcoming the Africans were, strangers or friends. They appreciated being able to build one-on-one relationships with their sister Tanzanian nurses and especially enjoyed being hosted for dinners in their homes.

The students came as part of their interterm international experience.

“It was cool to learn nursing in a different environment where they don’t have the resources. You have to prioritize differently. But they also do less documenting and have more time with their patients,” said Megan Black of Elkhorn.

“This has changed my whole perspective on healthcare and how much we take for granted…like even having enough gloves and gauze and not wasting anything,“ shared Sara Crane of Omaha.

“Being in Tanzania is an eye opener about everything. I will never look at life the same, even little things like drinking tap water or toilet paper,” Brianna Hemminger of Lincoln.

“The Tanzanians have taught us something about the spiritual element of care and the importance of faith in healing,” said Professor Anne Larson.

The students expressed their thanks to Machame Lutheran Hospital for allowing them to come and to Bob Kasworm of Alegent Health for his help with arrangements. They also were appreciative of the support they received from people at home.

This was the second visit by Midland Lutheran nursing students, the first having taken place in 2008.

David Wunsch and Kate Lawler serve as missionaries for the ELCA in Argentina.

Dear Friends:

A couple of days ago our family boarded a plane from Boston to Buenos Aires and our two and half month home assignment came to an end. As we now reflect on what this time back in the United States has meant to us, the image of the medieval pilgrimage comes to mind. Medieval pilgrims usually set out toward a specific destination in light of a particular event. They traveled to be eyewitnesses of sacred events and places. They went seeking first-hand knowledge and experiences of a particular way God can “break into” human lives and transform us for God’s own purposes. In our case the destination has been into the heart and hearths of your congregations and homes. The event has been the celebration of our shared faith in Christ and our connection through global mission.

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