"From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work." (Ephesians 4:16)
The African culture embraces the spirit of ubuntu. A Bantu word that means a person is a person through other people; also a oneness, community, caring, love, and unity. In the olden days and even today, when a traveler goes through a village, the villagers will offer food, water, and a place to rest. That is one meaning of "ubuntu." The unity of the church is given by God. Christ joins his people together into one body, even his own body. This body of Christ is given a multitude of gifts to be shared. We are united in Christ through faith. Through this unity, we think of each other, speaking the truth in love and recognizing the great diversity within the Body of Christ. The apostles set this example in Acts 4:32, where all those who believed and were of one heart had everything in common. As the LCMS missionaries serve alongside Lutheran church bodies in Africa to share the Gospel, Plant Lutheran churches and Show mercy, may we live, work, and grow together in Him and help build each other up in the unity of the faith.
updates from the field
JOY IN TOGETHERNESS…
Relationships are an important part of African culture. The culture values a community mindset, a spirit, and a life of togetherness rather than an individual one. Therefore, building and nurturing relationships are essential to missionary life on the African continent. A solid relationship is key, whether it is with the security guard on your compound, the local pastor at the church you attend, or the people you meet in different villages.
LUTHERANS ENGAGE...
April and May were full of opportunities to build and nurture relationships. My colleague John Wolf and I were blessed to visit with several bishops and church leaders from Lutheran churches in Tanzania, South Sudan, Uganda, and the Republic of Congo. We don't always travel to see them in their home countries, but when they come to Kenya, we get to take tea together, share a meal and talk about ways we can walk together to share the Gospel. It was a joy to hear about the work in these countries, especially how the church is growing and the need to train more pastors. We thank the Lord for walking with us as we share the Good News of Christ.
In May, I traveled to West Africa, to the country of Sierra Leone. I was one of the team members of the first post-COVID mercy medical team (MMT). I also had the blessing of meeting the leaders of the Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sierra Leone and learning more about the church. Sierra Leone is a small country with a population of around eight million people. They have survived a civil war and an outbreak of Ebola. The people are friendly and warm, and they are resilient. The MMT went well, even though it is always a busy time. The local medical providers, leaders from the church, and team members from the USA served on previous MMTs, which helped the clinic to flow as smoothly as possible. The days were filled with beautiful reminders of God's love, mercy, and compassion.
PARTNERSHIPS IN THE GOSPEL...
In June, I traveled to Ethiopia to celebrate with our partners in the Gospel from the Ethiopia Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (EECMY) their seminary graduation and the dedication of the new library and mixed-use building. It was a joyous occasion as co-workers in Christ from Lutheran Bible Translators, Concordia Seminary St. Louis, Concordia Theological Seminary Fort Wayne, Lutheran Hour Ministries, and many more were part of the festivities. It was amazing to see the encouragement and support that was expressed during the events.
In addition to my travels, I hosted a team from Living Faith Lutheran Church in Clive, Iowa, along with my colleague Britt Odemba. Living Faith has been a long-serving partner in the Gospel, sending teams to Kenya for about eight years. We were joined by a team from the ELCK and Nuru media ministries to focus on door-to-door evangelism and Bible studies to plant a new congregation in the future. It was beautiful to engage with God's people to share the Good News, speak words of encouragement and pray together. I am thankful to be part of the body of Christ. "Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity." Psalms 133:1
Thank you for being part of this journey with us as we serve the Lord in Africa.
or you can send gifts to: The lutheran church--missouri synod P.o. Box 66861 st. louis, MO 63166-6861
OR
Or you can send gifts to: Mission Central 40718 Highway E-16 Mapleton, IA 51034; give online at https://missioncentral.us/missions/all-missionaries/ then click on Shara & Michael Osiro; Or text the keyword LCMSOSIRO to the number 41-444
prayers & praise
- Pray for God's strength and guidance as Michael and I serve in Africa.
- Pray for the Alliance & LCMS missionaries serving through LCMS International Mission.
- Pray for the Lutheran churches we serve alongside in Africa.
- Praise God for the ministry & mission of Living Faith Lutheran Church.
- Praise God for all of YOU and the love & support that you give to me and Michael.
Contact Information: P. O. Box 22, Karen, 00502 - Kenya / Email: shara.osiro@lcms.org
