After being stateside for 8 weeks and 2 days…

My furlough has ended! From mid May to July 14th I was back on US soil taking a much needed break to reconnect with

family and friends, as well as raise support for my ministry in Zacapa by visiting congregations across the east coast. Mondays through Fridays I would spend the time either driving or with family, and Saturdays and Sundays were spent at the church. In those 8 weeks I logged a few miles as I drove from Miami to Detroit to New Hampshire and back to Miami. I was able to visit six loving congregations where I helped out with the music and was given a moment to share a little about me and how I serve as a missionary. I am truly grateful for each church I visited as I met so many caring people and made many new friends! I pray you all are doing well, and that through my newsletters we can stay connected until my next in-person visit!

         The six churches I visited were: Miramar Lutheran in Miramar FL, Guardian Lutheran in Dearborn MI, Shadow of the Cross in Farmington Hills MI, St. James Lutheran in Southbury CT, Trinity Lutheran in Keen NH, and Shepherd of the Coast Lutheran in Ft. Lauderdale FL.

I arrived back to my home in Zacapa around 530pm July 14th, and after a few days of settling back in (and writing this newsletter) I am eager to get back to teaching music. During those 8 Sundays away my students led the music on their own, and I have only heard positive remarks about how they did! We can celebrate and thank God that my students were able to survive 8 weeks without me, and the church in Zacapa is well on there way to having church musicians of their own! My plans for now are to keep teaching music and hopefully within a year see where we are at and what else God has instore for me.

Click here to read the latest newsletter from Ben!

Brinks’ final Chile mission newsletter

From Global Lutheran Outreach missionaries Paul and Barbara Brink (they served in Santiago, Chile)

We are now at home in Las Vegas.  Due to the COVID lockdown in Chile, our original flights to the U.S. were canceled and we had to rebook with another airline.  The Lord worked out all the details, including arrangements to receive our COVID tests when the timing was very problematic.  Thank the Lord, we arrived home safely on June 30.

We are thankful for your support during our time in Chile.  We know that prayer makes a difference and we are glad to have partnered with you in helping with God’s mission there.

During the last month, Bo’s responsibilities didn’t slow down. He finished teaching the Christian Doctrine course to 13 students enrolled in the Bible Institute of the national church. In the course we call “Towards a New Life,” five friends of the congregation remained faithful and will complete the course with Pastor Jim. In the last week in Chile, Bo led a Zoom funeral for a Lutheran Christian in Venezuela and planned the worship services for the three Sundays between our departure and the arrival of the Tinos.

Barb finished presenting the “Teaching the Bible to Children” course on June 21. She also helped one of the ladies of the congregation prepare for teaching Sunday School through the month of July.

By mid-June the government again tightened the COVID-related restrictions. This made it necessary to livestream one Sunday worship service from our house. We were thankful for the tech assistance of Genesis and Elianeth.

 We came to love and admire the members and friends of the little congregation in Santiago.  We have remained in contact with them. They are doing well and looking forward to the return of Pastor Jim and Liisa, who will arrive on July 16.

 

 

To read more of Bo and Barbara's work in Chile, click here!