LCMS Witness (Mission) in Palmar Arriba

Missionary Rev. Ted Krey,
LCMS Regional Director of Latin America

Missionary Ted Krey, LCMS Regional Director for Latin America, describes the mission work in Palmar Arriba, Dominican Republic. Pastor Krey is standing outside of Concordia Lutheran School. It currently has about 80 students with the goal of 200 students by the Fall. Ted Krey works with LCMS Missionary Danelle Putnam, Missionary Pastor Walter Ries from Brazil, and Pastor Willie Gaspar who was ordained this past Sunday. Ted also supervises Vicar Adrian Solis. Ted and his Dominican Mission Team are doing great work and combine witness (Gospel proclamation) with mercy (human care) to have life together in the church.

Kissayris, Principal of Concordia Lutheran School

Concordia Lutheran School, Palmar Arriba

Children in Palmar Arriba

Baseball Stadium in Palmar Arriba

Dr. Jack Preus and Rev. Danial Preus
Tour Concordia Lutheran School

Ordination at Amigos de Cristo in Dominican Republic

Rev. Daniel Preus, 4th Vice-President of LCMS, Ted Krey, and Walter Ries
Laying hands on Willy de la Rosa Gaspar

Yesterday on 13 March 2011, we participated in the ordination of Willy de la Rosa Gaspar, the first Lutheran pastor ordained in the Dominican Republic. The service was held at "Amigos de Cristo" (Friends of Christ) Evangelical Lutheran Church, where Pastor Gaspar was called. 

Rev. Sergio Fritzler, Argentina

Pastor Sergio Fritzler, President of the Lutheran Seminary in Argentina, preached on Matthew 20:18-20. At the very end of the sermon, a partnership agreement between the LCMS and our sister church in Argentina was signed for joint theological education and mission work in the Dominican Republic.

Part of the Ordination Rite

Willy Gaspar in the ordination rite, pledged himself to the canonicity of the Old and New Testaments. He confessed the ecumenical creeds and pledged himself to the Book of Concord.

At Willy Gaspar's ordination, the congregation sang, "Sostennos Firmes," Lord Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word.

Twenty-one clergy present for Willy Gaspar's Ordination

A number of people were present at this joyous celebration, I am afraid I would fail at listing all of the names but Mario Lehenbauer from Brazil, John Willie, DP South Wisconsin District, Jack Preus, Daniel Preus, Carlos Hernandez, Timothy Quill, Albert Collver, David Birner, and others...

Al Collver and David Birner

David Birner who is the Interim-Executive Director of World Mission attended Willy Gaspar's ordination. Dave was here visiting Ted Krey, Regional Director for the LCMS in Latin America.

Dominican Republic Efforts

Since Friday I have been in the Dominican Republic for an update on the LCMS' mission effort here and partnership with the South Wisconsin District and Bethesda. We are here for the 5th anniversary of the Dominican Republic Lutheran Mission, the LCMS mission effort here. The earthquake in Japan seems far removed from here but is upon everyone's mind.




Rev. Ted Krey, LCMS Regional Director for Latin America, explaining the work in the Dominican Republic.




Some of the people around the table.




The view from the beach.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Calle Duarte,Boca Chica,Dominican Republic

Streets of Santiago -- Reflections Rev. Carlos Hernandez

Although we are back in the United States now, with teams preparing to leave for Haiti again, we still have some reflections from our time in the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Rev. Carlos Hernandez wrote the piece below while still in the Dominican Republic. Enjoy.

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REFLECTIONS by Rev. Carlos Hernandez, Director, Districts and Congregations, LCMS World Relief and Human Care

"The renewing, restoring Gospel for EQ victims, Caregivers, the Team and on the streets of Santiago!"

Santiago, Dominican Republic, January 24, 2010 - Our Assessment/Pastoral care team reunited at early evening at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Jimani and arrived here in two passemger vans late last night from the Haitian/Dominican border after a grueling seven hour trek by our drivers, Pastors Ryes and Krey.

The intensity of the work of the last several days - the Pastoral care work of the team that stayed behind with Haitian Earthquake victims, who on one day were jumping off the second story floor of Hospital wards after two Earthquake tremors and, the the on-site assessment of the team that went deep into Haiti seeing "things no human beings should ever have to see" (words of Rev. Glenn Merritt) has extracted an emotional, spiritual and physical toll on our team.

However, our constant source of renewing strength has been our steady and clear focus on the Gospel, proclaimed in our daily devotions by team pastors, and in private confidential Pastoral care conversations by which the Holy restores and renews both proclaimer and hearer.

What powerful words Luther writes in explaining the Third Article: "I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to him, but that the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlighten me with his gifts, sanctified and kept me in the one true faith..." (Luther's Small Catechism, explanation, Third Article).

So in all of our de-briefings in these trying and exhausting days of Haitian Earthquake
Assessment, and of providing access to Pastoral care to earthquake victims and caregivers, the Gospel is front and center!

Even as we fanned out this morning after breakfast to relax and see a bit of historic, downtown Santiago, the sweet, renewing and restoring words of the Gospel were on our lips and in our hearts as a young "shoe shine" boy (They are everywhere!) - Jesus Imael Fante - noticed our clerical collars and asked,

"Son Padres?" (Are you Priests?)

This open a converation in which the Spirit moves me to ask,

"Creyes en Jesucristo?" (Do you believe in Jesus?) After sharing my faith with him - the forgiveness, life and salvation Jesus won for us through his suffering, death and resurrection, he asked me to bless him.

"Bendigame!" (Bless me!)

I placed my hand on his head and said, "En el nombre del Padre y del Hijo y del Espiritu Santo, Amen." (In the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen) He crossed himself and went his way to continue his work.

And both Gospel proclaimer and hearer were renewed, restored and strengthen!

Pastor Hernandez may be reached by cell phone (314-956-2005) or by email, even while in the Dominican Republic)

Juan Pablo Duarte Birthday Parade Dominican Republic

This morning, while sitting by the road and drinking coffee, a parade came marching down the street. I asked the clerk at the desk the reason for the parade, and she told me that it was for Juan Pablo Duarte. Duarte is considered the architect of the Dominican Republic's independence from Haiti in 1844. You can read more about him in English translation here via Google Translate, or here in Spanish. In the meantime, enjoy the parade!

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