Missionary Bruce Naumann and Paula: 2024, "The Year of the Lord's Favor" in East Africa

Greetings from Moi's Bridge, Kenya,

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.” Luke 4:18-19

We have entered another "year of the Lord's favor" here in East Africa. Wherever Jesus is blessing His people with the truth of His Word, especially the Gospel of His forgiving grace, we are blessed beyond measure. This remains true despite any material lack we may face, or crosses we may be called upon to bear. It has been a very active and productive few weeks since my return to Tanzania! A few highlights:

January 8 - I arrived back in Arusha.
January 15 - First day of the new school year at Wittenberg Seminary. We have 6 students in the 3-year seminary program and 3 new students in the first-year evangelism program.
January 23-25 - TCLC pastoral conference in Moshi, about 60 miles east of Arusha. We had 35 in attendance (including a few pastors' wives and laymen). Studies included Pastoral Responsibilities by Robert Loskira, Questions and Bible Answers about Baptizing Children by Bruce Naumann (view/download HERE), and a Scriptural Study of the Lord's Supper by Pastor Paul Nolting (view/download HERE). We also had regular devotions, brief reports from the attending pastors, and a closing Communion service. This was a rare and very beneficial occasion for this small, conservative Lutheran fellowship, for which we thank God!
Pastor Paul Nolting arrived on Wednesday the 24th to come to the conference, and is teaching at Wittenberg Seminary while I am traveling with Mission Board Chairman Joel Krafft to visit our churches in Kenya and Uganda.
January 26 to February 5 - the visitation to the CLC-Kenya and to our Ugandan contacts had been planned for four of us. However, Ted Quade has a very painful knee condition and Pastor Jeremia of Arusha is recovering from an illness, so it's Joel Krafft and I on this trip. We arrived today in Moi's Bridge and will visit here tomorrow and Monday. Then it's on to Uganda, then back to Kisii in Kenya, and finally home. I hope to send a summary and some photos once we've seen all our fellow Christians here.

Some photos follow; click to enlarge. Your support and prayers are appreciated, for the growth of God's kingdom here in East Africa, and for faithfulness to all the teachings of Scripture in our fellowship here!