Monday 8 August 2011

MOZAMBIQUE 2011




What's new?
The flight:

Last year I came from Nairobi, Kenya, to Johannesburg, South Africa, a 4-hour flight. I needed to sleep one night in South Africa to go to Mozambique the day after. This year I came from Cape Town to Johannesburg, a less than 2-hour flight; and the connection to Beira, Mozambique was on the same morning. - My wife Lídia came with me as far as Johannesburg, and from there she went to Porto Alegre, Brazil, to see our children and Henrique, our grandson. Henrique will turn 3 years old in August, and last time we saw him was in April 2010. So, Lídia is not alone in Cape Town while I'm far, and is enjoying her time with the children in Brazil.
What's new?
In Beira:

I arrived in Beira around 1:30 pm on Monday 25 July.
A driver from the Project Kuwangisana met me at the airport of Beira and took me to the Hotel. We were to drive 8 hours the next day to Sena.
- While in the hotel, Pastor Davis Wowa, from Malawi, came to meet me. He travelled more than 1.800 km by bus (about 1 200 miles) from the north of Malawi to meet me. We had been in touch by e-mail. Dr. Mike Rodewald, LCMS World Mission Regional Director, had introduced me to Pastor Wowa. Pastor Wowa is the President of a new Confessional Lutheran Church in Malawi, a country that borders Mozambique. We spent the afternoon with a good conversation, getting to know each other more and sharing plans for the church in Malawi and the church in Mozambique.
What's new?
The trip:

On Tuesday, around 11 am, we began our trip to Sena. Before this, Pastor Wowa saw the Indian Ocean for the first time and tasted the water! And he came with me to meet Pastor Alfazema in Sena.
We stopped several time to buy bananas, cabbage, onion, coke and others.
It was already getting dark, a little before 6 pm, we had a puncture. Thanks God the driver changed the wheel soon, with the help of two assistants who were traveling with us.
We arrived safely in Sena at 7:00 pm. The last 1 hour was on dirt road.
What's new?
Hosting:
Pastor Alfazema was waiting for us and I was hosted in a new guest house he built close to his house and to the Project Kuwangisana. (see the first picture of this Blog).


It is in the middle of the village. The setting of most of the villages in this area is similar to this one.







What's new?

The students:

From the 8 original students, one, Jordão, was substituted by Paulo
The other 7 were faithfully there for the classes.
They were all accommodated in a small hostel, and the classes were there as well. We had classes from 8:30 am to 1:00 pm, break for lunch; and the afternoon session went from 2:00 pm to 4:30 pm. The course was about the Christian Doctrines, using Koehler's Summary, in Portuguese. Not all the students speak Portuguese so well, and we went advanced very slowly with the material, so that all could understand it.

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A member of St. Thomas congregation donated special T-shirts, embroider with the Luther Rose. Other shirts were also donated by other members and given to the students. - Thank you!







What's new?

The food:

I prepared my breakfast every morning: coffee, bread and bananas. Pastor Alfazema gave me some very good papayas as well, freshly harvested from the tree. The students had their breakfast in the hostel.






For lunch we had chima (Ugali= white corn flower cooked in water, like a polenta), rice, beans, chicken, goat, beef.... not all on the same day, of course, but every day something. When I saw cassava (mandioca) planted behind the hostel, I asked the cook to prepare some. Cassava is very popular in Brazil and I like it. I couldn't find cassava in Cape Town.



One night pastor Alfazema invited Pastor Wowa and me for dinner to his house. He prepared a special dish: dried fish, pigeons and hippopotamus intestines, with chima and rice.



What's new?

Sunday:

I preached in three churches on Sunday, 31 July.

The first one was in Kapasseni, the very first place were Pastor Alfazema began the work. It was a 1 hour drive from Sena. Pastor Alfazema was born in Kapasseni and he came back from Canada to see his mother, having been away as a refugee for many years.






The chief of Kapasseni asked him to build a school there. And this is how the mission began in this part of Africa in 2006.


Rui, one of the students, led the service. - I received a hen as a gift after the service. (The hen was already inside the room during the service. It was our dinner on Tuesday)




The second service was in Morrema were another student, Ernesto, led the service.






I got another chicken after the service!
The third was in the afternoon, in Mpango,
were Marcelino, a church leader, led the liturgy. The new student, Paulo, is from this congregation. Marcelino was severely injured during the civil war in Mozambique, and due to the injury his right arm was amputated a few months ago.

In all the services, people sang a lot, in their own way to sing with a drum and other typical instruments.
What's new?
Pastor Alfazema (on the right, behind)

Because of health issues, pastor Alfazema is moving back to Canada at the end of this month. His 3 children are living there. His wife, Mrs. Perpétua, is Director of the Project Kuwangisana in Sena. She is planning to come back for some months every year. The Mission Board of the Project in Canada is studying the possibility to send Pastor Alfazema for a few months back to Sena as well. Please, pray for this new mission.
The 8 students are already in charge of 6 congregations. They are not ordained, but they are accepted by their people to lead the services. Pastor Alfazema has trained them to do so, and the TEE course is giving them more knowledge and training to be faithful to the Gospel as they are ministering to their people. Maybe they will be ordained when they finish the TEE course. This is their dream.
What's new?
The Project:

The Kapasseni Project has already been handed over to the Government. It's doing well with the school and the hospital.
The Kuwangisana Project in Sena has partnership with the International Medical Team, of the USA,
and receive food from the World Food Program. 
It has more than 60 employees, most of them called “activists”, this means: they go to the houses of the people infected by HIV/AIDS to give them orientation, medicament, food and counseling. Around 300 people are reached by the Program, in Sena, Kapasseni and Chemba.

The Project also manages a school, that has new facilities in a big plot donated by the government. They have just built a Library and are asking for books in Portuguese for the children.
On the last day in Sena, I planted a tree in this new property.
A new nursery school was dedicated on my last day in Sena, after we had finished the TEE course. It is on the same property as St. Paul Church in Sena. The chief of the village and other authorities were there.
People sang, danced, presented a drama about the challenges of the orphans, and demonstrated some skills of the children. After all, a lunch was served to all the people who attended the dedication.
What's new?
The church:

The church has Jesus' promise: “For where two or three como together in my name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18:20). The Christians are optimistic about the future of the church. Sorry that many are moving from the rural area to the cities, looking for a job and better opportunity. The church suffers from this.
Pastor Wowa had good discussions with Pastor Alfazema. Both are working with people who understand a common language: Shichewa. Many of the Mozambique people used to be refugees in Malawi during the civil war and had learned that language while there.

The students loved to talk with Pastor Wowa! - Maybe the two churches will join efforts in the future. We lay everything in God's hands and are praying for a good solution for the mission.

What's new?
TEE:

Every year someone is supposed to come to Sena to lead the TEE program. Maybe a Professor from the Brazilian Seminar will come next year, and I will go to Angola.
PRAYERS AND THANK YOU:

Thanks to the churches, brothers, and sisters, who are giving support to the TEE program. Four partners are involved: Kapasseni Project, Canada; LCMS World Mission, USA; Seminário Concórdia and Igreja Evangélica Luterana do Brasil; and St. Thomas Congregation, Cape Town, South Africa. It would be impossible to have this program without your support. THANK YOU! - Donations can be sent to:
 LCMS World Mission
Missionary Support
PO Box 790089
St. Louis, MO 63179-0089
(Designate: Winterle 60606
Pray for the program, for the church in Mozambique, for the Social Projects, for the people, for the pastors. God bless you all!
Pastor Carlos Walter Winterle
www.st.thomas-org.za

Monday 7 March 2011

Transition from Kenya to Cape Town

A – MY INSTALLATION at ST. THOMAS CONGREGATION, CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA 

The Installation Service at St. Thomas Congrgation was performed by Bishop Dieter Reinstorf on 23rd January assisted by the Councilors: Quinton Aubrey, Shawn Johnston, Marja Wybrow and Guenther Meier.

The call and other documents were signed after the Installation service: Bishop Dieter Reinstorf,

Pastor Carlos Walter Winterle,

And the Councillors: Mr. Guenther Meier,

Mrs. Quinton Aubrey

Mrs. Marya Wybrow, and

Mr. Shawn Johnston.

Some official pictures were taken by Lídia.

Bishop Dieter, Lídia and Pastor Walter.

In the evening, Bishop Dieter took us to see Bloubergstrand, one of the beautiful beaches of Cape Town, with the Table Mountain in the back.


We stayed there to see the sunset: gorgeous! - And here we are! Please, contact us, pray for us, visit us. Welcome! Visit our Website: www.st-thomas.org.za
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B - ARRIVING IN CAPE TOWN

We arrived in Cape Town on 6th January afternoon, after a four and half-hour flight from Nairobi to Johannesburg + a two-hour flight from Johannesburg to Cape Town. People of St. Thomas Congregation were there to welcome us and to pick us up: Wesley, Quinton, Mandy and Gunther. Our son Léo and Carol came with us to Cape Town and stayed with us until 16th January, helping us with the moving a lot!

We were taken directly from the airport to see St. Thomas Church...

… and to see the parsonage, our home for the next five years, God willing.

Gunther and Lydia Meier hosted us and our children in their house for the first 12 days. The parsonage was painted during that time, we were introduced to the city by some friends, and we began to buy some furniture and other stuff for the house. – Gunther lent us a car and Léo and Carol gave us a GPS.

 Quinton sent the following welcome letter to St. Thomas members:

Hi St Thomas congregation, (Thursday, 06 January 2011)


The Winterles are here! 


They arrived on schedule today.  Gunther, Wesley, Mandy and myself were there at the airport to greet Pastor Walter, his wife Lydia,  son and daughter in law at Cape Town International.  They enjoyed their trip here, and are very happy to be with us.  Their journey started at 03h00 this morning.  After a  brief showing of the parsonage and St Thomas, they were left in the care of Gunther and Lydia, who are graciously accommodating them, while we prepare their home.


Tomorrow we are all geared up to collect their luggage at SAA Cargo and hopefully set them up at the Parsonage as soon as possible. - A special thanks to Wesley and Jackie.


(Friday, 07 January 2011) - After a good night's rest we set off early this morning.  We managed to secure the Winterle's luggage safely to the parsonage and proceeded with sightseeing and shopping.  The Winterles are quite captivated by Cape Town.


While we were showing them around town, Gunther was kept busy with the tedious task of arranging all the paperwork and red tape that comes with the welcoming of a new Pastor.  We thank him for his effort.


Please be reminded that Pastor Walter is currently residing with Gunther and Lydia.  He can be contacted through Gunther or via his newly activated cell:  0726333997.


Pastor Walter and his family will be introduced to our congregation this coming Sunday 9 January 2011.   We hope that our congregation members who are back from holiday will come to greet them. 


With kind regards, "LOVED BY GOD.  LOVING OTHERS" , Quinton & Mandy

Besides the first services (on 9th and 16th January), (see the Table Mountain behind the church) and the organization of our house and of our luggage, we found time to visit some tourist attractions in Cape Town with our children.

On our Wedding Anniversary (13th January) we climbed the Table Mountain. It was a perfect day to go there: clear, without wind! We took the coach...

...that took us up to the top of the Table.

This is now our new flag: The colorful and beautiful flag of South Africa!

We could see the city all around...

… and the new soccer stadium built for the World Cup 2010 as well.

We were walking around for more than two hours.

Many indigenous flowers were blooming...

… a snake was on our way...

… and a lizard was relaxing on the stone...



                                       
We could see also the mountain next to Table Mountain. When we came down, the Table became cloudy and we couldn’t see it anymore.

Another day we went to Cape Point. On the way we visited the Vasco da Gama Pillar.

The Portuguese brought the Christian faith to South Africa before 1500.

And they found the way to India through the Cape of Good Hope.

It's really windy at the Cape of Good Hope, but an unforgettable experience!

Léo and Carol enjoyed to visit the Cape Point.

The sign points to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Lídia was born in that city!

We thank God for this opportunity to see another nice part of the world!
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C – BEFORE WE LEFT KENYA

Two Confirmation Classes finished their courses at Uhuru Highway Lutheran Church and were ready to confirm publicly the Christian faith before the congregation: One Adult Class and one Teenagers Class. They were prepared by Deaconeses Mary Khainga and Khatleen Lutz, and by Vicar Jeff Ross, with the assistance of Pastor Carlos. They came together for a last review on 18th December 2010.

The Confirmation was performed on the Sunday before Christmas, 19th December. 15 were confirmed in the English service and three were baptized: two children and one adult.

After the regular questions & answers and the confession of faith, little Nathan Dickens Omala was baptized.

After this Ina Len Juma was baptized.

And then Dennice Murimi Khadeji was baptized.

One by one the confirmands received the blessing given by P. Carlos, assisted by P. Omodhi, Vicar Jeff, Deac. Mary and Deac. Khatleen.

The confirmands are: Eunice Akinyi, Gunnel Akinyi, Emmah Awudr, Jackline Akinti, Edwina Gowi, Edna Kisivuri, Rosebella Komen, Kim Miguel, Meghan Muthoni, Dennice Murimi Khadeji, Gertrude Atisah Mulima, Billy Omondi, Divinah K. Ondimu, Cornel Otiemo, Emmanuel Ratemo. (+10 people from the same classes were confirmed and/or baptized in the Swahili Service:Dorine Amisi. Daaniel Ndelilio, Beatrice Nyaranga, Joseph Saigura, Lexon Omambia, Jonathan Nyang'au Ondieki, Gift Mmbando, Xavier Nshimiyimana, Angel Moraa, and Sebastian Mzei.)

The freshly confirmed were the first to receive the Lord's Supper. We pray that God will strengthen their faith and that they will remain faithful until the end.
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Our son Léo and his wife Carol arrived from Germany on Christmas Eve. This was our special Christmas gift!



Rev. Claude preached on Christmas Eve, and Bishop Obare celebrated the service and preached on Christmas Day.

Some friends came to our home on Christmas Day for a farewell lunch. A Maassai Folk- dance Group came to sing and to dance in our garden. The leader of the group, Daniel, is a Lutheran brother and a good friend of mine. - This was a very special farewell for us!


We left Kenya on 6th January 2011. We thank God for these four years and three months of blessings!
It was a very special time for me and my wife, and for our ministry. We miss our good friends in Nairobi, the Uhuru Highway Lutheran Cathedral, and everything more. Greetings and blessings to all!- But we are sure that God placed a new and good challenge in front of us as he called us to serve Him and His people in Cape Town! To Him be the Glory!