tled. But last year the IELB placed a missionary in

English language school in Taiwan in 2001. She

the one northern state where there had been none.

says she believes she  made a difference  in their

 Now we have congregations in all 27 units of

lives and knows that  they've touched my life. 

the Federation [of Brazil],  said Dr. Carlos Walter

Jackson said volunteer service is ideal for those

Winterle, president of the church body.

who are  flexible, who can adapt to anything  and

In 2000, the IELB achieved complete financial

who are  willing to try new things. 

independence.

 You have to go with an open heart, letting

 Brazil is a large country with many opportu 

God use you in the way that He wants to,  Jackson

nities,  Winterle said.  It's not easy for us to walk

said.

on our own legs financially. 

Kurt Buchholz, counselor for long term vol 

He said that the church's seminaries have

unteer missionaries and specialized ministries with

graduated about 50 new pastors a year more than

LCMS World Mission, said,  Most people have

the IELB can place in Brazil. So, six Brazilian pas 

something to offer as a missionary.  Opportunities,

tors serve in LCMS congregations in the United

he added, are available in a number of countries,

States, five pastors are working in Europe, and sev 

various assignments and terms ranging from two

eral others in Canada, Paraguay, Argentina and

weeks to one or more years.

Uruguay, Winterle indicated.

Positions recently available included a child 

A number of Missouri Synod congregations

care worker in Ghana, nurses and physicians in

and mission agencies have banded with the IELB

Kazakhstan, house parents for an orphanage in

for more effective outreach in Brazil. Last year in

Brazil, construction workers in Panama and

St. Louis, 30 representatives of a dozen such groups

English as a second language teachers in Japan.

met in St. Louis as the Brazil Summit.

A list of missionary service opportunities can

 We in the IELB thank God for The

be found at www.lcmsworldmission.org/service. For

Lutheran Church Missouri Synod,  said Winterle,

information contact Nancy Reiter at (800) 433 

 from the work started in the early 1900s to the

3954, Ext. 1739 (mission.recruitment@lcms.org).

partnerships that we have now and will continue to

have in the future. 

Hispanic ministries grow in the U.S.

In 2000, the U.S. Census counted 35.3

M I S S I O N   FA C T

million Hispanics in the United States 

almost four times more than 30 years ago.

The Missouri Synod sent its first foreign missionary to India in

And it found them all over the country,

1895. LCMS World Mission today is considering the possibility of starting

including in the Midwest.

work in Afghanistan, which was visited by a missions exploratory team in

Take Storm Lake and Denison, Iowa,

2002.

for example, where 4,000 Hispanics have

come from Mexico, El Salvador and

Guatemala in recent years to work primarily

Volunteers needed 

in the meat packing plants of the area.

for short or long terms 

Members of the five Synod congregations in

those towns  found ways to help the immigrants

Staff members of LCMS World Mission say

and show them the love of Christ,  said Dr. Paul

they could place 500 people into short  and long 

Brink. 

term missionary positions this year either directly

Since 1999, he has directed work among

or through mission partners and they are encour 

Hispanics for those congregations and the LCMS

aging more Missouri Synod members to consider

Iowa District West. Prior to that, he was a Synod

such service.

missionary in Venezuela for 20 years.

Volunteers don't need experience teaching

The congregations in Storm Lake and

English as a second language in order to serve in

Denison, under Brink's guidance, provide English as

 relationship builder  positions. They teach conver 

a Second Language classes; offices sharing informa 

sational English in more than a dozen Asian,

tion about housing, medical attention, schools and

Eastern European, South American and Caribbean

immigration; welcome wagon visits; and a school of

countries.

arts for children and a school of music for adults.

Volunteer missionary Jennifer Jackson of Ann

For Gospel outreach, there are home visits, Bible

Arbor, Mich., worked with young children at an

studies, cell groups and worship services.

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