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The Lord through His church sent our family to serve His people in Eastern and Southern Africa. We live among His people here, in Kenya, far from our relatives, the comforts of our home cultures, and our own “ancestral lands.” What we have undertaken for the sake of the Gospel does not make sense to the world.
The challenges of travel, work, and gathering together due to the restrictions related to COVID-19 are certainly preventing us from carrying out the work we had planned. Seminaries are closed and students have been sent home. Congregations are not allowed to gather for worship. Conferences and seminars are suspended by government order. Short term teams and volunteers cannot make it to their assignments.
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Shauen Led a Sunday Service from the East Africa Field Office's Chapel
in Early March before COVID-19 Restrictions
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The Gospel itself, the very core of our work as a mission, is conveyed in relationships. Relationships are hard to foster and maintain in this restricted environment. Nevertheless, we see that in this – as in all those things we would call tragedies – God is at work. Many doors have been shut but God will open new ones. Our own plans have been canceled or suspended or are simply no longer tenable but God’s plans are beautiful and generous and will come to fruition, glorifying His name.
Some of our missionaries were in the United States for their time of home-service while others have prayerfully requested and been granted temporary re-assignment to the United States where they will continue what work they can from afar. The rest of our team has prayerfully elected to remain in place, even as secular organizations and some mission agencies have forcibly repatriated all their workers. Our missionaries believe they are exactly where we should be, whether in Africa or in the United States. Our own family feels grateful that the LCMS has permitted us to remain on the field. We appreciate the huge amounts of support we have received from the mission.
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The Trump Family Coordinates Sunday Worship Online
from the East Africa Field Office's Teleconference Room
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Our missionary team is taking this time of pause, this forced Sabbath, to catch up, to gather strength, to re-gather our community through the myriad of digital platforms available to us today, to seek the new opportunities the Lord is opening for Word and Sacrament ministry, for teaching, and for showing mercy to His people. Whether in the United States or on the field, our missionaries are poised, ready to respond, ready to serve, and eager give an answer to anyone who asks us to give the reason for the hope that we have.
If, after this time of forced rest and respite, God re-opens our familiar paths of ministry, our teachers will return with joy to the classroom as soon as students are there, our pastors will return to the congregations eager to hear the Word and receive the Sacrament, our volunteer coordinator will start rescheduling those who support the ministries on this field, our project managers and communication specialists and administrators and consultants will take up their work with renewed strength and the Word of God on their lips. If instead of those traditional familiar paths of ministry, the world is moving into a new normal where some of those are no longer possible, we strive ahead to see how the Lord will enable us to walk with Him in mission, spreading the Gospel, planting Lutheran churches, and showing mercy. |
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The Trump Boys in School in Their At-Home Classroom
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Prayer Requests
For the Trump boys as they learn from home - and especially for patience for Krista as she helps with their programming from school
For wisdom, discernment, and patience for Shauen and Krista in their work as spouses, parents, and missionaries
For the missionaries, projects, and relationships Shauen oversees for the church
For the responses and restrictions of the governments in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Ethiopia as they react to COVID-19
For Shauen as he enters the Comprehensive Exam phase of his PhD program |
In Praise
For LCMS International Mission permitting us to remain on-station in Kenya during the COVID-19 outbreak
That our family is together
For Shauen's unexpected time at home during what is usually a busy travel season
For healthy, safe, and thriving children
For the technology that allows our missionary team to gather for worship, fellowship, conversation, and deliberation about the doors God is opening in the midst of the pandemic |
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OR
Make checks payable to "The LCMS" and mark the memo line “Trump-East Africa” to send a tax-deductible gift through one of the following:
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