Blog Archive

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Saturday
Dec172016

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While I am excited that Nairobi now has a Burger King - blocks away from our house - I don't recognize that burger...

Saturday
Dec172016

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It's birthday season! Krista is starting Josiah's cake decorations. Gum paste train...

Monday
Dec052016

December 5, 2016 Field Notes

 
Writing from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, IL
December 5, 2016
 

Evangelism in Tanga District and Kahe, Tanzania

Missionary Nurse Sarah Kanoy visits with a man in Tanga District, Tanzania
Rev. Shauen Trump addresses a congregation in Tanga District, Tanzania
Missionary Rev. Jonathan Clausing shares a Gospel message in Kahe, Tanzania
Rev. Jonathan Clausing shares a Gospel message in Kahe, Tanzania

 

St. Andrew's Lutheran Church in Cape Girardeau, Missouri is full of people who love God, love others, and make disciples. They've worked through the LCMS Office of International Mission for years, first in Kenya, then in support of missionaries on retreat, and now in Tanzania. Their openness, eagerness, and excitement make them excellent servants to undertake just about any task the church may ask – even door to door evangelism which we know is quite intimidating for any LCMS member.

But in Tanga and Kahe, Tanzania, congregations are eager to have guests join them in door to door visitation. They want new friends to go with them to make visits to the sick, church members, potential members, and leaders in the community in their homes to share a brief thought from Scripture, to share a burden, and to pray together. This is how the church in this part of the world does its work and the hospitality of the local cultures means that you are virtually never turned away and almost always invited in to visit.

The two teams from St. Andrew's had very different experiences but Shauen, Pastor John Dehne, and missionary Sarah Kanoy were privileged to be able to visit both locations in the course of the week. In Tanga, the presence of visitors from America provided access to doorways that have always been closed to the local church workers – the homes of Muslims. Because of the presence of the visitors from St. Andrew's, the local evangelists, pastors, and even bishop were invited into the homes of dozens of Muslims – something the bishop said he had never done before. In Kahe, the team traveled far and wide across the town and even by foot out to villages miles away. Missionary Jon Clausing, who has been working on Swahili all year, was able to share a Gospel message in Swahili and finally see the fruits and the importance of working so hard on language. Shauen got to talk with a family who had a daughter struggling under a curse from a neighbor. Shauen pointed to Christ and the cross, to the girl's baptism, and to the comfort we have in God's Word and in His enduring love for each of us.

Praise the Lord for our dear brothers and sisters from St. Andrews!

 

Missionaries of Eastern and Southern Africa

You've seen many of our newsletters include a section welcoming new missionaries to the field. Our team has, indeed, grown this year. I was reminded of this at our recent Continuing Education weekend. Take a look at these pictures of our Eastern and Southern Africa team in January (first picture) and then in September (second picture) to get an idea of how much our Eastern and Southern Africa field has grown this year. Every one of these wonderful and amazing missionaries has been sent by the church to proclaim Christ in this part of the world. We have more open positions on this field and around the world. If you've ever felt interested, let us know at lcms.org/service . Praise the Lord for sending His workers into the field!

Jan 2016 Continuing Ed Class of 12 counting children

January 2016 Eastern and Southern Africa Continuing Education Class
(including from the States the professor, his wife, and a seminary student)

Sept 2016 Continuing Ed class of more than 30

September 2016 Eastern and Southern Africa Continuing Education Class
(including from the States the professor, his wife, and a team of 4 providing children's programming)

 

Sept 2016 Continuing Education – Spiritism and the Gospel

This past September the Eastern and Southern Africa field was happy to welcome Professor Kou Seying and his wife Maykou from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. Professor Seying has extensive experience addressing Spiritism in the Hmong community. He presented an excellent course on Spiritism and the Gospel for our missionaries. The course helped crystalize many of Shauen's own experiences over the years and gave him a framework to better understand the issues of spirits, witchdoctors, and witchcraft here in Eastern Africa. Although Professor Seying's experience is all from the Hmong people group, it is amazing how directly it applied and resonated with the places where we work in Africa. Thank you to our presenters!

In addition, in response to our last-minute request, a Florida team quickly assembled to assist with children's programming. DCE Jeremy and Kristin Becker and DCE Phil and Kyrie Klopke made themselves available and together made a great team working with missionary kids from newborns into the middle teens. They brought VBS materials, gifts for children and families, and fit right in with our missionaries. Thank you to our children's programming volunteers!

 

Photos in Focus

A few weeks of fall in the USA

 

 

 
Prayer Requests

For comfort and support in grief and anxiety

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 Shauen's travels, classes, papers, and regular work as he begins a modular PhD program
In Praise

For God's people in Tanga and Kahe, Tanzania who heard the Gospel

For a God who knows grief, sorrow, and burden and carries us through our own
 
 
Contact Us At:

Shauen & Krista Trump
PO Box 22
Karen 00502 KENYA

Shauen.Trump@LCMSintl.org 
Krista.Trump@LCMSintl.org

TheTrumps.org 
LCMS.org/Trump
 
To support this work financially,
you may send a tax-deductible gift to:

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
PO Box 66861
St. Louis, MO 63166-6861

Make checks payable to The LCMS and mark the memo line “Trump-East Africa”
      OR
Give securely online at http://LCMS.org/trump
 
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Copyright © 2016 Rev. Shauen and Krista Trump, All rights reserved.
Friday
Dec022016

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Once again, the amazing Krista has found something awesome for our home and managed to get it from the States to Kenya in our luggage!

Friday
Dec022016

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After reading of the shepherds seeing baby Jesus and going on their way rejoicing, Josiah: "They saw God and then they praised God!"

Wednesday
Nov022016

Christ's Care for Children: Kenya

Christ’s Care for Children: Kenya is a child sponsorship program, initiated by the LCMS Office of International Mission. It is directly linked to the Project 24 sites in Kenya. It is through care and compassion for these children that they receive safe housing, food, education and spiritual care. Each site is strategically located near an Evangelical Lutheran Church of Kenya church and school so that the children can receive academic as well as spiritual teaching and care.

Currently the four operational sites have 140 children who are in need of sponsorship. The number is expected to increase in 2017. This is purely a child sponsorship program. Each child will have his or her own digital packet that will contain a one-page description of the project/site where the child comes from, information about the child along with his/her picture and then any continuous updates. The child’s digital packet will be sent to the donor when the match is confirmed as well as in the months of January and May of every year. The child’s reports, which will include their welfare, spiritual engagement, school grades and performance, will be made available quarterly.

The program welcomes donors to visit their sponsor child and the place where they stay in the months of February, June or October of every year.

If you would like more information or would like to sponsor a child, please contact:

JENNIFER HUMMEL
Program Coordinator, Christ’s Care for Children: Kenya LCMS Mission Advancement
800-248-1930 ext. 1326
Jennifer.Hummel@lcms.org 

View the photo gallery: lcms.org/photo/christs-care-kenya

Sponsor a child: Visit lcms.org/givenow/christs-care-for-children-kenya, or contact LCMS Mission Advancement at 888-930-4438 or by emailing mission.advancement@lcms.org

Saturday
Oct292016

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My boys are astounded at us going through the drive-through at Culvers. They keep saying, "This is so cool!"

Sunday
Oct162016

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Great first night in the States after the uneventful but long journey. Only one boy up in the 4 o'clock hour. He slept but his metabolism didn't. His hungry tummy woke him up and he's on his 6th bowl of cereal.

Saturday
Oct152016

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I guess all kids have to learn how to use a water fountain. "No, don't put your mouth on it!" "No, don't lick like a cat!"

Friday
Oct142016

Who is Shauen Trump and what does he do?

Friday
Sep302016

Facebook - Move Day at the Office

Today is a big day for the LCMS East Africa Field Office in Nairobi. It's move day! We are only moving a few miles but it's still a big production and a big change.

Wednesday
Sep212016

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That permanent marker is so the lab tech can find where he put my TB skin test. Isaiah: "He's coloring on you!"

Sunday
Sep182016

Facebook - Happy Shauen

Shauen Trump is never happier than when he's pulling someone out of the mud!

Tuesday
Aug302016

Facebook - in Norway

Lovely walk along the canal where we watched a boat go through the locks.

Tuesday
Aug162016

Field Notes Newsletter - August 16, 2016

 
Writing from Nairobi, Kenya
August 16, 2016
 

Road Trip to Josiah's Place of Birth - Uganda

Shauen and Jon visit with LCU leaders
Village Children Enamored with Isaiah (photo by Carlotta Cisternas Tiews)

It all came together at the last minute – alarming, perhaps, by American standards but not too out of the ordinary here – a road trip to Uganda with the three Trump boys, Julie McManus helping out, Carlotta Tiews making pictures, Sarah Kanoy surveying for an upcoming Mercy Medical Team (MMT), and Jon Clausing being re-introduced to Pastor Charles and learning more of the context for his work with Mission Training Centers.  Josiah, in particular, was very excited to be going back “home” - to the country where he was born - and all three of them were thrilled to be on a trip with Papa – who, of course, was also thrilled to have them along (and grateful for the support of Julie and the rest of our party).

It was a full day's drive from Nairobi to reach the border town of Busia, Uganda, where two sites had been identified for the next MMT location. At each site we took a look around, visited with the leaders of the congregation, asked about the distance to the nearest clinics and typical health problems in the area, and tried to envision what a clinic would look like in that context. Was water available, would tents or chairs need to be hired, would medication be able to be securely left on site each night or loaded back into the van at the close of each day? With answers in hand, we set off for the next task – Shauen visiting the new seminary where newly called missionaries Mark and Megan Mantey would be working.

The new Lutheran seminary in Uganda is still under construction but the basic structures are in place and the church was committed to opening the seminary as soon as one dormitory room and one classroom were ready. Shauen worked with the church leaders to determine where the Manteys would stay, what this work would look like for them, and how they would support the church and be supported by the church.

The whole time we were in Uganda, Jon rode along with Pastor Charles to learn more about how the church has implemented MTCs in the past and what their desire would be for a future program.

Praise the Lord for a successful trip all-around!

 

To Ethiopia to Welcome New Missionaries

The Young Family - Missionaries to Ethiopia

Finally, after two and a half years, our children's desperate ongoing plea, “Papa, when are you going to take us to Ethiopia?” was answered. This month, as summer vacation was drawing to a close, we enjoyed the opportunity to take the whole family up to Ethiopia to welcome Krista Young and her family – our new Volunteer Coordinator for Ethiopia. Our children got to reconnect with the Rabe and Stinnett children and Krista finally got to see first-hand where Shauen goes, who he works with, and what he gets to do when heading up to Ethiopia.

While Shauen spent time in his normal work, the family also got to join in for dinner at the cultural restaurant (Shauen didn't get pulled up on stage to dance this time), enjoy Addis Ababa traffic (reminiscent of Kampala but without the motorcycle taxis), enjoy fine Ethiopian cuisine, and savor those amazing macchiatos which Shauen gushes about every time he comes home. Shauen visited with his staff in Ethiopia, visited with the seminary faculty, and provided a 3-day field orientation to the Young family.

But by far the most enjoyable aspect of the trip was spending time together – fellowshipping with our missionaries there and getting to know the Youngs as they began settling in to their new life in Ethiopia. Praise the Lord for raising up new servants in Ethiopia and for sending us to support them!

 

Volunteers Needed!

Stefanie Rabe teaches Sunday School for Missionary Kids in Ethiopia

Twice a year, the Eastern and Southern Africa field meets together for a Continuing Education course presented by a LCMS seminary professor. Our courses usually take place in an environment conducive to both study and respite and are attended by the entire missionary family. Church worker participation in continuing education was strongly encouraged in the most recent LCMS convention. Besides the obvious benefit of being engaged in ongoing learning, this time of gathering together provides opportunities for fellowship, worship, encouragement, and rejuvenation for our missionaries and their families. But we need help. In order for parents to participate in the course, we need volunteers to work with two groups of children in particular: those ages 4-12 (VBS-style program), and those 12-17. If you or someone you know is open to coming to Africa (locations vary) for about a week in mid-September or early January to work with missionary kids in either age group, please get in touch with us – we need you! Our next course is September 15-19, 2016, followed by January 4-8, 2017. Praise the Lord for the opportunity to continue to be a learner!

 
Photos in Focus
Elijah and The Lutheran Hymnal (photo by Carlotta Cisternas Tiews)
Krista Loving her Macchiato
Josiah and Elijah's First Day of School
Josiah Enjoying Ethiopian Food
 
Prayer Requests

For comfort and support in this time of grief and discouragement

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 safety during upcoming trips to Ethiopia and Tanzania
In Praise

For the arrival of the Young family and the opportunities before them in Ethiopia

For an opportunity for Shauen to study towards a PhD
 
 
Contact Us At:

Shauen & Krista Trump
PO Box 22
Karen 00502 KENYA

Shauen.Trump@LCMSintl.org 
Krista.Trump@LCMSintl.org


TheTrumps.org 
LCMS.org/Trump
 
To support this work financially,
you may send a tax-deductible gift to:

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
PO Box 66861
St. Louis, MO 63166-6861

Make checks payable to The LCMS and mark the memo line “Trump-East Africa”
      OR
Give securely online at 
http://LCMS.org/trump
 
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Copyright © 2016 Rev. Shauen and Krista Trump, All rights reserved.
Sunday
Aug142016

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Me to Isaiah: "No, please don't lick my eyebrows in church." Like it's somehow okay any other time.

Saturday
Aug132016

Facebook - First Day of School

First day of school for Josiah and Elijah! Josiah is in 1st grade now and Elijah continues preschool (ECLC).

Friday
Jul222016

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I love my boys. Me today at lunchtime to all three of them: "No, you can't just have broccoli for lunch. You have to eat other food too!"

Monday
Jul182016

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Josiah: "I love subway. They have my favorite sandwich and my favorite chips and my favorite cookie! I hope they never go extinct!"

 

Monday
Jul182016

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Prosciutto according to Josiah: "That's a pig drumstick!"

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