Growing Up

Me: "Yup, you'll keep growing taller till about 14 yrs old." Elijah: "Then I will be a grown-up & then I can sleep in Mama & Papa's room!"

Ordinal Numbers

Mama: This is the 4th time I've asked you to get in the truck (usually elicits immediate compliance) Josiah: 4 is an ordinal number! Mama:?!

Hamburger Helper - from scratch

Home in Kenya. From scratch hamburger helper for dinner. Josiah: "May I have rice and beans?" ‪#‎MissionaryKids‬

Importing via Suitcase

Every home service we bring home to Kenya special things we either can't get or can't afford in Kenya. This time we brought home a new Weber Grill - pictured here next to the old "GoldAir" grill we bought 6 years ago in Uganda. Thanks to Krista for the miracle packing job to bring the new grill!!!

A Real Weber Grill

Home on the Farm

The Trump boys have been looking forward to getting to Great Uncle Mark's farm in Rupert, ID for months. I think they're very, very happy!

Happy Anniversary

Garth Brooks concert - Happy Belated Anniversary to us! Thanks to my parents for babysitting!

Camping in Alabama

The Trump family getting accustomed to camping in Alabama. It's hot here. Not sure us folks from Africa can handle it.

7-11 Donuts at 5am in San Francisco

"I don't want the rest of my donut. It's too sweet." ‪#‎MissionaryKids‬‪#‎jetlag‬

Field Notes - May 25, 2015

Writing from Nairobi, Kenya May 25, 2015 Area Retreat - Rejuvenation and Respite

A retreat should be a retreat. That's Shauen's philosophy. For our family we have found the annual missionary retreat can carry us through the toughest of times and the greatest of challenges. In the past, the very anticipation of an upcoming retreat has given our family something to hold on to as many as six months before it happens. This year, the missionaries of Eastern and Southern Africa came together for five days of retreat in Livingstone, Zambia. We were hosted by a talented and compassionate team from St. Andrew's Lutheran Church of Cape Girardeau, Missouri. The St. Andrew's team provided morning and evening devotions, worship, Communion, Bible Study, times of individual conversation, visiting, counseling, child care, and also provided a financial gift that allowed our team to visit the beautiful and majestic Victoria Falls. Dividing Zambia from Zimbabwe is the great Zambezi River which cascades in Livingstone, Zambia over Victoria Falls, the largest waterfall in Africa. The falls can be viewed with significantly different perspectives from the Zambia side, the Zimbabwe side, and the bridge between the countries. We saw it all – and got thoroughly soaked in the Zambezi in the process. One evening we went for a sunset cruise on the Zambezi above the falls. We all enjoyed seeing the sun sink behind the river bend – all except Josiah who threw up about five minutes after we got on the large and stable riverboat and proceeded to throw up several times throughout the gentle cruise – which was not appreciated. But by far the most refreshing, encouraging, rejuvenating, and impactful part of our time was being together, worship, visiting, and celebrating each other. Praise the Lord for this opportunity to retreat! International Lutheran Conference in Wittenberg This month Lutheran church leaders from around the world gathered in Wittenberg, Germany for an International Conference on Confessional Leadership in the 21st Century. In attendance were leaders from 41 countries representing some 23 million Lutherans. The conference featured the presentation of academic papers from around the world, visits to Reformation sites, and frank discussions of both the challenges and opportunities for the church in the West, East, and South. The LCMS's Regional and Area Directors attended to serve as guides, interpreters, and support staff for the visitors – many of whom had never been to Europe, much less to the heart of the Protestant Reformation. We worshiped together in St. Mary's Church, where Martin Luther preached thousands of sermons. Beyond simply meandering through an empty church as a tourist, worshiping in this great cathedral with the exuberant sounds of “A Mighty Fortress” ringing forth from our accented voices, many of us wondered if Luther had any idea what things would look like today – either in the church or the culture. Shauen took advantage of the opportunity to have instant access to so many of the bishops he serves from across Eastern and Southern Africa, co-workers in the LCMS, and heads of associate organizations. To even reach many of these leaders in their offices around the world would take months and significant resources but here, it was only a matter of inviting someone to lunch, dinner, or a walk. Praise the Lord for this opportunity to visit together. Home Service 2015 This summer the Trump family will set out on home service once again. With our home service schedule now dictated by Josiah's summer vacation calendar, we have had to drop the third month we used to add to our home service. Instead, this time we have only two months to make visits to family, friends, and supporters. Our current visits are scheduled for: Arcata, California Chattanooga, Tennessee Madison, Alabama Puyallup, Washington Sandy, Oregon Cape Girardeau, Missouri St. Louis, Missouri Brentwood, Missouri Seward, Nebraska Omaha, Nebraska Mapleton, Iowa Beemer, Nebraska Rupert, Idaho Wauwatosa, Wisconsin We're still waiting for responses from a few pastors. Please pray for us as we travel! Photos in Focus Area Retreat - Zambia Prayer Requests For wisdom, discernment, and patience for Shauen and Krista in their work as spouses, parents, and missionaries For the Trump family home-service travels this summer For the church around the world that they may speak God's forgiveness into each culture In Praise For our recent Area Retreat in Zambia For the opportunities we see opening for the LCMS in Africa For adorable children who ask of the Zambezi River and Victoria Falls, "Does it keep going all the time?"

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

A Day of Rest

Today's "Day of Rest"... Just me, Josiah, and hundreds upon hundreds of wet Mission Training Center workbooks. We had about a foot of water in our office building from this week's flooding in Nairobi and these absorbed quite a bit of it. As I carefully separated them, Josiah laid out almost every one to dry (he was allowed a few breaks). Hopefully they're salvageable.

How Did the Towel Ring Get Broken

Right after replacing the broken towel ring, Josiah asks me in his Kenyan accent, "Does this one also turn like a steering wheel?" Um, no.

Lost His First Tooth

Guess who lost his first tooth!?!? He’s only 5 years old! He was both thrilled and amazed at this whole “tooth fairy” thing. He is collecting (saving) money so when he is 10 years old he can buy a car with three seats for himself, Elijah, and Isaiah. I think that’s based on the car museum we saw in South Africa that had scores of classic cars (totally awesome) and three children’s classic pedal-cars that were models of old race cars. The kid’s got priorities!

April Field Notes Newsletter

Writing from Nairobi, Kenya April 19, 2015 Father/Son Trip to Shinyanga, Tanzania

There's a delicate balance between the noise of a toy wind-up car and the distraction of an un-entertained five-year old. Sitting in the front row of the graduation ceremony, excited to be there but conscientious of Josiah's needs and patience, Shauen momentarily questioned his wisdom (or maybe his sanity?) in assuring Krista that he could come to the graduation and ordinations in Tanzania with Josiah. “It'll be fun! C'mon, Krista, he's on school break – he'll do fine...” He did fine, of course, thanks to a backpack full of snacks and a Papa willing to buy the cheap plastic car at the little shop outside the cathedral (and electronics in desperate times). So for the Saturday graduation ceremony of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania's SouthEast of Lake Victoria Diocese (SELVD), Shauen and Josiah sat in the front row as requested – at least for a while. The SELVD just concluded a two-year long special training program for Evangelists and Deaconesses leading to a certificate in Pastoral or Deaconess Studies and ordination for the evangelists. The evangelists have already received training within the Diocese, some in the Mission Training Center (MTC) program, and some in Bible Schools. The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod's Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne, Indiana sponsored the module-based training in Shinyanga, sending professors from across the world to provide one or two-week intensives over two years. This month, all those Evangelists and Deaconesses graduated and received their certificates from the Ft. Wayne Seminary. As for the ordination and installation service on Sunday morning, Josiah and I spent most of those hours outside – a little easier environment for a five-year old. Praise the Lord for his pastors and deaconesses in Tanzania and for a little father/son time! New Missionaries Accept Call to Ethiopia Two missionary units have accepted the call to serve with the LCMS in Ethiopia. Rev. Eric Stinnett and Rev. Mark Rabe and their families will serve in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia at the EECMY's Mekane Yesus Seminary. Although accepting the call is a significant event in the process of getting to the field, there are still many more steps to go for both the missionaries and the Ethiopia field. For missionaries, there is the process of handing over their current calls, selling and giving stuff away, downsizing, moving, attending missionary orientation, building a support network, dealing with the grief of saying goodbye and handling the uncertainty of the life ahead.  For the Ethiopia field, work permit paperwork needs to be compiled and submitted (including “authenticated copies of university degrees”), housing arranged, the mechanics of purchasing vehicles and accessing funds on the field explored, how the missionaries will fit into the structure of the partner church discussed, where they will worship, how they will receive emotional support and spiritual care, how they will be oriented to the general Africa context and to their unique place, where they will do language work, and so forth. The LCMS is excited to be sending a team to teach at the seminary in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Please pray for those who have accepted calls to this great work as they prepare for deployment! New Missionaries Accept Call to Kenya Three missionary units have accepted calls to join the Kenya team. Miss Julie McManus (above left) will serve as an Early Childhood Development Specialist, initially tasked with assisting two families with children as they begin the transition to the Kenya field. Rev. Jonathan Clausing (holding his newborn son) will serve as a Mission Training Center (MTC) Coordinator and Facilitator for the wider East Africa area where a number of church bodies use the LCMS MTC program and others are eager to start. John Wolf (family not pictured) will serve as a Project Manager and Coordinator for the Africa region supporting the church bodies we work with in developing, writing, executing, and administering the projects they request. All three will be based in Nairobi, Kenya. Praise the Lord for His workers! Photos in Focus Ethiopian Food Prayer Requests For wisdom, discernment, and patience for Shauen and Krista in their work as spouses, parents, and missionaries For the Stinnett and Rabe families being sent to Ethiopia For the McManus, Clausing, and Wolf families being sent to Kenya In Praise For our recent Area Retreat in Zambia For the opportunities we see opening for the LCMS in Africa For those individuals and families God has raised up as new missionaries to meet opportunities across Africa

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 790089 St. Louis, MO 63179-0089 Make checks payable to The LCMS and mark the memo line “Trump-East Africa”       OR Give securely online at http://LCMS.org/trump

Share Tweet Forward Share +1 Copyright © 2015 Rev. Shauen and Krista Trump, All rights reserved.

Did You Check on the Boys?

There is a reason we check on our kids every night before going to bed...

Vacation with Small Children

We're on vacation in the Cape Town area! Boys are sometimes thrilled... by the rocks and sand. But Krista and I are loving it.

Being the Guest of Honor

From 2014-09_matongo_and_atemo

Shauen recently received a special invitation to visit a congregation, preach, and be the guest of honor for the harambee (fundraiser) at the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Kenya's Ateemo Congregation with Rev. Jared Magero. Their annual harambee helps the parish (a collection of 5 to 15 congregations overseen by one or two pastors) continue to operate through the seasons of the year when money is tight for the congregants. All the congregations in the parish were represented at the special all-parish Sunday service and fundraiser.

From 2014-09_matongo_and_atemo

After the service, the Master of Ceremonies read down a list of names of special guests, representatives of the parish congregations, and local officials. As each name was read, the individual came forward to present their gift which was joyfully held in the air and announced before being handed to the tabulators at the counting table. Each congregation in the parish had conducted special offerings in the weeks ahead of the fundraiser so they could send in what they had gathered. 

From 2014-09_matongo_and_atemo

Finally, near the end were the big names, local chiefs, government representatives (most of whom weren't there), and finally, the guests of honor. The job of the guest of honor is usually to make a substantial personal gift (preferably the largest gift yet) while enjoining those assembled to reach deeper into their pockets and give again. It's all done in good humor and with joy and since the guests at the harambee expect it, they usually have withheld something for the additional requests – just like in the service when there are multiple offerings collected. Praise the Lord for a successful harambee!

From 2014-09_matongo_and_atemo

Magic Phrases Parents Love

Ah, that special phrase that parents dread: "I throwed up!" On the stairs, of course.

Opportunities in Africa (Ethiopia) for Theological Education (GSI)

The following post is provided by Rev. Dr. Albert Collver III, LCMS Director for Church Relations, as found on the LCMS Witness, Mercy, Life Together Blog. The original is posted here.

----------------------------------------------

Opportunities in Africa (Ethiopia) for Theological Education (GSI)

Opportunities in Africa (Ethiopia in this case) abound for theological education. Opportunities exist both for a person who wants to travel overseas to teach a class and for students who are taught at a local insinuation or who receive a scholarship to study at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, or Concordia Seminary, Saint Louis.

The video highlights how the Global Seminary Initiative (GSI) is helping connect qualified volunteers with teaching opportunities overseas and students with opportunities to study locally or possibility at an LCMS seminary. Two students are interviewed: a future deaconess who has been accepted to Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne and a PhD student who has been accepted for study at Concordia Seminary in Saint Louis. Two instructors are interviewed about their experience at Mekane Yesus Seminary. Finally, Rev. Shauen Trump, Area Director for East Africa, speaks about how theological education is the single largest request he receives in Africa.

For more information about the Global Seminary Initiative please visit: http://www.lcms.org/makeagift/gsi

Mekane Yesus Seminary Visit

The following post is provided by Rev. Dr. Albert Collver III, LCMS Director for Church Relations, as found on the LCMS Witness, Mercy, Life Together Blog. The original is posted here.

---------------------------------------------------

Lutheran Confessions at the Mekane Yesus Seminary

Dr. Fred Baue mentors a student at MYS in the Lutheran Confessions

3 February 2015

After arriving at the Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, we went to the Mekane Yesus Seminary (MYS). Once on campus, we went to the Lutheran Confessions class taught by Dr. Fred Baue. This is Dr. Baue’s second time teaching at the MYS seminary. His first teaching stint lasted six months. This time Dr. Baue will remain for four months teaching the Lutheran Confessions and English. He also will be composing some liturgical music. The Global Seminary Initiative (GSI) helps send professors to teach at seminaries around the world. It also helps provide books for the class room.

CPH Readers Edition of the Book of Concord

The Lutheran Confessions class makes use of Concordia Publishing House’s Readers Edition — Pocket Edition of the Book of Concord. The EECMY church subscribes to the unaltered Augsburg Confession and Luther’s catechisms. Until recently, the church body did not have the entire Book of Concord in Amharic. At the MYS seminary, in the Lutheran Confessions class, Dr. Baue uses the entire Book of Concord.

Rev. Shauen Trump, Beza Tefera, Gideon, Daniel Brege sit in the Dean of Theology Office

Dr. Daniel Brege came to Ethiopia for the first time to teach the Psalms at MYS. Today will be the first day he teaches. Prior to his teaching, we met in the Dean of Theology Office to print copies of his syllabus and assign the class room. Rev. Shauen Trump, East Africa Area Facilitator or the Office of International Mission, helps oversee the LCMS’ work in Ethiopia.

Beza Tefera and Gideon at the MYS Cafe — Ethiopian Coffee

After meeting with people we took a coffee break at the MYS Cafe. Coffee is a must in Ethiopia and facilitates discussion and friendship. Over coffee we planned the rest of our day.

Dr. Albert Collver at MYS Campus wearing LCMS U Shirt in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

LCMS U has managed to reach Ethiopia — at least the LCMS U shirt has made it to Ethiopia. Looking to a very good visit in Ethiopia this week.

Field Notes Newsletter - January 15, 2015

Greetings in the Lord! Please find our latest Field Notes below, view this email in your browser, or download a printable version (PDF) from our website: TheTrumps.org/newsletter/. Thank you for your support of God’s amazing work in Eastern and Southern Africa.    -Shauen, Krista, Josiah, Elijah, and Isaiah, your LCMS missionaries to Eastern and Southern Africa Writing from Nairobi, Kenya January 15, 2015

Distributing Relief Food in Kenya

Northern Kenya has endured drought and subsequent famine in virtually every year of the past decade. The pastoralist communities who herd their cattle, goats, sheep, and camels in this part of the country struggle to find food and water for their animals, driving their herds further and further as the dry season wears on. Development in these areas, the building of schools and clinics, has been a true benefit to the Samburu, Pokot, and Turkana people but has also settled them into semi-permanent communities which makes it more difficult for them to follow their herds across the countryside in times of scarcity. In many ways, solving one problem has caused others. In the midst of this year's dry season in the north, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya (ELCK) applied to The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) for funds to provide food for communities in the north. Funds were made available under the administration of the LCMS East Africa Field Office for the distribution of relief rations in the locations identified by the ELCK. Shauen's entire Kenya team of missionaries and office staff joined in the efforts along with staff from the Lutheran Hour Ministries project in Kenya, Nuru, who took advantage of the opportunity to share the Gospel message with those waiting for their portions. Shauen was able to take Josiah and Elijah with him to one distribution point in Samburu where Josiah jumped right in to help and Elijah jumped right into the way – although no one minded having him underfoot. Although the locations were identified by the ELCK, the recipients in the community were identified by the community leaders with priority given to the elderly. Many recipients traveled long distances to receive a portion and joyfully expressed their gratitude across the language barriers. Praise the Lord for this opportunity to share both material and spiritual food with God's people in Kenya! Mekane Yesus Seminary – Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Shauen's area of responsibility includes Ethiopia, home to the Ethiopian Evangelical Church of Mekane Yesus (EECMY), one of the largest Lutheran Church bodies in Africa at more than 6 million members. The EECMY has reached out to The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) with a request to walk with them in deepening their understanding and identity as a Lutheran church in their particular context. The EECMY is specifically requesting LCMS support in their seminary system, a network of dozens of regional Bible Schools and Seminaries under the umbrella of the Mekane Yesus Seminary in Addis Ababa. Since beginning his work as Area Director less than a year ago, Shauen has been to Ethiopia three times and is scheduled to make another visit to Ethiopia in the weeks ahead. Each visit has revolved around the Mekane Yesus Seminary – to the point that Shauen has barely even been outside of Addis Ababa. While the LCMS has been supplying short-term visiting professors for the graduate program at the seminary to provide immediate support, Shauen has opened positions for a new LCMS missionary team to deploy to Ethiopia. Praise the Lord that many of these positions are already in the process of being filled! Although many missionaries over the decades have contributed and paved the way, sending a missionary team to Ethiopia is a new step. Pray for this relationship! New Missionary Arrives in Kenya - Georgia Witt This week our field welcomed Mrs. Georgia Witt to missionary service with the LCMS in Kenya. Georgia will work at the seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya, Matongo Lutheran Theological College, located in western Kenya, in the new library, which was constructed with financial support from congregations of the LCMS. Georgia's responsibilities will include assisting seminary students with research needs, accessing resources, and navigating the college’s library. Georgia will also help organize the new library facility, working with leadership to determine resource placement, layout and patron flow. Georgia's support will enable other staff of the college to pursue higher degrees and training. Please pray for Georgia as she begins language learning and starts work in Kenya! PHOTOS IN FOCUS PRAYER REQUESTS For wisdom, discernment, and patience for Shauen and Krista in their work as spouses, parents, and missionaries For Isaiah (14 months) to find contentment with his voice and give up the efforts to test its limits (and his parent's patience) by screaming For Josiah (5 years) as he begins learning to read For Elijah (3 years) to be patient with his little brother IN PRAISE For the opportunities we see opening for the LCMS in Africa For our new missionary, Georgia Witt 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 790089 St. Louis, MO 63179-0089 Make checks payable to The LCMS and mark the memo line “Trump-East Africa”       OR Give securely online at http://LCMS.org/trump

Share Tweet Forward Share +1 Copyright © 2015 Rev. Shauen and Krista Trump, All rights reserved.