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

• 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

• For the opportunities we see opening for the LCMS in Africa
• For our new missionary, Georgia Witt