Startled by the Good Fit: Meet Pastor Tessa Moon Leiseth, the incoming Country Coordinator for ELCA-MUD (written by Cindy Novak)

When Tessa Moon-Leiseth first saw the ad on the ELCA’s Facebook page, she felt “startled” by how well the open position with the ELCA in the area of global mission fit her gifts and skills.

As campus pastor at Concordia College, a college of the ELCA in Moorhead, Minn., Tessa has enjoyed encouraging, mentoring and providing spiritual care for students. And beginning in June, she will play a similar role as country coordinator for the ELCA Young Adults in Global Mission program, providing support for eight to 12 volunteers between the ages of 19 and 29 who will serve for one year in South Africa.

This will begin a new chapter for Tessa, her husband, Jon, and their children, Isaac, 9, and Sophia, 7, who will call Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, home for the next four years.

And as they eagerly await their new journey, the Leiseths acknowledge it will be hard to leave family and friends. “There is a mixture of grief, fear and anxiety,” Tessa says. “We are leaving our safety net: what we know, things to which we are accustomed, and things that make us feel comfortable.”

Even so, their “clear and compelling” call drives them forward, Tessa says. “That is the rock and anchor we hold onto as we navigate this. We don’t know what it means, we don’t know what it will be like, and we cannot even imagine the ways in which this experience will transform who we are. Yet we know this is what we are being called into.”

“There was something just so calling about the work — to impact the transformation of the young adults who come and serve,” she says. “It matched really well with the values, hopes and dreams we have for our family, but we never imagined it would be embodied in this way. We never expected to live overseas, but we knew we wanted our children to know and experience God’s vast world beyond what they have known. All of these pieces have just come together.”

Tessa also recognizes that it is a different day and age of doing global mission work. “This is not packing your belongings in a crate and going on a ship and coming back a decade later,” she says. “Knowing that does help with a lot of the emotions.”

In fact, missionary service has shortened over the years, says Twila Schock, who directs ELCA Missionary Sponsorship. “It used to be when a missionary went out, family and friends would hold a funeral because it was not expected for them to return,” she says.

Today, missionaries serve four to six years for long-term assignments, and one to two years for short-terms, compared with 10- to 30-year commitments missionaries had in the past.

“Sending missionaries is core to our identity as a church,” Twila says, adding the ELCA remains among the few mainline denominations to still fully support its missionaries. “A lot of missionaries do not get deployed until they fund 80 percent of their own support,” she says. “But supporting missionaries means they can focus on their ministry rather than on fundraising.”

And individuals, congregations and other groups play a large role in that support through ELCA Missionary Sponsorship, Twila says. “It is a fun and easy way to participate in the life of the church beyond our church walls,” she says. And with missionary blogs, Skype and Facebook, sponsors can stay abreast of missionaries’ work and other day-to-day activities, she says.

Did you know?

• Approximately 230 ELCA missionaries serve in nearly 50 countries around the globe.
• In years past, clergy comprised 70 percent of missionaries in the ELCA and in predecessor church bodies. Today, ELCA missionaries consist of 70 percent laity and 30 percent clergy.
• ELCA missionaries serve in a variety of ways, including vocational training, serving as medical missionaries, teaching English, doing evangelism training, mentoring young adults, overseeing development (like water projects) and assisting with communications (like website development).

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Cindy Novak is a member of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Naperville, Ill. She lives in Lisle, Ill., with her husband, David, and her children, Sam and Emily.

Unity of Thought on Market Economy at Muslim-Christian Dialogue

Muslims and Christians at a Lutheran World Federation (LWF) sponsored consultation on structural greed have agreed to common ground for tackling the “death-bound” neoliberal economic system.

“In this monumental struggle, we should work with people of other faiths and those who may not belong to a particular faith community,” the 40 scholars and religious leaders said following the 25-30 September dialogue on “Interfaith Dialogue Engaging Structural Greed Today,” in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.

“In the course of this Muslim-Christian interfaith dialogue, there arises a convergence on the need to provide constructive, systemic alternatives to the current dominant reductionist, ‘death-bound’ neoliberal system,” added a dozen Muslim delegates from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia and the United Kingdom, who met as a group and put together a report, “Muslim Understanding of the Issue.”

Many of the plans the Muslim group proposed were similar to “common-good initiatives” undertaken by Christian churches and secular initiatives, said Adi Setia, assistant professor at the International Islamic University in Kuala Lumpur.

“I believe Muslims can and should work in tandem with them, since we are all engulfed in this hailstorm of structural greed, and we need to work together to escape and chart a new course,” he noted.

In an interview with LWI, Setia added that “Both Islam and Christianity profess that humankind is only the custodian of God’s creation. This lies at the root of our unity on social equality.”

This theme was addressed by Benjamin R. Quinones, a development expert and member of the Christ the Living Stone Fellowship in the Philippines, who said, “The stewards not only manage the resources but also return what belongs to God.”

Noting the parallels between Islamic and Christian thought on economics, Quinones pointed out that the Quran baned the charging of interest and the Bible condemned greed and usury.

“In this contemporary era, usury refers to the practice of charging excessive and often illegal interest rates on loans,” added Quinones.

Lifeline

Participants in the consultation noted that there was a great deal of unity of thought among Christians and Muslims at the event.

“I thought we [Muslims] might have to quarrel on an ideological level with the Christians,” remarked Intan Syah Ichsan, an Indonesian Muslim economist. “But to my surprise, I find that there is great unity (of thought) among us (Muslims and the Christians) on the problem.”

“The common elements between Christianity and Islam on economic issues are very high,” said M. Hum Hulwati, professor of Islamic Economics at the Institute of Islamic Studies at Padang in Indonesia.

“Economy is the lifeline of the people and religions should speak out more for the people on such issues,” she noted.

Rev. Pedro Bullón Moreano of the Peruvian Lutheran Evangelical Church pointed out that until he came to the interfaith conference, he knew little of Islam.

“The presentations of Muslim scholars here have shown that their thinking on social issues is very close to us. They are also equally concerned about the impact of the greedy market economy on the lives of ordinary people,” said Moreano, professor of theology at the Latin American Biblical University in Lima.

For Esha Faki Mwinyihaji, a Muslim economic lecturer at the Maseno University in Kenya, the interfaith dialogue affirmed the conviction that “Humanity is one and we should work together.”

The original posting from the Lutheran World Federation can be found at: http://www.lutheranworld.org/lwf/index.php/interfaith-tackle-greed.html

Faith Groups Participate in Peace Initiative for London Olympics (Jo Siedlecka)

Faith leaders and community groups in London are promoting "One Hundred Days of Peace" -- an initiative to develop a "peace legacy" for the London Olympic Games in 2012.

Churches, schools and colleges, together with a coalition called London Citizens that includes more than 300 faith and community groups are organizing ecumenical programs of prayer and a range of activities linked to the Olympics to promote peace. These include a campaign called City Safe, which aims to build a network between shops and businesses across London to fight crime. Other activities involve street vigils, talks, discussions and the creation of several peace gardens.

Organizer noted that London has experienced violence and trauma in recent years. "The Olympic bid was won in July 2005 amidst great rejoicing across London. The following day the [terrorist] London bombings took place. Last summer, London experienced dramatic outbreaks of rioting and looting. The need for peace in our city has never been greater," said Barbara Kentish, Justice and Peace fieldworker with the Catholic Diocese of Westminster. In the 2005 bombings on the London Underground and buses, 52 people were killed and 700 injured.

In the Athletes' Village at Olympics Park, a six-room multi-faith space has been created to serve Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Jewish, Bahá'í , Jain, Buddhist and Zoroastrian athletes and their supporters. During the Games more than 200 volunteer chaplains will be on duty. Volunteers from all faiths will also be assisting as guides and first aiders, supplying refreshments and counselling.

The tradition of an Olympics truce was established in 9th century BC to enable competitors and spectators to travel safely to and from the games through ancient Greece's warring city-states. The International Olympic Committee decided to revive the ancient concept of the Olympic truce with the view to protecting the interests of the athletes and sport in general, and to encourage the search for peaceful and diplomatic solutions to conflicts around the world.

For more information see: http://www.peacelegacy.org.uk/ and http://www.citizensuk.org/

Running and Accompaniment (Steve Odegard)

South Africa, in many ways, is a nation of runners. Simply mention the word “Comrades” and everybody has a story about or personal connection to the race. Comrades, by the way, is a 55 mile ultra-marathon between Pietermartizburg and Durban that is held every year. And it’s not just that everybody knows about it… people I never would have pegged as ultra-marathoners tell me how they’ve ran comrades and want to do so again. My site supervisor, a 60 year old pastor, has participated in the race four times since turning 55!

Personally, in addition to providing more inspiration than I could ever have dreamed of, running has been a central part of my journey in Umphumulo. In many ways, it is an excellent metaphor for many of the struggles and joys that come with walking with my hosts in and around my site. For that matter, the metaphor easily extends to anyone with a desire to live a life open to God’s direction in any context. Let me explain:

Step 1: Bed to door

I often find the biggest threat to my running schedule is my bed. No matter how many times I have woken up, dressed, and enjoyed a morning run, I always have to fight the urge to hit the snooze. I’m amazed at the excuses my brain comes up with! I tell myself that I need more
sleep to be focused during the day, that it’s too hot/cloudy/humid/misty/sunny/

rainy/cold to go run, that I overslept too much to run as far as I was planning, that my shoes are still wet from the day before, that I should practice isiZulu before work, that my
legs are too sore, that I deserve a day off, and a dozen other things that make not leaving my bed sound incredibly appealing.

I think that this can be one of the biggest struggles as we try and live a life of accompaniment as well. It takes more than just setting an alarm, marking one’s calendar, or having a set of goals and a schedule to walk the path God has placed in front of us. Every day, we must face the same demons of exhaustion, apathy, boredom, temptations, and other distractions. No matter what our track record, it’s not always easy to lace up one’s shoes and step out of the door.

Step 2: Door to door

No matter how far I’m planning on running, I always begin with the same stretch of road. I turn right at the church center gate and run up hill until I reach the main road. From there, the road takes me toward Mapumulo in one direction and towards Kranskop in the other. Since many people walk everywhere in and around Umphumulo, the roads almost serve as a second town town-square. No matter what time I run, I never fail to see people on the road: driving, walking, carrying water, sitting, washing clothes, talking, waiting for taxis, resting, herding cows, playing soccer… the list goes on and on. I try to say a casual (and often out of breath!) “sawubona” to the people I pass, and invariably receive a greeting and smile in return. There’s something
amazingly refreshing about greeting everyone I meet, even though each encounter lasts only a few seconds.

No matter what we do, it’s important to meet people as they are. It’s a two way street (pardon the pun), as we both put ourselves “out there” and are joined by those in our communities as they go about their daily activities. There’s so much to see and learn from these intersections, not matter the context in which they occur. In addition it’s amazing to see the extent that our community members recognize us and our routines, even as they go about theirs. For example, I pass certain houses at about the same time each day, and am always greeted by the same mother working washing clothes, by the same kids getting ready to go to school, and waved to by the same man working in his garden.

Part 3: Running together

People are fascinated to see me running. Passing drivers honk their horns, wave, or simply stare. Dogs get nervous as I run by, and often feel the need to chase me away from their homes. Many people ask to join me, although most rarely do. Many times, groups of primary school kids will run with me—backpacks bouncing, shoes pounding the pavement, giggling uncontrollably—as I pass where they’re walking. High school guys occasionally join too, running alongside me for a couple hundred meters until they feel they’ve proved their masculinity. The most memorable running together moment, however, happened on my first long run in Umphumulo. I had just reached my turn around point, and was starting up a massive hill—the kind they build runaway truck ramps for in the US—when an 11-12 year old girl asked if she could run with me. I was happy for the company, and we went off together. We passed her mother and grandmother as they worked in a field, and she cheerfully answered their questions and stares as we ran by. Between breaths, I asked her name and a few questions about her family and school, and explained that I was a volunteer from the United States staying in Umphumulo. My new friend ran with me for about a mile up the steepest part of the hill, which
is by far the longest anyone has run with me. She gave me a huge energy boost during the toughest part of my run, and completely removed any temptations about slowing down or walking before getting to the top. The rest of the run, both literally and figuratively, was
all downhill from there.

Trying to follow God’s plan for our lives can be challenging for us and for those around us, just like running. People will likely be surprised by what we are doing and why we are doing it, or just curious to learn how we ended up so far from home. Often, seeing God’s work in our lives—whatever it might be—inspires people to walk with us. Support like this happens when we least expect it. Amazingly, this is often when we benefit from it the most.

Part 4: Stretching

Admittedly, stretching after a run is not one of my favorite parts of the routine. I’d much rather have a glass of water, take a cold bath, or just not stretch. However, as many friends have pointed out, stretching might be the most valuable thing to do after a hard workout to recover, strengthen muscles, and truly benefit from a run. So, I dutifully spend a few minutes loosening up once I return home.

On the accompaniment side, stretching is by far the most important part of the process. It’s all well and good to meet people for five seconds at a time when we’re too out of breath or busy to stop for long, but it’s impossible to establish any lasting relationships with those around us without more in depth interactions. Stretching is what takes place when we meet those who we’ve seen from the side of the road in a new context. The connection formed during a run that we share with these friends is a perfect jumping block to learn more about their lives and to share our lives with them. I can’t begin to count the number of people who have excitedly told me that they saw me running some place or another; it’s a great way to start conversations. By stretching these connections, we strengthen our relationships in ways that wouldn’t be possible if all we did was run.

Steve Odegard is an ELCA-MUD participant-learner in Umphumulo.

Honesty, Trust, and Math in the Most Surprising Places (Krista Webb)

When I think about public transportation, the words “honesty,” “trust,” and “math skills” don’t immediately jump to mind. But as with many of my experiences during the last six months, I’m learning that good things can often be found in the most surprising places. Since I am currently without a car or old red van (the vehicle of my youth as many of my friends will fondly remember), my main form of transport these days is none other than the infamous South African taxi. Now when I say “taxi” (also called kombis), I don’t want you to picture a yellow cab that you can ride in for extremely high prices (though we do have that type of taxi as well). I want you to picture a crowded and lively 15-seater white van with lots of windows. These taxis range from nicer, newer vehicles to those on the slightly battered side. I was once shocked to find a TV inside one of the more spacious taxis. I’m pretty sure the other passengers wondered why the American was so excited.

Unlike buses, taxis don’t come or leave at scheduled times. Depending on the taxi rank, you can usually always find the one you want, but if you’re trying to get somewhere during their non-busy time, you’ll probably have to wait for the taxi to fill up. I’ve often received strange looks as I’ve climbed aboard. Once, a woman actually leaned over and asked me if I was scared to ride in a taxi. The fact is that white people generally don’t ride in them. Besides myself and the other volunteers in my program, I’ve seen less than a handful of other white people using this type of transport.

One thing that has continued to both amaze and unnerve me is the way the taxi drivers accept passengers’ fare. Unlike the machines that bigger public buses have, money is passed up to the driver by hand. Sometimes he has an assistant who will help him gather and give change back, but in my experience, it has most often been only the driver who is handling cash and coin. This would be less worrisome if he wasn’t also navigating his way through traffic at the same time. What has surprised me even more than these drivers’s ability to steer with a handful of coins though is how the money makes its way up to him. Each row gathers the Rand (either coins or bills) necessary to pay the fare and passes it to the front of the taxi. Rand passes through several
hands on its way up and yet I’ve never seen anyone try to pocket someone else’s money.

At first, I was wary of giving my money to someone I didn’t know. We’ve been taught from a young age that trusting strangers is usually a bad idea. But in the beginning, I often had to do just that as I figured out the system. I had to rely on the person next to me to give me the correct amount of change if I used a larger bill to pay the R6 fare. I had to trust that they weren’t going to cheat me. Coming from a culture where (and let’s be honest here) the majority of us use a calculator (perhaps even the one on our cell phone) to do even basic math, I still marvel at how quickly people on the taxi can hand back change and figure out how many fares can be paid with a large bill of R50, for instance. Finally, grade school math teachers everywhere are vindicated! There are situations when calculators aren’t practical! While it’s true that taxis don’t have the best reputation in the world of public transportation, my experience has been mainly a good one.

Seeing qualities like honesty and trust, as well as fairly impressive math skills, in the average taxi has proven to me that there are always new things to learn, even in my daily commute.

Krista Webb is an ELCA-MUD participant-learner in Bloemfontein.