E.L.C.A. - M.U.D.: Love or Fear (Eddie Johnson)

E.L.C.A. - M.U.D.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (E.L.C.A.) Ministry Upstream & Downwind (M.U.D.) program provides one-year service and learning opportunities in South Africa for E.L.C.A. young adults (between the ages of 21-30). As the young adults offer themselves in service, they also learn more about themselves, their relationship with God, and their place in God’s world. Young adults are transformed by their experiences, equipping them to take on responsibilities within the E.L.C.A. and to provide a global perspective on issues facing the church and society.

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Friday, March 20, 2009

Love or Fear (Eddie Johnson)

In the year 1513, the political philosopher Niccolò Machiavelli famously asked the question if it is better to be feared or loved.

According to Machiavelli, “the answer is of course, that it would be best to be both loved and feared. But since the two rarely come together, anyone compelled to choose will find greater security in being feared than in being loved." Machiavelli’s basic claim is that commitments made in peace are not always kept in adversity; however, commitments made in fear are kept out of fear.

As we’ve entered the Lenten season I find myself struggling with the things I’ve promised to God for the season. As I struggle with these promises I’ve found myself asking if I love God enough and if I fear God enough. And so Machiavelli’s question is transliterated into the Christian milieu: is it better to fear God or to love Him or Her.

I’m certain most Christians would say that it is better to love him because in our gut we feel as if it’s the more appropriate answer; but how do you love God? How do you love the intangible and unimaginable? How do you fear the intangible and unimaginable?

This is the question I struggle with, but that I feel all Christians truly struggle with, whether they know it or not. If we truly loved God wouldn’t we simply follow His or Her commands? Conversely, if we truly feared God wouldn’t we simply follow His or Her commands? This begs the question of what is God’s role in our lives; is God our prince or is he something convenient that we’ve been socialized to believe? This is the part where I wish I could conclude this discourse with something enlightening and beautiful like atop Table Mountain in Cape Town, but I don’t have the answer.

Maybe we all need to do a little more loving and a little more fearing?

Eddie Johnson is an ELCA-MUD volunteer serving in Hillbrow, Johannesburg.

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Country Coordinators

Brian & Kristen Konkol (Country Coordinators)

The Country Coordinators, Brian and Kristen Konkol, oversee and facilitate the ELCA-MUD program. They facilitate in-country logistics such as visa procedures, finances and stipends, housing, working out individual placements, arrivals and departures, and evaluations of volunteers. Brian and Kristen have overall responsibility for the volunteer's well-being, support, and guidance during their term of service, and thus play both a pastoral and administrative role. In consultation with ELCA and ELCSA staff, they have the primary role in making decisions about a volunteer's placement, term of service, facilitating conflict resolution, and responding to crisis and emergencies.

Brian Konkol was born in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. His parents are George and Judy Konkol, who reside in Amherst Junction, Wisconsin. After graduating from Amherst High School (Amherst, Wisconsin) in 1997, Brian enrolled at Viterbo University (La Crosse, WI), and after four years on the men's basketball team and in pursuit of a Bachelors of Science Degree in Criminal Justice, he graduated from Viterbo in 2001 and immediately enrolled at Luther Theological Seminary (St. Paul, MN) in order to pursue a Master of Divinity degree, with the hopes of being ordained as a minister in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The "turn" into international service came during Brian’s third year of theological study, when he was selected by the E.L.C.A. to serve in an international "Horizon" internship, and was placed in New Amsterdam, Guyana, with the Ebenezer Lutheran Parish. Following a worthwhile internship year, and after graduating from Luther Seminary in May of 2005 and receiving official ordination into the ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in June of 2005, he was invited to return to Guyana as Long-Term Global Mission Personnel, serving with the Emmanuel Lutheran Parish of Skeldon within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana. While in Guyana from 2005-2007, in addition to serving as pastor of four congregation, Brian also served as Director of the Lutheran Camp and Retreat Centre (2005-2006), Lecturer at the Lutheran Lay Academy (2005-2007), Co-Host of "The Word for the World" national television program (2005-2007), Advisor to the National Youth Commission (2005-2007), and also provided leadership and support in various other ministries within the community and wider church.

Kristen Konkol was born in Atlantic, Iowa. She is the daughter of Rev. Dr. Charles and Sharon Tews, who reside in Waupaca, Wisconsin. After graduating from Waupaca High School in 1995, Kristen accepted a full-scholarship to play basketball at the University of Toledo (Toledo, Ohio). She graduated with a Bachelors of Science Degree with an emphasis on Cardiac Rehabilitation, while also earning four letters on the highly successful women's basketball team. After graduation, Kristen then pursued Post-Graduate studies at the University of Minnesota, where she earned a Masters of Arts in Kinesiology, with a minor in Complementary and Alternative Therapy and Healing Practices through the Center for Spirituality and Healing. Kristen then worked as a community health specialist and research associate with the University of Minnesota. She worked with a Susan B. Komen Foundation Grant working with breast cancer survivors, and also the National Institute of Health Grant, working on a diabetes prevention study focusing on minority populations in the Twin Cities area. Kristen enrolled with the United States Peace Corps in 2003, and was assigned to Guyana, where she served as a health volunteer and was involved in various aspects of the community, ranging from HIV/AIDS education and awareness, to sports teams, and primary education. In 2006, Kristen moved to Skeldon, Guyana in order to serve as the Director of the Lutheran Camp and Retreat Centre, as well as in various other capacities, such as providing leadership in After-School Reading Programs, HIV/AIDS support groups, community outreach, and various other opportunities.

Brian and Kristen were married on September 23, 2006 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Waupaca, Wisconsin. They enjoy reading, listening to music, playing guitar, outdoor adventures/hiking, camping, running, cycling, basketball, and various other sporting activities.

What is E.L.C.A.- M.U.D.?

The Young Adults in Global Mission Program in South Africa is known as “M.U.D." The acronym illustrates the program's characteristics, as well as its primary goals.

M – Ministry

First and foremost, M.U.D. is a Christ-centered ministry. It is a faith-based service project designed to share and receive the love of Jesus through “accompaniment”. The element of faith and ministry is not simply a “slice” of the project’s “pie”, but it is the “crust”/foundation of the entire experience.

U – Upstream

M.U.D. is upstream in the sense that it is a counter-cultural movement. While many American young adults are busy trying to climb corporate ladders and/or accumulate material wealth, M.U.D. is an opportunity to experience something “against the current”. M.U.D. is an opportunity to serve and grow, it concentrates on "being" rather than doing, and it places young adults in situations new, challenging, and often uncomfortable.

In addition, M.U.D. is counter-cultural in comparison to traditional church concepts of global mission. While numerous mission organizations see themselves solely in the capacity of "leader", “giver” and “teacher”, and go in order to "mission" others, this project is designed for young adults to learn, receive, serve in genuine cooperation, and to be "missioned" by their South African counterparts.

D – Downwind

The Old Testament term “ruach” is translated into English as “breath”, “wind”, and/or “spirit”. It is in this sense that, while the M.U.D. project is counter-cultural in nature, it is a product of God’s Spirit/breath/wind, thus making it downwind. God’s breath/wind/spirit provides participants with life (energy, enthusiasm), it pushes them in faithful and fruitful directions (guidance), and provides wisdom (and humility!) to learn from mistakes and move forward.

Program Objectives

As mud includes a mixture of water and soil, it is our prayer that each M.U.D. volunteer would be globally formed in the spiritually fertile soil of South Africa (Biblical References: Matthew 13:1-15, Mark 4:1-12, Luke 8:4-10).

As Jesus used mud to remove blindness (John 9), we pray that each M.U.D. volunteer will see and experience things they had not seen and/or experienced before. As a result of the M.U.D. experience, they will be globally informed.

As a result of each M.U.D. volunteer being globally formed and informed, the grace of God through Jesus will be made known, peace and mutuality among global citizens may take hold, and the world can be globally transformed from a place of division into a worldwide community of caring companions.