A MESSAGE FROM THE DISTRICT PRESIDENT,
Rev. Paul Linnemann
March 2010

My Schedule

Everyone has a story, and my family is no exception. In 1949, my wife’s (Cindy) parents went to Nigeria as missionaries for the LCMS. They spent the next 16 years bringing the message of God’s love to the people there, and during that time Cindy was born. For many years it’s been her deep desire to return and share that part of her life with me. In the past few months, God has opened the door for us to go by providing us with a missionary couple who lives there as our chaperones and hosts. Due to a generous gift from the congregation I served as pastor, Our Redeemer in Tigard, OR, Cindy and I, along with our son, Peter, will be traveling to Nigeria to retrace some steps. During our visit I’m planning to break into the world of blogs. I’ll be writing about our experiences and insights along the way. If you’d like to follow along, you can find it at http://african-reflections.blogspot.com.

You may have heard in the news about the unrest happening in Nigeria. We have been in touch with our hosts regularly about the situation and will use our best judgment as we make decisions about places to go and to avoid along the way. Cindy, Peter, and I would greatly appreciate your prayers while we travel and for the challenge of encountering unique cultures, old memories, and new horizons.

God bless each of you during this Epiphany season. Our District is made up of many people and many unique circumstances. Please know that I remember you to the Lord daily, and even though geography and time constraints make our regular communication difficult, my thoughts and my prayers are with you.