Reverend Neville Otto and Glenice Hartwich hear this request nearly every time they meet with people from our Lutheran overseas partner churches. Learning English helps people to get jobs and to engage with people from other countries – particularly important for pastors and churchy leaders. In addition, English classes are a way to build bridges […]

Reverend Neville Otto and Glenice Hartwich hear this request nearly every time they meet with people from our Lutheran overseas partner churches.

Learning English helps people to get jobs and to engage with people from other countries – particularly important for pastors and churchy leaders. In addition, English classes are a way to build bridges of friendship with people in their communities in order to reach out with the good news of Jesus Christ.

As native English speakers, Australians and New Zealanders have much to offer in teaching English in the seminaries and schools of our near neighbours in Asia and Papua New Guinea.

Volunteering as a teacher of English or in other ways – eg, support workers in homes for people with disabilities, or in homes for children who have been abused and orphaned – can be life-changing for you and for the people you serve. Serving others in another country and culture, and being a living example of God’s word is faith in action that can produce incredible fruit for the gospel.

Throughout the history of the Lutheran churches in Australia, many people have served as full-time workers or volunteers, particularly in Papua New Guinea, Malaysia and Indonesia. God uses people from a huge variety of backgrounds to humbly to his will overseas.

All sorts of people- teachers, doctors, nurses, mechanics, accountants, research assistants, students, retired people, and young people wanting to fill a gap year- have served God and his people in other nations.

This story was also published in the August 2014 edition of Border Crossings, the magazine of LCA International Mission.

If you would like to consider the opportunity to serve as a volunteer in mission, serving in practical ways, teaching English, teaching in the seminaries and institutions of our partner churches, or in local churches, you are invited to phone Nevin on (08) 8267 7300 or email nevin.nitschke@lca.org.au. For more information, go to http://www.lcamission.org.au/join-gods-mission/volunteer/

Read more stories about volunteering at www.lcamission.org.au/category/join-gods-mission/volunteers/