ALBERT WADE
Mr. Albert Wade has lived all of his forty-one years on the beautiful island of Antigua. He and his wife, Beverly, have one son. Albert has served in a variety of capacities in law enforcement. He specializes now in detecting high-tech crime for the National Central Bureau. Albert has been a member of St. John's Lutheran Church in Antigua his entire life. He sings in the choir, ushers, and serves as a lector and member of the School Board. He recently completed his first two Deacon-level courses at the Caribbean Christian Training Institute (CCTI) located at St. John's. Albert continues to take courses offered by the CCTI so he can grow in his understanding of God's Word. He also wants to prepare for the pastoral ministry, "But I feel that I am not adequately equipped yet to come to the front." Albert is a leader in his congregation. It is clear that the Lord is drawing him toward positions of even greater responsibility. He wants to be sure that, if the Lord calls him to come to the front, he will be ready.
MICHAEL ALLEN
Michael Allen is a 44 year old African-American man who has wanted to be a pastor ever since he was in the seventh grade. He attended Milwaukee Lutheran High School from 1976-1980. He then attended Concordia University for three and a half years. He completed his education at Cardinal Stritch University to prepare for employment in the social services. Michael works for "Children First," a program that helps fathers fulfill their child support responsibilities. Because the PSI will allow him to complete his pre-seminary training while living in his home in Milwaukee and maintaining his current employment, he can once again pursue his dream of becoming a pastor. It will not be easy for Mr. Allen to balance the commitments of his work, his family and his studies. His desire to preach God's Word drives him forward.
THE ASIAN MINISTERIAL TRAINING PROGRAM
15,000 Hmong refugees will soon enter the United States. There are hundreds of WELS Hmong Christians who anxiously await the arrival of family and loved ones, not only to see long-lost friends and relatives but also to tell these lost loved ones about the Savior. Many of the men who are studying to become pastors through the Asian Ministerial Training Program allied themselves with the Americans during the Vietnam War to keep the communists out of Laos. When the American military evacuated Saigon, thousands of Hmong people in Laos who had helped the Americans were left to the mercy of the Communists. A bloody revenge ensued that did not stop with soldiers who bore arms against the North Vietnamese. Any family member of any age or gender of any Hmong man who had ever resisted the North Vietnamese was at risk of being sought out, tortured, and killed. David Lor is a graduate from the Asian training program a student from Kansas City, Missouri: "These twenty men are not enough to serve all the Hmong in America and in Thailand. We need more Hmong workers." The Asian training program, working together with the Pastoral Studies Institute, is training these workers. Pastor Jay Lo is a graduate of the Asian training program and serves now as pastor of First Hmong Lutheran Church in St. Paul, Minnesota: "We need to reach the Hmong people who are coming to America before non-Christian groups catch them." Pastor Pheng Moua is also a graduate of this program. He is the pastor of Immanuel Hmong Lutheran Church in St. Paul, Minnesota: "We want the Wisconsin Synod to look at us as a group of people who will take the gospel to the whole world. We can communicate in Asian languages. We can reach out to people from Laos and Thailand. We can hold hands together with the WELS to reach Asian people from all around the world." There are students enrolled in the Asian Ministerial Training Program who had to find ways to stay alive in the jungles as they evaded their pursuers. They had to find ways to support their family as they led them out of Laos into the refugee camps of Thailand. They had to find ways to keep their families together in these refugee camps while they waited for their opportunity to find a new life in America. They have already fought a hard fight. The fight they are preparing for now is that "good fight" described by Paul in 2 Timothy 4:7. This is the fight to save their friends and family members from Satan's darkness. God bless our partnership in fighting this good fight!
