Meet Stephen and Rachel Katterhenrich. They work for Wycliff Bible Translators in Tanzania. They are global workers of the NALC and our POP council has just affirmed that they are missionary partners of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church!
These missionaries are working on the front lines of translating the Word of God into the language of the Bungu people. We take for granted that we can pick up our Bible and read the words on the page, understand them, and take them to heart. The Katterhenrich’s, who felt the call from God early on, are working hard to translate the Bible into one of the 2,200 languages that does not have a translation.
Because it is rarely before our eyes–or ears in this case–we don’t understand the importance of hearing the Gospel of Jesus Christ in our own native tongue. There is something powerful about God speaking in your language. Because of Stephen and Rachel, and faithful servants like them, this reality is being lived out for the Bungu people.
The image above is of some Bungu children. The bumper sticker on the door to their school house says, “God speaks your language” in Swahili.
The church council at Prince of Peace has committed to supporting Stephen and Rachel, along with their two children, Hope and Scott, with our prayers and resources. We have pledged a minimum of $1,200 for 2020 to go directly to their budget with Wycliff–$100 per month. We would like to support them even above and beyond. Please prayerfully consider these two actions:
- Click the button below, sign up for the Katterhenrich Prayer Support Letter. Follow the button below and click on the button below their picture on the new screen that says, “Pray and Stay Connected.” Truly, your prayers make a difference.
- Click the button below, then, near the top of the page, fill out an amount and give to Wycliff on behalf of the Katterhenrich family. Alternatively, you are more than welcome to bring a check–made out to Prince of Peace and marked for the Katterhenrich’s to the church office. We will collect these checks and ensure that they are given to Wycliff.
A final note. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Stephen and Rachel for a number of years. They were a part of the youth group at the congregation I served prior to coming to POP. They are delightful and they have an incredible heart for Jesus. They have been stateside for the last number of months while Stephen furthered his linguistic education. They are anxious and excited to return to their important work. However, they need to ensure that their missionary budget is pledged for and met before they board the plane. It is for this reason–and because of the vital work they do–that the council is bringing this request to the congregation now. Please join with me as we pray for the Katterhenrich family. And, be on the look out for future updates from Stephen and Rachel as we walk along side of them in this important work.
