Jamaica

Catechisms for Jamaica!

( 1,000,000 of them! )

It is the intent of the CLEF, working with Pastor Dunker, to put Luther's Small Catechism and other solid Confessional writings into the hands of every student and teacher in Jamaica. Can you say, “one million”? The catechism will be used as the basic Christian instruction book on a daily basis in classrooms and school devotions. Generations of Jamaicans will receive the solid foundation of the true Gospel, Jesus Christ.

October of 2006 began a new day for the children and people of Jamaica. Pastor Rod Dunker and Pastor Bradley Ketcham (Audubon, Iowa) went to Kingston, Jamaica, to renew the "Jamaica Book Project" begun five years earlier. They were welcomed with open arms by the Jamaican people. At times it seemed a bit overwhelming, hearing their desire and need for more catechisms, Bible story books, and the like. They want Christ in their schools and in the lives of their children. Imagine how different the United State would be if Christ was welcome in the public schools!

Pastor Dunker writes:

“We were blessed to establish some great relationships with five schools. The pastors delivered an all-school devotion on the first Monday at Shortwood Practicing School. Seven hundred catechisms were distributed into the hands of the children and teachers.”

The week, for Pastors Dunker and Ketcham, continued in the same way. They led four more all-school devotions and forty classroom Bible studies with catechesis. In each school they had fruitful conversations with the principal and teachers during which they discussed the importance of God's Word in the schools. In all, they distributed 4000 Confessional books to the teachers and the students of Kingston, Jamaica. Might this be a modern-day miracle?

Happy students with their Small Catechism and first instruction class. Through the CLEF you are there
making the difference – bringing Christ to these suffering children.

In the spring of 2006, all LCMS missionaries were pulled from the field in Jamaica. These missionaries had proven invaluable in helping to get sound Lutheran Educational material into the schools of Jamaica to provide all-school and classroom devotions, as well as teacher education in Lutheran doctrine. This is no longer possible. And while the congregation of St. Andrew's still exists, it has no pastoral care or leadership.

Principal Dillon of the Shortwood Practicing School commented that, "The only chance many of these children have of hearing about Jesus, is in the school." That is why we go!

There are over 1000 schools in Jamaica; there is much to be done. Thank you to all who support and share in the work of the CLEF – For the Sake of The Gospel.

The CLEF and You ARE the difference