We were blessed with a visit from John Wolf, the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod’s new Africa Region Project Manager, in January. John came to our Wednesday morning Bible studies and gave a presentation during the Sunday morning Bible study hour. Thanks to your generosity, we were able to send almost $1,100 to support the family in their work! We will be following the mission journey of the Wolfs as they finish making their preparations and head to their new life as full-time missionaries in Kenya.

Here’s a little biographical information about the “Wolf Pack,” reprinted from their bio page on the LCMS website:

John and Jenn Wolf serve the Lord as career missionaries through The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) in Kenya. As the Africa region’s project manager, John provides oversight and support for projects and grants across the region, with a particular focus on mercy work. He also trains the local people and the local church partners to develop, manage and sustain projects that support Christian growth and congregational needs across Africa.

John was born in Farmington, Minnesota, and grew up in Baldwin, Wisconsin. His home congregation is Hope Lutheran Church in Aurora. He received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Michigan Tech University, Houghton. He also received a master’s degree in space studies from the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks. Before becoming a missionary, John served twenty years in the Air Force and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2015. His professional background includes project management, team building and leadership, as well as working with international partners in Europe and Asia. His hobbies include gardening, woodworking, historical re-enactments, hiking and camping.

Jenn was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska. Her home congregation is also Hope Lutheran Church. She received a bachelor’s degree in South/Southeast Asian studies from the University of California, Berkeley. She also took graduate level courses in teaching and deaf education prior to teaching in public and private schools in Montana and California. Since 2001, she has been a stay-at-home mom, homeschooling their children, volunteering as a violinist in community orchestras and working with exchange student organizations. Her hobbies include fiber arts, classical violin, international folk music, languages and reading.

John and Jenn have five beautiful children—Ian, Sean, Thad, Annalise and Angus—who will join them in the mission field.

The LCMS requests prayers for the Wolfs: “Ask God to give them strength and peace as they transition to life overseas, learning the culture and the language. Please pray for John as he works to support the needs of the African people in a way that remains true to the Gospel. Pray also for Jenn and the children as they support John in his work and as they build relationships with the people they are called to serve.” They also ask you to pray for the people in Africa, “that they are brought to and strengthened in a saving knowledge of Christ and are assisted in their vocations through the work of the LCMS African missionaries.”

The Wolfs have been visiting area churches, including Saint John’s, to build up their support network. But they are eager to begin this next chapter in their ministry! In their January newsletter, John writes:

Often when you visit a new place there is a certain anxiety about the unknown. After a memorable visit with friendly folks at Immanuel, Carlsbad, I took the opportunity to visit the nearby caverns. The thirty-minute descent 750 feet underground is full of dimly lit paths, protruding objects and many unknowns, but you trust that the park rangers have provided a safe route. The start of our missionary journey has likewise been full of many unknowns; when will we deploy, how will we build our support network, how do we move our stuff internationally without the military doing it for us, when will we deploy, how do we accomplish school for the kids and downsizing while simultaneously visiting all these churches, when will we deploy (this frequent question is a regular in our house with five young children learning patience). God has and does richly and daily provide what we need in His perfect time. We are reminded of the psalmist’s words in Psalm 27, “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!” This is Christ’s Church, and it is His timing and His plan. Even when things seem dim (much like in the dark caverns) or slower than we’d like, Christ reminds us that He is the Rock and provides often unexpected blessings as we wait on His timing.January 2016 "Sending Seven” Newsletter

You can learn more about what the LCMS is doing in the different regions of Africa, including the Wolf Pack’s work in Kenya, by visiting www.LCMS.org/africa.

John Wolf is the Africa Region Project Manager for the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. He and his family, with the support of LCMS churches like Saint John’s, are serving in Kenya. Please keep them in your prayers! We encourage you to follow their family blog, www.hereiamsendmesendme.blogspot.com, which is also where you can sign up to their mailing list and make donations.