LCMS World Mission Blog

Michelle Cagnin serves as the LCMS facilitator for human care in Asia and as the area facilitator for Southeast Asia. She recently shared an update about the Human Care Forum that she helped host in Hong Kong. Cagnin wrote, “The Asia Pacific Human Care Forum was Jan. 9-11, 2012 in Hong Kong. It brought Lutheran human care workers from the Asia Pacific region together to think, plan and dream together. Participants that are serving in Cambodia, China, Japan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Hong Kong, Papua New Guinea and the United States joined.

“One special guest was Genmar Pizarro, who is in the first row on the left hand side of the photo above. Genmar was hired in December by the Lutheran Church in the Philippines (LCP) to serve as the LCP human care coordinator. I will be traveling to the Philippines in February to work with Genmar as the LCP moves forward with two new human care programs: a microloan program for pastor’s families, sponsored by LCMS with loan money from Concordia Welfare and Education Foundation, and a community health program in rural areas of the Philippines sponsored by Lutherans in Medical Mission.”

Rev. John Mehl, LCMS regional director for the Asia Pacific region, wrote, “The theme of human care figures prominently in the picture of work in Hong Kong this month, but it has always been part of the Lutheran ministry in this region. The brokenness of humanity that came with the fall into sin included not only spiritual damage, but also physical. God told Adam and Eve that there would be great pain in childbirth and thorns and thistles would be part of the cursed ground (Gen. 3:16-18).

“But our loving God did not abandon us — He sent Jesus to bring healing. Jesus was concerned that the people be made ‘whole.’ Jesus continues to provide healing, and Christians have the privilege of being instruments in our Lord’s hands as we carry out human care ministry and connect people to the Gospel. We tell of the healing that Jesus has brought through His suffering, death and resurrection. We also help those who are in bondage to physical suffering, pain and sickness. That is who God has called us to be.”

• Learn more about LCMS witness and mercy work in the Asia Pacific region.
• Learn more about Sandro and Michelle Cagnin and how to support their ministry.
• Learn more about Rev. John and Susan Mehl and how to support their ministry.