THE AUTHOR

Rev. Theo Kuster is a retired missionary living in Minneapolis, MN. He earned a Bachelor of Divinity from Bethany Lutheran Seminary, Mankato, MN, in 1962; a Master of Sacred Theology from Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne, IN in 2002; a BA at the U of Minnesota in 1960 and an MA in Ibero American Studies from the U of Wisconsin in 1981. As pastor he served St. Paul's in Chicago, IL and St. Peter's near Goodhue MN. As missionary he worked in Peru, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Ghana West Africa, and Kazakhstan.

LAST UPDATE

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1968 EXPLORATORY TRIP DIARY OF A. HARSTAD

Some very interesting reading from the trip diary of my companion, Rev. Adolph Harstad, on the exploration of possible mission sites.   Page one;  Page two;  Page three;  Page four,

1968 EXPLORATORY TRIP NOTES

Even though we had read and studied everything we could get our hands on before the trip, we soon learned we still had a lot to learn. Notice how we began to notice cultural aspects.  Page one;  Page two.

1968 EXPANDED EXPLORATORY REPORT

After the exploratory trip to CA and SA, I wrote a five page report which was presented to the ELS Mission Board on March 4, 1968, and adopted.

Here you have the report . . .   Page one;  Page two;  Page three;  Page four;  Page five.
. . . and the ELS Mission Board minutes Page one and  Page two.

THE LIMA LAMP

While visiting the barriadas with a Pentecostal pastor, David Weins, we were introduced to what became in our mission presentations as "The Lima Lamp."

Pastor Weins explained that he could easily have installed an electric line from a neighbor and paid the costs of the project. He did not. He waited. Meeting in the small church was practically impossible during the evening when most of the people in the area could attend. He waited. Finally, the group decided to buy a lantern. They also supplied the kerosene and wick. Weins claimed allowing this process to take place, rather than fix it himself, gave the people a small but important first lesson in self-sufficiency. Weins was an example of a missionary who believed in and practiced the principles of non-dependency.

"If I had bought that lamp," Weins said, "I would have to also buy the kerosene since it would be my lamp, and the wick, and the people would expect me to furnish them with everything else."

1968 PRESENTATIONS

In March of 1968 I had made the following presentations.

1968 EXPLORATORY TRIP LETTER HOME

During the exploratory trip Adolph Harstad wrote this letter which later appeared in the ELS Lutheran Sentinel.

PICTURE: ADOLPH AND TED

This foto was taken later in the year we made the exploratory trip. The Explorers!

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FIRST NOTE FROM SYNOD TREASURER

The Synod Treasurer sent this note along with a check to pay for the airfare. We were somewhat informal back then.