Along with Pastor Kristin

 Happy Summer to you!    Yes, summer has arrived here in Zambia.  The sun has moved south again.  The fans are on.  The birds have returned.  We try not to walk anywhere in the middle of the day.  And everyone is complaining that its tooooo hot.  (I think talking about the weather must be an almost universal conversational opener.)  I am a bit jealous of all the fall pictures from those of you in the northern hemisphere. As I try to stay cool in front of the fan, I'm happy to share with you my September 2023 Newsletter .  You'll find news of the biggest happening in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zambia (ELCZa) since I arrived - the 2023 ELCZa Church Assembly.  I've also included pictures of the Lusaka District Youth Camp that took place in August. You can download a pdf of the September 2023 Newsletter here or read it below.  If you would like to have future newsletters emailed to you, please contact me through the form on the blog menu (3 bars at the top left of the

 Zambian Winter Greetings to you all! Yes, it is winter here in Zambia, which means highs in the 60s and 70s and night-time lows in the 40s and 50s.  Its actually quite nice, though without heat in most homes, its does get pretty cold at night.  But we are all wearing jackets and trying to protect ourselves from the mpepo (wind) that makes it feel cold.  I am glad to share with you my July 2023 Newsletter .  You will find news of my recent work with the youth and young adults of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zambia.  In Zambia and in the United States, it is the youth who give me hope and call us to live into our heritage as an ever-reforming Lutheran church.  I also share a reading recommendation so you can immerse yourself a bit into Zambian life. As a bonus for the blog readers, I have included below videos of the great singing and dancing from Youth Camp in the ELCZa Northwestern District that took place in May. Download a pdf of the July 2023 Newsletter here or read it below

Happy Easter!  Jesus, a uka!    I hope you had a wonderful Easter celebration, and perhaps even shouted "Jesus is Risen!" several times in worship and on the way home.  In the nyanja language spoken in Zambia, we say, "Yesu, a uka!" which literally means "Jesus is awake" but is also used to say "Jesus is Risen."  Shouting this good news is one of my favorite parts of the Easter season. 😁 In the spirit of Easter good news, my April 2023 Newsletter is full of good news from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zambia.  There are Easter celebrations, the first church council meeting since COVID, confirmation services, and more. Download a pdf of the April 2023 Newsletter here or read it below.  If you would like to have future newsletters emailed to you, please contact me through the form on the blog menu (3 bars at the top of the screen).

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all!  I have been living in Zambia and working with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zambia (ELCZa) for almost a year.  During that time, I have been welcomed and invited into ministry by our siblings in the ELCZa.  The church here has been a blessing, even as the work I am called to has challenged me to develop new skills and ways of ministry that are appropriate for the Zambian context.    As we start a new year, I have made a short video that tells a bit about the ministry I am engaged in with the ELCZa.  You are invited to share this video via social media, in worship services, or perhaps at an upcoming congregational meeting. Enjoy!     

During the months of August and September, I was in the United States visiting congregations in New Jersey and New York, Chicago, and Minnesota and Wisconsin who support me - both financially and spiritually - as an ELCA global missionary.   Zikomo!!   Several congregations asked me to teach a song that is sung in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zambia (ELCZa).  Well, the song that I chose, "Yesu Bwenzi La Wochimwa," is familiar to many people in the United States, since it is a translation of the song "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" into the chewe language.  Those of you in the ELCA can find it in english in ELW 742. To my surprise and delight, last Saturday as I was in a meeting at the Matero congregation, I heard "Yesu Bwenzi La Wochimwa" floating in the windows of the church building.  The teens from the congregation were gathered outside for confirmation class, and were rehearsing the songs they would sing in worship the following day, including &

 Yesterday I was interviewed by the Lutheran Media Forum for their "Know Your Leader" Program.  The Lutheran Media forum is based in Africa and works to facilitate communication between Lutheran Churches, primarily on the continent of Africa.  The Forum is led by Rev. Witty Mang'unda from Tanzania and David Mangenda from Zambia.   My interview was done via the Lutheran Media Forum Whatsapp group, so the format is a bit less formal and you will see other people's comments and reactions as part of the interview.  I've edited the interview a bit for content and added more pictures. LIFE JOURNEY OF REV KRISTIN ENGSTROM Rev Witty: Good evening family! Warmly welcome to * Know Your Leader Program .* This evening we are taking you through the life journey of none other than Rev Kristin Engstrom , the Facilitator of Leadership Development and Capacity Building in ELCZa.  Your host this evening is the one and only brother David Mang'enda of Lusaka, Zambia and Sist