South Dakota Synod, ELCA
Augustana College
Sioux Falls SD 57197
605/274-4011
605/274-4028 (fax)
sdsynod@augie.edu

South Dakota Synod
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

In November and December, Bishop Andrea DeGroot-Nesdahl and 23 members of the South Dakota Synod ELCA traveled to Africa to meet and work with their brothers and sisters in Christ who are members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Cameroon (EELC). The South Dakota Synod and the EELC are partners in the ELCA's Companion Synod program.

Bishop Andrea and her family
Prior to traveling to Cameroon, Bishop Andrea attended the Eighth Assembly of the World Council of Churches as one of the ELCA's eight delegates. The assembly, held in Harare, Zimbabwe, commemorated the 50th anniversary of the founding of the WCC. Bishop Andrea was accompanied by her husband, Gary, and their children, Charlie, Joey, and Katie.

Mission Builder Team One The members of the first team left South Dakota on November 8. Pictured at the Sioux Falls airport are (left to right) Janet Bjordahl, Badger; Dr. Paul Larson, Watertown; Connie Larson, Watertown; Darrell Johnson, Sioux Falls; Valerie Parsley, Madison; Rodney Sletten, Yankton; and LouAnn Jensen, Arlington. Eileen and John Raforth, Whitewood, departed from Rapid City.

The mission team's first assignment was to roof the church at Gankombon. Paul Larson, Rodney Sletten, John Raforth, and some villagers assembled washers and nails to use on the roof.

The Mission Builders and the villagers at Gankombon worked together to lay the supporting beams on the trusses of the roof.

Janet Bjordahl, Val Parsley, and Rodney Sletten visited the church office of the EELC in Ngaoundere.

Darrel Johnson, a physician's assistant, cradled his namesake, Aboubakar Johnson. The baby's grateful parents renamed their son after a medication donated by Darrel cured the infant, who was suffering from meningitis.

Mission Builder Team Two The second team arrived in Cameroon on December 1. They all traveled to the village of Ngam to roof a church. The villagers at Ngam raised the first truss on their church roof as Lon Tastad perched on the wall and Keith Bostrum videotaped the important moment.

Harold Anderson and Lynn Hardy repaired an ultrasound machine at the hospital in Garoua Boulai.

Lon Tastad, Neal Woehlhaff, and the villagers of Gba Fouck, proudly posed in front of the completed church.This was the second of three churches that were roofed by members of the second mission team.

Louise Tastad enjoyed playing with the children in the village.

Bishop Andrea and her family met the second mission team in Ngaoundere. Pictured, standing left to right, are David Lee Brown, Colman; Harold Anderson, Volga; Dr. Lisa Brown, Colman; Lynn Hardy, Spearfish; John Jorgensen, Meckling; Dr. Paul Larson, Watertown; Connie Larson, Watertown; Keith Bostrum, New Effington; Louise Tastad, Watertown; Neal Woehlhaff, Eureka; Lon Tastad, Watertown; Charlie Nesdahl, Sioux Falls; Jean Jenson, Watertown; and Gary Nesdahl, Sioux Falls. Seated from left are Katie Nesdahl, Bishop Andrea, and Joey Nesdahl, Sioux Falls.

Read more about our Companion Synods Program here! View some Companion Synods photos here!

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