ELTV: Missionaries In Africa 42 years. Lowell & Claudia Wertz Share Their Journey & God's Miracles!

On this episode of ELTV:
A Dedicated life that chooses to serve on the mission field is a personal sacrifice. Since 1980, Lowell and Claudia Wertz have been missionaries in Africa. What compels them to stay faithful and continue serving in a foreign country? While in Chicago, we had the honor of having them as our guests to share about their journey and the amazing miracles of God.

Website: https://joyintheharvest.com

Lowell and Claudia began their missionary service in Zaire (now called the Democratic Republic of the Congo) where they served under the General Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church from 1980 to 1992. Since 1993 they have served the Lord in Tanzania with Joy in the Harvest, a Christian mission organization they establish. Before leaving for Africa, Claudia obtained a B.A. degree in education and taught mentally handicapped children for 7 years and Lowell obtained a B.A. degree in Sociology and a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree with a specialization in World Mission. Lowell was an amateur radio operator for many years and became a pilot in preparation for missionary service in Africa Lowell and Claudia are from the Chicago area. In 1980 they became missionaries at the invitation of the United Methodist Church in the Congo (Zaire). Claudia started a training center for women and Lowell served as a radio technician, pilot, printer, and pioneered using the “Jesus” movie for village evangelism. Lowell is an ordained United Methodist minister and an elder in the Tanganyika-Tanzania Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church in Africa. For 26 years he flew a single engine airplane as a bush pilot. In 1990 they evacuated their mission station twice — both times under gunfire. In 1993 they founded the Joy in the Harvestmission organization. The Wertzes reside in the strategic location of Kigoma, Tanzania near the countries of Congo, Burundi, and Rwanda. These three countries have experienced brutal civil wars in recent years – which resulted in hundreds of thousands of refugees coming to their area in Tanzania. The Wertzes developed a variety of ministries in the refugee camps. The Wertzes are currently involved in many ministries, such as feeding street people, providing assistance to people in crisis, and supporting a destitute camp for the handicapped. They are currently building a two story community center building that will hold a lending library, radio studio, offices, kitchen, washrooms, and an auditorium that will seat over 350 people. Lowell and Claudia have two married children who were both born and raised in Africa.