Partners AFAR
Partners As Friends – Amigos – Rafiki
Walking Together in Faith: Three Communities, One Body
Welcome to the home of our shared journey. While miles may separate us from the Diocese of Meru and the Salvadoran Lutheran Church, we are united by a bridge of friendship, prayer, and shared faith.
Deeply rooted in our connection to the Greater Milwaukee Synod’s companion synods, we use that commitment as a springboard for our own direct, parish-to-parish relationships. At Ascension, these partnerships are championed by a single, dedicated group focused on honoring both connections equally. For us, this is not a project to be managed, but a family to be nurtured. We invite you to learn what it means to walk together.
Both partnerships are supported through Raise Right. When you purchase a gift card through the platform at face value, the brand provides an immediate rebate—anywhere from 1% to 20%—which goes directly to Partners AFAR.
Tanzania – Diocese of Meru – Samaria Parish, Usa River
A Legacy of Partnership
Ascension’s commitment to our brothers and sisters in Tanzania began in 2000 as a founding congregation of the Mount Meru Coffee Project. For over two decades, our members have served in vital leadership roles, providing consistent financial support and fostering a deep commitment to the coffee project, as well as occasional donations of support to other ministries of the Diocese.
A pivotal moment occurred in 2015 when Pastor Elias Lema visited Ascension as part of a Tanzanian delegation. His invitation to become a sister parish with Samaria Parish was met with an enthusiastic “yes.” This bond was finalized in 2018 when seven Ascension members traveled to Tanzania—alongside partners from St. Luke’s, Waukesha—to sign our formal partnership covenant.
Walking Together Today
Today, under the leadership of Pastor Nathan Makenge, Samaria Parish is a thriving hub of faith and education. In addition to the main campus, the parish oversees three “preaching points”—Neema, Galilaya, and Kijenge—which serve as vital offshoots for growing congregations. Their mission extends far beyond the pulpit, supporting: Samaria Primary and Secondary Schools, Savana Primary School, a dedicated school for students with special needs
At the request of our partners, our primary financial support to Samaria is the school lunch program where we provide 200 days of lunch for over 1000 students and their teachers. We also provided the funding for a water project that brought water to Savana primary school and 6 villages.
Looking Forward
After the challenges of the pandemic, we joyfully resumed our travel ministry in 2023. We are now established on a three-year travel cycle, with our next journey to Tanzania scheduled for the summer of 2026. While current U.S. visa policies make it difficult to host our Tanzanian friends here, we remain committed to finding ways to share our lives with them in a spirit of mutuality.
Companion Synod
Ascension members continue to serve at the companion synod level, ensuring our partnership remains vibrant and effective:
Pastor Chris: Synod Ministry Team Chair
Rick Frowein: Leader of the Coffee Project
Sarah Wehmeier Aparicio: Social Media Coordinator
Al Gilgenbach: Ascension Coffee Project Ambassador
El Salvador – Salvadoran Lutheran Church – Milagro de Dios, San Jorge
Constructing a Partnership
Ascension’s connection to El Salvador began in 2010, starting with support for the agroferreteria (hardware store) ministry in Usulutan. This initiative provided vital community employment while funding local churches. By 2012, our focus shifted toward a deep, lasting bond with Milagro de Dios (Miracle of God Lutheran Church) in San Jorge.
We officially signed our covenant of partnership in 2015 during a delegation of 11 Ascension members, traveling alongside friends from Lake Park in Milwaukee and Grace in Thiensville. Since then, we have continued to organize large, multi-generational delegations two out of every three years to deepen these friendships. We do what we can to host guests from El Salvador, in spite of current travel restrictions.
Building a Sustainable Future Together
While our primary goal is building deep personal relationships, our partnership also yields tangible results. Our delegations engage in environmental stewardship, with a focus on sea turtle conservation and exploring sustainable cacao projects. Ascension also invests in the next generation by providing backpacks and shoes for students, Christmas food baskets for families, and ongoing support for the neighboring school—a community pillar originally founded as a ministry of Milagro de Dios.
Economic empowerment is another vital piece of our connection. Milagro de Dios operates a small on-site commercial bakery, where members bake and sell goods within the community to raise essential funds for the church’s ministry.
Companion Synod
Ascension also remains highly active in leadership at the companion synod level.
Pastor Edwin Aparicio & Sarah Wehmeier Aparicio: Synod Ministry Team Co-Chairs
Doug Paceszny & Jeremy Poling – Cacao Project
Sarah Pacezny – Committee Member
Global Partners
ELCA World Hunger
Disaster Response
Social Services
Local Partners
We’d love to hear from you and answer any additional questions you have.