In its thirteenth year, the CFNA Scholarship Program continues its support of New American students as they attend Lutheran schools in the St. Louis region. This year, 3 students graduated from the Lutheran High Schools, and two from Word of Life.

Secondo Kaka, who was born in Eritrea, has been supported since he was in fourth grade at Word of Life and graduated from Lutheran North in May. He plans to attend the University of Missouri St. Louis, majoring in biology. Patricia Massalay, who arrived in St. Louis from Sierra Leone just three years ago, graduated from Lutheran South and will probably attend the Florissant Valley campus of St. Louis Community College since her family moved to Florissant right after she graduated. David Mulat, born in Ethiopia, has been supported since fifth grade at Word of Life. He graduated from Lutheran South, where he earned the Social Science Department scholarship. He will be attending Lindenwood University with a substantial scholarship; he will study international relations and participate in track and cross country.

Kibur Bezabin, whose family is from Ethiopia, and Ezekiel Samking, who was born in Sierra Leone, both graduated from Word of Life. Kibur is moving to Atlanta with his family; his father took a pastoral call there. Ezekiel is going to Lutheran South.

In 2018–19, the CFNA scholarship program supported 12 elementary students at 4 Lutheran schools: Word of Life, Immanuel Olivette, Grace Chapel, and Christ Community. In addition, the program supported 13 high school students at Lutheran South and Lutheran North.

Funds for all these scholarships came from generous individual donors, congregations, a parochial school in St. Charles County, and the National Ministries program of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. All of those gifts were matched by a generous grant from the Lutheran Foundation of St. Louis, which has supported this program from its inception.

By Judith Meyer

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