Woodrow Adolph Arp, b. 9/21/1935 Omaha, NE USA

Margie Nell (Woelfel) Arp, b. 7/12/1939 Thorndale, TX USA

1. 8/9/1964

Spouse/Family

Children: Heidi Jeanette (Schatte); Heather Lynne (Kingery), Allan Earnest, Johanna

Louise (Heyduk)

Dates of Service Field Call Assignment

1965-79      Papua New Guinea  Educational Missionary

1983-2000 Nigeria                       Educational Missionary

(joint call)

Biographical Summary

Woodrow (Woodie) Arp grew up in rural Eastern Nebraska, for the most part as a farmer’s son helping to fatten cattle for the Omaha Livestock Market.  He attended small public schools and graduated from Fort Calhoun High School in 1953 in a class of six.  His mother passed away in 1953, and he and his sister took on the role of keeping the family together by maintaining the household, which also consisted of a twin brother and sister, four years old.  His parents, while being raised Missouri Synod Lutheran, did not attend church regularly.  However, they insisted and made it possible for the children to go to Sunday School and church regularly.  Woodie grew up with the Walther League and was actively involved in church matters at St. John’s Lutheran in Omaha, NE, until being drafted into the US Army in 1958.

Intending to remain a farmer, he was disrupted in his plan by being inducted into the Army.  While serving thirteen months in Korea, Woodie had time to do correspondence courses, become a company clerk, and then earn a Security Clearance.  After two years of duty and a return to civilian life, he became interested in further education, having succeeded at correspondence courses at university level.  Concordia Teachers College, Seward, NE was nearby and Woodie was accepted into the Teacher Ed program in the fall of 1961.   Many are those who feel a call to serve in foreign missions in a clear and direct way at some period in their lives, but this was not the case here.   Woodie was active in student affairs and even in college evangelism, and as a Junior, he ran and was elected as Student Body President for the l964-65 school year.  However, not long before that he had met Margie Nell Woelfel at Concordia.  They were married in 1964.   As they considered his first call in 1965, the Spirit spoke to them, motivating Woodie to place his name on a list of those willing to be considered for a foreign mission call.  Steadily and surely the Lord had been preparing him for this ministry even if Woodie did not see it coming or have an awareness in those years before!

Their first call assignment was to the Papua New Guinea (PNG) mission field as an educational missionary.  The first five-year term consisted of four years serving as a teacher at Highland Lutheran School, Amapyaka, a school for missionary kids, and one year as a teacher/headmaster in a PNG curriculum school at Yaramanda Mission Station.   During this five-year period, three children were born into the family, two born at home.  Their first furlough was spent at Concordia, Seward, in the Masters Degree program.  By the end of the following summer (1971) Woodie received a Masters Degree in Educational Administration.  Upon return to the PNG field, he was assigned to Balob Teachers College (Lutheran), Lae, as a teacher and administrator/mentor.  Four years later, on a second furlough, he studied at North Texas University in an independent study program.  There he learned about technology use in teacher education and computer programming.  Upon return to Balob, Woodie established a micro teaching program, making use of video cameras for the first time for training teachers.

Over the years at Balob, Woodie was Chairman of the Religious Studies Department, Vice Principal twice, Acting Principal, and he mentored two Papua New Guineans (one female, one male) to become lecturers/administrators.  He also became the Teacher Education representative on the National Education Board of PNG, visited all teacher’s colleges in the country, and helped prepare a teacher education plan for the Nation, which was published in 1979.  He wrote the Primary Teacher Education chapter.  During this period of time (1975) Papua New Guinea became an independent nation.

In l979, after three of the Arp children had gone to boarding school in PNG, service with the Board for Missions was terminated and the family returned to the United States.  At this time, missionary kids went to Australia for Secondary Education.  In 1967 Woodie had traveled to Australia to visit all Lutheran Secondary Schools, thus being quite aware of the situation their children would face.  But through prayer and deliberations, the parents decided it best to return the children to the USA for high school.  Upon arrival back in America, Woodie enrolled at North Texas State University in the doctorate program for Early Childhood Education.   After a successful year, again through prayer and deliberation, it seemed advisable to terminate this study and look for a more permanent home for the family.  Several calls were considered, but the Lord directed him to accept a call to serve as Child Care Director at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Austin, TX.  Over the next 2 and ½ years Woodie directed Child Care and Early Childhood programs at Redeemer, beginning an education program in Early Childhood for four year olds during 1981.

During these years back in the USA, there was a nagging feeling in Woodie’s heart of missing the foreign field and all it had meant in the past 14-plus years.  In 1982 the Lord called again through the Board for Missions, LCMS.  Teachers were needed at Hillcrest School, Jos, Nigeria.  This American Curriculum school for missionary children from grades 1-12 also enrolled Nigerian children and others from international families in that country.  With further prayer and much deliberation, this time with three older children (and a three year old daughter), BOTH Woodie and Margie accepted calls as Educational Missionaries at Hillcrest.  Following six months teaching Grade 6 and one year as Grade 3 teacher, Woodie became administrator of the Elementary School.  Margie taught Grade 1 for seventeen years!

During the years he was administrator, Woodie introduced many new programs to Hillcrest such as Assertive Discipline, Writing Across the Curriculum, Multi-Cultural Education, Homebook, Parent Information Forms, Video Camera for professional development, Spelling Bees, Curriculum Development, Earth Day Celebrations, Flag Pledges, School Themes, Puppets in Devotions, All-School Chapels, etc.  He also planned and built a playground out of a failed construction company’s scaffolding, which took on the name of “The Adventure.”   In the year 1985, Hillcrest joined the Association for International Schools in Africa (AISA).  This association held teacher and administrator conferences in various African countries on an annual basis.  Initially, Woodie became the representative (other staff went as delegates in subsequent years) from Hillcrest, and he continued attending both conferences until leaving Nigeria.  He traveled to Kenya, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Togo, and Tanzania, to name a few of the countries.  These meetings provided a great opportunity for witness as a Christian and as a Lutheran educator.

However, the joy of his life was the opportunity to work with the Lutheran Church of Nigeria (LCN) to begin a Lutheran Congregation in Jos.  It was the first LCN church in that northern part of Nigeria.  Along with Nigerians from the LCN in Jos, a foundation was dug, a church building constructed, and worship started.  Over the years, Woodie came to hold every position in that local congregation alongside Nigerian members/officers.  He attended meetings all over that area of Plateau State, helped to establish preaching stations, assisted evangelists and pastors, taught Bible Class and sometimes preached, all while being a full-time staff member at Hillcrest.  In 2008 that congregation was 20 years old, and there are now other congregations in the area, Jos being the mother congregation.  Woodie, Margie and Johanna attended many services in different parts of Plateau State as preaching stations opened.  They were at the first Lutheran wedding of the LCN in Plateau State.  Evangelists came from the South and needed much encouragement as they sought to effectively minister in this Northern cultural area, being missionaries in their own right.  The one great disappointment in all these years, both in PNG and in Nigeria, was the lack of opportunity to learn a local language!  Attempts were made, but due to teaching assignments in both countries, language study was given low priority by mission authorities.  Activities with the local church were mostly on weekends or evenings, and there was little time to do language study.

Many years before Woodie arrived in Jos, a career missionary pastor by the name of Hector Ottemoeller had acquired a plot of land in the Jos suburb of Tudun Wada, thinking that this was a future place for a church.  In 1990 another missionary tried to get funding for a Holistic Health Center on the site.  This failed.  Woodie took up the project with LCN-Jos and applied for funds from Lutheran World Relief.   In l994 funds were granted and a security wall was built around the property.  Building began in 1996 for the Ottemoeller Holistic Health Center and many hours of planning and supervision, along with LCN-Jos, resulted in a dedication of this health center by the LCN President in the year 2000.  Since then there have been volunteer medical directors from the USA and many local health workers who have treated physical/mental problems, but spiritual needs have also been served by Nigerian evangelists at the center.

Over the years of being in Nigeria, the children graduated from Hillcrest and came back to study in the USA.  First Heidi, then Heather, next Allan, and finally, in 1997, Johanna graduated and left for America.  In those days, computers were only just beginning and e-mail was not prevalent.  Communication was difficult and advice from an uncle was not always accepted as well as from parents.  However, the Lord was gracious and each succeeded in his/her own way.  In 1999 it was learned that Margie’s mother was not well and not expected to live much longer.  It was Margie’s desire to return home to help look after her mother in her last years.  So, the Board was notified that Woodie and Margie would need to terminate missionary service and return to the USA in 1999.  As all preparations were being made to leave and farewells being said, just two weeks before departure, word came that Margie’s mother had passed away.  Considering all that had been made ready, it was concluded through prayer and deliberation, that Woodie could retire in 2000 and so it was time to return home.  Back in 1980 when the call to Redeemer was accepted, a home was purchased in Austin.  Upon going to Nigeria, that home was retained and God provided responsible renters for 17 years.  Upon returning in 1999, Woodie and Margie moved back into their home at 9606 Chukar Circle.

They also moved back into their ministry at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Austin, now as retirees.  Time was now available to volunteer in many areas of the church, but mission and outreach were first priority.  By 2000 they were both members of the Outreach Board.  The couple might be taken out of the mission field, but the mission field could not be taken out of the couple!  Woodie now serves as the unofficial Director of Missions for Redeemer.  Mission trips to Mexico and Latvia have taken place.  A Together in Mission and Lutheran Bible Translators missionary are being supported by Redeemer Congregation.  Woodie and Margie began English as a Second Language classes for Hispanics in 2002, and today three ESL programs are held each week, one being for Koreans.  Hispanic ministry has grown to include a regular Sunday worship in Spanish.  These ex-missionaries being at Redeemer provide a mission experience and mission emphasis not there before.  Once again the Lord has made use of them to further His desire to share His love in Christ.

Finally, Woodie maintains a connection to Hillcrest School by continuing to do all the purchases of school supplies and materials annually, maintaining accounts and paying bills.  He began this as the Elementary Administrator in about 1985 and it continues until today.

In all of this, Margie has been the perfect partner!  She also was raised on a farm, but lost her father at age 7.  Her mother managed to continue to raise the family, seeing that Margie attended a Lutheran school in Thorndale, TX.  After Public High School she continued on at Concordia College, Austin, in the emergency teacher program, and after two years went to Illinois to teach.  Margie had a missionary hero who was in Japan and came to her home congregation on furloughs.  She had thoughts of going to the mission field.  When she met Woodie at Concordia, Seward, who could have thought of the partnership that would result?  Surely only a loving, gracious God!  And so they served together on the mission field for 31 years, she in her own foreign mission call for 17 of those years.

What a wonderful journey.  What a blessed and rewarding journey.  So much more wonderful because it unfolded in such a beautiful way, to the glory of God, who wants all people to know His Son and to be saved.  Recently, Margie and Woodie have joined Facebook.  There they have rediscovered the many, many students and teachers with whom they interacted over the years, now grown, graduated, degreed, and serving round the world.  What a great testimony to the love of God as he gave opportunity for Woodie and Margie to love others.  And then there are those who were not students, both Nigerians and other nationalities who were loved by and who loved Margie and Woodie.  Many still in contact to this day.  And so the journey continues . . . may God be praised.

Nota Bene  

At Highland Lutheran School, PNG:

• created a “House” system using names of pioneer missionaries: Burce, Hintze, Heppner, Kleinig, and Stotik.
• evaluation/awareness visit to all Lutheran Secondary Schools in Australia in order to advise Missionary parents

At Balob Teachers College, PNG:

• introduction of CCTV into teacher training
• mentoring of PNG faculty as future lecturers and administrators
• as the teacher ed representative on the PNG National Education Board, helped to produce a National Education Strategy in 1979

At Hillcrest School, Nigeria

• introduced Christian themes for each school year
• developed a new concept of Field Day for the Elementary School
• represented Hillcrest at Association for International Schools in Africa (AISA) conferences and meetings for years, traveling to many countries of Africa
• Woodie honored by AISA as Administrator of the Year in l996-97
• Margie honored by AISA as Teacher of the Year in 1990-91

At Lutheran Church of Nigeria, Jos

• hand-in-hand participation with Nigerian Lutherans to establish a Lutheran congregation in Jos, Plateau State, where Lutheran Church of Nigeria had no churches in Northern Nigeria before.
• hand-in-hand participation in growing the LCN in Plateau and adjacent Northern States.

Phase 2 Information

Biggest missiological issue faced?

The first call assignment was to Highland Lutheran School (HLS), a school for missionary children.   In these years (1965) there were still many educators as well as pastors being sent to Papua New Guinea.  There was an attitude amongst the missionaries that those who served at Highland Lutheran School were really not missionaries.  They pretty much served on an island of American culture!  Thus, they were not easily included in mission committees or given opportunity to study the local Enga language.  Not that these teachers were unimportant, but they were just in a very different category.  On our own, we did manage to learn to speak Melanesian English or Pidgin English.

After four years of seeking to overcome this attitude, Woodie was re-assigned to Yaramanda to teach PNG children, and then to Balob Teachers College.  Replacement teachers for HLS were brought in from the field and things did begin to change.  However, language study was never provided, even though Woodie now was involved directly with the PNG parents.

Later, when going to Hillcrest School, similar attitudes existed and time was never given for Hausa study.  As Woodie worked to help build the church in that area, being able to speak Hausa would have been a great advantage to the ministry.  It must be said, though, that there is, today, much more effort to give all long-term missionaries an opportunity to learn a local language.

Most significant contribution during missionary service?

Woodie’s missionary service was so varied, it is difficult to focus on one significant contribution.  Certainly, demonstrating the love of Jesus to so many children over the years and being a witness to such a variety of parents and/or guardians would seem to be significant contributions through which the Spirit could work.  Having a significant part in making sure that the Christian education provided was of the highest quality and standard was extremely important.  Woodie searched for opportunities in which he could interact with educators from public education (whether at Balob and in PNG educator circles or in Africa with other International Schools).

However, the contribution made in helping to develop a Lutheran Church in Jos, Nigeria stands as the most significant contribution of all.  Especially so, since it occurred while Woodie was a full-time missionary educator at Hillcrest School.  Being able to work side by side with Nigerian Lutherans, be totally accepted and trusted, was truly significant.  It was evidence of the power of the Holy Spirit to raise up the church, through His people, whoever they might be or might be from.

Connection to today’s mission?

Highland Lutheran School still exists today, but as Highland Lutheran International School.  It enrolls 100% Papua New Guinean students because there are no longer missionaries with children in the area.  In its day, Highland Lutheran, by educating the missionary kids, made it possible for the Gutnius Lutheran Church to be what it is today, because missionaries were able to carry on their ministries, confident that their children were well cared for educationally.

Balob Teachers College continues to train Lutheran elementary teachers and has added additional years to its training program.  It is 100% staffed by nationals.  Thank God, Woodie had a part in the beginnings of the process of localization of positions.

Hillcrest School continues to minister to children of many races, cultures and religions.  Graduates are all round the world today in many, many professions and positions.  Many came to Christ at Hillcrest and many grew in their faith while there.  There are so many of these men and women who are now witnessing in their own lives wherever they are.  Woodie still remains connected to Hillcrest as he does the annual purchasing of books and supplies while keeping current on staff and programs.  Woodie and Margie also continue their contacts with former students and parents around the world through sites like Facebook.

And the Lutheran Church of Nigeria-Jos is celebrating its 20th anniversary, continuing to share the love of Christ in the community and seeking to extend the Lutheran church in the North of Nigeria.  Woodie and Margie keep contact with church friends at LCN-Jos.  Several years ago the Arp Family Endowment was created through the Lutheran Foundation of Texas.  Interest from this endowment goes to LCN-Jos to support Lutheran seminary students from the North of Nigeria.

Lessons Learned

• A Mission Field is made up of teachers, builders, pastors, mechanics, accountants, agriculturists, nurses, doctors, etc.  All are serving one Lord and one purpose.  Being one family, together, is a beautiful thing.  This resulted in everyone being on a first name basis.  It resulted in being “Uncle” Woodie and “Aunt” Margie so that even today, when missionary kids are adults, we, and others, are still uncle and aunt!

• Learning the language of the place where one is serving is extremely important to the success of the mission.  One can be effective without knowing the language, but oneness is greatly enhanced through speaking the local tongue.

• Working side-by-side with people in that place and culture is the most effective way to gain trust and to provide an example of Christ’s love.  For example, imagine a local church meeting going into the night and illuminated by candlelight when electricity fails or is not existent.  Such experiences, and many others, create oneness.

• Prayers of the people at home who know and support a missionary family are so effective and are felt by that family (in situations of travel (land and air), in times of local conflict, in times of sickness and so forth).  We learned to rely upon the prayers of the people as we were protected for 31 years!

• The support of Field Staff and the entire staff of the Board for Mission Services is critical to the success and well-being of any missionary and family.

• Missionary families and the success of the Mission is greatly related to the quality of Elementary Education, the boarding care, the Secondary Education available, and the individuals who look after those children when they are away from home.

Best Practices

• Helping to provide an education to missionary kids either at a school site, by providing a volunteer teacher to teach children of one family at home, or through home schooling assistance.

• Developing relationships of love and respect with all parents of missionary kids and other children, no matter their culture or religious belief, allowed the Holy Spirit to work, producing an interest in Christianity and an openness toward searching further.

• A willingness to work with local believers to establish and grow a local worshipping congregation and to take the time to attend meetings, visit preaching stations, and work together with those local believers to share the Gospel, even when Woodie had other primary assignments.  Doing was more effective than just telling!

• A willingness to work one’s way out of a position, making it possible for localization, was entirely necessary.  It produced an interest in preparing nationals and rejoicing as they took on more and more responsibility.

• Seeking to love the Lord with all our heart and soul and mind.  Asking the Holy Spirit to help us to love the people we were sent to serve with all our heart and soul and mind.

Phase 3 Information

Inspiration for entering foreign missions?

Woodie grew up being an active member of a Lutheran congregation in the Omaha, NE area.  However, he was not much interested in the foreign mission work of the LCMS.  He was interested in being a farmer for the rest of his life.  A US Army experience in Korea (an experience in another culture) and experience with correspondence courses while in Korea, created thoughts about further education.  Upon release from the Army after two years and the need for other employment, Woodie was drawn to Concordia Teacher’s College, Seward and to becoming a Lutheran teacher.

At the time for graduation there were several calls to the foreign mission field for teachers.  Woodie had met and married Margie Nell Woelfel of Thorndale, TX while at Seward.  She was already a graduate of Seward.  Margie had thought about mission work since she was a child and met a hometown missionary who served in Japan.  When the subject of placing his name on the list for a possible foreign mission call at graduation came up, Margie was enthusiastic and so, together, they found no reason to NOT be on such a list.

Of course, looking back, the Lord was preparing Woodie and Margie for this call for a long time!  Some are interested and drawn to mission work from an early age.  Others, like Woodie, discover it later in life when the Lord creates the circumstances.  In either case, the call comes at God’s appointed time and the Holy Spirit prompts its acceptance.

Quotation by/about or brief story:

• Woodie recalls the years at Hillcrest when he was in charge of testing and accepting students into the Elementary section of the school.  There was the Jamail family.  Lisa Jamail, the mother, was a flamboyant Lebanese Muslim who had been educated in a Catholic School in Sierra Leone, West Africa.  She operated a dress shop and restaurant.  She was married to a Lebanese Muslim whose reputation was that he was involved in various illegal activities. Needless to say, many of the Hillcrest teachers did not look favorably upon this family.

Lisa wanted a good education for her five children and having been in a Catholic Christian school, recognized that a Christian school like Hillcrest was best for her children.  The oldest child (a girl) was the first enrolled.  She did well.  As others became of age, Lisa also wanted them to attend.  Some were not as qualified as others.  Woodie’s view was that this was a family to build relationships with in order to share Christ with the children and, hopefully, to also share Him with Lisa.  There were serious disagreements in the Enrollment Committee about which Jamail children should be accepted.  In the end they all spent some years at Hillcrest and all but one graduated from high school there.

There were many opportunities to witness to Lisa.  Enrolling her children was the most significant. Even with personal witness, she did not accept Jesus as far as we know, though she also attended chapels and services and programs.  The children are now all grown and have jobs in various countries of the world.  The girls are married.  Though they may not have accepted Christ, they were witnessed to many, many times.  Only God knows what they truly believe.  Every one of them is still in contact with Woodie and Margie.  Our task is not to convert, but to be faithful in witnessing.  May God be praised.

• The other story Woodie likes to remember is from the involvement with the Lutheran Church of Nigeria-Jos.  One of the local men drawn to the Lutheran Church was Bitrus Zal.  Bitrus was not from Plateau State, but he came there for work.  He had two children by a previous wife who had left him.

As he continued to attend LCN-Jos, he also began to serve in various ways, eventually becoming part of the Church Council.  Woodie and Bitrus became close friends and spent considerable time discussing Scripture and Bitrus’ many family and personal problems.  Some of these conversations continued after Council meetings and in Woodie’s vehicle as he dropped Bitrus off at his house.  Bitrus talked at times about becoming an Evangelist as he, indeed, had a good grasp of the Bible and the Good News.

There were times when Bitrus’ problems kept him from attending church for some weeks.  Then he found another lady, fell in love, and made plans to be married.  He asked Woodie to be the Best Man.  The wedding took place at LCN-Jos, and strangely enough Bitrus was married in a nice western suit while Woodie wore traditional Nigerian clothing!

Since leaving Nigeria in l999, Woodie has been in contact with Bitrus, who chose to go to the Lutheran Seminary to be trained as an Evangelist.  Today he serves a congregation in Plateau State as a minister of the LCN.  Woodie tells this story, not to take credit for anything that has happened in Bitrus’ life, but to show how loving and serving others allows the Spirit to move hearts toward the Lord and to increase faith.  We may never know the outcome – or we may rejoice in what He has done in someone’s life.

• This is about believing in the power of prayer from missionary supporters.  Woodie, Margie and Johanna were returning from furlough to Nigeria.  The last leg of the flight was from Amsterdam to Kano, Nigeria.  The flight then continued on to Lagos, Nigeria.  Less than an hour out of Kano, the announcement was made that because flight crew hours could not be extended, the flight would overfly Kano and proceed direct to Lagos.  Passengers for Kano would need to find their own way back to Kano.  The time was about 10:00 pm.

Kano passengers were very upset, because arriving in Lagos at that hour meant serious problems in finding ground transport and accommodation, let alone eventually finding a flight out the next day!  There was a retired Nigerian military officer on the flight.  He told the Kano folks to sit tight and negotiations began.  In a sense, we hijacked this plane on the tarmac in Lagos!  Finally, the airline consented to bring on a fresh crew and take us to Amino Kano International airport.

But now we would arrive in Kano at 3:00 am, when the airport was closed and the city had mostly come to a stop.  We cleared a depleted Customs and exited the terminal.  Fortunately, a taxi was still there at that hour.  A security guard assured Woodie that he would protect Margie and Johanna, and Woodie headed for the SIM Guesthouse.  He had to somehow wake up the right person to get the key to the Arp van.  Then to install the battery in the vehicle as it had been disconnected when leaving for furlough.  Thanks be to God, this was all accomplished without a hitch and Woodie drove to the airport to collect Margie, Johanna, and the baggage.

Kano was not considered a safe city, and at 4:00 am, it would be less so.  However, on this night all three arrived back at the guesthouse safely.  Then they slept fitfully in the van until daylight, when the workers arrived so the Arps could check in and have breakfast.  This experience was further convincing proof of the power of prayer and God’s promise to keep us all in the palm of His hand continuously – something missionaries truly understand.