Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Division for Global Mission.

See also AUG 24/9/1 Background, LCA 16 5/1/2 Background, LCA 28/2/3/2/1 Background.

Mission work related to Kenya began as the Kenya Synod in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania. Then Kenya Synod started in 1956 as a way to minister to the large number of members of the ELCT who had moved to Mombasa and Nairobi. In 1992 the Kenya Evangelical Lutheran Church became an independent church.

In 1988, the first year of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, its Division for Global Mission (DGM) work related to mission activities in Kenya fell under the responsibility of the area secretary for Africa. Quickly a new work area that included Kenya was created in 1989 - Middle East and East Africa. Carol J. Birkland was its area secretary from 1988-1991. This work area restructured again in 1992. Middle East work transferred to another area and the Caribbean was added to the East Africa program area. Lynda M. Tidemann was the program director for East Africa and the Caribbean, and eventually Mexico, from 1992-1996. In 1997 this work area no was restructured to include East Africa, Papua New Guinea, and the South Pacific. Lynda M. Tidemann remained the program director and Kenya work remained in this work area. This arrangement lasted until 2002-2003, when there was a restructuring in DGM and responsibility for Kenya mission work was transferred to the newly created Africa and East Africa Desk where it remains as of 2007. Gaylord M. Thomas became the director of this desk in 2003, a position still held as of 2007.