I enjoyed the articles on our seminaries and our seminarians in the May issue, and I would like to relate the interesting story behind one seminarian, now a vicar: Mark Larson.
The story: Mark was an executive at a nuclear power plant, his wife, Debbie, using her MBA, their two children out of school and into their careers when Mark could no longer dismiss his call to ministry. So, in mid-life, he studied Greek and Hebrew in preparation for seminary training. He and Debbie sold their lovely home on a lake and moved into married-student housing at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. Debbie began working in the campus library.
So far, Mark’s story is not too different from the story of others. However, here’s the twist: At this same time Mark was becoming profoundly deaf, and both he and Debbie were learning ASL [American Sign Language]. At Concordia, Debbie often accompanied Mark to class, serving as his interpreter. Mark’s coursework has taken an extra semester, but he will be ready for a call later this year.
Interesting couple, interesting story.
Janette C. Borst
Emporia, Kan.
Read More Letters to the Editor
Send letters to “Letters,”
c/o The Lutheran Witness,
1333 S. Kirkwood Road,
St. Louis, MO 63122-7295;
or send them via e-mail to Lutheran.Witness@LCMS.org.
