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During the early hours of Sunday, June 30, a fire broke out and killed Steve Witte and five of his family members. Witte, the team leader for WELS’ Asia One Team and president emeritus of Asia Lutheran Seminary, was home on furlough from Thailand and gathering with his family at a vacation rental home. The others who also lost their lives were his daughters Lydia Witte and Charis Kuehl, as well as granddaughters Stella Kuehl, Lena Henselin, and Merci Henselin. A number of other family members survived.
As WELS President Mark Schroeder noted in his special message to members on July 1, “The pain of losing six members of one family cannot be described with words. The only thing that can begin to bring comfort in such a time of grievous loss are the words that God himself speaks to us. Those words remind us that these members of our extended WELS family are now resting in perfect joy and peace at the side of their Savior. Because he lives, they also live. Jesus said, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die’ (John 11:25,26). ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory’ (1 Corinthians 15:55).”
As WELS members seek to help the family, they are supporting them with prayers and monetary donations. WELS Christian Aid and Relief is partnering with Christian Family Solutions to provide counseling to family members and others impacted by this tragedy and is continuing to explore other ways to help.
For more information, see:
- A special statement from WELS President Mark Schroeder
- Support for Missionary Steve Witte’s family: A message from WELS Christian Aid and Relief, including links to funds to support the Kuehl and Henselin families
- Obituary for Steve Witte
- Obituary for Lydia Witte
- Memorial service livestream for Steve and Lydia Witte
- Information about the Steve Witte Memorial Scholarship benefiting Asia Lutheran Seminary
- Obituary for Lena Henselin
- Obituary for Merci Henselin
- Obituary for Charis Kuehl
- Obituary for Stella Kuehl
- Memorial service livestream for Charis and Stella Kuehl
Author: FIC
Volume 111, Number 08
Issue: August 2024
