“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;” Hebrews 10:23
How are each and every one of you? COVID-19 and the shutdown have probably impacted each of you in different ways. How can I pray for you? I would love to schedule video chats with each of you to see how you are doing and how I can pray specifically for you. Let me know when a good time for you is.
The month of May has been a season of much needed down-time due to the lockdown in Connecticut and since the end of my day-job.
While we could never have anticipated that I would end my job and full-time support-raising would start in the middle of a quarantine, God knew. Going forward will all be different than I planned, but back in 2007-08 God took me through a similar situation.
In 2007, God brought about a big career switch which included going back to school for paralegal certification. Just as classes ended, the 2008 Financial Crisis happened and law firms were going out of business left and right and there were no jobs in the field to which God had switched me. It was a time of faith-growing and learning to trust, and after five months, God opened the door to a paralegal job even though far more experienced paralegals were also job hunting.
God is thankfully the same yesterday, today, and forever. What He did in 2008, He can do again in 2020 as He moves me into the next phase.
NICARAGUA NOW:
Please pray for the missionaries in Nicaragua and for the Ministry Center. This virus has impacted Nicaragua also. The ABWE missionaries have been bringing food packages and giving health/hygiene classes in the towns and villages where they are working with national pastors. Over the last 3 years the Ministry Center has been hard-hit financially. After much prayer and thought, a portion of the Ministry Center land has been put up for sale.
This time of waiting to get to Nicaragua is called “Pre-Field.” It is partly a time to build partnerships with individuals/churches for financial support. But is also a time to minister to the people and churches around me. God has been working in both areas.
FINANCES:
Each missionary has two parts they need to raise. The most commonly known is Monthly Support (the steady trickle required to stay on the field each month). The second and lesser known is Outfit & Passage (The one-time expenses to get to the field: flights, government fees to apply for residency, finding & furnishing an apartment, getting a car, and other fees).
Outfit & Passage -
Thanks to many people & churches’s generous one-time gifts over the last two years, it is exciting to announce that the whole Outfit & Passage portion is 100% covered!!! PLEASE PRAISE GOD FOR THIS AND HUGE THANKS TO ALL OF YOU WHO GAVE.
Committed Monthly Partners -
PRAISE GOD for the 42 families/individuals & 3 churches that are faithfully partnering together with me in the ministry in Nicaragua. Currently at 54%. Only 46% left to go!!!
CURRENT MINISTRY OPPORTUNITIES:
With this crisis, all around us there are many hurting, needy people. It has been a honor to show God’s love by bringing food to those who are sick and homebound.
The other day my brother & I were in a grocery store check-out line and the teenage bagger suddenly burst into tears. He said “I apologize, this is so unprofessional.” We responded “No, no need to apologize, what is wrong?” He shared his friend had died the day before from Corona and that his grandmother didn’t have long left either. In the next few minutes, we were able to share God’s love and comfort with him. His name is Dan.
As with all other churches in the area, my home church has been doing services and youth group online. At the beginning of May, we realized the children also needed something for their age group. How awesome it has been to lead a weekly Bible class for kids via ZOOM, so they too can feel connected and learn more about our Lord!