- Safety during all my travels
- Great classes at ABWE headquarters
- The encouragement of talking with “seasoned” missionaries around the world
- Getting to share the gospel with a couple of individuals during all my travels.
PRAYER REQUESTS:
- Peace for Nicaragua, guidance for the Nicaragua Team
- Individuals and churches who would like to partner financially and through prayer
- Wisdom as I start a new job
- Health
Jesus said, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
Nicaragua is still in turmoil. Here is a video in ENGLISH which shares what has been happening since April 19thwhen the turmoil started. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHybyjPslwk
(Parents – please view this, and then decide whether you want your children to see it.)
Pray for the whole Nicaragua team back in the USA as they seek guidance on God’s plan and timing for them while they wait to get back. So far my plans are not changed by all this, as it will be a while before I’m in a position to go.
WHAT ARE MY GOALS? By the:
- End of FALL 2018 - Finish all my required reading and research assignments.
- Beginning 2019 - reach 85% funding, so I can attend the Field Prep Seminar in
- July 2019 - Attend the Essential Mission Components class (also a requirement, and only offered once a year)
- FALL 2019 – be at 100% so I can leave for Language School in Costa Rica (for 6-9 months, to become more fluent in Spanish so I can get beyond basic conversations and really serve well in Nicaragua)
- SPRING/SUMMER 2020 – move to Nicaragua.
Before I left on July 1, I was concerned about how being away for nearly a month would hinder moving forward. But even though my time was utterly booked with classes and a conference, God brought one new family on board to team up as financial partners, which means I’m at 30%.And two other families have also expressed interest in becoming financial partners. If you or your church/class would like to hear more about missions, Nicaragua, or becoming involved, I would love to meet with you.
Going “back to school” as an adult is an interesting feeling, and also a great experience. From July 1 – 15, I was back down at ABWE headquarters in Pennsylvania (My mission agency: Association of Baptists for World Evangelism). Six other pre-field missionaries and myself took a Basic Missional Theology class for the first two weeks. It was a very good class. Dr. Jim Ruff took us through the Bible learning in-depth about the major doctrines of the Bible (teachings). The class was also very practical with research projects about the countries we are going to and the common miscommunications/pitfalls that missionaries encounter as they try to share God’s Word cross-culturally.
The third weekend of July (July 14-15) was an invaluable class on evangelism and discipleship, especially in today’s world where the majority of people have no prior exposure to God and the Bible and thus we have to start from scratch. The added bonus about this class was that all the people from my March New Missionary Candidates Class were there. We had a beautiful time catching up on all that God has been doing in each of their lives.
This past week I was near/in Washington, D.C. for ABWE’s annual conference. My pastor and his wife, and my parents and brother Jonathan were all able to come for the opening night of the conference when all the new long-term missionaries participated in a Recognition Ceremony to mark the official start of us going out to seek prayer/financial partners and eventually get to our chosen counties (yes we’ve already been doing this since March, but that was the official ceremony :-). Also during that week, the conference had “seasoned” missionaries from all over the world, currently home on furlough, share about what God has been doing in and through their lives. It was inspiring and challenging to hear their stories. I was so blessed to be able to sit down with other single missionary women and be mentored and encouraged by them.
Arrived home Sunday, and this week my time has been filled with training for a job that starts on Thursday. God has provided a part-time job with flexible hours to meet my needs while I’m in the USA but with the flexibility to travel around to meet with individuals and churches. as I seek people that have a heart for missions and who want to be involved.