Our first update on this Crazy Missionary Journey!
For some of you, this might even be an announcement. Debbie and I, after 11 years serving at Living Waters Fellowship, sense that God is calling us to full time missionary work in Lima, Peru, South America. Feel free to check out our website in the next week, as that will have content, including our story, and our vision for how God can use us in His harvest in Lima.
For those of you who are tracking with us, we wanted to update you on what all has gone on recently. Seven weeks ago, I officially stepped out of a company that I had helped build from the ground up. Why? To start our pre-field ministry. Others might call it deputation, but whatever it is called, it has begun! And our lives have already changed drastically.
Kindergarten
Rocks!
We decided, as a family, to homeschool our son Liam this year, to allow flexibility in schedule, so Debbie’s workload has increased on the home front. We are also foster parents, and it has become clear that God has opened the door for us to begin the adoption process with our two youngest. We are super excited and trusting that God will open up the ability to complete that process by fall of 2020. For me, my work has changed as well. Much of my time is spent reaching out to churches, individuals, and small groups to set up meetings. Already, many have been gracious enough to open their homes and churches to us, to hear about what God is doing in Lima and how he is sending us. It has been so good and affirming to see some early fruit, as we have had individuals, small groups, and even some churches step up and commit to supporting our ministry in prayer, fasting, and ongoing financial support. Based on commitments that have been communicated, we are already sitting at approx 11% of our total monthly support need! That’s amazing! And God gets all the credit for it.
In the month of November, we were able to present our ministry to 6 individuals, 3 small groups, and 2 churches. I was able to preach at Redeemer in Norwalk this last week. What a privilege to share God’s word with this group of people! And we felt like we were in good company, as we found out this is a church who is crazy passionate about the ministry of fostering and adopting children. The church as a whole is behind what scripture calls “pure and undefiled religion” which is to “serve widows and orphans in their affliction”. What a blessing and testimony of God’s grace.
We were also able to share our ministry and preach at First Baptist Monroe, which is a church near and dear to my heart. It’s a small farm community, with a heart for the gospel, and a pastor who I count among my dearest of friends. What a joy it was to be with them again.
The praises are real and so are the prayer requests. If you would continue to pray with us, we would count that as a real blessing.
That God would continue to grow us into the image of His Son
That God would grant Debbie and I opportunities to share the Gospel with lost people
That God would work out the details on the adoption of our kids
That God would raise up an army of people to support His work is Lima Peru