I think the whole world is asking this question right now. And I know that we are praying frequently for wisdom for everyone making decisions about what comes next.
But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.
James 3:17
We are certainly asking that as well…what’s next, God? We are thankful for a chance to serve here at the Homes of Ethnos360. We’ve also been praying about what happens in the near future, because God has kept our eyes focused on missionary training and the roles we pray to fill. Cross-cultural ministry requires thoughtful, careful training so missionaries can faithfully share God’s Word with others. And we see how our gifts and strengths fit perfectly in the staff needs at the Missionary Training Center.
We expected that we would most likely be “on hold” with partnership development and support raising at this time. However, God has worked beyond our expectations. New ministry partners have joined our team over the past few months, and we are very close to reaching our monthly support requirements! And we have had some unexpected, and very appreciated, gifts that have blessed our family. (Thank you!!)
We are thanking the Lord, and still waiting, but expectantly! We believe that missionary training is vitally important because missions is important. Thank you for being co-laborers with us in the Gospel. If you want to share our ministry information with friends or churches who may be interested in a partnership, feel free! Our prayer is that, if we are fully supported and can safely move, that we will join the staff at the Missionary Training Center later this summer. Nick will begin his role as Grounds Coordinator because even with social distancing and quarantine, outdoor maintenance does not “take breaks.” Kathy’s role may look different at first, as the MTC follows all restrictions and guidelines for Missouri, but she is excited to support missionary families in training however she can. Despite the unknowns, we know God will provide clarity and direction.
When we made our sudden move to Florida, we left without in-person goodbyes to protect the residents we would be serving here. Our hope was that we could fly to Pennsylvania this summer to make those goodbyes. However, as things currently stand, the CDC still recommends staying home unless a trip is essential. While our move to Missouri is an essential move (that we could do by driving and minimizing contact with others), we are going to watch and wait as we consider a flight to PA. We feel we cannot plan a trip home yet, with stay-at-home orders still in place in Bucks County, but will be praying for wisdom to know when we can.
Thank you for your partnership and prayers for us. We will keep you updated on our moving plans. God has worked in so many ways to provide for our current ministry, and we are confident that His timing is perfect to provide for our ministry at the Missionary Training Center. Let us know how we can pray for you, and stay in touch!
Some links:
A devotional video and update Nick made a few weeks ago: https://youtu.be/OiRoOtyoV9Y
COVID-19 and Ethnos360: http://ethnos360.org/covid-19