Sunday, January 5, 2014

The month in between

It has been one month since I was in Mexico, and one month from now I will arriving in the Philippines and beginning my first year as a missionary on the island of Camiguin.  These weeks of Christmas vacation and visiting with my family and friends “back home” have been a great blessing, allowing me to share stories of my recent experiences and to say goodbye to all those I will not be seeing again until December 2015.

It has also been, in some ways, a difficult time.  As I’m sure the other newly commissioned FMC missionaries can attest, Jesus has given us a tremendous gift -- a burning desire to preach Christ to all nations and to serve the poor.  Although I’m very grateful for this time spent with loved ones, I cannot wait to return to the mission field and begin the work to which He has called me.  I hear myself repeating the words of Psalm 57: “My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready.”


And so, as I pack my suitcase and prepare for a blessed new year in a new home on the other side of the world, I’d like to share with you a few memories from Intake and our mission trip to Mexico.

Joseph translates for me as I give my testimony during a prayer service in one of the desert villages.


Sarah and I learn praise and worship songs on the ukulele with our new friend Martina.


Repainting the front of a man’s adobe house in General Cepeda.


Standing in front of a newly constructed capilla (chapel) after we painted it.



Team Camiguin! Breana, Alex, Genevieve, and me on the day we received our team assignments.


These 38 new missionaries are headed to India, China, Ecuador, Mexico, and the Philippines. Please pray for our missionary family!