“But there is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear..”1 John 4:18   

My first update officially living and being in here Colombia! How surreal it is that God has brought me this far and here we start! So much to be thankful for! Much to learn, much growing to do in this new culture.. there is so much that I want to understand and take in, still feeling lost in the big city, the big country. Yet this is God teaching me patience.. it can be easy to give into fearful anxious thoughts, yet amazing how personal and loving our God is. This verse 1 John 4:18.. He kept bringing it up again and again this past week.. from a random message from a friend, to seeing it on the coffee cup across the table at a friend’s house. His love is constant!

Orientation goals …

During my first several months here in Colombia my goal is to visit and meet with the national leadership of each of the churches that we work with, some being long-time established works, others being newer plants. The goal is to build relationships with them as we partner together to reach more of Colombia and the world! During this time of seeing the works and meeting all our partners I am praying and needing YOUR prayers for wisdom and guidance to know where God has me to plug in as there are many needs and it can feel overwhelming to make these kinds of decisions, but yet so excited to be in this place of openness before the Lord to see where He will lead! But I have also been able to begin using Photography to serve some needs which has been exciting!

A busy first month…

Villavicencio is a city a couple hours outside of Bogotá that we had the opportunity to visit for a week. A church plant is going on there and meets in the home of national pastor Leo and his wife Nubia and family. While there we got to do a VBS in a community called “La Playa” meaning “the beach” really is just dirt floor homes right up next to the river. These kids and some of the parents got to learn more about their creator, more of the God who loves each of them so personally!

Testimony Spotlight…

This is Chelsin – (pictured above) praising the Lord with Joy in her heart and smile because she knows her Savior! Chelsin is 8 years old and comes from a tribal indigenous family, she lives in “la Playa” community with her mother Mery. Other churches she had been to never taught her about Christ in the personal areas of her life. Now she is a very faithful one in the church ministry with Pastor Leo and Nubia, She has understood and believed in the death and life of Christ and has a personal relationship with Him! She has written notes to Nubia with such depth of gratitude for how they have loved her and shown her Jesus. Pastor Leo and Nubia are seeking the Lord for ways and means of supporting Chelsin, prayerfully and spiritually but also with things like school supplies and even food and clothing.

A trip to Medellin…  Rejoice… Again I say Rejoice…

My teammate and housemate Heidi and I, as well as a young lady named Paula traveled to Medellin, staying for about a week there. It was a blessing to see the missionaries and believers there. The Sunday we were there at the church in Envigado was especially a blessing and really just a time to stop and consider the mighty hand of our God. Some of you may know the story of Pastor Javier, how He suffered a horrific accident in July and was not .. by human standards.. expected to live let alone have function. Yet on this sunday, for the first time since the accident.. a very short 4 months later, he stood and he spoke the word of God! Incredible what God has done!

“…And in Your book they all were written, the days fashion for me, when as yet there were none of them.” Ps. 139:16b

Fun time with all these ladies at a women’s retreat in Medellin

With Pastor Javier and his family on his birthday!

Young girls in a Medellin community curious about the Bible, they sat and read the first chapter of John, verse by verse back and forth. As one of the girls was admiring my bible, I asked her if she had one of her own.. she said she didn’t.

 Paula (upper) who came with us to Medellin and Viviana (lower) who came with us to Villavicencio are young colombian women with big hearts for missions, pray for them as they seek God’s guidance for ministry!

Prayer Requests:

Time of orientation:

>Culture and continued language learning (so much new vocab here!)
> Building relationships and scheduling and meeting with all the churches

Much wisdom and guidance to know where God wants me to focus on in ministry in the midst of many needs!

> Encouragement for my teammates

Upcoming event: helping with Kids Camp; December 7-11