Home Ministry Assignment

We will be in Oregon May 13 through July 20 and in Colorado Springs May 4-13 and July 20-24. Please let us know if you would like to connect for a visit; that’s what we’re coming for! Also, if you are in Eugene or Springfield, let us know if you need a house sitter for part of that time or have a spare guest room we could use (or rent).

Bible Study (from Jody)

Last week my turn came to lead our church small group Bible study.  Although my Spanish is serviceable, it is a challenge to talk to a group of native Spanish speakers on a complicated subject (in this case, the Trinity), so Scott says I can be excused for being nervous. But the weather was horrible, which cut the group size in half (that made it more comfortable for me). And God answered my prayers to not have any moments when I couldn’t find Spanish words to express myself. The group was very supportive and appreciative. Scott’s turn is still to come.

Training

As related in previous newsletters, we are still Reach Beyond missionaries, but we are now “assigned” to work with “Fundación Voz y Manos — Ecuador,” which was created three years ago to carry on several of the ministries of Reach Beyond and its partner Ecuadorian organizations.  In January, the Voz y Manos national and missionary staff had a weeklong organizational skills development seminar led by two missionaries with years of experience.  They helped us to identify core values for Voz y Manos and to formulate a vision statement (where we want to go) and a mission statement (what we do). Other topics discussed were the organization’s strengths and weaknesses, challenges for the different ministries, and different leadership styles. It was wonderful to all be together as we learned new concepts and skills, talked in small groups, and shared ideas. It was a fruitful and encouraging time.

The photo above of our trainers and almost our whole team includes eight nationalities, withi people from Northern Ireland, Peru, USA, Austria, Ecuador, Switzerland, Paraguay, and Germany. (We were missing our missionary from Chile.)

The photos below show a few of our brainstorming sessions.

Executive Director

Scott continues as interim executive director of Voz y Manos. Some have joked to us that in the missionary world, “interim” means “permanent.” But a search committee is working to find a long-term replacement. Please pray that God would guide them to His choice for Voz y Manos.

Praise for:

• A wonderful (if chilly) month with family in Oregon over Christmas and New Year’s  — our first Christmas with family in six years.
• Our January seminar and the team-building that is continuing
• An encouraging women’s retreat Jody got to attend in February
• The third anniversary of Voz y Manos and what God has done in that time (despite the pandemic)
• New missionaries in the pipeline for Voz y Manos

Pray for:

• A long-term executive director for Voz y Manos
• Our upcoming home ministry assignment: that we use our time wisely and that we can encourage and bless those who have encouraged and blessed us
• Political stability and an improved economy for Ecuador
• God’s grace and healing for our various health issues