Deputation into new areas

On October 18th we embarked into areas that we have never been before: Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia/Canada. We left California and had opportunity to find lodging at Harvest Baptist in Medford, Oregon. They were such a blessing to us. We were able to get our van checked and updated with an oil change and tire rotation. We than traveled as far as Seattle, Washington where we stayed in a hotel two blocks from the space needle. We took the time the next morning to go up to the viewing floor in the space needle despite the fear of our oldest son who is afraid of heights. Our next missions conference started at Grace Baptist in Surrey, British Columbia, which meant that we would have to cross the Canadian border. To our surprise, and with the help of some friends near the border, we made it through without any delays.

The conference was a blessing! Jon preached, we showed our DVD, Nisha taught the childrens' class, our children sang special music, we enjoyed fellowship with the church and missionaries, and got in some sightseeing at Stanley Park in Vancouver. Dr. Storz was the main speaker on Sunday to wrap up the meetings. It was such a blessing to be hosted by Mrs. Dorothy Newcombe who also hosted another missionary during the conference going to the deaf of Peru, Miss Jamie Rowe.

We will look to visit other area pastors and churches until our next meeting on November 7th at New Testament Baptist.

California Meetings in 2010

We arrived in California to give updates to some of our supporting churches as well as present in new churches for possible support. We faced some unexpected delays with Jon cutting his head on a dinosaur statue at a rest stop and the van breaking down after presenting our calling at a church. We are currently presenting and giving updates in churches in Northern California.
It was exciting to reserve our airline tickets to depart from Detroit Metro at 6:00a.m. on January 6th, 2011 and arrive in Lima, Peru at 10:10p.m. that same day. Less than three months from fulfilling God's calling on our life of being missionaries in Peru.
Thank you all for you prayers and support.

GPS leads to Destruction

Travelling through the rest of Texas and into New Mexico was a thirteen hour trip in the van where we arrived at Jon's uncle's house for lodging. My wife was less than enthusiastic when the GPS led us at night into an Indian Reservation away from all civilization. We went from a divided paved road, to a single paved road, to a dirt road, to sand paths in the field where we were beginning to lose phone signal. My wife and children had to ask me if I really knew where we were at. After going a couple of miles out in the field, thinking that it was just a short cut to a main road, we heard the GPS tell us that we had arrived but there were no signs of civilization. My wife was waiting for a witch doctor to jump out and the girls began to pray out of fear setting in. Nathan was imagining what an adventure it would be to have a dirt bike on the trails. Jon was entertaining the idea of shutting off the lights and scaring everyone even more until the thought of his wife's response made him think twice. I was able to turn the van around without getting stuck in the sand and found my way back out safely.
Once out of the field, my wife double checked the address to my uncle's new house, and discovered that Jon put the wrong address in the GPS. I'm sure God allowed this adventure for a reason. It will be one of those stories that is funny once the initial scare has wore off.
The next morning we got the GPS and an atlas to show Jon's uncle where we ended up driving to. He told us how lucky we were that we didn't get our van stuck and how many dead bodies have been discovered out in those fields. That just made the story that much better, to realize that God protected us.

Traveling West on Deputation

After completing the moving sale, starting homeschooling, renting a full size van from MO, and packing, we hit the road once again for another two month trip. On September 18th, we left Michigan for churches out west to present our ministry. We appreciated being able to stop in Memphis, TN to visit Jon's sister on the way to TX. She just had her fourth child, Amelia Jean, in which our children got to take to the Memphis Zoo. Their pastor was a missionary to Peru and gave some helpful advice.

Our first missions conference was held at Temple Baptist Church in Flower Mound, TX. We had opportunity to participate in the conference by teaching in the children's program in the morning service, Awana, Youth Group, men and ladies fellowships, show our DVD, and share our calling at our table display. Time spent with the other missionaries and Dr. Don Sisk was an extra blessing. The church took the missionary men to Dallas Cowboy stadium while the ladies went shopping. Matthew and Nathan were excited to play football down on the field. The conference ended on Sunday night with the joyous news that the church would be supporting us.

We found lodging at a missions trailer in Dallas for a couple of days before traveling out to NV for more meetings. It was good to spend time with the Brough family and catch up on what God has been doing in their lives. They have been our friends since our college days when we all counselled together at Camp CoBeAc in Michigan.

September Prayer Letter

SEPTEMBER 2010

Dear Faithful Prayer Warriors and Co-Laborers,

What a whirlwind these last two months have been for us! There have been many life altering changes for our family, besides the fact that we are leaving for the field in January, and God has been gracious and kind in all matters.

“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” Psalm 115:16

The morning of August 5th we received a phone call from Nisha’s step-father that her mother, Denise Taylor, had passed away in her sleep and woke up in the arm’s of her Savior. She was 55 years old. The unexpected death has been difficult for the family because she was not ill and had no known ailments. There is still no “resolution” as to the cause of death other than natural causes, but the family accepts the fact that God decided it was time for her to go Home. We rejoice in her testimony, which was clearly evident at her workplace, as we heard story after story of her mother’s faithful witness to her co-workers. Although we miss her, we are confident in God’s timing and purpose. Please pray for Nisha’s step-father as he adjusts to life with out his beloved wife, and for Nisha and her siblings as they adjust to life without their mother.

“But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.” I Timothy 6:6-7

We had begun the process of packing up our home in Michigan when we received the call of Nisha’s mother. We returned three weeks later, to complete the process, only this time, we were adjusting our packing around the meetings we had scheduled in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. Finally, we have completed the moving sale and are finishing getting the house ready to turn back over to the church. It was difficult to see most of our earthly possessions being sold, but know that it is a step closer to Peru. Please pray as we still have our vehicle and a couple of other items to sell to complete this process of moving.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.” Isaiah 55:8

It was our intention to begin language training in January in Costa Rica. However, in the last month, another option has been made available to us through a ministry directly in Lima, Peru. They have a Spanish language professor on staff willing to teach us for a year. This would give us an opportunity to learn the Peruvian Spanish dialect from a Baptist ministry, build ministry relationships, help us begin the process of acquiring our ministry visas, as well as getting used to some Peruvian culture before heading to the mountains and jungle.
We are heading west for our fall meetings. A new addition to our ministry has become a full size van to complete our deputation. Our current car was in need of repair and we didn’t feel it would last through all the travelling we are doing this fall. Baptist Missionary Transportation Ministry, BMTM, came through for us with a seven passenger van and we are in awe of all the room it has! After spending the last three and a half years in a Taurus station wagon, you can imagine how we feel traveling with this! This will give us enough room to do school while we travel and eliminate the need for a car top carrier. We are blessed to have this van to complete our deputation ministry. Please pray as we present our ministry to churches in Texas, Nevada, California, and Vancouver, BC this fall and for continued safety as we travel.

Here are some remaining things you can keep in mind as you pray for us:
1. Completion of our deputation ministry.
2. Paperwork for visas: We need to certify the kids’ birth certificates this fall at a Peruvian embassy in the states. Please pray that we will be able to find one as we travel this fall and there would be no complications in the visa process.
3. We will be purchasing our airline tickets for Peru this month.

Thank you all who faithfully pray and support our ministry. We know many of you pray daily for us and we want you to know that they are felt and appreciated!

For His Glory,

Jon, Nisha, and the kids