Kurtis has brought up doing Missions work a few times in our
almost ten years of marriage. Each
time he mentioned it, my heart jumped (from fear, not excitement). Me, in a different country? No way! Missionaries get killed all the time, you know!? Am I really willing to lay down my life
for my faith? Is God REALLY calling me to do that? I think he might just be okay with my comfortable life.
Plus – I tried learning a different language in high
school. It didn’t go so well.
By the way, I can only handle normal foods. They eat bugs in other countries!!!
So when Kurtis told me that he learned about an opportunity
that might be interesting, part of me was scared to death and the other part of
me was anxious to go. I know I
just said that the other times Kurtis had brought up missions, I turned him
down right away, but God really has been working on me; opening my heart up to what His plans
are instead of mine. Giving me a desire to live a life of complete
abandon. I have had this desire
for most of my life; just wasn’t always willing to fully let go.
The last day in Africa we stopped by a mall to do some last
minute shopping and use up a few hours before we headed to the airport. I approached my new friend, Rachel
there and asked her to fill me in on this opportunity that Kurtis brought up
the night before.
Rachel works for an organization called Extreme
Nazarene. They are a church
planting organization that has been focusing its efforts on South America. This organization takes very seriously
the call to “Go into all the world and make disciples”. They are starting in South America and
hope to take what they have created with the Lord’s leading and share the
gospel of Jesus Christ with as many people as possible all around the world.
The way they go about doing this is what really resonated
with our hearts:
They take 40 young adults (18-30 years old) from the United
States, and 40 from South America and put them into groups of 10. Each group of 10 is assigned to a
town/city in South America and their mission is to go out in to the community,
share the hope of Christ with those they meet, build relationships with them,
study God’s word with them, and in doing this; make disciples of Christ. Through this effort, a church building
will be built for these people to attend, grow, learn, and disciple
others. It is a beautiful plan
that has had a lot of success. People are hungry for the Lord; they just need
someone to tell them about Him. “Beautiful are the feet of those who bring good
news!” Romans 10:15
With each group of ten, there is what is called a Cluster
Coordinator Couple. This is a
couple or a family that will live with the 40/40’s (group of 10) and be there
to support them, disciple them; encourage them, pray for them, and live life
with them.
As I listened to Rachel talk about the position in South
America (Cluster Coordinator Family), my heart raced. Every new aspect of what she said seemed to match what was
so strongly on Kurtis’ heart and mine.
We could live in community (living in a house with 10 young adults may
be an understatement of community J)
and truly live life with people as we would have the beautiful opportunity to
seek after Christ with a group of people who truly desire to know Him. We would have the chance to do all of
this in a different culture, where I believe Kurtis’ relational skill will
thrive!
So, although God did not speak audibly to tell us to go to
Manta, Ecuador; He definitely spoke and our hearts desire is to follow, with
everything we are.
So after many prayers, quite moments, and tears; we applied
for the Cluster Coordinator Position in Manta, Ecuador and we were
accepted! Lord willing, our family
will be selling most of what we have, and will be moving to a new home for 2 ½
years, beginning April 30th 2013!
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