Paperwork & Planning

      Wow, I just noticed that the last (and only) time we posted was WAAAAY back in March!!!!  All of a sudden we are down to just six months left before we leave and we haven't told anyone what we've be doing to prepare!!!
     These past few months have been filled with family commitments, work, school, de-cluttering, and lots and lots of paperwork.

The little kids are so excited to be getting passports!!!

     We have decided to school through the summer this year.  I'm not sure how excited the kids are about that now, but we are praying that the benefit of being able to be with us all day every day while we are in Alaska will outweigh any negatives.  Mark is also in school this summer studying aviation technology at Columbus State.  He has always wanted to fly and decided to get his pilot's license last year.  He then felt that God was telling him that he needed to not only know how to fly the planes but be able to work on them as well.  Our director at YWAM Arctic Mercy was really excited to discover this as having a trained pilot/mechanic on base could open up a lot more doors to ministry in the outlying villages in Alaska.  God has certainly directed Mark's steps down this path!!!  

     

     The de-cluttering process has gone a lot more smoothly than we originally anticipated.  We had two rental properties at the beginning of this month and now both of them are in contract to be sold!!!  It is such a weight off of our shoulders to not have to worry about renters and upkeep while we are gone.  The things we have been able to sell, donate, or pass on for others to use has helped us to discover how little we really need.  Transitioning from our peaceful little farm with gardens and plenty of open space to a two bedroom apartment in a little town may be pretty easy.  I'm sure we'll miss the sunsets from the side yard though.....

      In the next few months we are going to be focusing on fundraising and getting connected with those who are committed to praying for us throughout this adventure.  We are extremely thankful for the blessings and support we have received already and are looking forward to sharing with many more family members and friends about how God is guiding us through this process.  There is always an open invitation for dinner at our house!!!  

     We welcome your prayers for our family, our preparations, the staff at YWAM Arctic Mercy, and the people that we will be able to minister to during our time in Alaska.  

Love & Blessings,

  Mark, Megan

Ethan, Elijah, Josiah & Charity

  

 

  

    

    

    

  

    

     

     

    

Adventure Ahead

                                      

                                                                                     

Dear Family & Friends,

        The rumor is becoming a reality!!!  We are writing you to officially announce our plans to move our family to Alaska for DTS (Discipleship Training School).  God has been calling us into mission work for some time now and the doors have finally opened with YWAM Arctic Mercy in Homer, Alaska. 

        YWAM (Youth With A Mission) is an organization the was started in 1960 and is dedicated to one goal...…to make HIM known.  To all nations, all cultures, all people.  They have bases in over 180 countries and reach millions of people.  The goal of doing a DTS is to bring us into a more intimate relationship with God and to discover what part we have in God’s purposes for the world. 

The DTS we have signed up for will last 6 months.  The first part will be a lecture phase where we will learn more about God and how we can grow to be more effective in serving Him.  We will do this through lectures, guest speakers, daily living in the community, and practical training.  Then we will move on to the outreach phase.  We will get the opportunity to apply what we have learned through cross cultural experiences.  This is a chance for us to meet people and to serve them in whatever they need.  This could mean doing construction, teaching school, helping with church services, watching children…..whatever THEY need.

We have been to Alaska and have fallen in love with everything that this beautiful state has to offer.  We have also seen the needs of the people.  There is depression during the long and dark winters, drinking, gambling, and the breakdown of the family unit.  We truly believe that through the training we will receive that we can bring help and hope to those that God would bring our way.  We have realized that now is the time for us to step out of our comfort zone and truly become the hands and feet of Jesus for those in need.

How can you help us achieve our goal to serve the people of Alaska?  PRAYER!!!!!  Lots and lots of prayer!!!  Pray that God will go before us as we take our family away from family, friends, and all of the comforts of “home”.  Pray for the people that will be teaching and training us.  Pray for the opportunities to share the love of Christ that will come our way, and for the people that we will be able to help both physically and spiritually.  Of course, another big need is financial support.  As you can imagine the cost for a family of 6 to live in Alaska and attend school is substantial.  If you feel God leading you to support us with a love offering of money we would greatly appreciate it.