Wednesday, June 1, 2016

25 Years of Service: God's Grace, Generous Partners

June 2016
Lori and I have completed 25 years of Missionary service.
Twenty-five years ago this week, in 1991, we drove away from our comfy Monroe, MI community of friends and family and struck out into the unknown.
We were officially commissioned for service among the Hispanic-Latino peoples, particularly Mexicans.
Our initial 'approval' was for 2-year term, lengthened to 5, now basically life-long ministry.
Twenty-five years ago, we had our two daughters with us, ages 5 and 10.
First, Ontario, Canada for 4 months of YWAM training.
Then 8 months in Juarez. Mexico.
Then to Tijuana, Mexico, where we lived over 8 years in country
We re-located in south San Diego in late 1999, continuing our work, mainly in Baja Norte with the under-served and struggling Mexicans living in low-resource communities.
We assisted a number of ministries in their works, mainly in Baja Mexico, but we also traveled throughout Mexico, and to seven other countries to outreach, mostly in health care and medical outreach. We've been to the Caribbean, Central and South America, Eastern Europe, China and southern Africa.
Lori founded her work in San Vicente (Baja Norte, Mexico) in 2006, and has built that development project up over 10 years, including living part-time in the village.

Twenty-five years. Daughters are now married and living elsewhere (Oakland CA and San Antonio TX) with our sons-in-law and 4 grandchildren.
Twenty-five years. It has never been easy, but God has been faithful.
Twenty-five years. God's unexpected GRACE has always surprised us.
Twenty-five years. We have had SO MANY generous Partners who have given to the Lord over the years towards the ministry... some who started out with us 25 years ago!
Twenty-five years. Waiting to see what God is going to do next...!

Thanks to all of you who gave and partnered in this ministry work. Here's to the future!
Chris