Each Step I Take, I know That He Will Lead Me

This map was one of the first resources given to us after we started seeking out if missionary work was where God wanted us. I am a visual person and like to know where I'm heading. Even I gave an "eek!" when I saw how long and involved this process was going to be.

However....I will say this now. I am so thankful for the many steps it took and I see the safety of there being a "multitude of counselors". Do you see all of those stop signs? Those were times where we were supposed to STOP and PRAY if God wanted us to continue. I count 6 different times. I know that God was truly, truly right beside us this whole roadtrip. Walking from one step to the next, it really didn't feel like 19 steps. It felt like 5.

Counseling with ACCFS has been a wonderful sweet spot in the journey. Bro. Kaleb Beyer is mainly who we've counseled with and is very easy to talk to. I love the fact that I can counsel with him from the comfort of my couch and video conferencing.

We had 2 phone interviews and 1 in person interview with 3 individuals who are on the Selection Committee for HarvestCall. Each of these 3 along with our counselors and HarvestCall Outreach Manager had to give either their support or say they couldn't support us continuing forward. If someone is not healthy physically, mentally or spiritually in the States, the risk to the Mission is great. Satan has ways of making small problems large when you're not in your culture, among familiar support systems or feeling homesick.

Another neat thing we were able to take part in was Missionary Orientation. This was held at the Freedom4Life campus in Edwards, IL. Kirk and Keri Plattner and Frank and Kathy Sauder hosted it along with Bill and Joan Schick and some of their girls helping. Other missionaries there included Adam and Belinda Kaeb, Isaac and Brittany Steiner, Deb and Daryll Knobloch, Scott Kieser and Brooke Kilgus.

The kids all bonded very well and had plenty of fun! There were activities for them to do in the morning and then swimming in the afternoons. We were there from a Tuesday afternoon thru a Thursday afternoon. Frank and Kirk did most of the presentations/discussions and then John Huber and Brock Wiegand came from HarvestCall to talk a little. Amber Miller and Kaleb Beyer came from ACCFS for a few sessions. We packed a lot in and got to know everyone in a special way. We did get to see some of them just a week later at the Proclaim & Serve Conference in Tremont, IL.

We feel supported and encouraged by those who have walked alongside us already and hope we can do the same for others who will come after!