Our Pre-field Journey

Our pre-field journey began officially in 2006. Wow - 2006!?! In July of 2006 we became missionary appointees with ABWE. Having not yet chosen a field, we were not ready to begin raising support, but the extensive application process, first round of training, and mission board interview was behind us. The next year and a half saw us visiting three countries (Czech Republic, Asia, and Slovakia) on survey trips, choosing a field, filling the interim pastor roll, and eventually moving to the east to transition from pastoral ministry to the support raising phase. Putting it all in one sentence makes it sound oh, so simple......well, fleshing it out may require other posts!

We first attended our sending church in December of 2007. At that point we had no idea who our sending church would be. It's very difficult to be a missionary without a sending church! CBC was the third church we visited and we knew right away it was where we wanted to attend. Part of this was because of the missions emphasis we saw our very first Sunday. We later found out that the pastor was a member of the ABWE board. Coincidence? I don't think so. I won't go into how they became our sending church because it really deserves a post of its own.

We jumped into a part-time pre-field schedule in the fall of 2008 after eight months or so of preparations. (Oh, and adding a child to our family and moving into our current home!) Jason was working full-time so we always had to drive back home Sunday night and we couldn't take much time off because he had no vacation time. In our first month we made a trip to Trenton, NJ, ate dinner, presented, and drove home - all in less than 24 hrs. Yes, that was insane. No, we wouldn't do it again. Yes, I found myself imagining deer on I-80 at 2:00 in the morning. No, they (the church, not the deer) didn't take us on for support.

We continued traveling part-time for around six months or so before beginning a full-time schedule. Jason was still working so it continued to be very busy. We only had one vehicle (still do!) so when he was at work, I was at home. On the weekends we were out of town. I found myself grocery shopping after the boys went to bed and not getting home until 11:00 at night. Family time was at a premium.

Another six months later and Jason made a mutual decision with his employer that he should drop his client. We were needing to take time off for mission conferences and they were having to find substitutes. It was not the absolute best timing as we still were not at the support level we had been hoping to reach so that he could quit working. At the same time, it was very necessary so that we could be free to travel whenever and wherever we needed to.

The Lord supplied our needs in spite of the shortfall in monthly support. We received an unexpected one-time gift in December from an anonymous donor for $3,000. This made up the balance that we needed each month to pay our bills until our support increased. Which, by the way, it did not for five months. Yes, five long months. It is hard to describe exactly what it is like to not see any movement for months on end. Traveling to churches each weekend, only to see our support sit at 28%. Two churches gave the impression we'd be taken on for support. Neither one took us on.

Finally, in April of 2010, we had an individual and a church take us on for support. Then in May another church took us on and we added several more individuals. It was so exciting to see the percentage continue to climb upward as we met with both churches and individuals about their opportunity to be rewarded with the multiplication of both souls and churches in Slovakia. We hit the half-way mark the last week of November after adding another individual supporter.

Now we pray, wait, meet, travel, schedule meetings, and pray some more for our next large goal. We are hoping to be at 85% by March 1st. Why is this percentage and this date so important? ABWE requires all missionary appointees to attend one last training event which is only held in March and November. The required percentage is 85%. If we do not reach this goal, we will be required to wait until the November class. We know God has a perfect timing in all of this. He knows which class we should be a part of. He is the Creator and owner of all and can provide the remaining needed support if He so wishes. He may also choose to have us continue on here, ministering in churches, being involved in our church, and learning all He has for us to learn before we leave for the field.

My primary reason for getting this in "written" form is for myself and my boys. As time passes the details will grow more dim and I don't want them to be forgotten. But, for those of you who may read this, will you pray? We serve the God Who performs miracles and He can perform one in this situation as well. Is it a stretch to think that God can take our percentage from 60% to 85% in six weeks? Maybe. But didn't Jesus say that with faith the size of a mustard seed a mountain could be moved? Definitely.