So-o-o close!

We’re at 96%! So-o-o close to the finish line! Maybe like me you’ve spent the past week watching Olympic athletes swoosh across one finish line after another? That’s the image that comes to mind as I think about being so close to the total financial support needed for my new ministry role overseas. God is good and we’re nearly there!

As you know, as international Theological Education Specialist with Serge and EPC World Outreach my desire is to help train emerging global church leaders for Christ-centered, biblically-informed ministry, with a focus on our shared experience of God’s lavish grace in the midst of our weakness and sin. After serving for many years in Ethiopia, Kenya and India, the current plan is for me to be based in Dublin, Ireland, and travel out to teach in theological institutions alongside Serge's church-planting outreach in Africa, Asia and post-Christian Europe. (Wait, new to this and don’t know the story? No problem. You can click here for a 3-minute introduction to this work, or here for the ‘back story’ of how I got to this point, or here to watch my African students talking about the importance of their theological education.) I spent March-August 2017 in Ireland exploring what God might do with this new ministry. Then this fall and winter I’ve been in the US waiting for God to provide new supporting partners.

Are you one of the people who graciously listened to my story, prayed for me, gave generously, housed and fed me as I’ve driven up and down the mid-Atlantic, and/or encouraged me onward as I try to answer this call? Thank you for holding my hand through a challenging process! I've been saying I'll feel comfortable buying my plane ticket for Ireland when my financial support level hits 95%. Looks like we're at that point and a little bit more!

I skyped with Serge’s member care director yesterday and we agreed to press forward and make my travel plans. I’m so excited! I'm hoping to leave for Dublin as soon as the first week in April – checking now on airfares and what works best for Serge Ireland.

 

I’d love to get on that plane at the beginning of April with 100% missionary support to cover the next few years of ministry. Would you please pray that that happens? Thanks! The remaining need is $289 per month or $3,472 per year in pledges of continuing support. One-time gifts are great, too – thank you! Since these get divided over three years in the support calculation it takes $10,415 in one-time gifts to equal $3,472 per year in pledges.

As you can imagine, I'm itching to get back to Ireland and get started. Besides my usual connections with Dún Laoghaire Presbyterian Church, new Irish friends, and Serge colleagues in the Dublin area, here are some of the things on my calendar for the next six months:
 

• Mar 26-Jun 8 – Teach New Testament introduction online for Fuller Theological Seminary (this income contributes toward my missionary support)

• Apr 21-Nov 10 – Help teach Bible interpretation for the Presbyterian Church of Ireland’s accredited lay preacher training course

• May 19-24 – European Theologians Network of the European Leadership Forum in Wisla, Poland

• June 11-22 – Lead a study of Galatians for Irish and American university students in Serge Ireland’s 8-week summer program

• June 18-Aug 31 – Teach missional hermeneutics online for Fuller Theological Seminary

• June 27-29 – Tyndale Fellowship New Testament Conference, Cambridge UK

• July 24-30 – EPC World Outreach quadrennial workers’ gathering in Greece

• Aug 8-13 – Serge Africa regional retreat in Kenya (planning for future ministry)

• Aug 24-Sept 21- Teach biblical hermeneutics at the South Asia Institute of Advanced Christian Studies (SAIACS) in Bangalore, India

But first, over these next few weeks I need to get my house in Virginia ready to sell, start looking for an affordable apartment south of Dublin (a major challenge, according to the article in this week’s Irish Times), and sort/sell/pack/store everything I own. Yes, I'm feeling somewhat overwhelmed… OK, seriously overwhelmed. I really need you to pray for me. Thanks!

I also feel grateful to the Lord for the ways so many of you have helped get us to this point. “This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God” (2 Cor 9:13). Thank you so much – you're a great team!