2023 Highlights & Pictures

God’s calling for our family continues to be serving globally while living locally. Jack’s role focuses on enhancing UWM’s nonformal pastoral training by strengthening existing missionaries on the field and refining our global strategies. This year, that meant a lot of two things: Zooms calls and plane flights.

Zoom Trainings

Many times this year, Jack hosted equipping calls for UWM pastor-trainers around the world. Using Zoom breakout rooms, thoughtful discussion questions and compelling stories, Jack equipped our people to be more informed and more effective. The September call was Jack’s favorite. Our subject matter expert, Dr. Lisa Anderson Umańa shared about the importance of mentoring. Young leaders emerge when seasoned leaders see their potential, invest relationally, and foster their development by creating spaces for them to gain experience! UWM is establishing Regional Training Hubs in each region of the world to help catalyze this.

Welcoming International Neighbors

In May and June, Loren and Jack worked hard to revise and expand the Welcoming International Neighbors (WIN) curriculum before teaching it in July in San Francisco. We enjoyed working on a project together instead of the usual divide and conquer that parenting with young kids entails. Read more here.

Family Time

We brought our kids with us to California for the WIN training there. We enjoyed exploring the cold beaches and the giant redwood forests.

When we weren't traveling we were making s’mores around the fire, cheering on the Astros, enjoying God’s creation, or hanging out with family and friends. Oh… and we got a dog too!

GBC VBS

Our home church invited us to share at their summer VBS on participating in God’s mission around the world. We talked about the armor of God, disciple-making and pastor-training. Loren really rocked it!

UWM Leadership Meetings

In September, UWM biennial leadership meetings took place in the beautiful Lake Junaluska, N.C. It was such a joy to be together all in the same place.

Colombia

In October, Jack spent 10 days in Colombia meeting key regional partners and assisting with launching a new kind of training. For more on the new training, check out this blog post.

Panama

None of this would be possible without YOU! We are so grateful for your prayers, your encouragement, your financial support, and your friendship.

Consider a one-time gift: We invite you to help us continue this work of investing in Christian leaders in the Majority World who desperately need and deeply desire further training. By investing in our ministry you are joining us in serving them.

We thank God for you and your partnership in the spreading of the gospel. Together, by the power of His Spirit at work in us, God is strengthening His church and reaching the lost. Thank you so much!

Reflections on New Training in Colombia

In addition to meeting RTH partners in Colombia, we coordinated (and then participated in) a new kind of training happening in Latin America for the first time. Freedom to Lead brought their seasoned trainers and directors to lead us all through module of The Garden Project. This training confronted the ways culture can warp ministry leadership and focused on the healthy ways Jesus ministered.

32 pastors and ministry leaders from 8 Latin countries came together to engage in an immersive training filled with deep reflection and creative expression in the form of original songs, skits, and stories as an avenue for profound learning and change.

The training centered around four images:

The pile of rocks represents the people who have invested in and shaped you and your ministry. The floating crocodile depicts how what is going on under the surface is so much more important than what you can see.

The image of the water hand pump symbolizes how leaders use pressure to get results. The rice field illustrates the idea of leadership as cultivation.

This training portrayed cultivation as a major metaphor by which Christian leaders should approach their ministry. Christian leadership ought to be about empowering others, helping them to grow into all that God has made them to be.

Immersive activities, such as stories, skits, and songs, were the vehicles which prompted deep reflection on life and ministry. And prompt they did!

Seasoned pastors shared freely how they’ve made mistakes and how they desire to lead in transformative ways from now on. Participants committed to become more like Jesus through servant leadership, and replicate this training for others.

Each participant committed to do two things: 1) become more like Jesus through servant leadership, and 2) train others in the same way and with the same content. We were so encouraged that several groups began their planning to conduct this same training for people in their native countries before they even left Colombia!

This training is a snapshot of the kinds of high-quality, transformational trainings our Regional Training Hubs (RTHs) provide to the growing church in the Global South. We think the potential to strengthen the Church through RTHs is so exciting!

Thank you for partnering with us this year! Your prayers, reaching out for conversation, and generous financial giving are vital to the work God is accomplishing through us together.

2022 Highlights & Pictures

Micah Mae’s Baptism!

Micah Mae’s Baptism was easily one of the best moments of the year, if not our lives! And lots of family was there to join in the joyous occasion and celebrate the new life of Resurrection Day!

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“We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”

— Romans 6:4 (NIV)

A Home in Houston

In January, after doing some calculations, we purchased our first home. We don’t know how long we will be based in Houston, but we do know that mortgage prices are less than rent prices! We were gifted a great playset which the kids have enjoyed all year long. We still sense that our time overseas is not done yet. We still long to serve overseas again. But, for now, while God has us in Houston, we’re thankful for this home he has provided.

Summer Ministry Road Trip!

In June and July we drove across the States. We made some great memories with the kids along the way thanks to parks, waterfalls, and short hikes. Our time with other US-based missionaries was rewarding and beneficial. Jack’s curriculum received positive and constructive feedback. And, Loren and Jack taught other missionaries how to teach other churches about welcoming refugees well. You can read more here.

Back to School

Marriage Retreat in Turkey

Pastor-Trainers Conference in Turkey!

God provided great conversations and connections in Turkey at the ICETE Conference. Read more here.

Other Fun Times with Family

As we reflect on this year, we are so grateful! God has been so present with us and reminding us of his goodness and blessing at each and every turn. As a family we are learning our rhythms. In ministry we are finding our footing and enjoying our the many hats we get to wear.

As we look forward to 2023, we are hopeful and purposeful. We have several trainings on the calendar and a lot of ministry travel, within the US, to Latin America, and possibly to Africa and Asia as well. We are asking God to provide $40,000 in end of year gifts to help fund our ministry.

Would you prayerfully consider donating today to help fund our ministry in the coming year? When you donate towards our ministry, you are investing in developing leaders for the church in the areas of greatest need. You can click here to give online or visit the Give page in the top right for info on sending a check.

We are delighted to partner with you and the Holy Spirit in this work of serving Christ’s Church around the world.

Thank you and Happy New Year!

Traveling to Turkey 2022

In November, Loren and I traveled to Turkey for our first trip overseas sans kids. The trip was a combination of work and rest, and we’re thankful for all that happened. Here’s how God moved:

Reconnection & Restoration. 

God provided a wonderful (and almost free!) opportunity for Loren and I to relax together for the first few days. We were able to be restored and reconnect with each other on a beautiful beach. Our conversations ebbed from the silly ("If you were to open up a restaurant...") to the serious ("How are we responding to the ages and stages of our kids?"). We are so thankful for this opportunity to build onto the foundation of our marriage. 

Safety.

There was a bombing in a busy tourist area in city of Istanbul while we were in Turkey. Thankfully, we were on the other side of the sea at that time. Miraculously, none of the 450+ conference delegates were injured. It was a reminder that the enemy is seeking to destroy, but God is in control.

Conversations & Connections.

God provided numerous amazing connections in Turkey! The conference was run by the International Council of Evangelical Theological Education (ICETE), and 450+ pastor-trainers and theological educators came from 80+ countries representing 100+ training organizations. Check out the pictures and the captions below to hear about the connections and conversations God provided.
 

Discussion topic: How do we make effective, relevant training to the church’s emerging leaders?

“9 out of 10 churches around the world are led by pastors with little-to-no ministry training”

— UWM

The global church has a dire need for trained pastors. 9 out of 10 churches around the world have a pastor with little to no ministry training. UWM’s mission is to equip leaders with the Church for the world. You can think of UWM like REI - we are ministry outfitters, supplying and supporting church leaders for every ministry need.

UWM is seeking to increase effectiveness of existing training programs led by missionaries, and to increase capacity in those programs by raising up nationals, and to recruit more missionaries to respond to the need. To do this, I (Jack) coordinate professional development webinars, strategic planning sessions, and mentoring for existing missionaries on the field. In addition, I am engaged in networking and partnering with like-minded organizations. This is why the ICETE conference in Ephesus, Turkey, was so crucial for us. 

Here are some pictures from some of the connections we made.

The greatest need for more pastors who are well-trained is in Asia, Africa, and Central and South America. And yet, I was most encouraged by brothers and sisters from these very same regions sharing stories about God at work, raising up His leaders for His church, from Uganda to India to Ukraine – even Cuba!

We are excited and hopeful to see how God will bless these connections with continuing conversations in the new year. We ask that you prayerfully consider an end of year gift to our ministry to help continue our efforts to train pastors where they are needed most. You can give online here, or click on the Give page in the top right for info on sending a check.

2021 Highlights & Pictures

This has been a full year for us in the Messarra household! Here are pictures from some of our highlights:

Judah Cole was born on June 17, and it has been a rollercoaster ride ever since!

Like many of you, Jack had A LOT of Zoom calls! Read more about Jack’s role training future Pauls and Timothys here. Jose and Ashish are examples of Paul-like missionary-trainers who have dedicated decades of ministry towards training pastors. Read more about Ashish here and Jose here.

In November, many UWM leaders gathered together in Colorado Springs. It was so great to gather in person, reconnect with old friends and make new ones!

In late July, in our first outing as a family of five, we got in a bad car accident and totaled our van. But, God protected us from life-altering injuries. We all got to ride in an ambulance together too, which Teddy loved!

The car wreck sparked many great conversations about how we can rely on God to protect us and care for us, even when we make mistakes, even when we don’t know the way.

The GBC Daddy-Daughter date is always a highlight for Micah Mae and Jack

We cheered for the Astros often and even got to go to a couple of games.

In 2022, we plan to continue developing trainers and leading trainings for Pauls and Timothys around the world. We would love for you to join us in providing on-the-job training just-in-time for missionaries and pastors across the Majority World. Please consider a tax-deductible, end-of-year gift to help us!

More About Jose

“9 out of 10 churches around the world are led by pastors who lack adequate Biblical and spiritual training”

— UWM

Today, one of the biggest needs for the global church is pastors who are well-trained Biblically and spiritually. We need more Pauls (missionaries) and more Timothys (pastors) living out the discipleship model described in 1 Tim 2:2, discipling other pastors, church planters, and missionaries.

“And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.”

— Paul, 2 Tim 2:2

Evangelism is exploding in much of the majority world, and churches are being planted at an exceptional rate. This is surely cause for rejoicing. This raises a problem though, the people being called to lead these churches lack adequate training. In fact, 90% of churches around the globe are led by pastors who lack adequate training in Bible, theology, spiritual formation, counseling, and other essential leadership skills.

And that just speaks to the current need. In 2021, more than 1 million churches will be planted – churches who need trained pastors to lead them. Jack’s current role involves raising awareness about this need, encouraging missionaries in their engagement, training missionaries on how to effectively disciple pastors, and promoting discipleship cycles among pastors.

“In 2021, more than 1 million churches will be planted – churches who need trained pastors to lead them.”

Jose and Franslise Oliviera are examples of the kinds of pastor-trainers we are trying to promote/produce. Jose has been in ministry for over 30 years.

Jose uses Bible storytelling and orality methods to teach pastors spiritual formation, ministry skills, and leadership skills. The oral curriculum is the cheapest, most easily transferrable and most transformational medium available in any context - stories. When a leader goes through their curriculum, they are already equipped to transfer their knowledge and experience on to others in their contexts.

Jack recruited Jose to teach a training session for other missionaries who are interested in training pastors in oral-preference, non literate cultures. The goal is equip missionaries to train national pastors in a similar way that is both transformational (to the inner life) and transferrable (to the next generation of pastors and leaders).

Oral training methods like Freedom to Lead (F2L, used by Jose and his team) are key in the oral-preference and non-literate cultures which dominate the Majority World that is unreached.

Please join us in praying for God to raise up more missionaries who want to dedicate their lives to be like Jose. Pray also for God to raise up more pastors throughout the global church to meet the demand.

If you would like to contribute to Jose’s ministry, you can do so here. If you would like to help us to train future Pauls and Timothys, you can do so here.

The Reverend Professor

We’ve been talking about my role as coordinator for United for Training, an initiative of UWM to equip our missionary trainers to more effectively. In this post, I want to tell you a little bit more about my partner in crime, The Reverend Professor Doctor Ashish Chrispal.

Dr. Ashish Chrispal is my co-leader in this initiative, and though he humbly resists being labeled as such, he is a man of deep wisdom and rich experience. Ashish was discipled by The Reverend Doctor John Stott, and he was the first Langham Scholar from India. He has decades of experience teaching in seminaries and churches across Asia, and he has trained countless pastors and professors.

Ashish, like Jose, is the best example of what advanced theological education can bring about. And yet, Ashish doesn’t want to create more PhD’s in theology. No, his heart beats to produce more pastors who are formed into the image of Christ, well-equipped to not only preach but also to care for the souls of their people. You see, Ashish says that the purpose of theological education is to strengthen the church. And, I think he’s right.

For the past two years Ashish has been in Australia, covid-trapped there. But that hasn’t stopped him from being on Zoom calls at all hours of the day and night, preaching in India, praying with pastors’ families, ministering the souls of former students and their churches.

In the year plus that we have been working together, I have learned a lot from Ashish about reproducible training methods, the importance of orality in oral preference cultures, and how to ask good questions. But, the best parts of our Zoom calls, are not the logistics and learning, but the times we spend praying for one another. I always leave feeling cared for, encouraged, and motivated to work hard.

If you want to know more about the kinds of training we are doing, check out some of the links below.

In this video, Ashish shares his vision for where theological education and the training of pastors needs to go.

In this article, Ashish talks about the challenges of training pastors around the world, the great need for training those pastors, and the hurdles we face in doing so.

In the first chapter of this book, Ashish tells his journey into full time ministry and his subsequent education and training of pastors. It’s a remarkable story of God’s faithfulness.

Wholistic Ministry Training

The Need

One of the biggest needs for the church in the Global South (aka, the non-Western World – where the majority of unreached & unchurched peoples are) is local leaders who are Biblically trained and spiritually formed. Here are some crazy stats that give you a snapshot of the situation:

• 85% of churches in the world are led by men and women who have no formal training in theology or ministry.

• If every Christian training institute in the world operated at 120 percent capacity, less than 10 percent of the unequipped leaders would be trained.

• 8 out of 10 nationals who come to the West to receive training never return home.

• Leaders from every non-Western region say their number one need is leadership training.

(David A. Livermore, Serving With Eyes Wide Open (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2006, 41.) Missionaries and agencies around the globe are responding to this need. Check out this video, this blog, this series, this article. 

How we are doing theological education?

With UWM, we incorporate theological education into every program we do. We are committed to a ministry model which integrates theological education, along with spiritual formation and practical leadership skills. We don't just want to dispense information. We want to provide transformational learning experiences which shape participants' heads, hearts and hands. 

In South Africa, community gatherings feature the reading of Scripture. Community members are encouraged to disciple others, and be discipled as well. Everyone is in a process of growth and learning. 

Now, we are working alongside other missionaries, helping them to incorporate holistic ministry training into their programs, training them in teaching methods which produce both inner transformation and external transferance.

Azola's Story

This year, our emerging leaders grew dear to our hearts. We’d like to tell you about Azola.

Azola is 19-year-old Xhosa young man, tall and lanky, with a quiet disposition and a deep love for Jesus. Azola first heard the gospel from his soccer coach who also became his pastor. He is from Khayelitsha, a predominantly Xhosa township (a slum neighborhood developed during Apartheid as a way to isolate “undesirable” tribal groups).

Azola participated in the Residency program and was at our house every week as part of our small group. He was an eager participant when Jack taught on the Big Picture, an overview of the Biblical story. Shortly afterwords, as part of the ongoing discipleship in the residency, Azola was baptized.

In the small group at our house, we read through the Bible and focused in on key passages. One of those was Deuteronomy 6, the Shema, and Azola was deeply touched by the instruction to fathers to teach their sons God’s law. Azola observed that in his community, there are few fathers. Growing up, no man in Azola’s life ever taught him about Jesus or the Bible. He didn’t know anyone in his family or his community where this was true.

God did a mighty work in Azola’s heart. He shared, “I am now determined to teach my sons and the young men in Khayelitsha about the gospel. This will be my life’s work. They need to know how important it is for us - even more important than our traditional Xhosa stories of a warrior’s glory. THIS is what will turn around the lack of direction young boys face in Kayamandi. It is the gospel!”

The residency program under Jack’s direction provided the perfect place for Azola to learn God’s Word so that he could teach it to others. He quickly found out that this is no easy task. In classes at Hope Training Course, Azola faced a mountain of challenges: to learn new vocabulary and concepts, new ways of studying, and developing skills to lead Bible lessons and give talks to peers. Instead of folding under the pressure or giving up, Azola demonstrated true strength in persevering. By God’s grace and the Spirit’s work in his life, Azola grew tremendously. 

““I’m excited to continue dealing with my past and becoming more bold and positive so I can go out after this year to help my community.””

— Azola

Halfway through the year, Azola was a key leader in our Summit program. He helped to facilitate skills workshops and teach the Bible. After a rocky start, Azola thrived at Hope Training Course and his learnings compounded the more he worked at it. We were blessed to be a part of his life and developed a friendship with him. 

You were a part of what God did in Azola’s life.  Thank you!

SA In The News

Frequently in the news the past few months, South Africa has not been given a kind depiction.

The divisions between socio-cultural groups designed during the apartheid regime and perpetuated by socio-economic conditions are described in this TIME cover article: South Africa is the world’s most divided country. The pervasiveness of the divisions are well illustrated by the Unequal Scenes project (header image source). Abuses of power are common in both religious (Fake pastors and false prophets in Southern Africa) and political (Corrupt Public Prosecutor?) spheres. Related issues include: The Battle for Land Reform in South Africa and Rising crime rates? and deploying the army to combat gangs.

Image credit: Unequal Scenes - Strand/Nomzamo: https://unequalscenes.com/strand-nomzamo

The thread tying these stories together, the theme which unites these disparate tales into one clear picture of the state of the union, is the pervasive need for well-grounded, well-equipped leaders. This is precisely the need East Mountain exists to fill. While these reports are discouraging to read, they remind us of why we are here. 

Some Secular Statistics

South Africa is in dire need of leaders who have been transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ, living in Christian community and inspiring Kingdom change in those around them in all spheres of life, in the church, in the workplace, in schools, in their communities. This is the need EM is trying to meet by coming alongside our church partners and supporting and augmenting their efforts to invest in their people.

And there is cause for hope. Some of our partners are employing sports as an agent for change in the Cape Flats. Another partner is utilizing the training discipleship methods of Ambassadors Football in the same region.

Dumisani: a pastor, a football coach, and a partner in ministry. Image credit: James Cronin, BBC

One distinctive of EM’s programs is the bringing together of people from different cultures. The remnants of apartheid run deep, and there is much work to be done to work towards true racial reconciliation. Things will not be fixed overnight. But one thing is clear: the gospel of Jesus Christ needs to be proclaimed and demonstrated through systematic programs and individuals actions pursuing of restorative justice.

Would you join us in praying for the gospel of Jesus Christ to be proclaimed and the Kingdom of God to be advanced in South Africa?

Helpful Resources for Further Reading

The Long Walk to Freedom - Nelson Mandela (autobiography)

The Covenant - James Michener (historical fiction)

Diamonds, Gold, & War - Martin Meredith (historical)

Cry, the Beloved Country - Alan Paton (historical fiction)

Indaba, My Children - Vusamazulu Credo Mutwa (tribal history)

News on the recent election in South Africa:

BBC election results - https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-48211598

Julius Malema, leader of the EFF - https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-14718226

Msumi Maimane, leader of the DA - https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-48066052

Unexpected Opportunity

A few weeks ago, in the middle of one of the busiest times of our year (during our Summit program), an unexpected opportunity fell into our laps. This opportunity proved to be ordained. Through some of our partners (and a fellow former Stellenbosch University postgraduate student) we were asked to do some training for some Nigerian pastors. 8 Senior ministry leaders from the across the country convened in Cape Town as part of their Doctor of Ministry studies.

JETS Group along with some EM residents, interns and staff

East Mountain was invited to share with them about what we do and how we do it as well as offer some training workshops for them on leadership and missions. These seasoned pastors are studying things like how to evangelize among Boko Haram, how to protect communities from threats like Boko Haram, how to work care for people ravaged by violent conflict, methods of discipleship fit for rural Nigeria, and how to effectively train elders and deacons in their churches.

For the morning session, Rodney and Jack led them through a study on the biblical motif of leader as an under shepherd of the Good Shepherd. We were all encouraged by the testimony of the Scriptures of kind and comforting rod and staff of our Good Shepherd. Likewise we were challenged by the calling to be under-shepherds who are likewise gentle and caring.

In the afternoon, Chris taught on the Gospel and Worldview, discussing topics like contextualization, evangelism, missions, and outreach.

In the evening our guests joined us for an East Mountain community braai (a.k.a. cookout/BBQ hangout) complete with fellowship, sharing a meal together, singing, reading the Bible, and praying together. The time proved fruitful and there was much mutual encouragement.

Please keep these men and women in your prayers as they minister in the midst of battles physical and spiritual, seen and unseen. 

Summit Recap

What is Summit?

Summit is our summer internship program where we bring together emerging leaders with promising potential from various language groups, cultures and neighborhoods to live and learn together in community. The purpose of Summit is to expose these youth to different ways of being, thinking, and doing. We introduce them to different ministries, leaders from various cultures and neighborhoods, and we teach them the basics of God, the Bible, and Kingdom living. 

We had 5 Summit interns, representing 4 different neighborhoods, several partner churches and ministries. 

Summit Standouts

Two things stood out to me as unique from this year. 

All of our Summiteers were eager learners and avid inquisitors.

They asked A LOT of questions! Almost every workshop session was extended or took a significant detour because of a brilliant question. 

In our orientation time, the first question was: “How can I live fully for Jesus when my church and my community is not fully supportive? 

Talk about starting off with a bang! The questions didn’t get easier either: “How can we blend together energetic-Spirit-led worship through song and dance with Biblical teaching in our churches when our churches only opt for one or the other?

These questions have no easy answers, but I was encouraged by their boldness & confidence the questions belied. That is progress.

Another HUGE success from Summit was the role our residents played during Summit.

These residents are now halfway through their year-long discipleship program with EM. So much of Summit was spearheaded by our residents, playing roles including teacher and taxi-driver, cook and counselor, helper and healer, advocate and active leader.

After 6 months of training, they were chomping at the bit to pour into others what they have eagerly lapped up themselves. We counted the residents’ role as a win for our entire community, and we spent 45 minutes of our last staff meeting encouraging them.

Here’s a summary of what we said:

Would you join us in praising God for what he has done and that His Spirit would continue to grow and guide our 2019 Summiteers?

Getting in the Groove

Hello from the Southern Hemisphere where it's winter and so cold!

We have had a busy couple of months and are settling into a rhythm of life here. Below are some highlights from June and July:

Ministry Highlights

Reconnecting with Denver & Nimo

Denver and Nimo were two South Africans in which we heavily invested in our first years in SA, and we recently got to reconnect with them.

Nimo participated in our two-year Residency program in 2015-2016. She and Denver, another EM Residency graduate, have launched an East Mountain initiative in Port Elizabeth, a city 8 hours away. They are working with 5 different churches, focused on leadership training and resiliency skills for at-risk youth ages 15-25. 

Nimo & Denver returned to the Cape Town community to receive training and to do some strategic planning for the Port Elizabeth initiative. It was inspiring to hear all the ways the Lord is working through Nimo and Denver. We felt like immensely proud and thankful parents, as we saw the ways the vision and mission of East Mountain has sunk deep into the way they do discipleship, interface with partner pastors, and live in community with others. What joy and blessing to see the fruits of our labor! 

Strategic Planning For Southern Africa

Jack and the leadership team spent a week with consultant Dale Phillips (who is a man of God with deep roots and is very skilled at facilitating teams). They spent lots of time in prayer together, made short and long-term goals for EM, discussed roles within the team, reflected back on how God has moved through EM in the past and where he is calling us to invest in the days to come. We are excited to see the fruit this team-building and planning will yield in the months to come.

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Family Highlights

We are finally starting to feel settled in our house!

This is a HUGE blessing and answer to prayer. We prayed for a place that would feel like home. We asked for financial support to help make this happen.

We envisioned a place where ministry would holistically flow out of our lives, where we could invite people into our everyday. We pictured a place of rest and refreshment. We cannot believe we have already seen these prayers answered(less than six weeks after our arrival!) as we host people multiple nights a week for meals and for overnight stays.

It fills us with joy and awe to see the way the Lord is using the funds faithfully given and answering the prayers earnestly prayed to accomplish what we hoped for. 

The kids are both doing well!

Theo wants to crawl, but it’s just too hard when your head is that big. Micah’s social skills are growing every day, and she’s intently listening to every conversation, asking lots of questions and starting to pick up on things like tone, mood, and subtleties of language. It’s fascinating and intimidating!

She just started a “playschool” (like a mother’s day out program) 3 mornings a week. She LOVES “school days,” and I am so thankful to have some time freed up to do more ministry and to get some “headspace.”

Please pray Theo will sleep well “on the go” and continue be a flexible little guy, so that he will nap while I have EM meetings. 

Micah exploring a local farm with our dear friends, the Halberts. She and Emma Kate (the blondie on the right) were both born in South Africa just three weeks apart!

Back in Action in South Africa!

We are finally back in Cape Town!

Thank you for helping us make it! 
 

We landed in South Africa just short of four weeks ago. It has been a whirlwind of adjusting to the time change, settling into our new rent house (which we love), and re-connecting with our East Mountain ministry team, church partners, and friends.
 

Family Highlights

We have finally all adjusted to the 7-hour time change! Everybody is sleeping through the night, most of the time.

We had a sweet, sweet reunion with many friends at our church here! It was so wonderful to walk in the church and see faces we love beaming back at us.

All of our bags arrived! Now, we are working hard at setting up our home. We've already begun hosting families from within the EM community so that we can intentionally re-connect.

We are so glad to be back!

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Ministry Highlights

Summit, EM's summer internship, has begun! We will be hosting one interns at our house for dinners and informal mentoring. 

Jack is assuming his role as Director of Operations and beginning to meet with our Program Coordinators to assess how things are going and what aspects need attention.

We are thrilled to be back in Cape Town, and we wouldn't be here without you!  Thank you for all your love & support!  

The 2018 Summiteers, who will be with EM for six weeks studying theology, culture, and mission  within our community setting. 
Tori (middle) completed our year-long residency last yeear and is our Short-Term Trips Coordinator taking charge of Summit this year. 

2017: A Year of Challenges & the Unexpected

Political tension. Flooding in Houston. A difficult pregnancy for Loren. Jack engaged in the gritty work of writing a 100-page thesis. All while maintaining part-time ministry roles with East Mountain -- whew! This year has been full of challenges and the unexpected.

It's hard to live a life split between two continents. The sad irony was not lost on me that while Houston has experienced historic flooding, the ongoing drought in Cape Town (the worst in over a century!) has become a desperate situation. The area relies solely on rainfall for its entire water supply, and levels in the reservoirs are sitting at ___%. 

The government has imposed a water restriction - each person is only allowed 16 gallons of water per day - that includes showers, drinking water, laundry, cleaning, everything! It has been a huge challenge for our friends and team members there. Fines for exceeding the water allotment exceed $500! 

The truth is, the local government has no back-up plan for when the area runs out of water. We know those most deeply affected will be those who live in poverty and have limited access to resources. They can't pay a private company for bottled water.

Please pray with us that God would end the drought in South Africa.

Throughout this year, the Lord has been teaching us patience - and reminding us that we walk by faith, not by sight. There have been moments I'm tempted to feel like we are in exile, not unlike the Israelites wandering in the wilderness. I'm thankful for the lessons and warnings we read in Scripture: that God provides water in the desert and a way in the wilderness ... and He does not take kindly to grumbling when things don't go our way. How I long to be like Abraham, faithful and sure of His goodness even on a journey full of the unexpected!

Thank you to you, our supporters and friends, who have faithfully stood with us through it all. Thank you for your partnership, your generosity, and your care! 

Reflecting on 2017:
It has been a strange year to be back in the U.S.!

Political tension. Flooding in Houston. A difficult pregnancy for Loren. Jack engaged in the gritty work of writing a 100-page thesis. All while maintaining part-time ministry roles with East Mountain -- whew! This year has been full of challenges and the unexpected.

It's hard to live a life split between two continents. The sad irony was not lost on me that while Houston has experienced historic flooding, the ongoing drought in Cape Town (the worst in over a century!) has become a desperate situation. The area relies solely on rainfall for its entire water supply, and levels in the reservoirs are sitting at ___%. 

One of many dams near Cape Town - the only source of tap and wastewater for the region. (The water level is usually up to the top of the bridge pictured, or slightly below.)

The government has imposed a water restriction - each person is only allowed 16 gallons of water per day - that includes showers, drinking water, laundry, cleaning, everything! It has been a huge challenge for our friends and team members there. Fines for exceeding the water allotment exceed $500! 

The truth is, the local government has no back-up plan for when the area runs out of water. We know those most deeply affected will be those who live in poverty and have limited access to resources. They can't pay a private company for bottled water.

Please pray with us that God would end the drought in South Africa.

Throughout this year, the Lord has been teaching us patience - and reminding us that we walk by faith, not by sight. There have been moments I'm tempted to feel like we are in exile, not unlike the Israelites wandering in the wilderness. I'm thankful for the lessons and warnings we read in Scripture: that God provides water in the desert and a way in the wilderness ... and He does not take kindly to grumbling when things don't go our way. How I long to be like Abraham, faithful and sure of His goodness even on a journey full of the unexpected!

Thank you to you, our supporters and friends, who have faithfully stood with us through it all. Thank you for your partnership, your generosity, and your care!