The challenges of the year...(from our newsletter)

     This is a long overdue update from us. To be honest, we have really struggled this year and it has been hard to write an “appropriate missionary letter’…sometimes we feel that we should only share the positive things in ministry and living abroad. We know that feeling is pride and foolishness. So you’re gonna get our hearts in this one. Good, bad, and ugly.

     This year has taught us that you, our supporters and friends, are not only supporting the ministry we have the privilege of being part of, but you are also there to help us by understanding some of our everyday challenges.

     So, this update is less about the ministry we’re involved in and all the activities and relationships, and more about what God has been doing in our lives…shaping, disciplining, and molding us over the last few months.

     We hope that you can be encouraged and challenged by our experiences, for His Glory!

We’ve been told that it’s fairly common for missionaries to deal with a sort of “third year itch” in their third year on the field.  Basically, we’ve really struggled with a sense of restlessness, discomfort, and quite frankly, faithlessness that prompted us to look at our long-term calling to ICSV. To top it all off, the “expected” struggles of the third year seemed to be compounded by so many things: a number of close Vienna friends moved away, our family has had multiple illnesses including 4 hospital stays, and finally, a handful of expensive repairs to our house in Apple Valley, the death of Rebecca’s dad, Joe Van Gilder, right before Thanksgiving.

     This period in our ministry has been rough, it has been uncomfortable, it has been downright hard. And this discomfort has sent us on a whirlwind of emotions and questions; should we stay in Vienna or should we go back to our comfort zone in America with family close by, a language in which we are fluent, etc.?  We even went so far as to begin a cursory search for potential jobs and ministry positions in the States.

     First and foremost we have become ever more dependent on our Savior, trusting in HIS goodness and faithfulness. Back in September we took a group of student leaders to Budapest for an ACSI leadership conference. The speaker’s opening message was on James 1 encouraging joy through trials…and this has become real for us, because the promise is that the “testing of our faith develops perseverance.

     We feel like we are still called to remain in Vienna. Through this whole period we have been prayerfully considering what God could be calling us TO. We simply didn’t know and wanted to test this feeling against what God had called us to do in ministry. Despite the difficulties of this season of ministry, we really have been confirmed in our calling…but we have also been encouraged in that we have a sense as to a longer term call for us. We feel like God has planted a seed for us to look into Michael going to seminary to study Inter-Cultural communications in order to be further equipped to minister to Third Culture Kids as they transition, and missionaries on the field. We don’t yet know when that will take place, or specifically what it will look like, but we do know that this first part of our preparation for the next stage is right here in Vienna…and we haven’t yet learned or experienced all we’re supposed to.

So. Some specific ways you can pray for us...

- BE STILL- two words that God has been hammering into our heads through many of our family and friends. It’s much easier to run from difficulties then it is to really trust God and let Him take charge of everything. Please pray that we can continue to trust God in this way.

- The students at ICSV, that those who know Christ will grow closer to Him, and those who do not will be open to receiving His grace.

- Rebecca and Michael will be involved in some new Bible studies with students in the coming weeks.

- A Day Care solution for Kailyn, so Rebecca can be more regularly involved at ICSV

- Justin to continue to grow in his faith, especially as he interacts with his classmates.

- The finances of the school.

Thanks for taking the time to read it. So much of this journey has been about obedience to God's call. We haven't understood a lot of it. Most of it has been a challenge. But the joy that we can find in our Savior has been shining through bright and clear...and we have grown as His followers as a result.