What July Held

Learning the Language, Loving the People, and Praying for God to Open Doors

Moving to a new place is always an adjustment, but moving here has been especially stretching in the best and hardest ways. We are learning how to live, serve, and build ministry in a new culture, while also trying to learn the language well enough to really connect with people. Some days that feels exciting. Other days it feels slow and tiring. But through it all, God has been faithful.

One of the biggest lessons we are learning is that ministry often starts much smaller than we expect. I’ve constantly been meditating on the verse in Zechariah:

 “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.”

Zechariah 4:10

Ministry

It begins with simple conversations, repeated greetings, and showing up again and again in the same places. It begins with learning names, listening carefully, and trying to understand people’s lives beyond the surface. It begins with asking the Lord to help us be faithful in the little things before we ever see the bigger fruit.

That has been true in our street ministry. As we have gone out and met new people, we have had many small but meaningful conversations. Sometimes it’s just a smile. Sometimes it’s a quick hello. Sometimes it’s a few more minutes to ask about someone’s day or share a bit about why we are here. Kyle has gone out with another missionary here working hand in hand to reach the people of Segovia. The conversations have been rich. In addition to these, we have invited people into our home to get to know better. These moments may seem ordinary, but they matter deeply. Every relationship starts somewhere, and we are praying that these first steps will lead to real friendships and lasting gospel connections. Weekly we meet to pray online for Spain with other people. This past month we have seen God moving in response to our prayers and it has been so encouraging! If you would ever like to join our calls or be prayed for, please email us.

We are also thankful for the ways God is helping us establish ourselves here. That process takes time. It is not just about learning where things are or how to communicate basic needs. We finally were able to locate a wonderful apartment in June and move in toward the middle. It has taken almost 6 weeks but we are finally unpacked and getting more settled. God is growing the roots in us and this place. We want to building trust, and learning to love people well. We do that by trying to be present, patient, and consistent. We want the people around us to know that we are not here for a short visit, but to serve, love, and stay.

A major highlight of this season has been two weeks of children’s camp. The camp was a wonderful learning and ministry opportunity. They had bible class, sang worship songs, and learned new verses every day, along with all kinds of fun activities and excursions. It was also a time of learning discipline and structure. In the end, several of the children gave their hearts to God and I know God planted all kinds of seed throughout the camp.

While he was in camp, I was at our apartment with the younger boys. We got into a good routine even visiting the park often trying to make new friends. Rowan even got to play soccer several times with some kids at the park. What a blessing it is to be where we are! God certainly has positioned us to be right in the heart of things.

Please pray for the people we’re meeting, for follow-up conversations, and for us as we continue learning the language and settling in here. Pray that the seeds planted through camp and street ministry would grow. We are praying that what was shared during camp will continue to grow long after the week is over.

I continue to, with several friends and family, write through the Bible. I’ve finished my first notebook and am excited to be more than halfway through Isaiah all the way from Proverbs. I’ve even taken to writing separately a Psalm a day in Spanish to help with my language acquistion. Continue to pray for me and the others completing this. I was excited to learn my friend here had, separately without me mentioning it, started to write through the word herself. She had been doing it for several weeks before she told me about it. I was overjoyed when I found out because it reminded me that God is doing something with all the people he is prompting!

Finally, I’ve created a simple 5-day Bible Study for Women on Identity in Christ with hopes of more to come. I’ve created it in Spanish (with the help of a translator) and English. Check it out and share it with your friends! I’d love to hear what God teaches you through it.

As we look ahead, there is still much to do. Learning the language continues to be one of our biggest priorities. We want to grow in fluency so we can communicate more clearly, build deeper relationships, and serve more effectively. We also want to keep showing up in the community, following up with the people we’ve met, and finding ways to encourage families and children in practical and spiritual ways. It has been so fun to see them start to use simple Spanish phrases. Even Jairus has said several things as he learns and plays!

We would be so grateful for your prayers in these areas:

• Pray for steady progress in learning the language, for us and the boys
• Pray for our government appointments in the next few weeks.
• Pray for open doors and meaningful conversations through people of peace.
• Pray for the children who came to camp, that the Bible stories they heard would stay with them.
• Pray for follow-up with families and for continued opportunities to build relationships.
• Pray for wisdom, strength, and endurance as we continue to establish ourselves here.
• Pray for our house to sell, or for God to continue to provide through financial support and other means as we carry both residencies.

Thank you for being part of this journey with us. Your prayers, encouragement, and support mean far more than we can say. In many ways, you help make this ministry possible simply by standing with us, believing with us, and praying with us.

We are grateful to be here, grateful for the doors God is opening, and grateful for the privilege of serving in this place. Please keep praying that the small beginnings we are seeing now would grow into deep roots and lasting fruit.