In the beginning...

SO THIS IS IT!

We are so blessed to be in this place. Although, not yet in Honduras, by "this place", I am speaking of the place of complete and utter dependence on God. This is a new place for us. Moving from a corporate world, completely dependent and reliant on the job we go to every day, into a place of being solely reliable on Christ for our every day, is a new (and exciting) place to be!

This blog, website, and move into a third-world country is a result of about two years in the making. Totally God's doing. And if you're interested in the story....read on!

ALICIA'S STORY:

About 2 years ago, we were in a different kind of "place". That oh-so-familiar place of desperation. You know, the place where you feel "trapped". Working every day to pay the bills, the bills we had for things that had we bought, the things that we had to have a job to pay for. Barely getting by. It just didn't feel like God's plan for us. We wanted to get so much more out of this life. Not looking back one day to wish we could have done MORE! We began to have a burden for people and a desire to do our part to help others. We began to realize that it was our purpose here on this earth.

 We had been doing some reading and there were a few books that really began to dig deep in the inner being of our souls, changing what we thought we knew, who we thought we should be. Everything. And so the search for "more" began...

For two days, I literally sat in front of the computer, searching for something. I researched ministries, orphanages, and organizations that may have needed some help. And by research, I mean, I went all out. I wasn't looking in our town, I was looking across the world! I figured, if there were places that needed help, and would be willing to give us a place to stay and food to eat, we could help wherever we were needed. One thing that we were particularly interested in were children's homes. We even went and interviewed at a local children's home that I had found who were looking for (paid) house parents. That wasn't meant to be, even though we seriously took it into consideration. I set up a form email and sent it out to SEVERAL organizations. Basically, introducing my family, and asking if there were any positions where we could get involved on a full time basis. I didn't know what to expect, and later that night, I even thought I had gone crazy to make such an offer. 

So over the next few days, to my surprise, I received several responses!Although, most of them were the "typical" response, saying something to the effect of 'you can apply to be a part of our next mission trip!' 'We are looking for short term and long term volunteers.' 'Fill out this application.' 'We can help you with ideas for fund raising.' etc.... What they didn't understand was, I was looking for a LIFE CHANGE, not a mission trip.

But God, in His all-knowing power, connected my little email with a wonderful lady who replied with great enthusiasm over the fact that someone would be willing to come help! Her name is Laura Waits, with ReachOutHonduras.org. And although we were not able to fill the "currently most needed" position they were looking for, somehow, our hearts were connected to this place. Over the next few months, I began to inquire more about the orphanages, and teams that were currently located in the area and a new hope began to merge within me to learn more. 

Meanwhile, at our local church where we had attended for many years, we were serving as assistant Children's Pastors for about 7 years. We LOVED what we were able to do with the kids each and every Sunday! And one Sunday, we were asked by a man named Rory Smithee of Zona Maya Ministries, who serves as a missionary, and someone we had known for quite a while, if we would be interested in doing a Children's crusade in his area of the Yucatan in Mexico Mayan villages. God had heard our cries for more! We knew this was a step in the direction God had for us. BUT....living in that place of "desperation", we knew it would take miracle for us to be able to afford the trip. And over the next few months of preparation, we were able to scrape together, save, and even sell a few things to raise enough money to be able to go. So off we went...to serve the Mayan children of Mexico! And what a fantastic time it was, resulting in many children being led to the Lord. And it lit the fire in us...

We arrived back in the US, changed. Stung by the mission bug. It was September 2011. And it so happened, after our return, that we had read on Laura's site that they were putting together a group for a mission trip to go to Puerto Lempira. Although, we had just spent MONTHS scraping money together, we felt like we should get the info on this trip. (which, I should mention, was going to take place that November!TWO.MONTHS.AWAY.)

$2600. That's how much it would be for only Kasey and I to go. It would provide a 10 day trip, travel expenses, food and lodging. It would take yet ANOTHER miracle for us to go, but we felt this connection with them already, and knew God had connected us for a reason. So we prayed. (duh) If God wanted us to go to this place, He would provide. 

**MIRACLE**

Kasey was working for a company that had a commission structure built in based on his sales. There was an account he had obtained several months earlier, but he somehow overlooked the payment for it. He turned in the account, not expecting back pay, but to begin payment on his next check. BUT GOD, in his infinite wisdom yet again, sent the entire 6 month back pay on his check! Yep, you guessed it.....EXACTLY $2600!! (God must've had it saved up in his savings account)

****

So, just two months later, we were on our SECOND fully funded missions trip for the year! Just Kasey and I this time, on a two day/3 planes/and a 3-hr bus ride trip. Finally landing on a beautifully humble red dirt runway in this little town of Puerto Lempira, Honduras. Immediately greeted from the plane by the cutest little brown faces (and camouflage wearing/machine-gun-clad soldiers). This is the week that swelled our heart. This is the week that is frozen in memory. This is the week that God called us. This is the week that began the rest of our future lives.

So after a week of loving on orphans 24/7, handing out bags of food for local families, painting and installing electrical wiring at Mama Tara's, and giving special children their "sponsor gifts", we would never be the same...

Returning to USA was difficult. Not in the literal sense, but more in the spiritual sense. We knew that we could no longer be content with just an "existence" here on this earth. There are people, REAL PEOPLE, out there that need the light of Jesus. From that next week on, we began the plans for the next trip, while discussing behind the scenes what it would really be like to go live in the mission field of PL. As we opened our hearts a little wider to whatever God would have in store for us, and making him aware that we are "willing vessels, Lord, please send US!", He began to direct our steps in ways we can only look back now to see.

During that trip in November, we were also aware of another door that we could walk through....a wonderful new job offer. We thought, by taking this trip, we would become well aware of which door God wants us to walk through. Either moving straight to PL, or moving to another foreign land...Arizona! We knew there was not going to be an option of just sitting idle any longer. So never having lived anywhere else, and not knowing a single soul there, we took the offer (since the conditions weren't yet right for PL) and moved from everything we've known. Little did we know, it was still a part of the plan God had for us in PL. 

This year in AZ has been quite the learning, and guiding, experience for us as a family. We were being "seperated" for a purpose. WE have grown as a family, we have learned to depend on each other, we have been able to learn how to have family bible study (since we are no longer a part of a church group), and we have learned what it feels like to be so far from our friends and family. Though it's been a little rough at times, we've discovered that we can manage. The hardest part was being separated from the kids church ministry we had loved for the past 7 years, but we believe this was what God had in store.

So many little "signs" have been shown to us while in AZ that lead us to trust in the fact that we are still exactly where God has directed us. We've been able to pay off bills with the extra job income this year, we've sold a car in order to pay it AND our other vehicle off, we've been able to take Spanish classes by teachers we randomly met who were, themselves, missionaries. We've even been able to go on another trip to PL this past June, and this time we took our girls to 'show them around'. ;)

June's trip was the concrete. The solid answer to what we thought was coming...a clear picture of our future home. We did not know at that time how soon, but things have been lining up since then to make the move! We couldn't be happier knowing we are following God's call for our lives. There is nothing more satisfactory than feeling the comfort and peace of His will...

So, that's a shortened summary of the whirlwind that we call our lives lately. It's like the best roller coaster you could imagine. It's the most freeing feeling in the universe. It's the whole of our existence and the reason for which we now live, to be servants of the most High is what aim for... We hope to see you one day in PL for any given length of time! Come serve with us!

KASEY'S STORY:

Jesus – He is the reason we sing. He is the reason we breathe. He is the reason we love. Nothing else can offer fulfillment in this existence apart from Him.

In 2008, somewhere around my 30^th birthday I remember looking at my life. We had a nice house, nice cars, good job and great friends but we were not happy with life. Don’t get me wrong, we were not unhappy, but I knew there had to be more. As I discuss these feelings with Alicia, I looked at her and said, “If things aren’t different in our lives by the time I’m 35, we are going to do something drastic like move to Africa (the country every American thinks of when considering missions).

We spent the next couple of years exploring business opportunities, and continuing to serve at our local church. We figured that we could start a business and get it to a place where we didn’t have to be there all the time. Once that happened we could spend more time traveling and serving.  In 2010, still seeking the American dream of owning our own business, we also began to explore missions. We had thought about it before but now we looked for an opportunity to go tell the world about Jesus. We had no clue that God was about to explode this passion in our lives.

God really began to plant a heart for children inside us. We served as assistant children’s pastors and worked in all aspects of the 1^st-5^th grade ministry. We had a hand in the improvement and growth of the children’s ministry there and we were proud to be a part of it. We loved being with the kids, going to camp, doing VBS and just being goofy. I could just see God using that passion for kids and communicating the word of God in a fun way in a big way. Then it happened, God was ready to use us in the next level of our ministry.

Each year our home church would host a mission’s conference. This was a time of refreshing for them and also a time for the church to interact with the ministries we support through tithes and offerings. We typically didn’t attend these in their entirety, most of the time we would just catch the main service. We never stayed for the fellowship afterwards. This was mostly because we already spent a significant amount of time at the church working in the children’s ministry. We were happy doing children’s ministry and we worked with a great team that we enjoyed being with. However, that year we made ourselves available in whatever capacity God wanted to use us. 

That year, our missionary friends from Zona Maya Mexico asked us to visit them and lead a kid’s crusade in the Mayan villages around where they lived. They had seen our heart for kids and saw an opportunity to minister to the children of the Zona Maya. We were excited to say yes! As I stated before, we had been exploring missions and we loved kids ministry, now both were presented in this great opportunity. Planning was underway by April that year for a September trip. We had fund raising to do and lessons to organize. 

God, in his infinite wisdom though had other plans. About two months before our trip, our great friends and children’s pastors were forced to back out of the trip due to circumstances at work. This meant we were flying alone. There was no way we were backing out though. Our friends from Zona Maya were already promoting our arrival and they were counting on us. More importantly, those kids were counting on us. 

It took all the way till the day of the trip to raise enough money, secure passports, and plan this trip but 5 months later, we finally arrived in Mexico. We spent 10 days there visiting with our friends, and ministering to the villages. We took our game filled message to the villages there and around 250 kids accepted Jesus as their personal savior. We were excited to be used by God and by the end of the trip we began to seriously think about life as full time missionaries. We had talked about it before, but we were now catapulted forward in our exploration of the idea.

We returned home on September 19^th 2011 with a new desire in our hearts. During the time leading up to our trip Alicia began to research orphanages as a way to go and serve. She has always been one step ahead of me. She was able to connect with Reach Out Honduras and they informed us of Mama Tara’s orphanage that was in desperate need of House Parents. Mama Tara was growing old and would soon need someone to take her place. We also learned more about Reach Out Honduras and were encouraged by their ministry. I firmly believe that God directs our paths and presents us with windows of opportunity. I always want to explore those opportunities and prayerfully walk through the doors that God opens

We agreed to meet with Mama Tara’s board over the phone and discuss the House Parent opportunity. Who knows maybe that is what God was preparing us for. Through that conversation we also learned that Reach Out Honduras founders, Alex & Laura Waits were from TX and visiting that summer. Again, walking through the doors that God opens, we met them for a quick lunch before they went back. This was all prior to our trip to Mexico in September. There was something working, but we were not quite sure what it was. I wasn’t even in a place that I could get too excited about it at the time, but looking back it’s pretty cool how God orchestrates his plan.

We didn’t have much time to think about Honduras during the preparation for our trip to Mexico. However, we were so hungry for more when we returned that I was compelled to visit the Reach out Honduras website and discovered that they were taking a team to Honduras in November. Alicia had thought about this way more than me. I kind of just let it float around in the atmosphere and maybe God would open the door maybe not, but this time I was aggressive in my pursuit. Ignoring the facts that I had no vacation time left, no money to make the trip and no clue who was going on the trip or what the purpose of the trip was, I inquired about the exact dates and cost of the trip. It was going to be $2600 for just Alicia and I to go. The trip was over the Thanksgiving holiday so I wouldn’t miss much work, but it took half the year to save and fundraise for the Mexico trip which wasn’t much more than that for our entire family of 4.

I looked at my wife and asked her if she would go if we had the money. She didn’t hesitate with her answer. I didn’t really even need to ask. I knew she’d say yes… I wanted to go to! We prayed and we told God that we would go if we had the money. At that moment I had no idea of how he would provide and I was not comfortable asking for more money from our friends and family that had already generously supported our Mexico trip. It was just a dream in my eyes at that point but we were serious in our prayers.

At the time I made commission from the accounts I worked on and my first week back at work after the trip to Mexico, I realized that one of my accounts was not showing up on my paycheck. It was my fault because I had not reported it on my commission schedule. I had not been paid on this account for 6 months, but the only thing I could expect was payment going forward. I reported this to my boss and to my surprise, two weeks later, my wonderful boss paid me everything from the beginning of the account. A full 6 months of commission. Guess how much it was… exactly $2600! We had the money!!

Never doubt that God knows exactly who he is dealing with. You see, I spent the first two or three days after I got the check doubting that God really wanted us to go. After all, I could send the $2600 to Honduras and it would be a huge blessing. Wouldn’t money be better than another American body? After praying and talking with a few friends, I knew that I was getting in the way. God reminded me what we said, we said that we would go!

Within a month of returning from our first mission trip, we were planning our 2nd foreign mission trip! I sat back in amazement thinking of all the time we spent getting our passports and preparing for the trip to Mexico. It took a full 5 months of preparation. Now, with just the decision to go and God’s provision, we were off. It’s hard to ignore the hand of God moving. It’s easy to let our own thoughts get in the way. We could have easily justified sending the money to Reach Out Honduras and I am confident that it would have been a blessing. I am also confident that we would have been ignoring God’s faithfulness to give us the desires of our hearts; especially when our desires are to express His love.

**IMPORTANT SIDE NOTE: Our move will come just a couple months shy of my 35th birthday. 'AFRICA' HERE WE COME! :)