The Moberg Family

Category: YWAM

  • Our Sombrero’s Off to You!

    Well, amigos, the Mexican Mobergs are officially hanging up their sombreros and saying, “Adios” to Meh-hee-koe.

    It was exactly a year and a half ago that we decided to completely abandon life as we knew it and take what was, for us, a bold step of faith, and become missionaries outside of this broken little city called Tijuana. We spent two months on outreach before settling down here in Mexico just over a year ago.

    And what a year it has been. We have learned what feels like a lifetime of lessons in just 16 short months. As any God-given adventure should leave you, we will never be the same.

    Like little children anticipating their first day of school, we had many pictures and ideas in our heads of what it would be like to be full time missionaries for YWAM San Diego/Baja. Yet all we were certain of as we hopped on that very first flight to the DR which began our journey, was that the only thing we could be certain of was that there would be so many unknowns. Isn’t that the way of faith? Sure of what we hope for, certain of what we do not see…

    For us, we were sure in the character of our God, and certain that He had a good plan for us, to grow us, to teach us, to prosper us. And oh, my, have we grown. I mean, we started out with just one kid, and now we have two!

    But seriously, Brian and I have grown tremendously. We have learned–so much–about ourselves and about others. He has prospered us–abundantly–in ways that we couldn’t have planned for ourselves. I never would have (though I probably should have!) guessed that our faith would be so challenged in the last year. And it has been wonderful. Wonderful in the way that you feel after you have worked out and your muscles are loose and strong. Although you are tired, you are energized. And you are ready for the next workout to begin.

    We had every intention of staying with YWAM SDB longer. Not only did we have the intention of staying, but we were so excited about staying.

    So, why are we leaving now, you ask?

    Well, the following scriptures sum it up quite perfectly:

    “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.” (Proverbs 19:21)

    “In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9)

    To us, the scriptures are very clear–we can plan our course, but it is GOD who determines our individual steps. And within the course that we plan, it will always be HIS purpose that prevails.

    And thank God for that! What peace comes from knowing He will lead us in the way we are to go according to His best for us…

    So we had planned our course–staffing the DTS through March–but in an intricate web of purposes that we will probably never know the fullness of, God has determined our steps. And in this case, it is to step away from full time missions and step into…. (drum roll please!)

    …we have no idea.

    And so here we are again, with a clean slate, no job, two perfect children and (sing with me!) a sombrer-o in a palm tree!

    The last time we had a “clean slate” like this, we at least had a home! But now, we are starting from scratch in every arena of our lives…we need a new country, a new home, and a new job! Although this kind of slate may sound scary to some, we are so excited to walk this path of figuring out what’s on God’s heart for us next. His purposes for us have been so grand in the last 3 and a half years, that we would be foolish to not expect amazing purpose ahead.

    We couldn’t possibly be more grateful for this last 16 months. The Lord has done a work in our lives that we wouldn’t trade for anything. Wanna hear a few things that He has done in us? Ways that He has grown us, taught us, and prospered us? Well, read on, mis amigos!

    Mexican Moberg highlights from our time with YWAM San Diego/Baja

    NUMERO UNO:

    “Every good and perfect gift comes from above, from the Father of lights.” (James 1:17)

    We have had so many “good and perfect gifts” fall down upon us in this last season. So many. We have been humbled, blessed, and oh-so-grateful for every way our family and close friends have rallied around us to support us–financially, emotionally, spiritually, practically. Although you have all certainly been part of advancing the kingdom down here in Mexico, you have also been a part of advancing the Kingdom in our hearts as the Lord has taught us so, so much. Thank you for supporting us and for journeying with us!

    NUMERO DOS:

    “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:12)

    Our new YWAM friends. There are so many of you, and too many to name in this post. (But if you’re our friend, and you’re part of YWAM, then we’re talking about YOU!!) It’s amazing how quickly you develop friends from all over the world when you’re part of YWAM. And though we love ALL of you, there are a few who, I’m sure, will remain dear in our hearts forever. Our DTS friends will probably always be our favorites :).

    Our DTS Classmates and Staff!

     

    Among our DTS friends, Rayel has become a part of our family. I’m really not sure what Elliott is going to do without her, as he asks about her daily and she is his favorite playmate. Rayel lived with us for (too short of) a season, and we just love her dearly. And, though I promise I will encourage her to always follow the Lord’s leading in her life, I am also fairly certain that I will (continue to) try to convince her to come live with us again :). She is just so dear, and we are going to miss her terribly!!

    Drinking buddies forever!

    Jarot. We love Jarot. Jarot has served our family extravagantly since the moment we first crossed the border in moving here. Literally. He helped us get all of our stuff to Mexico (which is not an easy task!), and has been here for our family every time we’ve been in need. His heart to serve at the drop of a hat is extraordinary, and we have been so, so blessed by his faithfulness to our family.

    Though I could write a whole blog post on this, a few sentences will have to suffice: the other moms in this community have done nothing but lavish love on us since we’ve been here. Jamie has been my saving grace more times than I can count as she has made and given me a number of items that have made my life A MILLION TIMES EASIER. She’s like the baby stuff whisperer :). I am so grateful for her over this last year, especially as we’ve probably written an entire book through email regarding babies and their crazy sleep habits!!

    Jamie, with Elliott and her son Hunter–a YEAR ago! Wow! Now we both have baby girls added to the mix.

    Korrin has a heart of gold and loves others lavishly and deeply. She is a mum to the three cutest kiwi boys that I’ve ever known and spear headed throwing Selah a phenomenal baby shower despite the MILLION other things on her plate. She and her husband have included their children in their ministry, and it has been inspiring to watch. Rachel is a faithful, faithful friend whose stories about herself and her son have me rolling every time I see her. She is always real, and you will always find her serving someone. These three women (who all have boys just a bit older than Elliott) have been such a gift in this season.

    Korrin, Amanda and Rachel at Selah’s shower

    Giezi and Amanda. Wow, do we love this team. They have been heart friends, whom we can laugh with, be real with, share our struggles and our victories with…besides both being extraordinarily gifted, they have such tender and soft hearts toward the Lord and are some of the easiest people to just LAUGH with… We knew we loved them the moment we met them a year and a half ago (are you crying yet? because I am…), and our admiration and respect for them has only grown over time. To say we will miss them dearly doesn’t come close to communicating the reality of how sad it is to say goodbye.

    Giezi and Amanda meeting Selah for the first time when she was just days old…

     

    NUMERO TRES:

    “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,  I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’  “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’  “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”(Matthew 25:34-40)

     

     It has been such an honor to be a small part of pressing forward the Homes of Hope ministry here. Although we have only been able to focus a small portion of our time on this ministry while we’ve been here, we did get to sponsor a home build of our own for Elliott’s first birthday and Brian’s had the opportunity to oversee a number of builds for many different teams. In YWAM San Diego/Baja, you have never seen a more dedicated group of believers strapping on their tool belts almost every weekend to build homes for Mexicans who don’t have one. It’s an incredible sight, and over 125 families now have homes just in the time that we’ve been with YWAM. Isn’t that incredible?! And this all started with Sean and Janet Lambert and their three little girls. Such an inspiration to raise our kids selflessly looking outward!! We have said it dozens of times–the spectacle of this base is a SIGHT to see…and what an honor to be a part of it! (And if you and/or your family ever want to come on a mission trip, COME HERE!! You will surely, surely leave changed!) YWAM San Diego/Baja, our hat sombrero is certainly off to you!!!

    NUMERO CUATRO:

    So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My lambs.” He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Tend My sheep.” (John 21:15-17)

    Probably the biggest reality that we’ve discovered about ourselves through this adventure of being missionaries is that we are primarily passionate about ‘feeding the sheep.’ We have had a huge passion grow within us to fulfill the great commission to, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” (Matthew 28:19-20). Whether we are at ‘home’ in the USA or in a foreign land we desire that our lives would be marked by the visible fruit of transformation in the lives of the people around us (particularly the ones we are discipling intentionally.) For us, as we shared in our last update, this means to press others into the fullness of the gospel, the fullness of abundant life, the fullness of the freedom that Christ died for. For us, this means intentionally seeking for true salvation in our lives and the lives of those around us–true salvation, meaning healing, wholeness… For us, this means pressing for true repentance in our lives and the lives of those around us–not just confessing our sins (those pesky habits that keep us from the love of God) but also repenting of our sins (turning away from them and not continuing to do them!). For us, this means pressing others into the fullness of their callings in Christ. We have no idea what it will look like for us to “tend His lambs,” but we are expectant that He will honor our hearts. We have gained a real burden for God’s people (the church) in the last year, believing that we, as the church, are meant to be radiant in every aspect of our lives. So although we do have a heart for missions (and might even step back into it one day!), this is what’s on our hearts right now.

    And so…what of my dreams, you ask? Well, my friends, I would say this: I’m grateful my God promises me GREAT, when often I can only see GOOD. And because of that, our dreams have just barely begun…

    So! Stay tuned :). Thank you for reading and tracking with our lives! We are excited and expectant for what’s ahead!

    Love,

    The former Mexican Mobergs 🙂

    #butiwillalwaysbemexicanatheart

  • DTS Graduation

    DTS Graduation

    Well, it’s official, folks. We’ve graduated.

    After a wonderful outreach in San Pedro, Dominican Republic, 3 months of having the privilege of hearing some amazing speakers from around the world during our lecture phase of DTS, all to be finished off with our graduation, we are O-F-F-I-C-I-A-L-L-Y YWAMERS!

    Brian found out about 2 hours before graduation time that the other 3 guys had rented tuxes for the ceremony. I was still trying to convince Brian to wear khakis instead of jeans…but a tux?! Well, he was a good sport and pulled out the tux that he happens to have hanging in his closet from High School (we are certainly two peas in a pod, aren’t we?). Brian’s Aunt Bev and Uncle Roy had gotten Elliott this little suit months back, and although it was a 2T, we made it fit :). He only has one pair of shoes, so we also had to make-do with his little aqua shoes :/.

    Seriously, how cute is he??

    The graduation was held exactly over Elliott’s second nap, so he was a little…well, not in the mood to cooperate with photos :). But I was intent on capturing at least one with Elliott and his handsome daddy…here are a few candids that I think are cute :).

    So handsome!!
    Like father, like son
    Sly guy…
    JOY (or utter exhaustion…one or the other!)
    RAYEL!! Rayel has become like family to us and is officially coming back in the Fall to do a bible school here! We are sooo thrilled!!!!
    Our DTS Classmates and Staff!
    Rayel, Me, Chrystal, Malene & Angela! LOVE these ladies!!! Chrystal is hoping to a bible school in Montana in the Fall (I'm going to miss her so much!!), and I won't lie…I'm VERY MUCH hoping that Malene and Angela end up back here like Rayel :).
    Nuestra Familia
  • A Home of Hope

    A Home of Hope

    Thank you to those of you who journeyed with us in Elliott’s House Build Project! Those of us who had the chance to be there to build all agreed that WE were the blessed ones…WE were the honored ones…WE were the privileged ones.

    And for those of you who so generously GAVE and so powerfully PRAYED…we hope that these pictures will give you a glimpse into the fruit that came BECAUSE OF YOU…a glimpse into the honor that it was to get to know this family and give them a home…because if it weren’t for YOU, this could have never been possible…

    Here’s a time-lapse video of the entire house being built in 90 seconds!


    Here are a few still shots from throughout the day…

    Elliott the birthday builder boy, ready to build!
    The Homes of Hope truck, rolling up to the job site!
    The neighborhood
    See this empty space between these two houses? It won't be empty for long…
    The wood for the house
    Brian's brother Kevin cutting the wood to size
    Our nieces, Taylor and Hailey, painting the siding
    Grandma Moberg painting siding
    Chrystal and Angela building the roof!
    Rayel painting trim with the girls
    Working so hard…
    Brian's sister Angela and sister-in-law Tabitha painting trim!
    Getting the very first wall up!
    "How do I use this, Dad?"
    Grandpa Moberg teaching Elliott how to use a hammer.
    Giezi and Angela carrying one of the trusses for the roof.
    Josh building the roof!
    Luis, Jonas, and Josh working on the roof!
    Malene getting to know Wendy and Isabel and a friend of theirs.
    Chrissy putting in the window
    The girls taking a break in the back of the pick-up truck
    Brian putting the door together
    Taylor making sure everyone's putting the trim in correctly on the inside of the house

    When the outside and the inside of the house were both completed, several people in our group went on a grocery shopping trip to stock them up with yummy, healthy food!! The rest of us stayed back and built their new beds, table, and chairs and installed their brand new stove.

    Elliott helping put the bedding together
    Their new beds and bedding!
    Elliott helping me put together a chair for their new dining room table!
    Their new dining room table, chairs, table cloth & stove! (Dishes and place mats not pictured.)

    After all of the furniture was assembled and everything was ready, we closed the door and gathered outside in a circle.

    We passed the keys to the house from person to person, and each one shared how meaningful it was to help build the home.

    We presented Teresa and her two granddaughters, Isabel and Wendy, with a bible, a plaque commemorating the house, and, of course, the keys! While they walked inside, we all ran to the van to get the bags of groceries…

    Look at all that food!!
    Taylor knocked on the door…
    And we all carried in the bags of food, one by one, and gathered in Teresa's new home to pray for her family and bless them.

     

    Would you not agree with me, that…

    'TIS MORE BLESSED…
    TO GIVE…
    …THAN TO RECEIVE.

    God bless this home, and the hands that gave to make it happen.

     For more photos from the day, check out the House Build Gallery.

    ACKNOWLEDGMENTS:

    As we worked, my mind flooded with all of the people who gave to make this possible. Because this whole project was about “WE.” There is no way that Brian and I could have done this alone. The two of us, in and of ourselves, don’t have the money or the manpower to pull something like this off. There are MANY who make up the “WE” that built this home, and we want to take a moment to acknowledge them…

    First of all, I can’t write one more word without mentioning the McCabes. Kari McCabe is one of my best friends from elementary school–yes, that’s right, we’ve been dear friends for over 22 years!! Kari’s son, Quinn, is just 12 days younger than Elliott and they are true bosom buddies (but that’s for another blog post :)). Well, when Kari and her husband heard what we were doing for Elliott’s birthday, they decided to turn Quinn’s birthday into the same outward blessing. So they asked for all gifts/money that would have been given to Quinn be directed toward the house build. They even took up an offering at their church! Between the McCabes, their family and friends, and their church, they raised 1/3 of the money we needed to build the house!! We could have never done it without them, and Brian and I were continually overwhelmed at not only their generosity, but the way that they carried this burden with us. We are so grateful for the way they invested in this project with us!!

    Next, Brian’s family! His entire family made the trek down here to build the home with us. They were all so eager to be here to celebrate Elliott in this unique way and to jump right in and get some dirt under their fingernails (and lots of paint all over their hands, ha!)! 🙂 We are so grateful that each one of them could be here.

    Third, our newest friends, our DTS classmates. Ahh, how we love them. 🙂 They couldn’t have been more excited to jump in and build this house, and it was a tremendous joy to have them with us. They have all become so dear to us in the last three months!

    And last, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST…to all the people who so generously GAVE towards this home. YOU were an ESSENTIAL part…

    Jim & Jen A.
    Dan & Donelle B.
    Michael & Ana B.
    Mike & Diane B.
    Jim & Linda B.
    Jordan & Danielle B.
    Bryna B.
    Marcus B.
    Jason & Janna B.
    Jason & Callie B.
    Bruce & Paulette B.
    Chrissy C.
    Craig & Michelle C.
    Ray & Debbie C.
    Robert C.
    Mima E.
    Ron & Michelle F.
    Kay G.
    Eric & Margo H.
    Mark & Korrin J.
    Erika J.
    Tommy & Bonnie L.
    Jean L.
    John & Helen M.
    Jonathan & Jillian M.
    Guy & Sue M.
    Harry & Evie M.
    Kyle & Ali M.
    Trevor & Kari M.
    Paul & Lisa M.
    Ken & Kay M.
    Kristin M.
    Angela M.
    Ken & Marilyn M.
    Shane & Hilery M.
    Trent & Kelly N.
    Jeff & Barbie N.
    Beth N.
    Paul & Ashleigh O.
    Nycki P.
    Michael & Chris P.
    Dave & Claudia P.
    Alan P.
    Mary Michael P.
    River of Grace Church
    Michelle R.
    Rayel R.
    Yuri & Julianna R.
    Blair & Kappy S.
    Biddy S.
    Jeb & Eleanor S.
    Preston & Helen S.
    Adrienne W.
    Sara W.
    Keith & Nancy W.
    Rick & Susan W.
    Skip & Betty W.
    Bill & Becky W.
     
     
    THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU…for joining with us and blessing this family with A HOME!!! (The magnitude of that statement still gets me every time…this dear family now has a HOME!!!!) We pray that you would be blessed tremendously as you have given so generously. Thank you, dear friends!!!!
     

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

     

  • Elliott’s Birthday House Build

     

    Our sweet baby Elliott turns ONE on March 20th! Although we are SO excited to simply celebrate the past year of his life, we also feel prompted to turn his birthday celebration outward and change the lives of a family in need. Elliott, in reality, has everything he needs. So we thought, “What if we direct the money that would be spent on Elliott towards a family who doesn’t even have a home?”

    Would you like to be a part of changing the lives of a family forever by helping build them a home in honor of Elliott’s first birthday?

    Here’s how you can help:

    1. Pray for us! We need to raise $5,700 to build the home. For an additional $1,800 we can purchase furniture and appliances for the home (beds, curtains, stove, etc.). Please pray that we raise the money and also that this is a life-changing event for the family we’re building a home for and for all of us who have the honor to build and donate!

    2. Donate money towards the house! Elliott does not have the expectation that anyone would buy him a present for his birthday. However, if you were/are considering buying him a gift or card, would you instead donate that money towards the cost of the house? Even if you weren’t going to get him a gift, would you consider donating money towards the cost of the house? We will give him one card signed from everyone who donates toward the house.

    If you would like to donate, you can do so online under the “Support” tab here on our website. Be sure to clarify that the money is for the house build, not our regular support. Or, feel free to send us a check (again, noting that it’s for the house build):

    Brian + Susanne Moberg
    YWAM–TJ Base
    P.O. Box 5417
    Chula Vista, CA 91912
     

    Some further -very honest- thoughts…

    Brian and I got this idea in our spirits several months ago. We really sat on the thought and prayed about it because we knew it would be a lot of work–both to organize the house build and to raise the money. Not to mention the time and money it would cost those who are coming to build with us. But we really felt like our idea was from God. We want our family to be marked by giving away. We want Elliott to know from the youngest of ages that although he is the absolute gem and treasure of our lives, although we adore him to the point of not being able to take our eyes off of him, although we want him to have EVERYTHING he needs as well as some fun toys throughout his life…he is NOT the center of the universe. We want him to know that our lives are meant to be lived outward. We want him to have conviction over the fact that it is more blessed to give than to receive. We want him to experience the joy in giving, in pouring out, in changing the lives of any person that God puts in our path.

    As strong as this conviction is in my spirit, I’ll be honest–it’s been hard for me at times thinking about it. Those of you who know me, know that I L-O-V-E throwing a good party! 😉 It’s one of the ways that I love to love people. Whereas some may look at a perfectly planned out, thought out event as unnecessary or a waste of time, energy, and resources, blessing others in this way is truly one of the things that brings me life and joy. So, fittingly, I’ve dreamt many times over Elliott’s short lifetime of his very first birthday party. Of the cool presents I want to get him, of the awesome cake I want to make, of the theme–thought out to every detail. And not that I won’t ever be able to do that for him, but this year–it’s in our spirits to keep it SIMPLE. I was looking at party blogs (a DANGEROUS passtime for me) and I started to get a little sad that I wouldn’t be able to throw him this extravagant birthday party. But then, I realized–this is exactly why we’re doing this. As soon as I thought about a family with several kids sleeping on a cardboard floor and then aligned Elliott’s extravagant construction birthday party next to that picture…I was sick to my stomach. AGAIN–I’m definitely not saying that Elliott will never get a themed birthday party that’s all about him one day (trust me!) but THIS YEAR…God is doing something in our family. Probably mostly in me :). Even if I were going to just spend $100 on Elliott’s birthday party, this year I would rather spend that $100 on the paint that will cover the wooden slabs of the walls of the home that will be a family’s very first real shelter from the wind and the rain. I think about the $25 I might spend on party favors for our guests, and I would rather spend that $25 on sheets for the very first beds that these children have ever slept on. I think about the $50 I might spend on the cutest themed, extravagant food and I would rather put that $50 towards a stove for the family who has never even dreamed of having such a luxury.

    I am writing this with tears streaming down my face, broken over the fact that my heart still wrestles at times over wanting Elliott to have “extravagant” when so many families don’t even have “basic”. So here you go, world–the honest struggles of this mommy :). I am so, so, so grateful that God has put this in our hearts this year. I am so, so, so grateful that He is doing this transformation in my heart. I am so, so, so overwhelmingly grateful that He’s going to use us–and many of you!–to literally redirect the course of this family’s lives forever.

    The two young Mexican men who are students in our DTS class are here, ultimately, because their families were without homes when they were young and Homes of Hope (that’s the name of this ministry in YWAM) built them one. And that, again, floods my eyes with tears. I wish you could meet these two guys. They are WORLD-CHANGERS. Jonas has a burning fire inside of him that youth would know the REAL God…not the God who disciplines and tells you you’re going to Hell if you don’t follow him. But the God of mercy, grace, justice, and JOY. He is passionate about showing youth that living your life with God can be the ADVENTURE of your lifetime, much more rewarding than any pleasure you could get from the world. Then there’s Luis. Oh, Luis. This tough-looking Mexican man has one of the softest hearts of anyone I’ve met. He weeps over his family, his friends, and the lost. He weeps with a deep love and a fierce compassion. You will find him in the lowest of the lowest of places, serving, loving, and praying. Both of these men will–mark my my words–change the face of this nation. They are rising to positions of confidence, believing that they are, indeed, LEADERS. Believing that they have a call on their lives. Believing that God plucked them out of the mire and set them on firm ground.

    And they are here because someone built them a home.

    What if that group of people who built them a home that weekend had said, “No”? Where would these two be today? I’ve often wondered that…

    Well, my friends. All that to say, we are organizing a house build in honor of our sweet Elliott’s first birthday. I hope you will consider donating towards this house. The house build takes place in just under a month. PLEASE–consider this opportunity to alter the course of the lives of a family in need.

    To read more about Homes of Hope, the history of how the program started, the way they select families, etc., click here: http://ywamsandiegobaja.org/homes-of-hope/

    When Brian, Elliott and I first crossed the border into Mexico last July to check out this YWAM base and begin the decision process of packing up our lives to become missionaries, Sean and Janet Lambert took us to the most important place on the tour first. We crossed the border and they said, “Before you see anything else, we’d like you to meet Josefina.”

    I see now how that was so representative of Sean and Janet’s hearts. Yes, yes…we eventually saw the two Mexico YWAM campuses and over time we heard stories of the ways this particular YWAM base functions. We learned about Sean and Janet’s history and how they started this base. But first–first–it was important that we SEE. It was most important that we SEE the fruit of this ministry. KISS the cheek of the woman who can now safely lock her family in their home at night. TOUCH the hands of these beautiful children who no longer have to dig through trash for food and toys. So we met Josefina and her beautiful son and daughter. And that, my friends, was the moment my heart was captured.
    Grab a box of tissues and watch these two videos below if you would like to meet Josefina, too.

    BEFORE

    AFTER

    Finally. (Is this the world’s longest blog post?) Finally, I believe that we as a society are often so overwhelmed by the needs in this world that we shut down and do nothing because we know we can’t possibly help “them all.” I wrote a post several months ago, The Greatest, The One, that articulates this wrestle in my own spirit. Though Brian and I have both wept over the vast amount of poverty we see in this world, we are committed to helping the one in front of us. When I met Josefina and her two darling children, I was not overwhelmed by the vast need in Mexico. I was overwhelmed at how the sacrifice of one weekend, a little bit of hard work, and some money from a group of Canadians changed this ONE family forever.

    Will you consider helping us build a home for ONE family? Will you consider helping the ONE?

    Blessings, sweet friends.

  • A guaranteed return on your investment

    Susanne is without a doubt our family blogger. =) She is far more passionate than I (and far more gifted) about sharing pieces of our lives and our hearts. But, I don’t want to miss the opportunities to communicate when there are things that God has given me revelation on or there are things for which He has given me unction.

    We are in a press for the next month to really begin asking our friends, family, and even a stranger or two =) to partner with us as we invest ourselves full time in seeing God’s kingdom come here on earth.

    In so many ways we are in such a new season of life, not the least of which is the financial arena. We believe God has called us to invest our full time energy in missions and discipleship. We believe that He has called us to raise support to provide for our family. We trust that He will provide the resources to accomplish these things. We are thankful that He has called us to live by faith in this season in this very real area of family finances. For Susanne and me our natural inclination is toward personal responsibility and a strong work ethic to support ourselves. Trusting God to provide the finances through people like you rather than working for a paycheck ourselves is not the way we would have planned it, but His ways are far better than ours. =)

    Ultimately, we trust GOD for our finances. We trust Him to provide for our every need, and this includes money for food, necessities, and even some fun here and there. We believe that He has been the one supporting each of us over our lifetimes, and He has been the one supporting us since we got married. He has used various means to provide for us over the years, starting with our parents, and then our employers, and now, possibly YOU.

    But as we ask you to consider giving to us, we want you to look at this possibility not simply as a way to support our family, but rather as a way to invest in the kingdom of God. And this is an investment that you are guaranteed a great return on–even in a world that is uncertain and unstable economically.

    We believe that supporting us is similar in some ways to an investment in AAPL or GOOG or even GM. Now–instead of investing for a monetary profit, you are investing in God’s Kingdom; you are investing for eternity…  However, what we will do is use your investment to support our family’s needs, basic conveniences, and travel expenses so that we can whole heartedly invest our lives in “knowing God and making Him known” on the mission field in Mexico and beyond. Our “dividend” if you will, will come in the form of regular updates on this website and through email as well as more personal communication as we are able. You will hear the testimonies of: how God is changing our hearts to be more like His, how God is using us to bring salvation to lost people and how God is using us to demonstrate His love to the world through practical means like building houses and running schools. (If you don’t already receive our monthly updates, sign up for them by clicking on the “Keep In Touch” tab at the top of this page.)

    So how can we guarantee that you will get a great return on your investment? Because we believe God when he says in Isaiah 55:

    “10 As the rain and the snow
    come down from heaven,
    and do not return to it
    without watering the earth
    and making it bud and flourish,
    so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
    11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: 
       It will not return to me empty, 
    but will accomplish what I desire 
       and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”

    We have little confidence in ourselves, but we have utmost confidence that the word of God is true and will accomplish what He desires. And so we commit to bringing the Truth of the Word into this world. We commit to doing so by teaching, mentoring and training. We commit to doing so by building homes for families who sleep between patchwork walls of metal and cardboard. We commit to doing so by embracing and helping the least of these.

    We believe that God will work through His people in creative ways to advance His Kingdom. We feel that God has called us to be on the mission field in this season, but we also believe that He will use others just as powerfully to advance the Kingdom as they give. We believe that God may have a part for YOU in our work in this manner. Will you consider giving to this cause? Will you consider partnering with us in what God is doing in and through us to advance His Kingdom by giving financially? Will you consider supporting us monthly or with a one-time gift?

    If you would like to partner with us, please click on the “Support” tab above! Feel free to contact us for any reason! (Our contact information is listed on the “Keep In Touch” tab.)

  • Livin’ La Vida en Mexico

    Here’s a little glimpse into our world here! We spend pretty much every day on the YWAM base so we thought we’d let you into our lives through some pictures :). The Defender Center, which is the main building on the YWAM base here, is where all of our meetings and meals are held. It is a beautiful, brand-new building.

    The Defender Center (a company called Defender donated the money for the building to be built…hence, the name)
    Not a bad view, eh? This is the view from the Defender Center
    Inside the Defender Center: the reception area and a cute little sitting area.
    Inside the Defender Center: The Coffee Shop!
    Inside the Defender Center: Not the best picture, but this is the main area where we have big meetings and eat all of our meals. It's hard to tell how big the room is, but it's quite large.

    Our Classmates:

    The beautiful women! Malene (from Norway), Chrystal, Angela, and Rayel (all from Minnesota)
    The manly men! Luis, Jonas (Mexico) and Josh (Canada)

    The fearless staff leading our DTS:

    Giezi (the leader of our school) and his lovely wife Amanda. Amanda is leading a different school right now, but I wanted to include her because I think she's pretty cool :). We LOVE this couple and can't wait to glean from them and get to know them better!
    Scott (WA), Josh (OK), Lora (CA) and Chrissy (Germany)! We are blessed to have such an amazing staff leading us!! We love them all!

    Fun Facts:

    * We live in a quiet housing community with a guard shack called San Marino. Our house is 1.5 miles (from front door to front door) from the YWAM base.

    * However, when we head home from the YWAM base, there is no exit for our housing complex so we have to go past our house and turn around at another exit. Thus, the drive home is 3.5 miles!

    * We have a little family of bunnies living in our neighborhood :).

    * We are 24.3 km (which is 14.6 miles for all you Americans out there) from the border crossing. Now that we have our fast pass to get across into the U.S., our average wait to cross will be more like 15 minutes instead of 2 plus hours. With this pass, crossing the border into the U.S. will be a similar length drive as the drive from Tacoma to Seattle…usually about 45-60 minutes.

    * However, crossing BACK into Mexico goes MUCH quicker because they are much less picky about who enters their country. 🙂 It takes about 25 minutes to get from the YWAM offices in National City to our house, and we usually don’t even get stopped at the border!

    * The food on the YWAM base is actually pretty darn good! (I’m soooo thankful!!) The cook is a great guy named Thomas who is from Colorado (holla!), went to culinary school, and decided to serve the YWAM base rather than work in some fancy restaurant!

    * There is a Starbucks (Susanne is happy) and a Costco (Brian is happy) north of us in Tijuana, which is about 20 minutes away.

    * There is a little city called Rosarito (a few minutes south of us) which is where we will likely do most of our grocery shopping. There is also a Walmart, an Applebees, and a Burger King in Rosarito.

    * They have TONS of little taco stands everywhere with real, legit Mexican tacos (I would hope so!). You order as much food as you want, eat it, go back for more food, and then pay when you’re all through. But there is no bill! They just trust everyone to be honest and tell them what they ate. I think that’s totally crazy!!

    * If there’s one reason to come visit us, it’s to go to the movie theaters–they are SO CHEAP here!! We haven’t been yet, but we’ve heard that they’re quite nice and only $3!

    * In our old house in Tacoma, we saw the sun rise every morning over the Puget Sound. In our new home, we watch the sun set every evening over the Pacific Ocean!

    * It is COLD here! Do not be deceived by the whole “Mexico-is-hot” facade!! I wear sweaters, my Uggs, and scarves every day!! We are right on the ocean, and so I think the breeze carries in the cool air from the water. During these winter months, it is for sure CHILLY!!

    * We have plenty of room for YOU if you’d like to come visit! You will always have a place to stay :).

  • The Greatest, The One

    The Greatest, The One

    Matthew 18

    At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me…. See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.“


    The first time I walked to the Haitian Refugee camp, it was the smell that hit me first. 

    I would recognize the smell anywhere. The smell of “house” after “house” crammed into tight spaces, adjacent to a garbage dump…the smell of mismatched cardboard or slabs of tin that form the walls and the roof of each said “house,” each piece carefully overlapping the one next to keep the rain, wind, and sun out as best as possible. The smell of hungry children and runny noses and congested lungs… The smell of eyes longing for love, arms longing for an embrace, hands longing to be held. It’s the smell of poverty. Poverty of environment and poverty of spirit.

    This is one of the nicer houses

    And every time I walk into a place like this, I am struck with the same sentiment–I am not enough. I am not enough, the five friends with me are not enough, the games we’ve brought to play are not enough…we are simply not enough.

    The first week I was there we painted the girls’ fingernails and played jump rope with them. 

    Juliana

    It’s difficult enough for me to dig up the language in my brain that has been dormant way too long, let alone understand these sweet children’s Spanish, which is not only their second language but also “Dominican” Spanish–which is quite different than Spain and Mexican Spanish. I can’t give them anything… I can barely communicate with them, and their needs are far too great.

    So we sat there on the ground and painted these little girls’ toes and fingers…one by one, they chose a color and held out their hands. Is this enough? I don’t want to paint their nails–I want to buy them new clothes and give them healthy food and build them a home with electricity and running water…I want to give them an education and disciple them in the ways of the Lord…I want them to know they are loved, I mean really, really loved–by God. And I want them to really be loved by their friends and family. But all I held in my hand was a cheap bottle of nail polish. And my heart cried.

    I am not enough.

    And He whispered to me, “But you hold the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven.”

    And so I prayed. I prayed with every stroke of the mini brush. I prayed with the faith that every prayer I prayed would not only be answered, but answered quickly. I had no choice but to pray that way–I had nothing else to offer.

    One little girl was dubbed “the mean girl.”

    Beautiful one

    She would provoke all the others by hitting them, messing up their freshly painted nails, stealing the nail polish, spilling it every where. And then she would cry…and cry and cry…when someone hit her back or she didn’t get what she wanted. I was told she’s always like this. She was out of control.

    I didn’t have anything to offer her. My attempts to love her were rashly pushed away with cries and swats. She was difficult to communicate with and she had no intention of communicating with anyone anyway. I didn’t have weeks of relationship built up with her so she could trust me. I didn’t have a corner to put her in for a time out. I didn’t know if that would be the last time I ever saw her. And my heart flooded with tears.

    I am simply not enough.

    And so I prayed. I prayed as if this was the only time she would ever be prayed for–I prayed for her past to be healed, for her present to be rich, for her future to be set upon the straight and narrow. I prayed with deep unction and conviction. I prayed, believing every word uttered under my breath was answered the moment it hit the air. I didn’t have the option to pray any other way.

    Then there was Jonathan.

    His nickname is "Chiquito"

    He was constantly held the whole time he was with us and never uttered a word. We had to take him home after the program, and I got to hold him on my lap. Adrienne told me his story as she drove and as I listened to his congested breaths slowly go in and out…in and out…He was so thin, and so sick. She said that his mom abandoned his family when he was a toddler and so his father is his only caretaker. Yet he doesn’t actually take care of him…because he works every day. The neighbor woman told Adrienne to watch him carefully–since no one watches over him, the other kids rough him up whenever they can. He is so hungry. He is not well. He doesn’t waste his energy on speaking or running or playing–no, he uses the small amount of strength he has to lift his arms up towards anyone who will notice him, asking to be held. His eyes, his heart…long to be embraced. And there, in that moment, I had a 5 minute car ride with Jonathan. I knew it was my only window. And my heart sobbed.

    I am not even nearly enough.

    And so I prayed as my heart cried. It’s impossible to describe the agony of the ache in my heart for this precious child. How can he have a chance in this world? You know he wasn’t rocked when he cried. You know he didn’t nap and sleep well as a baby. You know no one was there to greet him with the biggest smile and warmest embrace every time he woke up. You know no one reads him books every night. You know no one sings to him. You know no one has taught him how to count. You know no one (on earth) has been speaking truth over him ever since the day he was born. I held the tears back as I asked God for big things for His son. I prayed for healing to consume his physical body and his emotional mind and his sensitive heart. I prayed for his salvation. I prayed for provision of every type. I prayed for love to surround him. I prayed every short minute that I had with Jonathan…because I knew that was the best thing I could do for him…

    It is times like these that I wonder if it would just be easier to look away; to not acknowledge and turn my face towards the massive suffering and injustice in this world. Because it is all-consuming and overwhelming to choose to invest my heart in the lives of those who suffer and have need.

    That is, until I can fixate my mind on the Truth of the cross, and the truth of our Savior who goes out of His way to love the one. And that’s all. Why do I underestimate that I am one, loving one? Over and over my God speaks to the importance and impact of just one. Especially one of the little ones. He calls children “the greatest”… God thinks Jonathan, this one, is the greatest. And so when I remember his eyes, I must not just remember the loneliness, the abandonment, the sorrow, and the pain…no, I must remember that his angel sees the face of our Father in Heaven. He is not forgotten.

    Because my God is enough…yes, HE is enough…He is enough for these children. There is too much need for my two hands. But He…yes–HE–is enough. He is always enough. And, just like the bible lesson I preached to those kids that day–HE in ME is greater than THE ONE in the world…HE in ME is enough.

    I, with the power of Christ living in me, am enough...

     

    …Because the one is enough. The one is the greatest.

    He is one God, who sent one Son, who left with us one Spirit.

    For one lost sheep.

    For one sandwich for the woman who hasn’t eaten.

    For one home built for the family who didn’t have one.

    For one toy for the child who has nothing.

    For one bible lesson for the girl who had never heard the Truth.

    For one gospel presentation for the boy who didn’t know Jesus.

    For one prayer lifted up in faith.

    For one person choosing not to avert her eyes when she sees the brokenness.

    For one believer who says, “Yes” to the call of God.

    For one…for the one who goes.

    “Here am I, Lord, just one. Send me.”


  • San Pedro Snap Shot

    Here’s a snap shot of our time in the Dominican Republic, serving with YWAM San Pedro!

     

    Brian worked on lots of projects around the base. Here’s a picture I took through our window as he installed some security lights around the property of the base.

    He makes it look so easy…

    He also tagged along with a staff member interviewing various pastors and leaders around the community to get a feel for how YWAM San Pedro can best partner with each of the ministries and organizations. Brian then compiled all of that information so it was in an organized and easy-to-reference and sort database.

    The staff has been visiting a Haitian Refugee Community, called El Tanque, for the last several months. They have been faithful to come, play games with the kids, paint fingernails, and sometimes even bring a little treat.

    Playing "Duck, Duck, Goose"

    A couple months back, the YWAM staff helped the men in El Tanque build these soccer goals. One week, we joined them for a game of soccer and I–yes, I–played too! And scored two goals!!

    futbol
    Oh yeah
    GOAL!

    As much as they all enjoyed visiting the kids at El Tanque each week, they wanted to do something more organized and formal but weren’t sure how to get something like that started. So, I had the opportunity to help the staff implement a children’s program in El Tanque.

    Here are some pictures of me teaching during the program that we got up and running in 3 weeks!

    Teaching on how Jesus loves the little children

    Johally was my faithful translator. Although I feel okay about general conversational Spanish, I wasn’t quite ready to invest the time it would have taken to really make sure I could communicate the bible lesson in Spanish. Soon though :).

    I love this picture…with our little ones right behind us!

     

    And here’s a video of me helping Adrienne, Rafaelito and Sthefany while they lead worship.

     

     

    Well, there’s a quick snap shot of some of the ministry we were a part of while serving in San Pedro!

  • You know you’re a missionary in YWAM San Pedro when…

    I wrote this for a newsletter for the YWAM base here and thought I’d share it! All of them apply to Brian and me except for the first one… Enjoy!

    You know you’re a missionary in YWAM San Pedro when…

    -you can say you’ve built 9 homes for 9 families who didn’t have one before you arrived.

    -it’s a normal part of your week to bring love and the Word of God to a group of Haitian refugees.

    -your cool-down at the end of a long, hard day is jumping into the glorious pool in your front yard.

    -driving a vehicle on the local roadways no longer has clear, uniform rules…it’s more of a free-for-all sport.

    -a long, wooden stick with a hook at the end doesn’t remind you of Captain Hook, but rather makes your mouth water for the delicious coconut it’s about to knock down.

    -bug spray serves as your perfume or cologne.

    -your room registers at 82 degrees Fahrenheit and you comment on how cool it is.

    -the beautiful Caribbean Ocean is only a 10 minute walk away.

    -you find yourself playing “Where’s Waldo” throughout the day with the chameleons that scamper about.

    -you have learned the mastery of speaking in short sentences because everything you say has to be translated.

    -the smile on a child’s face and the embrace of a warm hug is more-than-enough to transcend every language barrier.

  • Meet the Staff!

    MEET THE STAFF!

    Malcolm


    Malcolm is the leader of this base and is originally from England. He is a genius when it comes to strategy and logistical details. He has been serving in missions for over 18 years and personally recruited every staff member to pioneer this base! 

    Danny & Danae

    Danny and Danae were the first two staff members we met because they picked us up from the airport! Danae is originally from Olympia, which is a cool connection, and Danny is originally from Mexico. Danae has an incredible gift with kids (Elliott LIGHTS UP as soon as Danae walks into the room) and Danny is our amazing cook!

    Johally, Mitch & Keira (Kiki)
    Johally and Mitch have beautiful Kiki who lights up the base with her hilarious faces and super adorable personality. Johally and Mitch have been extremely influential here already, and have made some incredible connections with families and churches here in the Dominican Republic. They have a passion to do counseling type work with married couples. Kiki loves Elliott so much–so much so that she calls both Brian and me “Elliott.” I have to get a recording of the way she says Elliott because there may not be anything cuter in the entire world…
    Adrienne & Joe
    Adrienne and Joe are dating, and this is their dog Tormenta. She got lost during a bad storm and they found her when she was just 2 weeks old. Adrienne is an incredibly talented woman of God who is passionate about discipling and walking with women, teaching kickboxing classes, and empowering others with vision to run into their callings. Joe is an extremely loyal and faithful friend who powerfully encourages others and gleans awesome revelations from the Word of God. And, they are pretty darn cute together, aren’t they? 🙂


    Sthefany & Rafaelito

    Sthefany feeds Elliott his dinner every night :).


    Rafaelito & Sthefany live on this property with us. Their dad Rafael is the property caretaker (I don’t have a picture of him). They L-O-V-E Elliott! They come running when they see him and scoop him out of my arms. He loves the attention and having “a brother and sister” to play with him all the time. Sthefany feeds him his dinner every night, and is eager to help with him in every way she can. They don’t speak English, so I get to practice my Spanish with them all the time! They teach me lots of new words every day.

    Jose Luis
    Jose Luis is not officially staff here, but he volunteers here every so often. He is Dominican, and another fun person to practice speaking Spanish with. He was here the entire first week that we were here, so we all got to know him well. I have rarely seen Elliott laugh as hard as he does when he plays with Jose Luis. Jose Luis is a kind, tender, caring guy who serves and loves everyone around him all the time.