Editor’s Note: For security reasons, this missionary’s name and ministry location are not being shared.
The past couple of months have flown by so fast! So much to update, here are a few highlights:
Life Changes — Lots of exciting changes have happened in my life in the last three months. I am living in a new town, in a new apartment and started a new job! You might be thinking… “Wait, why all these changes now? I thought you were moving to the mission field soon?” You are right! I will be moving again soon, but not until next August. God provided me with a beautiful apartment with a lease that ends just in time for me to move to my missions training program.
I say I am living in a new town, but it’s not so unfamiliar to me. This is the city where I attended college and where I now work. It is just as much home as anywhere. He also provided me with an excellent new job that I have loved so far! The clinic I am now working at provides functional therapy services to kids with severe delays and disorders. The cool thing is our clinic will be at a farm soon (yes, a real farm). We are in the process of building “The Farm,” but in the meantime, the kids have been able to participate in functional therapy activities such as farmers’ markets (with veggies they planted themselves).
Support Raising — God has given me the opportunity of speaking at seven churches so far, and I have been invited to speak at several GMA and WMA meetings coming up! It has been so exciting to meet so many of my brothers and sisters in Christ and share about my ministry. The BMA requires you to have at least three months of balance in your support fund and have 100% of your monthly support pledged before you leave for the field. Praise God that He has already provided the three months of balance through some amazing individuals and churches. I am now praying that He will continue to provide those monthly support pledges! I have the following Sundays open to speak with your church or group, please get in touch with me if you are interested: Sept. 25, Oct. 2, Oct. 23 and Oct. 30.
International Student Ministry — Did you know that 80% of international students who come to America for higher education never get invited into an American’s home? What an amazing opportunity we, as Christians, are missing to build relationships and share the gospel. The entire world is in our backyard in the form of international college students, and God has placed an opportunity in my life that I am so excited about!
I am helping our local college ministry, Perspective, begin an international student outreach team. I have a group of about 7-8 students who have committed to being leaders in this ministry. We had our first meeting this past week and will meet for about three more weeks to talk about and strategize how to reach out to international students on the three college campuses here in Conway. Please pray for this amazing opportunity!
Prayer Requests — For the students who have committed to being a part of the International Student Outreach Team, for my new friend from Nepal I met through international student outreach (pray I will have more opportunities to build a relationship with her) and for me as I continue raising support and reaching out to churches and individuals.
If you or your church are interested in supporting me on this journey, please contact me at arkslp@protonmail.com or (501) 314-9806. Support can be mailed to BMA Missions, PO Box 878, Conway, Ark. 72032 or given online at: bmamissions.org (select Designate my offering and choose “AJ”). My current mailing address is 3670 Jeanna Drive, Apt. 423, Conway, Ark. 72034.
