Alongside ABWE, our vision is to (a) build relationships and (b) plant churches founded upon the hope we have in Jesus. Like Christ, we want to befriend the woman at the well and the demon-possessed man to share the life-saving grace that only Jesus can give. We want to present an opportunity to encounter Christ as we have in our lives. Here are some practical ways that we will strategically approach this vision alongside ABWE:
Uruguay (2024- )
(a) Connecting with the culture and the Uruguayan people
– We call this learning to love the people and the culture. We were taught by very wise and experienced missionaries that this is the #1 goal when transitioning into a new culture. This means being intentional about learning our new culture and inviting potential new friends into our lives. God has been so gracious to allow us to connect with locals and begin developing relationships. We love the Uruguayan culture and the people here more each day!
b) Connecting with our ABWE Uruguay team
– Working as a team takes work. We have been friends with Clay and Meg Dale for several years, but working as a team in a foreign mission field is a new dynamic for our friendship. Through strategic meetings together and alongside the direction of our regional director, we aim to strengthen our bonds where the enemy seeks to break them. We thank God for our dear teammates and the opportunity to do ministry as a team.
c) Connecting with local Christian leaders
– We want to establish a local network with other Jesus followers. We are engaging and connecting with leaders of local congregations in hopes that we may work towards a future partnership, one step at a time. We believe that engaging local leaders is foundational to establishing a ministry in Uruguay.
d) Connecting with other Uruguayan missionaries
– We need to learn from more experienced missionaries. We also believe that partnering with local missionaries to learn, share, and serve together is foundational to establishing a thriving ministry in Uruguay. We are actively connecting with other Uruguayan missionaries.
e) Suicide prevention and counseling ministry (future) – Uruguay has the 13th highest suicide rate in the world. We are working on partnering with the Uruguayan Ministry of Health to establish a new suicide prevention ministry. We know that true, eternal hope only comes through faith in Christ, and we aim to befriend Uruguyans in need to share Jesus and a hope for the future.
(f) Hombres de Hierro, Proverbios 27:17 (future) – This men’s ministry will be a new ministry in Maldonado, Uruguay and will model the ministry that was planted in La Merced, Ecuador. Hombres de Hierro groups are a safe space for men to gather, play games, break bread, build relationships, encourage one another, and ultimately accept Christ. This group is truly a no frills meeting – just a place where men can be real with one another. Where like iron, one man can sharpen another.
(g) Teaching English classes (future) – We are both TEFL certified to teach English and we plan on using that as a ministry to engage the local community.
(h) Church planting – After relationships can be built and time allows, our ABWE team hopes to start a new home church. This will be a place where Jesus followers can live out an Acts 2 church: a place to respond with repentance and faith, to devote ourselves to biblical teaching and fellowship, to break bread and pray together, and to share our lives with one another with glad and sincere hearts.
These are all a means to do what we came here for: to love God and love others by sharing Jesus with our lives. Vamos Uruguay!
Ecuador (2021-2022)
Building relationships – Men’s Ministry
Proverbs 27:17 – Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.
Our primary ministry, Hombres de Hierro, was a new men’s ministry and the first in the area. This ministry was truly built from the ground up alongside Ecuadorian national partners. Through this group of men we are engaging the community, sharing Jesus, and strengthening each other as followers of Jesus through His word. This is a new ministry for Iglesia Biblica Cristiana and is designed to be an Ecuadorian led minstry.
**Update – the men’s ministry has continued in our absence and was handed off to Ecuadorian national believers from the local church, which is always our plan. Praise the Lord!
Sharing the Gospel
Everything that we do is centered around the Good News of Jesus Christ. To know that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9) is a life-changing reality; we are utterly helpless without the grace of God and cannot earn our way into heaven. We will strategically and intentionally partner with local leaders to reach those who have not accepted Christ, with the ultimate goal of magnifying the name of The Lord.
Meaders on a Mission! 