In Luke 8, Jesus asked his disciples in the middle of a terrifying storm, “Where is your faith?” (Luke 8:25). In the middle of our displacement, we remind ourselves of the One in whom we trust. Just think—even the wind and waves obey him!

The past months have been very turbulent times for us: we sold our house and car, packed eight suitcases, and moved to Chile! Ending our lives in our home and comfortable circumstances and beginning a brand new life is kind of exciting, but also often overwhelming and sometimes frustrating. We get to learn how to do everything all over again—right down to trying to get the milk carton opened correctly!

Our first few weeks in South America have been a bit of a whirlwind: we landed in Santiago, Chile, spent two nights at the mission apartment, and then flew to a camp in Paysandú, Uruguay for a week of missionary conference. We were challenged by messages from God’s Word, got to know our Chile teammates better, and enjoyed the time with our GMSA family. The following week Mark traveled to the south of Chile with David Flinck for a three-days pastors’ conference with the Chilean pastors. He enjoyed the fellowship and survived the inundation of Spanish, joking that those three days equaled three months of language school! Bekah stayed with Kristi Flinck in Santiago, and enjoyed the gracious hospitality of kind friends.

The next several weeks we plan to spend in Santiago, gathering paperwork for our temporary resident applications and attempting to figure what things we will need to furnish an apartment and where we can buy those things. Our goal will be to move up to Antofagasta in several weeks to look for an apartment once we receive that paperwork.

We appreciate your kind notes and communication, and we covet your prayers for us as we start a new life, learn a new language and culture, and seek to build up Jesus’ church in Chile.

We were thankful for good fellowship and safe travels to and from the annual GMSA
missionary conference, held this year in Paysandú, Uruguay.

Mark enjoyed meeting Pastor Andrés from Antofagasta for the first time
and spending time laying the foundation for a ministry team there.

 Thank God with us:

• For God’s faithful character on which we can depend no matter where we are or what comes our way.
• For the love and support of our missionary family here in Chile who has ministered to us in many ways.
• For protection as we traveled by air, bus, and car.
• For the quick and simple sale of our house and car.

Pray to God with us:

• For the Holy Spirit to produce the fruit of Christlikeness—especially faith and dependence in God—in our lives as we begin our new life here.
• For wisdom as we proceed with paperwork and purchasing.
• For grace to accept the kindness and help of others.
• For patience and humility as we struggle to improve our Spanish.

This is our January 2018 email update. You can sign up to receive our updates in your inbox here. You can download a printable PDF here.