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Action International Ministries


Well, friends, we spent the week in Seattle, WA at Candidate School for Action International Ministries (ACTION) - where to begin?!

First of all, we were immensely blessed to have a friend, Rachel Harrison, use a week of her vacation time to come with us to Seattle to nanny our kids while we were in the all-day sessions. Rachel has a heart for supporting missionaries and this was, essentially, part of calling. The girls love her and she managed a Gracie seizure and two active kids all week without missing a step or getting flustered!

Secondly, we have grown to appreciate ACTION even more after spending an intense week here in interviews and training. Each person has such a heart for God. We were blessed to spend time with the founder, Doug Nichols, the international and USA directors, and amazing people from each department. ACTION is a mid-sized mission with approximately 235 missionaries now. http://www.actionintl.org/

We still do not have a country assignment. We are contacting the country directors with our profile to see where we would be best suited and used. We are excited to get a field assignment so that we can start preparing specifically for a given country, culture, and language!

Our week included interviews with the board, a psychologist, and the directors; many self-assessments; setting of goals and learning plans; teaching about culture and missions; and the practical sides of being a missionary - support raising, newsletters, prayer cards, finances, etc.

We're really tired, mostly because Ana got a cold and growth spurt and cried all night long for several nights, wanting to comfort nurse every half hour all night... yawn!!! But it was so refreshing to be with like-minded people and like-hearted people all yearning for the Glory of God and heading to mission fields with eternity in mind, not just doing good works.
We now have a renewed vision of preparation for the mission field and are truly about to begin deputation - raising funds and support. We anticipate that it will take over a year to raise all of our support as we have to raise enough funds for our "outgoing expenses" (airfare, setting up in a new country, deputation, etc.) as well as 110% of our monthly budget.
We are now officially ACTION missionary appointees! (We walked 9 miles round trip to visit one of the Mars Hill churches in beautiful Seattle on Sunday!)

Comments

Melodie said…
This is wonderful news! I am anxious to learn what country you will be ministering in.

P.S. Your girls look great!
11:06 PM
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