God is so amazing...

and the way He provides for us is just unbelievable sometimes. We spent from May 31st to June 11th in Orlando, FL for orientation and training at Missionary Ventures, International. The training was wonderful, and the people who are Missionary Ventures are the best! We learned so much, from the aspects of being a missionary to keeping your spiritual life at its peak. I am so glad we went. We made wonderful friends as well as getting mentors that will help us as we move to Guatemala and after we arrive.
The highlights of the training were our interview with the personnel committee (The Board of MVI) and Friday's ordination/commissioning ceremony. We were so nervous meeting the committee. You need their approval to go to work with Missionary Ventures, and because we haven't always been perfect people, we were a bit worried. It was a wonderful meeting! Such nice people. The commissioning/ordination ceremony was too cool! Bill and I have been ordained by the Orlando North Community Church. That tickles me, because who would have thought we would be considered pastors? But we can, as Pastor Rob said, "marry and bury people" now. Too funny!

We are leaving in 7 weeks. 7 weeks. 49 days. ARGH! We have much to do, and funds to raise. At this time, we have met our start-up budget, and are about 30% funded for monthly support. Here's our issue...we have 7 weeks to be at 90% funding or we don't get to go. We need approximately 60 people to pledge at least $20 a month in order to go and be funded each month. We are trusting in the Lord that He will open people's hearts and let them know how they can support us. We'd like everyone who might consider supporting us to pray before you decide!

We know that we have been called to Guatemala. Missionary Ventures is the group we want to work with, mainly because they don't go in and "help" by doing things for the needy people. MV is dedicated to working with the indigenous people, teaching them to be self-sufficient in all they do. Missionary groups who go in and "do" everything make the indigenous people dependent, and that isn't good for anyone. I'd rather work with people and teach them, than to have them be dependent on me for everything.

I hope that you will read this...and let God lead you! As the Mercy Me song says, "Where You lead, I will follow." We're following His call, and we'd like you to as well!

God Bless Y'all,

Lisa