Dear Friends and Family,
Greetings in
Christ. We hope that this letter finds you well.
As Christians and as
servants of the Gospel we have sought to understand God’s ways and his will for
our lives. Twelve years ago when we learned that we would start our
ministry with Christian Reformed World Missions in Haiti with newborn twins and
a twenty-month-old, we struggled to accept this as God’s will. Now,
nearly twelve years later, after countless blessings and many trials, God is
leading us into a new ministry every bit as challenging and surprising.
The Christian Reformed Church in North America, through its various boards, has
chosen Zachary as its candidate to serve as the first director of its New Missions
Agency (a union of Christian Reformed World Missions and Christian Reformed
Home Missions). Zach’s candidacy, along with the official name of this
New Missions Agency, will need to be ratified by the Synod of the CRCNA which
will meet June 9-15, 2017. We are surprised, humbled and honored that
Zach was chosen to serve as director in such a critical moment in the
enterprise of mission in the CRCNA. Please pray that God will give him
wisdom and perseverance for this new responsibility.
In addition to this new
opportunity to serve, there are several other changes that will be
occurring.
First, our family will
be making a transition from Haiti to Grand Rapids, Michigan in the summer of
2017. We will leave behind ministries, colleagues, and friends in Haiti
whom we treasure and whom we will miss deeply. It will be very difficult
for us to leave the place we have called home for so long. It will be
very challenging for those we leave behind in Haiti to follow the Spirit’s lead
in ministry with fewer hands to support the work. Pray that God will give
grace in abundant measure and new candidates for open missionary positions on
the Haiti field.
The transition means
also that Sharon will be leaving her part-time position in Haiti as a Church
and Leadership Developer and opening a new page in her ministry. Pray
that God will guide her to new opportunities to use her gifts for God’s glory
and the building up of his people.
Finally, our children
will be making the transition from Quisqueya Christian School in Port-au-Prince
to the Grand Rapids Christian Schools. Pray that change would bless them
and that they can find new friends and reconnect with old ones.
Please continue to pray
and support our ministry in Haiti. The Mission Support Department of our
agency will be making some decisions in the future regarding our support which
we will inform you of as soon as possible.
Here is an article from the CRCNA about Zach's appointment.
Here is an article from the Banner about Zach's appointment.
Thanks so much for walking beside us as our colleagues and partners in God’s work in Haiti. You have been Christ to us during all joys and tears of life and ministry.
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