96 Days to GO!

We are moving.  I have been fielding facebook messages and emails asking what is going on; so here we go.....

Our family is moving to Swaziland, Africa. We will be working in partnership with Nazarene Compassionate Ministry Partner, The Luke Commission.  TLC is a compassionate medicine organization that takes a mobile medical clinic to remote and underserved areas of Swaziland.  No-we do not have any medical experience to offer.  We will be ministering along side them in the areas of pastoral and discipleship ministries; as well as administrative support--among other things that we do not even know yet!

We will be serving as Mission Corps missionaries with our denomination, The Church of the Nazarene-which means that we are raising our own salary and partnering with many friends, family and extended family to GO and make disciples in the nation of Swaziland.  We are grateful, blessed and humbled beyond words at how God is answering prayer on our behalf.  Here are just a few ways He has answered:

• Our children are excited and getting more excited as the count goes down.
• The church we currently serve has been incredibly gracious in allowing us to stay, 5 months after our ‘resignation.’
• Our house is being sold--without a sign in the yard or a realtor. Wow.
• We have all our prospective dates for speaking in churches before we go booked and have more on stand-by.
• At 96 days to go, we are at approximately 65% funded.
• Provisions are being made now for a home when we arrive in Manzini, Swaziland.

This list is just what is coming to mind now...He is blessing us in unbelievable ways. 

Some frequently asked questions--

“How do we get a care package to you?” 

• The answer is--hand carry!  We are not assured to receive a package that would come in the mail, so the system would be to send us an email mkschmelz@lukecommission.org or brianschmelz@lukecommission.org,  then-we would send back an email with the addresses of upcoming Work and Witness teams that would be coming over to us.  The package would be sent to them to hand carry or pack in their suitcases to bring to us.....so hand carried from home.  This will be a treat and we welcome packages anytime!

“How can I help? What can we do for you while you are there?”

Prayer is our greatest request.  There are many, many things that we don’t even know yet to ask you to pray for; but here are a few things we can ask:

• Pray that we stay focused on Christ and our relationship to Him above all
• Pray specifically for Brian as he continues to lead our current church-that the Lord would anoint his study time and strongly speak through Brian in our final days here--as well as the church leadership team as they search for the next pastor
• Pray for endurance and strength we continue to pack and prepare our house
• Pray for our health and safety
• Pray that even in the excitement of a new place that we would continue to sense God’s presence and His touch; especially in times that may seem lonely and homesick
• Pray that we will continue to see His Hand of provision as we close in on our final days of fundraising 

One of the memories of this time of preparation will be etched in my mind forever.   My all-time favorite part of the worship services in which we have had the privilege of sharing our story is the close of the service.  Without fail, at the close of every gathering; the pastor has asked us to come forward and kneel at the altar and then we have been surrounded by these loving, wonderful, praying people.  

This, this is how I KNOW we go, covered in prayer by the believers, interceding on our behalf; raising us up to Heaven, and as He hears, He provides. 

Pray.  It’s the most important answer.

We are grateful.

Ephesians 6:18-20a (MSG)

Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.  And don’t forget to pray for me. Pray that I’ll know what to say and have the courage to say it at the right time.

m