God Doesn't Waste Anything

"I brought a hodgepodge of stuff to the table, which would not have made sense to me 20 years ago, but seeing it from this side makes all the sense in the world. I was an MK here in Madrid for the first 12 years of my life, so the love of this culture and language is a given. But in the next two decades after that I studied music for a while at the Conservatory of Music, and Wheaton College. Then switched and graduated with Christian Education, Intercultural track. My jobs after that included World Relief, Secretarial jobs at churches, and finally, I also worked as a Project Manager for Big Idea Productions (the originators of VeggieTales) before coming to the field. All of that time I was at the side of my husband, who was always a Youth Pastor and Speaker. And somehow, we parented four amazing kids who bumped around from one place to another with us. There is not much that I don't bring to the field: creativity, a heart for the lost and youth, administrative skills, event planning, writing, teaching, and now, even video production! God doesn’t waste anything!"

God Can Use Your Story

"I have seen that God tends to use people with whatever gifts, experiences and interests they have. For example, He has used my love of sports to give me connections with people here who love to play and/or watch sports. He has also used something as simple as English being my native language to give me opportunities to connect with people through an evangelistic English club. I even think hard things, such as my dad not being a Christian, has given me points of connection with believers here who often struggle because their family isn't Christian. Another thing that has helped in my setting is that I grew up in a rural area in the US, and that has helped me to understand, connect with and even have a heart for those who are living in rural areas, which are the least reached places where we serve in Siberia. And because that rural area was in the mountains, I have been very comfortable with helping to see hiking used as a ministry tool and way to connect with people here. Of course some of my church and ministry background has helped me as I gained experience and grew to understand the importance of things like evangelism, discipleship, leading and multiplying small groups and even church planting through internships with Cru and our sending church."

Nursing to Build Trust

"I am a Registered Nurse. Our team has a local NGO (non-governmental organization) that focuses on community development in the communities we work in. This allows us to build trust in communities to bring the message of Jesus to the community, while also meeting their very real physical needs. I frequently utilize my skills as a nurse in our NGO capacity. We have annual medical clinics, health teachings, and other programs like home medical visits. Other than hard nursing skills, there are many soft skills I grew in while working before coming to the field, such as clear communication, reflective listening, cultural sensitivity, etc. I also utilize these skills on a daily or frequent basis."

Social Skills Are Important

"I believe social skills are very important. Are you good at having conversations with people? Are you a good listener? Do you ask good questions? To make disciples in a foreign culture, the ability to make friends and have conversations with people is an important tool. We all have many ways we need to grow in these areas, but it's an important skill to hone. Cultural differences and language difficulties can also make relationships difficult. It is important to be mentally prepared for that. Most importantly, hone your understanding of the Gospel, and practice sharing it in your everyday life!"