03/10 Newsletter - First Steps

September of last year, we took a field trip to the JAARS Center in Waxhaw, NC. JAARS provides technical support and resources to missionaries with Wycliffe Bible Translators. The vision of Wycliffe is to translate the Bible into every language in the world still needing it. The JAARS Museum of the Alphabet was a treasure trove on the history of writing systems and how new ones are still being developed. Fascinated by the diverse resources and projects at the JAARS Center, we decided to look into opportunities in IT and healthcare there.

Soon afterwards, God started opening doors showing us that this was the direction He wanted us to go. We completed the application process in January and are very excited to have been accepted as members of Wycliffe. Loren’s assignment will be with the IT department at the JAARS Center using his helpdesk and knowledge management skills. Michelle will continue to home school the boys and hopes to work part-time at the JAARS Health Clinic.

Our current task is to complete Wycliffe’s 8-week missionary orientation program: Equip. The first 6 weeks are completed online (about 1-2 hours / day) and the last 2 weeks (April 9-25) are onsite at Wycliffe USA headquarters in Orlando, FL. Matthew and Zack are excited to go with us to Orlando as they will attend courses for missionary kids.

In May we will send out our first newsletter with more information about Wycliffe and how we will be serving. Please pray about whether you might partner with us in prayer and financial support. In the meantime, we appreciate your prayers as we follow God down this exciting new path!

Blessings: Loren, Michelle, Matthew, Zack