The First Post; The Backgrounder
- Sam
- Jul 12, 2016
- 2 min read
Can you point to a time in your life when you were so sure God was at work, and all you needed to do was listen for his voice and be ready to move? He spoke to Job out of the whirlwind, to Elijah as a still small voice, and he calls to us—each of us—still.
In the spring of 2014, we began to sense God was up to something in our lives, but what exactly he had planned was still a mystery. We began to pray, earnestly seeking the Spirit to make God’s will clear to us. He has answered our prayers and called us to a season of mission work with the Reformed Church in America (RCA) Global Mission Office.
Frederick Buechner has defined calling as “the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” We rejoice to see God’s hand in this process, as he has given us work about which we are passionate and that can meet a great need for the RCA. We will use our skills as filmmaker (Joel) and as researcher and writer (Sam) as we travel to six different ministry locations, telling stories of lives transformed
through the power of the gospel.
One passage that holds deep meaning for us is Hebrews 12: “let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith” (vv. 1-2, ESV). We draw comfort from the fact that Christ and the cloud of witnesses have blazed a way for us. Knowing this world is not our home, we seek to glorify the Father in all we do, and especially as we work with the RCA this coming year.
Below, we’ve tried our best to answer a few questions you may have about the project. If you have other questions or words to share with us, please reach out!
Where are we headed?
The ministry locations include:
Nicaragua
South Africa
Brazil
Israel/Palestine
And more!
But what about...
Our house? Right now, we plan to stay based in Coralville and are looking for a renter to help cover costs.
Our dog, Luna? This is somewhat TBD for now! We are praying for guidance and clarity on this one.
Our jobs? We are thanking God that each of our employers has agreed to try and find a way to keep us on during our leave times.
How can you help?
Pray!
For God to be glorified in our work
For travel mercies
For courage to share boldly
Stay connected: subscribe to this blog!
Give: rca.org/bouwers
The plan currently calls for us to spend three weeks on the ground in each location, collecting footage, conducting interviews, and sharing the gospel.
Between each visit, we will spend four weeks at home processing material, debriefing, and preparing for the next country. We are trusting God to raise $40,000 to cover costs associated with travel including transportation, food, accommodations, immunizations, and visas. We invite you to prayerfully consider partnering with us as we share stories of the kingdom!
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