Steve'srole in the Gabon aviation department shifts from “base manager/pilot” to “mobilizer”. This gives him more time to strategically focus on recruitment, team care, fund raising, and project oversight. Previously, there was simply not enough time for these tasks and the Gabon Alliance church realized that, without someone giving more focus on this, the future viability of the ministry would suffer. Steve is excited for this role! It will also be a remote role, that aligns with God’s invitation to their new geographical base (see below). Rob, the other pilot/mechanic, will step into the base manager role. Steve will also be periodically leading short term mission teams to Gabon as well. Come join!
NEW HOME IN 2026!
We'll be moving from Gabon to France! Following times of prayer with their home church (York Alliance), the Gabon Alliance church, and US-based Alliance leaders, they are discerning God’s invitation to run a retreat center in the Brittany region of France. The current American missionary couple there are retiring and have invited us to continue the important work of refreshment, debriefing, prayer, and care for other missionaries and French Christian workers. We've personally been the recipients of such care which has kept them serving international for going on 2 decades! They are thrilled to be able to help others stay resilient and thriving on the field. Come and visit!
(NOTE: although the work in France will not be under the Alliance International Ministries structure, we will be attending a local Alliance church and we’ll remain connected to the Eastern PA District of the Alliance with a “special assignment” classification. PLEASE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT US THROUGH THE ALLIANCE FOR THE TIME BEING. We will send along new information in January).
While on sabbatical this summer in France, we had the opportunity to visit the Manor House for a week. It turns out that, in Spring of this coming year, the American missionary couple that have been running this retreat center for OVER 20 YEARS are retiring. After spending some time with them and hearing each others' stories, they, along with the owners of the property, invited us to continue operating the Manor as a place of respite. This was something we brought to our sending church leadership and others on our core prayer team. Together, we sensed confirmation that this was God's invitation just for us.
It’s coming together at a really cool time in our lives too- in our mid-50’s… feeling some transitions and refocusing necessary to maximize the upcoming chapters of the adventure. We feel that we are moving from “addition” to “multiplication”!
We will align the work with a world-wide network of retreat and debrief locations for Christian workers, called “Oasis Rest International” (https://oasisrest.org/). ORI will be the structure that will process our supporters donations, which we will still need (NOTE- this will be afree ministryfor those seeking rest and there’s no revenue in it for us). In terms of the C&MA, we will remain connected, but, for the purposes of confidentiality for guests (to have "safe ears"), it will be away from the international ministries structure- we’ll be on “special assignment” from the Eastern District of the Alliance. In this way, we’ll maintain our Alliance “official workers” role.
You may know that, in our almost 2 decades of international work, we received care, on a number of occasions, that was uniquely tailored toward missionary families. In 2013 an anxiety attack was my wake-up call (Steve). Rest, debrief, care, counsel, and refreshment- that care kept us serving and resilient in our walk with Jesus and our work. God is inviting us to a chapter of life to now do the same for others. Here is a video outlining a couple and the impact Oasis had for them:
Without exception, when we ask those involved in this CARE and DEBRIEFING work report that they are fully booked and are praying for more to help. Also, we are seeing an aging population of care-givers, like the couple we are replacing. (They need young people like us! 😁)
We anticipate room in our schedule, from time to time, to host work teams, as well as join other teams who will be serving at events, like field forums, around the world. There will also be opportunity for regular trips back to Gabon for project work there with the aviation program. Come join us!
Stay tuned for more information about OASIS Rest International and PLEASE PRAY for the long-term visa process for France.
Thank you for joining us in this journey!
We continue to be financially supported by people like yourself.
Please consider joining the team in this important task with us.
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