Peering through the bus windows, snow covered trees could be seen in every direction due to the snow storms that had passed through recently. The snow chains on the bus tires made an unfamiliar sound as we headed up the mountain. Our final destination, Hume Lake looked like a winter wonderland with fresh snow twinkling on the ground around us. The grandeur scenery brought back memories of driving through the Rocky Mountains in Canada to visit our daughter Jessica and her family during the winter months.
Our purpose for being in this beautiful setting was to attend a conference called, “Building Skills for Member Care with Excellence”. The definition of Member Care is simply equipping and supporting those around us. Our time at Hume Lake mingling with other missionaries from all over the world was an incredible experience. As we came together and shared about our own experiences while taking part in ministry in Mexico, excitement arouse within us. Others that had the same experiences were hearing the speakers confirming some of the stresses we and other missionaries around us had encountered while living and serving in a third world country.
As parents of an MK(missionary kid) you cannot imagine how our interest was captured when information was shared about the very changes we watched Rebekah go through while living in Mexico. The cross cultural lifestyle of youth causes them to look the same on the outside but process things differently on the inside. We can see how Rebekah has grown and changed with the times of transition in her own life. She has a heart for those around her and a sincere love for God.
Being in ministry does not guarantee you will have a good marriage. Rod and I were grateful for marriage tips that were shared on how to keep your marriage healthy while in ministry. Taking time to continually work on these skills in the midst of the busyness is on the top of our list for the New Year. We have a couple from Canada coming to visit in April. We have invited Don & Judy Kropp to share with our staff their expertise on marriage matters. Both Don & Judy are marriage mentors using the materials from Love & Respect. We are looking forward to them sharing with YUGO staff how they too can keep their marriages vibrant while serving in ministry.
The days continue to be busy as those interested in serving with missions join us in El Faro. Networking and connecting with YUGO missionaries and other ministries have brought many opportunities to leave life changing experiences with the guests of El Faro.
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