Year-end Update

“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel (which means God with us).” Matthew 1:23

The truth that God is indeed Immanuel - God with us - has taken on new significance for us. 2010 was a year in which we each decided to leave our jobs in China, move to the US to raise support, and prepare to move to Cambodia to work in a new area of ministry: anti-trafficking for sexual exploitation. Changes, changes, changes! We had many questions along the way: what would we do and where would we serve and how in the world would God provide for us? Last January these and many other questions seemed so overwhelming. We had to trust that God was going to be Immanuel as we took a step of faith.

One of our big leaps of faith was traveling for 14 weeks across the US to raise support. We originally sketched this trip out on a big piece a paper taped to a bedroom wall in China, based on hundreds of e- mails that were sent to friends and family. We were told a few times how crazy we were for even attempting this. We didn’t argue this point.

Now, on the other side of all of the flurry - it is awesome to recount the stories of God’s faithfulness and provision. Never once did we lack a home to stay in during our travels. So many friends stepped in and took care of us. And each day we had our daily needs met, sometimes through a gift card and sometimes through home-cooked meals. And then there were all the ‘random’ connections that allowed us to meet some of the most amazing new friends and partners in ministry all across the country. Two of our now biggest supporting churches were not on our itinerary when we started. These connections came through friends who heard our story and captured our vision and then called their friends and family to tell them about us.

The most meaningful way we learned that God is indeed Immanuel comes in the fact that on January 11, 2011 we depart for Cambodia with so many friends cheering us on and praying for us.

Thank you God for being Immanuel!

Grace and Peace, Becki, Rachel and Kimberly