In all our missionary training they said to expect your ministry plans to change once you get to the field. How very right they were. God put on our hearts last year when we went home for my health issues to pray about how God could best use us in the ministry here in Belize. For months He has been prompting us to move to the village. We said, “Really Lord?” and kept praying and seeking His will. Asking Him to open and shut the doors.
For the past few months we have felt that the Lord was giving us the green light, but a few things still needed to be put in place so we waited on the Lord to open the door wide. The final “Yes, move Bjorgens” came through three answers to prayer. 1) We kept seeing the increased need for discipleship of new believers and the leaders of the church. Right now we live at the mission base which is about 2 miles as the crow flies yet takes about 20 minutes to get into the village. This made our time with the villagers sporadic. Especially when road, vehicle, and weather conditions were poor. Living in the village will give us consistency with the villagers that we desire to disciple. 2) We found a house to rent in the village. We will be renting a home at the far end of the village and it is a gift from the Lord. It will more than meet our needs. God has done exceeding abundantly above and beyond all that we could ask or think. 3) A new family is coming to live on the base. The Kidders will be joining the ministry in January and will be care takers of the mission base. This has freed us up to do more ministry in the village and since we want to concentrate on discipleship, it makes sense to live among the people we are discipling.
We are still a part of the Belize Mission and Retreat, we are now just the village extension of the ministry. We will continue to be involved in leading teams and challenging teams to answer God’s call to missions or ministry in the United States. We will be coordinating the village ministry portion of the short terms teams ministry. A great peace is in our hearts that this is the direction that God is leading us in. We are walking forward confident in the Lord. We plan to move in the middle of January.
What can you do?
A. Pray for us! We need God’s wisdom and continued guidance.
B. Ask questions. If any of the above is confusing or if you find yourself having more questions than answers after reading this, please send us a personal message and we will be more than happy to answer everything.
Know that God is working in our lives and the Lord has a great heart for the villagers. We are just His tools and are very willing and eager to be used for His glory.
So happy for your family and your heart xxoo
Blessings on you as you ARE a blessing to others! May God continue to guide and direct you as you serve Him!
Excited to see how God will use this to enrich your ministry to the villagers. It’s such a blessing to see your heart for the people you are ministering to. You will be part of their village and not an outsider coming in when you can. We will be praying for all the details to be worked out.
That’s wonderful! I’m so excited for you guys! Praying for you.
Krissy
I am SO excited for you! It’ll be a difficult transition, but I think one that will bear much fruit. I can’t wait to come and see you guys (I need to just sit down this week and plan exactly when I’m coming down)!
That is so cool! I’m excited for you and John and know that God will use you in an amazing way in the village. Grace and peace in Christ to you all!
That’s exciting!
May The Lord God give you wisdom.
May He give you strength, I pray.
May He give you the words to say in teaching.
In Jesus Name.
Sounds like a God thing to me! Go God. Go Bjorgens!
This is wonderful news but scary too. I love your heart for the people and I can see the real benefit of being right there but I hear of the violence there too and those who do not like the mission and it scares me for you. I know that if this is God’s will, He will protect your family.
Wow Mel, that is so exciting!! Can’t wait to continue to hear all the great things you are doing for God’s Kingdom!! Praying for you guys always!!