The current state of politics and news coming out of the United States affects us deeply here in Spain. To remain silent or ignore its impact would be, in a sense, complicit. While we do not wish to engage in partisan debate or take sides, it is important for us to share how these events influence our lives and ministry abroad.

To be fully honest, we often do not know what to believe. Having lived outside the U.S. for 17 years, we have seen firsthand how different news outlets around the world present events through their own lenses. The news in the U.S. is not the same as what we see here in Spain or across Europe. Online articles often contradict each other, and what we hear from people on the ground or see on television can be entirely different from what is reported elsewhere. Social media algorithms, driven by location, reading habits, and networks, shape the content we consume, making it nearly impossible to trust platforms like Facebook or Instagram as accurate sources of information. We hear wildly different opinions from both sides of the political spectrum, leaving us wondering if people are even living in the same reality.

As Americans living in Europe, we are frequently confronted with questions, assumptions, and even accusations about the state of our home country. Some people are angry about what they see happening in the U.S., and that anger gets directed at us simply because we are the face of America standing in front of them. Others are deeply confused and look to us for answers we do not have. Some laugh and dismiss America as a nation in chaos, comparing it to a child throwing a tantrum. Others express genuine fear, asking why the American public cannot recognize warning signs they themselves have lived through—dictatorships in Spain, the trauma of Hitler’s regime, or Soviet control in Eastern Europe. Their concerns are not hypothetical; they are rooted in painful, lived experiences.

In these moments, all we can do is listen. We do not have the answers. We cannot explain the complexities of a nation divided. But we can empathize, show compassion, and seek to understand their past and their fears for the future. Still, we don’t know how to fix it.

Beyond conversations, the ripple effects of U.S. politics are tangible in our work. We have cross-cultural worker friends facing visa loss and deportation from their countries of service in retaliation for American policies. European colleagues are canceling work and travel plans to the U.S. out of fear. American friends ask us what it takes to leave the country and live abroad for a season. Donors are losing money and cutting back on support, directly impacting missions and workers worldwide. Ministries reliant on aid now face funding cuts that threaten their very survival. In some cases, these cuts mean the difference between life and death, and when aid disappears, American workers are often blamed, creating dangerous situations.
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We do not have the answers, but we do want you to understand how global politics affect ministry workers and the people we serve. Please pray for all cross-cultural workers navigating these challenges. Pray for wisdom, courage, and open hearts as we listen to and walk alongside our international friends. The interconnectedness of our world means that political decisions made in one place have profound consequences everywhere. May we all seek to be voices of hope and love in the midst of uncertainty.

I have a confession: every time I sit down to write this newsletter, I panic. I freeze, I procrastinate, and then I beg Billy for help. He rattles off a dozen things I could write about, and I systematically eliminate most of them. “That’s not interesting,” I think. “That won’t make sense to anyone.” And then, inevitably, I end up here again, staring at the blank page, trying to piece together what this season has looked like.

The truth is, there hasn’t been one big, dramatic moment. No headline worthy event. Instead, this season has been full of small, seemingly ordinary connections—introducing people, sharing ideas, walking alongside someone in a hard season. And at first, I thought, “Is that really worth writing about?” But then I realized: these small connections are everything. They are the Kingdom in action.

Conference Connections
A couple of weeks ago, we attended the Refugee Highway Partnership conference. Billy was on the Planning, Prayer, and Care teams, offering support to mission workers and humanitarian aid staff who serve refugees. After one of those conversations, a ministry leader approached him and said, “We have a worker who really needs deeper care. Can you help?” Now, that person is staying in our guest ministry apartment for an extended care and recovery plan with Billy’s support. Keeping ministry workers healthy keeps them in the field. And when they stay in the field, the whole Kingdom benefits.

I taught a session on Multicultural Gospel Perspective, helping people see how different cultures interpret Scripture through their own worldviews. To my surprise, it was standing-room only. Afterward, people came up to tell me that the session completely changed the way they understood sharing the Gospel. One person realized why their Bible studies weren’t connecting. Another saw why their approach wasn’t working. Those moments of clarity? They change lives. They change ministries. That’s Kingdom impact.

At that same conference, we met with leaders, built relationships, and introduced people to new opportunities. One leader is now partnering with TMS Global. A refugee ministry worker I connected with is attending our two-week cross-cultural training in Panama. Our local Spanish pastor, Miguel, who we always bring to this conference, had yet another transformational experience.

The Power of One Conversation
Every year, Miguel learns more about cross-cultural ministry. This time, he met leaders from Muslim backgrounds who now lead thriving refugee ministries. He served communion alongside a pastor from North Africa who was once a Muslim and now shepherds a church for Arabic-speaking refugees in Spain. Those moments deeply impacted Miguel.

When he returned home, he stood in front of his church—a congregation made up of about 75-80% immigrants—and did something bold. He asked the Spanish members to pray over and bless the immigrant members, acknowledging how much courage it takes to start over in a new country. And then, something unexpected happened.

A woman from Central America stood up to share her story. She spoke of the grief, the struggle, the five years it took before Spain finally felt like home. And then she started naming names— Spaniards in the congregation who had helped her. The man who picked her up for church. The woman who provided clothes for her family. The man who always made sure she received a box from the food pantry. The person who helped with legal documents. The one who brought her a set of purple towels, a simple yet beautiful gift that made her feel seen and loved. By the end, Miguel and many others were in tears. The sermon never happened that day. The testimony WAS the message.

The Ripple Effect
Miguel has changed over the years, and that change is reshaping his church, his prison ministry, his sports outreach, and our city. And it all started with small, seemingly ordinary connections—a handshake, a conversation, an invitation to a conference.

When I look back at these last few weeks, I realize that what felt like a season of small moments was actually a season of Kingdombuilding. Just the few connections I mentioned here have rippled out to Greece, Germany, Cyprus, Morocco, Somalia, Sudan, the Netherlands, Spain, Nicaragua, Brazil, Panama, Romania, Ukraine, and beyond. That’s an incredible return on four days at a conference.
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So, the next time I sit down to write and think, “Is this really worth sharing?” I’ll remind myself: yes. Because the Kingdom of God is built one small connection at a time.