2025 Year in Review
Well, friends… what a year! Looking back, it feels like 2025 took us on a whirlwind tour of God’s goodness. From the very first week, we were off and running—literally—starting with an all-hands gathering and training in Turkey with TMS Global workers from around the world. Nothing like kicking off January with 200 teammates, strong Turkish coffee, and a whole lot of worship and learning.

Spring brought its own mix of joy and holy chaos. We led a week-long donor vision and learning trip in Spain—a beautiful time of watching people experience firsthand what God has been doing here throughout history. Laurie’s mom stayed with us for three sweet months, and Ryan and his partner, Sara Jane, made their first-ever trip to Spain! We also taught at the Europe Refugee Highway Partnership conference, leading sessions and connecting with those serving displaced peoples across the continent. And Billy kicked off the first of several pilgrimage retreats—this one extra special because he baptized one of his best friends in a river along the Portuguese route of the Camino de Santiago.

Our home stayed busy too. We welcomed two long-term guests—one ministry worker recovering from burnout, and another woman spending three months nearby as her daughter took vows in a local cloister. What a gift to walk alongside each of them. 

Summer took us across the ocean. First stop: Panama, where we led a two-week training for cross-cultural workers, pastors, and ministry leaders from 14 countries. From there, we went to Peru to visit the ministries we launched 18 years ago. It’s been 13 years since we stood on that soil, and our hearts were overflowing seeing old friends, witnessing the fruit, and realizing how much continues to thrive.

Fall didn’t slow down. Billy led two more pilgrimage groups, clocking almost 500 miles of hiking and spiritual formation this year. We then headed to Kenya to lead two significant training events—one for 16 Kenyan trainers, and another for 30 mission leaders from 9 tribes who are taking the Gospel into least-reached tribal areas of Kenya and East Africa. After that, we made a quick swing through the U.S.—Billy visited Miles, our granddaughter Lily, his mom, and his 99-year-old grandmother, while Laurie tackled meetings in Atlanta before rejoining him to teach and speak at missions events at Christ Church in College Station.

And through it all, our table stayed full at our home in Spain. Countless dinners, conversations, tears, laughter, prayers. Our home continues to be a place of peace for neighbors and friends—a quiet ministry all its own.

Looking ahead, 2026 is already filling up with training events, retreats, and a few new opportunities we’re prayerfully considering. And on a personal note… Laurie hits a “big birthday,” and we celebrate 40 years of marriage this June! A year of gratitude, celebration, and hope awaits.
​
Thank you for walking with us, praying for us, and investing in God’s work through us. We couldn’t do this without you. Your financial support and prayers have helped us to share the gift of training, care, and love with people like Faith, Jenaide, Micah, Isaac, Joseph, Nancy, Julius, Simon, Tim, Francisco, Haniele, John, Miguel, Emilio, Saul, Elva, Rocio, Darwin, Allan, Orbin, Milton, Elizabeth, Peter, Jack, Shelly, Lucy, Henry, Samuel, Sarah, Luciano, James, Wilfredo, Isaias, Pedro, Areli, Guy, Angelica, Hector, Yerri, Raisa, Yaribeth, Victoria, Nilhem, Keyri, Julia, Jazir, Sonyelli, Harry, Eyvar, Axel, Becky, Clarito, Jesus Enrique, Karla, Merychell, Bryan, Samueli, Esther, and many more! There could easily be hundreds more names here. Thank you for your generosity and love and for being a part of the mission to reach the least-reached, share Christ's love, and advance the Kingdom around the world.

A couple of years ago, as we were about to begin leading a two-week cross-cultural training for mission and ministry workers, I received a message. “Nancy is missing. We need to go find Nancy.” I thought, you have got to be kidding me! It had taken years for Nancy, Isaac, and Faith to secure visas and the opportunity to travel to the USA and take this training course. Visas from Kenya to the USA are not easy to procure, and many are turned away. Every year, we have several people who want to attend our training, but their visas are denied. And now, Nancy has gotten a visa and traveled to the USA only to get lost riding a Greyhound bus in Kentucky! Lord – help us find Nancy!
​
That was how my relationship with Nancy, Isaac, and Faith began. We did find Nancy at a bus station in Lexington, and the three young Kenyans participated and completed our training course with flying colors. Their presence was a gift to everyone in the room! They were already leaders in ministry and mission in Kenya and serving in different ways, but there was something about each of them that told us that they were destined for even more.

Last year, we went to Kenya to lead the cross-cultural training course there. This was an answer to so many things! We no longer had to fight the USA visa process to get people trained. We could train even more people because of the location and cost. And we had an international ministry partner in Kenya who could host and handle many of the details. We trained 45 pastors and mission workers last year, many of whom were equally as amazing in their leadership as Nancy, Isaac, and Faith. Several rose to the top as promising prospects for future training and leadership.

Fast forward to this year – 2025. Sixteen of those mission and ministry leaders came together in Kenya for a Train-the-Trainer course. We led them through a curriculum designed to prepare facilitators in adult learning theory and best practices in facilitation and training. We spent a week with them, working on theory and practicing skills. Nancy and Isaac and Faith were among them. We were seeing the ripple effect in action: We trained mission workers – they went out and practiced and put the training into action and gained experience – they then came back to become trainers so that they can continue the process with others.

After the Train-the-Trainer course was completed, we helped mentor and coach the new trainers as they led their first Kenyan cross-cultural mission training event. Thirty mission and ministry workers came to attend the training, representing nine different tribes. At least six different languages were spoken in the room. It was amazing! Watching our new trainers adapt and contextualize the curriculum so that it best fit the needs of this audience was a dream come true! This is what we need in missions today… not more North American curriculum being overlaid onto African or Latin American cultures, but we need indigenous trainers who can contextualize and make the concepts come alive and work for the culture in which they serve! I was in heaven watching this happen and hearing it taught in Swahili and Kikuyu and other tribal languages. This is how the Kingdom will advance to all tribes and all nations and all tongues. God’s people being equipped and mobilized to go out and equip and mobilize others.

Who are these people? Nancy is a wife and mother. Her husband, Julius, is also one of our new trainers. Together, they serve in the Samburu tribal areas, a formerly unreached people group who has been recently removed from the Unreached People Group list due to the efforts of people like Nancy and Julius and Simon and others.

Isaac is a young man with a huge passion for pastoring and church planting and missions. Isaac is pastoring a church plant in Kenya that now has hundreds of congregants. He sent me a message and photos yesterday of a training he was doing with his church leadership. New training skills are being put to use!

Faith is a single young mother. She is a lawyer by vocation, but her heart is missions. She uses her mission training to reach out to other young single women and to help them find their identity in Jesus. Faith became a powerful trainer in our group and is already planning to put on a full cross-cultural training event in December for other mission and ministry workers.

There are so many stories that I could tell you about this training. At the end of the event, one tribal leader came to me and asked, “When is the next training? I need to bring others to this.” When I explained that there would be other trainings and that the new trainers would be handling that, he was pleased. I told him that we would come back in a year to follow-up and help the trainers, and he said, “I am currently raising up 80 disciples in the Samburu. By next year, I will have 80 people ready for this training.”

Another elder came up and asked if his son could attend a training. His son is a young adult. He said, “I now see why our children are having so much conflict and trouble adapting to other tribes and areas of Kenya. Our children need to understand cross-cultural life. This training is the future for our children.”

Please praise God for all that He is doing in Kenya through the people that we have been working with! And please pray for continued growth and continued ripples for this training. This is generational transformation! Disciples, making disciple-makers, making disciples… and the Kingdom grows and the love spreads.  

We will be in College Station, Texas for a very quick weekend visit. We would LOVE to see you while we are there - Friday, Nov 14th-Sunday, Nov 16th.

Christ Church is having a Missions Emphasis Month in November, and we will be in town for their International Missions focus weekend. You are invited (please come!) to the various workshops, talks, and events that we will be doing over the weekend. As a special treat, we will be joined by Thomas and Karen Couch! You get to hear two CCW families at once!

Friday, November 14th at 6pm… we will be leading two workshops at Christ Church. Everyone is invited!

• “To the Ends of the Earth: Living Out Acts 1:8 as a Church” - Jesus told His followers in Acts 1:8 that they would be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. But what does that look like for us today? This workshop will help us explore how Acts 1:8 shapes our church’s mission strategy—both locally and globally. Together, we’ll discover how every believer can take part in God’s mission right here in our “Jerusalem” and far beyond to the nations.
• There will be a short break in between the workshops to enjoy coffee and visiting.
• “Important Global Trends in Mission: Third Spaces, Experiential Opportunities, and Migration” - The world is changing rapidly, and with it, the way we think about mission. In this workshop, we’ll explore three important global trends shaping how the Gospel is shared today: Third Spaces (mission in non-traditional places like coffee shops, soccer fields, and dinner tables), Experiential Opportunities (mission and discipleship through hands-on learning like short-term trips, cultural exchanges, and shared adventures), and Migration (the nations coming to our neighborhoods and cities). Together, we’ll discover how these trends open new doors for the church to join God’s mission—locally and globally.

All are welcome! Please come! Solid Grounds coffee shop at Christ Church starting at 6pm.

Saturday, November 15th - it is a Texas A&M Game Day and many are already busy, so we will have some individual meals and meetings and visit with people as time allows in their schedules.

Sunday, November 16th -

• We will be speaking at each of the four services at Christ Church. Services are at 8am, 9:30am, and two 11am services (contemporary service and blended service).
• There will also be a celebration luncheon after church at 12:30.
• On Sunday evening (time to be announced), we will be speaking to university students about global missions and ways to get engaged. We’ll be presenting several opportunities for short-term mission trips, internships, and more. This will be held at the coffee shop Solid Grounds at Christ Church. If you are a university student or you are connected to university students, please come and enjoy some great coffee, maybe a sweet treat, and some fun conversation about mission opportunities and ways to get involved around the world.

This summer, 35 cross-cultural workers from 14 nations gathered in Panama for two weeks of cross-cultural training called the HT and Alice Maclin Mission Training Institute. We were part of the 8-person facilitator team that led the training. Laurie is the Director of Training and Formation and is responsible for oversight of curriculum and all training events. Billy serves as a trainer, and also as a member care specialist, caring for cross-cultural workers and pastors in their emotional and spiritual needs. It was a powerful event. Cross-cultural workers and pastors came from barrios, villages, and cities, ages 15 to 65, all with the same heartbeat: to bring Jesus’ love to those who have never heard.

Most were only able to attend because of scholarships funded by a Bolick Foundation grant and by special gifts from friends like you. Truly—you helped make this possible! Many of you will remember our pastor in Spain—Miguel. Your gifts helped Miguel and his assistant pastor, John, to attend Maclin training by helping us help them with their travel costs. For the majority of this year’s trainees, a lack of funding is the biggest barrier to receiving the training and resources they need to carry out their work. Special scholarships and grants allow us to ease that burden so that cross-cultural training and equipping can happen.

One pastor from Kenya, now serving a diaspora church in Washington, said:
“We’ve been doing missions the wrong way. Now, I want to go back and train others. Me and my friends—we can change Washington State.”

Missions isn’t “the West to the rest” anymore. It’s “everywhere to everywhere”. God is sending people from every corner of the world. This training brought together people from Panama, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Mexico, Honduras, Brazil, Spain, Colombia, Kenya, USA, Congo, and Argentina to learn together. Their mission reach is huge! Several are working among unreached or least-reached people. Some are church planters. Some are children and youth ministry workers. Some own small businesses. Some are teachers. Several are actively in the process of launching to countries on the other side of the globe, while yet others have a call to reach their own communities and countries in deeper and more effective ways. Some feel led to Muslim communities or refugees in Europe; others to prisoners, street youth, or people with disabilities. A few sense God’s call to Spain, where over one million people still have little access to the Gospel. Did you know that there are officially 15 unreached people groups in Spain?!

We are excitedly watching this particular group of trainees! Already, in just the few short weeks since training ended, this group has been transforming their ministries. For example:

• Miguel and John have been teaching their congregation many of the lessons they learned in Panama. John said that this training clarified his calling and passion - to minister to immigrants in Spain and to walk alongside them in their transition to a new culture and new life.
• Saul, a young missionary from the Miskito indigenous people of Nicaragua, immediately took all of the training sessions and materials and began working with a friend to translate all of the information into the Miskito language so that they could teach and mobilize their people for missions.
• Brayan and a couple of other young missionaries went to the jungle in Peru after our training and began using what they had learned. They reported back that the training was transformative and changed how they did their mission work, as well as gave them tools to teach and go deeper with the community they were working in.
• Karla immediately took one of the teaching activities from training and used it to teach 45 leaders in her country of Costa Rica. She reported back to the group about the impact of the activity and can’t wait to use more of the training with others.

Thank you. Your prayers and gifts are multiplying in ways we can’t yet see (and in ways we are already seeing!) —rippling out from Panama to the nations. Ordinary people, carrying extraordinary hope, because you said yes to helping train and care for cross-cultural workers. You said yes to partnering with us in spreading the Gospel to the ends of the Earth. Acts 1:8

To read more about the Panama training, go to the TMS Global website and see the Stories & More tab. Empowered to Carry the Gospel Across Cultures, Even to the Least-Reached - TMS Global

To see the highlights video from training, go to Maclin 2025 in Panamá - Highlight on Vimeo

After several years away, we recently returned to Peru—the place that shaped so much of our family’s life. We weren’t sure how it would feel to walk those familiar streets again, or how we would be received after so much time had passed. What we found was a homecoming filled with warmth: neighbors who greeted us with open arms, old friends whose smiles hadn’t dimmed, and a sense of belonging that wrapped around us the moment we arrived. Peru welcomed us back not as visitors, but as family. It felt like home all over again. Homecoming is more than return; it’s rediscovery. We found thriving ministry. We found not just the place we had missed, but the people who make it feel like home.

“A home is not one place.
A home can be a place where you are born and brought up…
But in the end it is only one thing: the place where your heart is.
And you don't have to be there in your bodily self;
you can carry it with you in spirit wherever you go….
Like love.” 
- Mary Brown

After eighteen years of life lived across cultures and continents—from Costa Rica to Peru to Spain and all places in between—our hearts have become a mosaic of all those homes and people. Each place, each friendship, each neighborhood or village has woven itself into our sense of belonging and community. We’ve learned that home isn’t a fixed dot on a map, but a living network of people and memories carried within us, growing wherever we are together.

We took the 8-hour bus trip from Lima up to Huancayo, crossing over the 16,000 ft pass midway and praying we didn’t feel the effects of the altitude. Grace be to God, we faired well. As we got closer to our destination, nostalgia welled up. We began to see familiar scenes in the land. We could see the snowcapped Huaytapallana mountain and glacier looming in the distance, a scene that always signaled the home was not far now. Almost there. It was surreal to be back.

We rented a vehicle so we could travel out to the communities where we have so many friends and memories. On the first day, we headed across the Mantaro Valley and up the mountain to Tinyari. Years ago, when teachers in this small rural public school noticed the transformative effect that our other school programs were having in two other villages, they invited us to bring our program into their school. We led a school-day version of Kid's Club and bible classes for the entire K-6 school. The director and teachers gave us free reign for several hours of teaching and activities each week.

That work began 15 years ago, and it still continues today!!!!

We were thrilled beyond words to walk back into that little country school and be greeted by those exact same teachers. One of our Peruvian teammates (Rosio) continues to go to Tinyari every week and lead Kid's Club and bible classes. "She is always faithful and shows up for our students. She never leaves us or forgets us. We can always count on her to be here and love the children", said one of the teachers. Rosio has even expanded the work to include a Sunday "Escuela de Padres" (Parent's School) to teach bible lessons and have parenting conversations, bringing the whole family into the picture and helping build bridges of cooperation between families and the school. And she has recruited two other old friends into the ministry to work alongside her, too - Joshua and Rocio.

It was a wonderful start to our visit! We participated in Kid’s Club and being in the classrooms again with the children. We enjoyed talking with the teachers and catching up on time gone by. And we enjoyed a lunch of boiled potatoes, hardboiled eggs, and delicious aji salsa!

The next day sent us the opposite direction to the village of Cochas Chico to visit the Veli Family. This family is one of my all-time favorites! We met Pedro Veli and his wife, Paulina, soon after we moved to Perú in 2008. We wandered into this small village of artisans who specialized in traditional carved gourds. But Pedro was different. Pedro was a believer and he used his art to tell bible stories and share the Gospel.

Over the years, we spent lots of time with the Veli family. If you've ever been to our home, you've seen many, many examples of their artwork. Their gourds are everywhere, still telling bible stories and sharing the Gospel with everyone who sees them.

It was such a joy to be back with the Velis. Unfortunately, Paulina passed away a few months ago - a grief that still hangs heavy in the hearts of all who loved her. She would have loved that the family was all gathered, celebrating being together, making a traditional Pachamanca, sitting at the long table in her family home, laughing, telling stories, looking at photos, and carrying on the age-old traditions of good food and amazing hospitality.

We were humbled and blessed to be "welcomed home" again by Pedro and Wilfredo and Isaias and all of the Veli family. It felt like Thanksgiving. It felt like coming home.

On our final day, we again crossed the river valley and headed up to Patarcocha, the village where we lived and loved for years. This Quechua village high in the Andes was our home. In lots of ways, it still feels like a place where part of our heart is anchored. Life there was slower, more peaceful, more relational. We had the gift of time there. Time to be together while we tended goats or sheep or shucked corn or peeled potatoes. Time to gather around a giant embroidery frame and stitch and tell stories and laugh. Time to raise kids together, grow food together, cook together, and love our neighbors together. Time to sit and watch village life go by and talk for hours.

Going home to Patarcocha for a visit was such a gift.

Elva is still Elva. Still laughing. Still raising kids (and grandkids). Still feeding the village elderly and taking care of others. Still collecting animals and making them pets and then fussing because she has too many animals.

When we started the school program in Patarcocha, her youngest two were in our school. Harry was all boy - into everything, covered in dirt, always running and looking for adventure. He couldn't care less about anything we did at school. Cielo was one of the littlest ones in our school. But feisty! She was a fighter. Always had a lollipop (ChupaChup) in her mouth. A little bit sneaky. A lot of sassy! She wanted things her way and she let you know it. All of the kids in our program in the village had their own unique little personalities and we loved every bit of it.

Today, Harry is in his final two years of vet school. Cielo is starting her studies in nursing school. Some of our other students in town are also now grown and out in the world. One is in the police academy. One is in university studying psychology. Another is in engineering. I never would have dreamed that his sleepy little Quechua village and all of those tiny little kiddos in our program would be where they are today!

While we were in Patarcocha to visit, we got to slow down and spend the day at the pace of village life again. Long talks while sitting in the grass, watching the animals, laughing with the kids, telling stories and laughing till we cried. Of course, Elva and I were right back at it... joking and laughing and dreaming and planning to take over the world... or at least the village.
​
Our visit back to Peru was a gift. No single place claims the title of “home.” Instead, home is the love we encountered in Peru, the laughter of old neighbors, the bonds we strengthened and tended while there. That is what we carry forward. Love. Home.

In May, Billy led a group of five pilgrims along the Portuguese route of the Camino de Santiago, a journey rich in history, purpose, and spiritual renewal. Walking 151 kilometers over several days on the Variante Espiritual—the traditional route believed to follow the journey of the Apostle James’s remains to Santiago—the group experienced a profound time of reflection, growth, and connection.

The pilgrims included a retired couple, a former mission worker navigating a new season in the U.S., a cross-cultural worker in a season of transition of role and location, and a lifelong friend from Texas. Each person came with their own story, but all were drawn to the Camino as a place to slow down, seek God, and be renewed in purpose and faith.

Each day offered hours of walking—some in silence, others in deep one-on-one conversations. As *Dan, one of the pilgrims, shared: “The Camino experience provides safe spaces to contemplate and process. It’s these type conversations, which happen naturally along the way, that help us grow, both personally and spiritually.”

One unforgettable moment was Ron’s baptism in the Armenteira River. Though baptized as an infant, Ron chose this moment—on this sacred path—to publicly reaffirm his faith through full immersion. Billy was deeply honored to officiate this meaningful occasion.

The Camino continues to be a sacred space where faith is renewed, calling is clarified, and lives are transformed—step by step. Thank you for making this ministry possible.
 
Upcoming Camino spiritual retreats in 2025:
· Men’s Camino de Santiago - Ruta Frances in September. This is the culmination of a 4-year long trek (two weeks each Fall) by this group of men.
· A&M Methodist (College Station, Texas) church in October. They will walk the Camino Portuguese - Variante Espiritual.
 
Stay tuned for 2026 dates! Billy and Karen are finalizing the calendar now and will be posting news and dates soon.

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.
​
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.
​
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.

We are excited to share some wonderful updates and highlights from the past couple of months. Your unwavering support and prayers have been instrumental in making these achievements possible, and we are eager to give you a glimpse into the impact of the work being carried out.
 
Successful Trip to the Atlanta, GA and Wilmore, KY
We recently returned from a fruitful trip to the USA, where we had the privilege of leading 3 weeks of training sessions for cross-cultural workers and church mission leaders. This training was an enriching experience, allowing us to share valuable insights and strategies for effective cross-cultural ministry. The sessions were well-received, with participants expressing gratitude for the practical tools and encouragement provided. It was a joy to reconnect with familiar faces and establish new relationships, all while equipping fellow workers for their vital roles in global missions.
 
One training participant remarked, “This training was packed full of great information and tools from everything from scripture engagement to conflict. We were able to engage with the content in a variety of ways so it can sink in, which is always a plus when lots of information is coming your way at once.” Another commented, “It’s like getting a degree in cross cultural ministry - packed with knowledgeable, experienced ministering professionals who not only know their stuff, but also really care about people and the work.” 
 
 
Season of Writing and Publication
In addition to our travels, this season has been marked by a flurry of writing. Billy has been dedicated to authoring several articles aimed at publication, focusing on various aspects of cross-cultural work and care ministry. These articles delve into the challenges and triumphs of our journey, offering a candid look at the realities of worker burnout as well as care, rest, and sabbatical. We believe that sharing our experiences will not only inform and inspire but also foster a deeper understanding and support for cross-cultural workers among the broader mission community. Keep an eye out for these publications, as we hope they will be a source of encouragement and insight.
 
Engaging with Our Community and Neighbors
Closer to home, our commitment to community and neighbor engagement continues to be a cornerstone of our local ministry. We have been involved in numerous activities designed to build relationships and share the love of Christ in tangible ways. A highlight has been meals with neighbors, bringing together individuals from various backgrounds to share food and fellowship on our patio. These meals have become a melting pot of cultures and backgrounds and stories, fostering an atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding. It has been heartening to see relationships deepen and new friendships form around the dinner table. We are continually amazed at how a simple act of hospitality can open doors for meaningful connections and gospel conversations. Please continue to pray for hospitality ministry and table time with various neighbors who are seeking connection and deeper conversations.
 
We have also been actively participating in local music festivals and cultural events, seeking to immerse ourselves in the life of our community. These summer events have provided a great avenue to celebrate alongside our neighbors and share in the joy of building relationships around fun activities. By being present and engaged in these communal activities, we aim to break down barriers and build bridges of trust and friendship.
 
Looking Ahead
As we reflect on these past couple of months, we are filled with gratitude for the ways God is working in and through us. Your partnership in this work is invaluable, and we are deeply thankful for your prayers, encouragement, and support. Looking ahead, we are excited about the opportunities and challenges that lie before us. We remain committed to serving our community, sharing the gospel, and supporting cross-cultural workers around the world.
 
Please continue to pray for our ministry, especially for wisdom and strength as we navigate the complexities of cross-cultural engagement. Pray also for the seeds sown during our training sessions in the USA to bear fruit and for Billy’s written articles to touch hearts and minds.
 
Thank you for journeying with us in this mission in Spain and around the world. Together, we are making a difference for the kingdom of God.
 

It was a normal Monday, full of to-do lists and all that the beginning of a week holds. We were slowly working through our tasks when Billy received a call from our friend, Rodrigo. Rodrigo is a friend and CCW from Brazil, living in Germany. He runs a Christian non-profit/ministry (All4Aid) that specializes in working with displaced people. We met him as a result of our work with the mass refugee settlement camps in Greece back in 2016, and he has been on the leadership team for the Refugee Highway Partnership. Billy has also been on the leadership team for RHP over the years. We have partnered on several refugee initiatives. When the war broke out in Ukraine, Billy went to help Rodrigo with refugee evacuations (renovating housing for refugees, feeding programs, etc). They also went into Ukraine to make food drops and deliver supplies to churches and pastors who were staying behind to minister to their congregations who could not leave.
 
So, on this seemingly normal Monday, Rodrigo called to say that one of those churches had been caring for 18 orphans, but now needed to evacuate those children. They wanted to get them to the safe house that Billy had helped to renovate in 2022, but needed $10,000 to outfit the house for that many children and to physically provide for moving the kids. The kids needed to be moved as soon as possible, so the question was whether or not we could raise the money fast enough. If not, they would still be moved, but to a mass facility (not outfitted for children who are unaccompanied minors).
 
Billy and I said that we would check our ministry account and see how we could help. We immediately sat down and sent out a video to our donors to ask for help. We put it in the Lord’s hands and trusted that He would touch hearts. Then we went to bed. 
 
We woke up Tuesday morning and waited for the financial office to open in Atlanta so we could check our ministry account.
 
YOU DID IT!
YOU ARE AMAZING!!!
We cannot thank you enough! We went to bed praying that we would have enough donations to be able to help get the 18 orphans out of Ukraine and into a safe and loving home run by safe and trained Christian mission workers. When the finance manager woke up and we got the account information, we found out that YOU DID IT! Over night, while we slept, you did it! Together, we raised more than enough to get the children into a safe house in Romania.
 
We wired the money and our partner team is already working out the details. The children will be moving together to their new home soon.
 
Over the past couple of weeks, Rodrigo and his team have been using your donations to make necessary repairs and upgrades to the house that will soon be home to these children. Painting, plumbing repairs, new beds and bedding and flooring… lots of preparations! In the meantime, 3 of the children were given visas in conjunction with an NGO to evacuate to the USA. The remaining orphans are awaiting final paperwork so they can cross into Romania and into the care of All4Aid. As is typical with legal paperwork and visas, it has gone slower than anyone hoped. We will keep you updated as this progresses.
 
Over the years, we have never lacked for funds for a project or need. God is so good. And our partners (YOU) are so faithful. We feel like we are just the connector piece… we are on the ground and we share the needs with good people who really want to make a difference, they just need to know how. We are so grateful to share in this work with you and to be a part of something big that is Kingdom work. We just share the opportunities and we get to partner with God and with you… and the blessings just happen!
​
Thank You so much! This is truly amazing. We will continue to support and sustain these children and this mission effort in the coming months. Billy is in conversation with Rodrigo and we’ll make sure to continue this partnership and support. We love the work of All4Aid and are proud to be able to partner with them as they serve in the difficult places. Thank you so much for your love and your responsiveness to the need.