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First steps towards long-term missions

Dear friends,

It's been too long since my last update. Here's an attempt to sum up the last two years in a nutshell!

MY LONG-TERM MISSIONS GOAL
I've been shaping and confirming this goal for the last few years. Essentially, within the next several years, I would like to be involved in church planting as a long-term missionary to an unreached people group, potentially in an urban setting, working as an English as a Second/Foreign Language teacher.

WHAT I'M DOING NOW
In the last year, I completed my MA in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages). I believe that holding this degree makes me more eligible for teaching positions in universities worldwide. Recently, I started teaching in the ESL program of a state university in California and have even had the chance to invite students to my international student ministry's weekly Talk Time night.

WHAT MIGHT BE NEXT
An amazing missions training opportunity came to my attention a few months ago. When I first read the listing, I could hardly believe how much it sounded like me. The description and the timing were so remarkable that it really seems that God put this opportunity in my path. Here is the listing:
Would you like to spend a year training and serving World Mission at All Souls? We're offering an exciting programme at our city centre London church with opportunities that may include:
  • Leading a short term 'Wet Foot' mission trip overseas.
  • Establishing new evangelistical daytime English classes, with follow on evangelistic Bible Studies, to reach out immigrants and refugees in the parish.
  • Helping to lead one of the churches regular world mission prayer groups.
  • Researching and writing articles on the worldwide church and world mission for the church magazine and website
  • Helping to run world mission events at All Souls
  • Making short video clips about world mission
  • An insight into the world mission strategy and operations of an exciting worldwide church
The position is self funding, but a grant of up to £6,000 and fundraising support is available. All Souls would welcome applications from both the UK and overseas and can sponspor visas where necessary. This post is available annually on a rolling basis starting in September each year.
All Souls is a well-known church in London where the author and theologian John Stott was once the rector, as well as the church in which the Christianity Explored course was developed. The world missions apprenticeship would include mentoring, formal Bible training one day a week, and hands-on experience the rest of the week. If I were to get it, I would view this as my first step towards my long-term missions goal.

I’m excited about this potential opportunity and would appreciate your prayers that the selection committee would have good discernment about whether I am the right person for the position. For me, please pray that I would not be holding onto the idea of this opportunity with a clenched fist but rather an open hand, trusting that God will allow what is best.

HEALTH UPDATE
Everything seems to be good with my thyroid, praise God! My medication dosage has been stable and lab tests have been normal for over a year.

Thank you for your continued prayers!

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