On Monday, July 10th of this year, our family of six arrived to Guatemala to serve as full-time missionaries here at Hope of Life.  We are so thankful and very excited for this incredible opportunity, and we pray that the story God is writing in our lives will encourage you on your journey!

God began to work in our hearts over five years ago, when we sensed Him calling us to surrender our careers and our lives to support the work of international missions. This was not an easy calling—we faced many challenges and seemingly impossible obstacles. One thing we have learned as a family is that with God, ALL things are possible.

In April of 2015, we left our home, family and friends, church, and everything we knew to move to Lynchburg, Virginia where Jonathan attended Liberty University to become an aviation mechanic. Jon had been a pilot for commercial airlines at Chautauqua Airlines for several years when God called us to be willing to use aviation for the purpose of ministry. We believed God would be calling us to fly in remote places where having mechanical skills would be essential so adding the mechanic side to his aviation skills would be necessary for Jon. While at Liberty University, we explored many different ministries in need of a pilot/mechanics. We were also praying for God to use my nursing skills and my career wherever He would be taking us. Jon graduated from Liberty in May of 2016, but we were still unsure of what organization we would be serving with. While waiting on an opportunity with a Bible translation agency, I had the privilege to bring our oldest daughter, Chloe to Hope of Life on a medical trip in August of last year. It was on this trip, one year ago, that God opened my eyes to the incredible ministry here at Hope of Life.

During that week, I was blessed to meet Carlos Vargas. He asked me to tell him our story. I shared with him that we had been preparing to serve as full-time missionaries, using aviation and nursing, and we were seeking God for guidance and direction. Carlos told me that night about praying for a helicopter and a pilot, and that the ministry was also in need of more nurses. He had been praying for aviation to assist with the most difficult baby rescues high in the mountains. Aviation is needed to help with medical evacuations, as well as to help with the transportation needs of the rapidly growing ministry. It would not only benefit Hope of Life but also the surrounding areas of Guatemala where there is need for aviation support. I knew in my heart then that God was at work in a mighty way, and that something amazing was beginning!

After I returned back to Virginia, the next week, as the Lord would have His timing, Carlos and Cheryl were in Lynchburg. Jon and I were able to meet with them, and they could hear our hearts. We spoke about the future needs at Hope of Life, and they asked us to come back and serve with them for two weeks.  So, in a few short days, we returned to Guatemala for 14 days to see and experience why a helicopter was necessary and how God could use our whole family here.

The past ten months were busy and full of preparation to move to Guatemala. We saw God fulfill miracle after miracle to provide every single thing we needed in order to make it possible that we made it here this summer. We are very humbled and thankful to all those who have prayed with us and supported us so we could be obedient to the call God has placed on our lives. God is at work here in Guatemala, and we are blessed to be here to support the ministry with aviation, mechanical skills, nursing, and a love for children. Our hearts desire is that we may show the love of Jesus to the beautiful people of Guatemala. Our children, Chloe, 14, Luke, 13, Jack, 10, and Madisyn, 4, are so happy to serving here. You can find us in the maintenance shop working on the fleet of vehicles here at the ministry, or at the hospital sharing love and hope with children, or working a medical clinic in a rural village, or just being a family enjoying living in Casa 12 up at the Village of Transformation. We are enjoying spending time with all the children here, playing soccer, and laughing with them as they help us learn Spanish!

All glory to God for all he has done! May we be good and faithful servants, and may Jesus be gloried here in Guatemala.