One December night several months before coronavirus, murder hornets and riots or protests. I was driving home with Eli in his car seat behind me and Caitlin beside me when she got a text from some of our closest friends. They asked if we had time for a call. Now usually when I get a text like this, I’m worried. Maybe it’s the “be prepared for the worst” side in me or maybe I’ve just had too many bad conversations start with those words. But not this time. No, this time I was ecstatic. I was literally beaming from ear to ear as I drove down the dark winding road that led to home. This meant our friends had finally found out where they would serve overseas. These friends of ours have had a similar, albeit very much their own (with its fair share of difficulty), journey towards missionary aviation. We both graduated from Calvary Bible College, we both have spent time with S.O.A.R., and we both joined Ethnos360 Aviation. They were only about a year ahead of us in this process. I remember being so excited when we were finally inside and could call to hear that they would be sent to Papua New Guinea. We were so excited and maybe a little disappointed. Being that with what field doctors have communicated with Ethnos360 Aviation leadership we will most likely not be sent there (Lord knows).
I tell you this story because that seems to be one of the few things we haven’t been all that worried will be effected by coronavirus. It’s been one of the biggest things we are looking forward to this year: to find out where we will get to use the gifts, abilities, and training we have worked for years to attain. We hope to finally be able to tell the people who have made all of this possible through prayer and finances “This is where you are sending us!” And to think we hope to find out in six months!
We finished with Ethnos360’s Missionary Training Center in May after over a month of sad goodbyes as the people that were strangers only a few months before slowly left to be with family and continue classes through video calls online. This summer will be spent with family friends and supporters as much as we can while still trying to stay safe and abide by local regulations regarding coronavirus. Then comes August. We will get to move into our final stage of training at Ethnos360 Aviation’s headquarters in McNeal, Arizona. We can hardly contain our excitement. To say God has blessed us so far is an understatement.
You can be praying in the following ways.
- That we are still able to find ways to grow our partners in ministry.
- That we would have safety and wisdom as we do a fair amount of travel given that there is a nationwide pandemic.
- That God would even now be giving wisdom to leadership in McNeal about where we (and all the other trainees) will serve overseas.
Praise God with us in the following ways
- We own a minivan now! The Lord provided an opportunity for us to purchase and fix one up for a good price. We're so thankful for the extra space.
- The opportunity to spend time with friends and family (responsibly) during these summer months.
- Our training continuing to move forward - the Lord is preparing us each and every day through formal training and through our friends and family.
In Christ,
Lance, Caitlin, & Eli Rensberger
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