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Working in the Waiting, and other adventures

suzannabartos

Usually, December means less meetings and more down time for us as churches and individuals alike lean into the Christmas season. However, God (once again) had other plans for us! Two churches in two different States invited us to come share our ministry vision with them, Suz got an invitation to teach a workshop about MKs, and we were able to reconnect with some friends and pray about potential support partnership.



Though this wasn't the restful time we hoped for, we always try to make it fun along the way! For our son Asher who LOVES trucks and vehicles, this was a big trip! First, we took a "pit stop" at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, complete with a bus tour around the track.


Hot Wheels ready to go at the Brickyard
Hot Wheels ready to go at the Brickyard

Then, we were able to go to the Caterpillar Visitors Center in Peoria


One happy "Trucks and Vehicles" Boy!
One happy "Trucks and Vehicles" Boy!
Tyler Reddick fan forever?
Tyler Reddick fan forever?

We learned about Peru's important role in the history of Chocolate



And we visited a dinosaur museum!



Our whirlwind Midwest Christmas tour came unceremoniously to an end with illness, but it was that time at home afterward that gave us the rest we so craved.

During this time we also decided along with our pastors to shift our sights to August for language school. Although it was a disappointment to have to push our timeline back yet again, we were also relieved to take the pressure off as we wait to hear back about more potential support. Approaching the end of January, we've been excited to welcome several new financial and prayer partners, and soon the numbers will officially reflect this jump in support. We feel confident that we will be fully funded by summertime, and will be able to move to Texas at the end of July to settle in at the Rio Grande Bible Institute. God's timing is perfect, even if it feels like a roller coaster at times. We'll leave you with this story about something special God did during our travels:


 

A well-worn black pickup truck with belongings piled in the back sat on the side of the road.


Standing beside it was woman with tears streaming down her face, hands folded together and pleading for someone, anyone, to stop. There was at least one man with her. That morning, we took the opportunity to detour on a stretch of historic Route 66. With the whole family in tow, we knew we were limited in how much we could help. Feeling a familiar tug to push our excuses aside, Asa pulled over a bit ahead of them. Behind us was another car that had also just stopped. Having grown up as a missionary kid, Suz had learned to be wary of apparent desperate need on the side of the road. She was hesitant, but with another car already trying to help, Asa decided to proceed cautiously to investigate. A minute later he ran back to our car. “Suz, their English isn’t very good but they do speak Spanish, can you come help?”


Leaving the kids in the van with a movie, we returned together, where another couple had also stopped to try and help. As soon as Suz asked in Spanish what was going on, the woman again started weeping again, hugging Suz and repeating in Spanish, “My angel, my angel!” Their words flowed freely in their mother tongue. They told us how they had a flat tire, how the car jack somehow ended up in the grasses below, and that they didn’t have any money or extra tires. They had a friend nearby who owned a car shop a few miles away, but they didn’t have cell service to reach him. They had been standing by the side of the road for over an hour, and no one stopped to help. The sky began to darken, and desperation and fear took hold. "I thought, this is it!" She said through the tears. "We are going to die here on this road. And then you stopped!"


Soon a police officer joined us and offered to call someone who could come with a jack and tires. The couple said they were grateful for the offer, but wouldn't be able to afford new tires without their friend's help. Earlier that morning, a friend had given us a generous cash gift for Christmas, so it was easy to share some with them. Moved by their story, the other man that stopped also handed them a gift. “It’s too much, we could never pay you back!” They said to us. “It’s a gift from God,” Suz replied. “He gave us this money and sent us to help you today.” We encouraged them to find a good bible-teaching church. The wife responded that they love going to church but usually end up staying home. She doesn’t know how to read and feels ashamed in church surrounded by people reading together.


A few weeks and a handful of phone calls later, we were able to connect them with a church we knew of in their area where we knew they would hear the Gospel presented clearly and experience the warm fellowship of a vibrant body of Spanish-speaking believers.  


The end of this story isn’t written yet, but we continue praying for this couple to find the comfort, hope, and freedom found only in Jesus. Will you join us?


For us, pre-field ministry has been an intense season of anxious anticipation. Yet we’ve often remembered these wise words from seasoned teammates: “Don’t forget the ‘ministry’ part of pre-field ministry.” For every follower of Christ, whatever season we find ourselves in, God has work and blessings for us if only we pay attention.

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