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Dear Friends and Family,
For the past two years the Lord has been working in our lives, preparing us for the transition from pastoring in Herreid to mission work in Brazil. The next step comes this month. In the middle of November Brandon will step down as pastor of Herreid Baptist Church, and we will move to Aurora, Missouri.
Please note our new mailing address:
1003 Baretta Ct.
Aurora, MO 65605
A few months ago a fellow missionary used the term “missionary homeless” in their newsletter. We have since noticed how this term speaks so much truth to the transition that we are heading into. Pray for us as we enter the stage where a lot of faith is needed as we trust that God will take care of our financial and physical needs. To be more specific, please pray that we can reach 50% of our support goal by the end of this year. We had desired to be at 50% by November, so we would have steady financial income once we moved, but we are currently at 35% as we write this newsletter. We have been in contact with dozens of NAB churches in the Midwest and are praying that God will work in them to partner with us in Brazil. We are anxious to go to Porto Alegre and start the work that God has for us there.
We are so thankful that since our last newsletter God has brought us more supporters, some of whom have only met our family for a few minutes and others who have never met our family face to face. We’d like to reintroduce our family and share what God has been up to in our lives this year.
This past August, Brandon and Marci celebrated 14 years of marriage. We have grown even closer this year as we pray together and have learned how to navigate the wins and losses of fundraising. Brandon has been a great caregiver to Marci as she has struggled with a few health issues this year. Both of us have learned how to be a present encouragement to each other, and God has allowed us to be each other’s sounding board and prayer warriors through doubts and fears. Please pray that our marriage will remain strong.
Daniel turned 13 this year and is in 8th grade. He loves playing the baritone sax in band. He is also in his 6th year of piano lessons. We recently had parent-teacher conferences and were delighted to hear the positive ways his teachers talked about him. More than one teacher expressed how much they will miss Daniel and how he sets the tone for the classroom. They talked about what a respectful and smart kid he is and how he really stands out. We are so proud of him and are thankful for his soft heart. Please pray for Daniel as teenage years are hard, and he is dealing with lots of changes and emotions. Pray that God will provide him good friends when we move.
Monica turned 10 this year and is in 5th grade. She has always been a quiet spirit in groups and around strangers, but this year she has really found her voice. She is a friend to all and a peacemaker among her classmates. She has enjoyed learning to play the alto sax in band and this is her 2nd year learning to play the guitar. The news of moving has been hard on her. Herreid is the only home she has known, and she has been with the same classmates since Kindergarten. They are her best friends. Pray that she transitions well and that she will make good friends when we move.
Olivia will turn 8 next month and is in 2nd grade. She is full of love and is outgoing and friendly. Her teacher talked about how she just makes everyone laugh daily because she is full of stories and fun. She is the least anxious about the transitions ahead for us and is ready for the adventure. Pray that she will keep her willing spirit and make friends after we move.
One reminder that was given to us this year was from Dan Hamil, the executive director of the NAB Conference, who said: “If Jesus was to return today, two things would be true: millions of people would not have heard the gospel and millions of dollars in American’s savings and retirement accounts would have been a waste.” Would you pray about investing in eternity? If you have been following our journey and have not yet joined our financial support team, will you pray about joining us? God is giving you an opportunity to join Him in spreading the gospel in Southern Brazil; will you take it?
Thank you to those who have partnered with us this past year. We look forward to continuing our partnership next year.
Joyfully,
Brandon and Marci Jones