Wednesday, July 01, 2009

Partner Profile: Joe and Laura Rule


Joe and Laura are extraordinary people. Let me explain. From the first time we met them we've known that they are caring, encouraging, and welcoming people. I guess you could say, we just clicked. They are a young couple, we are too. Lindsey and Laura grew up in the same church.

While meeting them, they shared about their involvement in many different areas of ministry even as a newly married couple. They've helped to build homes as volunteers for Habitat for Humanity on weekends when not at work. They serve at their church helping to lead the missions efforts locally and globally.

They welcomed us into their Sunday School class to share about our ministry. We enjoyed getting to know everyone there, learning how they are already involved in missions, and sharing even more ways they could get involved.

While meeting with them the first time, Joe zeroed in on one of the biggest struggles missionaries face in preparing to leave for the mission field...how to provide for yourself while raising support to leave for the field. Most missionaries face the dilemma: do I continue to work full-time which will provide for my family and delay our departure by reducing the amount of time to focus on support raising or do I work part-time or resign altogether which reduces the amount of money to live on but also potentially reduces the time required to raise support by enabling you to focus on it full-time. Thanks Joe and Laura for helping us in our pre-field journey so that we can continue stay focused full-time on support raising/partnership development and get to the field sooner.

People like Joe and Laura humble us. We don't deserve their support and encouragement. But it is evident that Christ worked in their hearts to have a passion for what Christ is doing in and through Lindsey and I. Joe and Laura's commitment to us through their friendship, prayers, support, willingness to help us connect to their church, and leadership in many other areas encourages us and motivates us to continue serving faithfully as God uses us both in the United States and abroad once we arrive in Uruguay.

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