We’re ready … are you?!

Recently we announced our upcoming 4-year commitment to serve as missionaries to Honduras with World Gospel Outreach. It is our prayer to start our commitment SOON, and therefore we are aiming for Aug. 1 as our official move date. Upon arriving in Honduras we will spend a few months in language school, and then we will move to our permanent ministry home at Rancho Ebenezer, which is just outside of Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

Our initial missionary positions will be Serve Team Manager and Ranch Host, meaning our primary role will be to facilitate teams of short-term missionaries to serve at the Ranch and in the nearby villages. In addition, everyone at the Ranch works with the children and we expect to be actively used by God to help meet their day-to-day physical, emotional and spiritual needs.

If you have known us for a long time, you might know that our mission story started in 2014. That was the year we got married, and it was also the year that God put on our hearts to become foster parents. We became a licensed foster family in 2015 and in the years following more than 20 children shared our home. During those years we adopted two children through foster care and welcomed two children by birth. When we started the journey to become foster parents we did not expect to be called to serve overseas, however, we can now look back and see that God has been preparing us all along for this new calling. Most importantly, God has surrounded us with a village of supportive encouragers. Some of you have been part of our lives for decades, and some of you are new to our circle of friends … but all of you have been an important part in building our faith and increasing our confidence. We are confident and willing to attempt bold things for God’s glory because of His power and greatness and because of people like you who are willing to stand beside us along the way!

With our acceptance to WGO, we are now in the support-raising stage. We are ready to GO and we’re now at the point where we humbly ask, Are you ready to help SEND us?

There are many ways you can send/support us and ultimately we know God is going to provide for all of our needs. The biggest way to support us is through your prayers. We especially request prayer for our children who will be joining us in Honduras (Bryeten, Chance and Mac) and for our daughter Yese who is staying in the States to continue college. Another way to support us is to share with your church, family or friends about WGO and/or host a gathering of friends to allow us the opportunity to share about the ministry. And lastly, financial support through a recurring monthly donation or any other financial gift would be an incredible blessing. Contributions can be made online at wgoreach.org/nelson or mailed to World Gospel Outreach, Preference Nelson Family, PMB 250, 6068 US Highway 98, Suite 1, Hattiesburg, MS 39402.

If you have any questions about our needs or if you would like to know more about coming to Rancho Ebenezer to serve and see the ministry first-hand, please email us at Steve.Nelson@wgomission.org or Kris.Nelson@wgomission.org.

From the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU for your past and future love and support!

With Love,
Steve and Kris

We said yes!

 A few weeks ago, Steve, Bryeten, Chance, Mac and I went to Honduras to visit Rancho Ebenezer, a children’s services community outside of the capital city, Tegucigalpa. It was an incredible trip and we were warmly welcomed by the existing team of World Gospel Outreach and the children who live at the Ranch. Below are some of the pictures from the week… As you can see, Honduras has no shortage of beautiful views in addition to the warm and friendly people!

This exploratory trip helped us see clearly that our family ministry is supposed to expand to Honduras. God has opened every door and window! 😃 Unbelievably, we can look back at our lives and see how every experience, opportunity and relationship has enabled us to develop gifts and talents that God intends to use for His work and glory there. We are excited about how we will be able to contribute to the ministry and also about the opportunities that life at the Ranch will offer us (there's a Christ-centered, bilingual K-6 school on the Ranch that our children will attend and have I mentioned the incredible weather and great hiking?!) I will write more soon about what we will be doing in ministry there, but hint, hint... we'll be inviting you to come! We are thrilled that our boys will be able to be active participants in the ministry, as well. 

So where are we in the process? Well, during our psychological assessment feedback session last week we were told that we are approved as candidates for ministry (they essentially told us that we're just crazy enough, but also sane enough for ministry, haha). This week we officially accepted WGO’s invitation to join the team for a minimum of four years serving at Rancho Ebenezer. There is still a final background check, but we expect to soon be starting our support-raising process. We are believing fully that God wants us in Honduras ASAP … so we trust that He is going to continue to amaze us completely and equip us with an incredible prayer and support team to stand behind us. More on this soon. 💛

Our souls are alive with hope and trust in God and eager anticipation for beginning our ministry in Honduras very soon. 

Thank you for reading this update! If you want to connect with us for more details, please email us at ktsn.gal@gmail.com.

With love,
Kris, Steve and the boys

Hiking around the Ranch :)

Making new friends at lunchtime!

Some of the family-style houses at Rancho Ebenezer

View while traveling up the mountain to the Ranch

The wonderful Glenda who cared for the boys while Steve and I had interviews and meetings.

Beautiful Skarleth who was one of several teenage girls who pretty much adopted our family for the week. They were all so sweet to the kids. In the background is Rancho Ebenezer, the K-6 school on property. 

Another view from one of the higher points of the Ranch property. The big house in the center is Casa Grande which serves as lodging for short-term mission teams that come to do work at the Ranch and in nearby villages. No teams since COVID really (but we plan to be part of changing that!)

Deep in conversation with one of our table buds, Elmer. 

We enjoyed a game night with Ben and Leah, who have been serving at the Ranch for 5 years and have been immeasurably used by God to impact the lives of all the kids at the Ranch. They are incredible! 

Anytime is a good time for some fútbol! (There is an actual field, and a concrete pad used for playing as well)

This Farmer's Market went on forever! Fresh produce is available literally everywhere in the city and in the villages near the Ranch. 

Olman and Bryeten :) - the start of a wonderful friendship! 

We ended the week with a couple of tourist days in Tegucigalpa and were blessed to be able to meet the president of WGO and his wife and spend time with some of the missionaries who serve with the WGO evangelism/medical outreach programs in Tegucigalpa. Amazing programs and incredible people! 

Quick update

Hello friends! I hope everyone is well and surviving this extended cold snap (a.ka. the borderline winter apocalypse for us Florida folks). 🥶❄️☃️

Some things are in the works and we hope to be able to share soon about the next steps for our family, mission wise :) We are planning to send out a monthly update via email once things really get going. If you would like to receive our emails, please send an email with your email address to ktsn.gal@gmail.com. 

Love to you all! And a picture, because, well, they are pretty cute! 😍

January Update!

Hi all! Since just before Christmas we have had quite a bit going on in our journey toward launching our new mission. As most of you know, we recently made the decision to sell our house in Panama City and move back to Pensacola so that our shared "hometown" will be our permanent base. 

We made the move at the end of December and we're very much enjoying being back in Pensacola! Our daughter, Yese, 18, is staying in Panama City where she is studying at Haney Technical. We would appreciate especially for all of you to pray for Yese - for her success in school, health, happiness, and faith. Friends in Panama City - we would very much appreciate you checking in on her. You have always been our village in raising our kids and we continue to be very thankful! :) 

Right now we are in the early stages of interviewing with an organization (World Gospel Outreach) that seeks to meet the tangible needs of and to share the gospel with children and the poor in Honduras and Belize. We are considering/being considered for a missionary assignment at their family-based children’s community for displaced children, located about an hour from the capital of Honduras. We are very excited about the possibility of serving here! Again, we are in the early stages, but please join with us in prayer that if this is where God wants us to serve, He will make it abundantly clear as we continue the interviewing process. 

We anticipate possibly serving in Honduras for 4-6 years (with a few weeks each year on leave in the States).  While we are waiting for the official decision and timeline of when our commitment will start, we are enjoying lots of time with our Pensacola area family and friends and making plans for some fun trips and experiences in the coming months. 

We are so blessed to have our beautiful children and wonderful family and friends! Thank you for sharing our journey with us!  

Faith Like a Child

Sorry this post is so late. It took place on Nov. 23 & 24, 2022.

Over Thanksgiving week my boss challenged me to stop five times a day for three minutes to meditate on God in silence. I failed miserably. It's crazy how easy it is to fill time with pointless activities and not focus on eternal moments. I did have two great experiences that I want to share. 

On the 23rd, I was sitting at the table trying to focus on God and all three boys were running around screaming and playing (not very silent). I asked Bryeten (7) to sit down with me. I told him we are going to sit quietly for three minutes and focus on God. The alarm went off three minutes later and Bryeten and I opened our eyes. I asked Bryeten if he thought the three minutes was difficult. He said it was easy. That shocked me. Then I asked Bryeten what he was thinking about for the three minutes. His answer was simple. Bryeten said he was thinking about how God is Joy and Love. As a father I could not be more proud. 

During my meditation, I was thanking God for my children and the joy they bring. God told me the joy I have for my children does not compare to the joy He has for me when I spend time with Him praying, reading, etc.

On the 24th, I started a three minute meditation on God. I paused it at 1:18 left because Chance (4 at the time) was asking me questions. I asked Chance to sit with me for the remainder of time in silence and focus on God. He got in a chair next to me, closed his eyes, and stayed silent until the alarm went off. I asked Chance what he was thinking about during the silence. He said he was thinking about how much he loves God. This blew my mind. I was so proud. I asked him if he heard anything from God. Chance said God told him, "I love you too!" I had tears in my eyes. 

During my meditation, the boys were arguing about which television show to watch. Neither show had really any value other than entertainment. This made me start thinking how often I spend time in things that won't matter in the Kingdom of God. How often do I argue with God or choose against God my wants and desires over His will?

But Jesus called them to him, saying, "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it."

Luke 18: 16-17

God loves you!

-Steve

Rejoice in His ways

Sometimes I think we (people in general) fail to do the work God wants us to do because we are waiting for Him to get more specific about what He wants us to do. As in, we want him to spell it out for us, step by step. 

I honestly have no idea if God is "calling" us specifically to Honduras. Perhaps we'll get an answer on that soon. But what I do know for sure is that He has called us to trust Him and to be willing to put aside any illusions of control we think we have over our lives. 

Even though I have no idea what the next year will actually look like for us, I can say with confidence that I know it's going to work out for good - for us and for others. Why? Because God has been so faithful to us in the past! 

His ways may be mysterious at times, but they are better than our ways. 

Years ago when Steven and I felt called to become foster parents, the required, pre-licensure Quality Parenting Training classes were good, but in no way a substitute for actual parenting experience. We went in totally green but despite our lack of parenting skills or experience, God was able to use our willingness for His purposes. Foster care and adoption was how our family began, and it has been a constant reminder of God's presence and His goodness. Yes, it was messy. Yes, it was hard. But it was worth it and we would do it all over again. 

Tonight I was fortunate to be able to watch The Chosen's Christmas special in theater with some dear friends. I loved every bit of the 2-hour production, especially the testimonial stories from numerous musicians and the powerful historical lessons that illustrate the significance of the Christmas story for the world, both then and now. (If you didn't know, The Chosen is a crowd-funded show that depicts the life of Jesus as experienced by the disciples. It's incredibly well done, so if you haven't already watched it, do yourself a favor and go watch it now!)

The production also included a moving portrayal of the night Jesus was born, as told through his mother and father's experience. Being a mother myself, I of course can relate to some of what Mary experienced that night, but when I stop to truly think about what happened, it completely overwhelms me. Before she gave birth to the Savior in such an unlikely place  — in a stable, surrounded by animals, far from home — Mary trusted God completely and was willing to do what He asked her to do. She rejoiced in His ways, and is recorded in the book of Luke with these words, “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior ... (Luke 1:47 NIV)

I am relatively confident that Steve and I will never be asked by God to do anything nearly as important or difficult as what Mary and Joseph were called to do. Becoming a missionary family and taking an assignment in Honduras (or somewhere) doesn't seem to be at that level, but it is a step of faith and an act of obedience. And I am not naïve enough to believe it will be easy. :) 

In her song, Mary continued... "for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me — holy is his name." (v 48)

I don't know about you, but I read that as if it's written about me/us, too. How incredible that God is mindful of us and He wants to accomplish His work THROUGH us. It's so exciting to think of it that way, to know that our part of God's story matters to Him and even to the world. 

God, through His Son Jesus, came into the world as a helpless baby with one purpose - to save His beloved people. God's redemption is for everyone. 

People need to know this. They need to feel it deep in their souls. One day, I will know that our efforts will have mattered if we can look back and say we trusted God and allowed Him to work through us to share His love. 

Let me close by sharing this song that I heard for the first time tonight. Don't forget to get up and praise the Lord, friends. He is so good. ~Kris

  

Exciting things are under way!

Over the past few years I have come to know - really KNOW - that God’s plans are so much better than mine! After all, it was His plan for me to meet and marry my amazing husband Steven. It was His plan for us to become foster parents, to become the adoptive parents of two awesome kids and to have two amazing kids by the miracle of birth. Our story could end there and it would still be an amazing testimony of God's greatness. 

But God’s plan for is still being written and it isn’t going to end with us settling into a comfortable life. God calls us to more than that and the reason we are starting this blog is to glorify Him.

Some of you know this wasn't a great year for me/us (in some respects). Losing my Dad to dementia was so hard. I also lost my precious Granddaddy (my mom's dad). Both of them taught me so much about life and helped to shape my faith. They both, as well as my mom (who died unexpectedly in 2008), lived life to the fullest.

As He always does, God allowed me to experience joy, hope and gratitude even in the midst of seeing my Dad and Grandfather in their weakest time. God brought beauty to each situation. His love and mercy were so clearly and undeniably present.

Jesus said that He came so that we could have life and have it to the full (John 10:10). I can think of no better way to glorify God and honor my Dad, Mom and Granddaddy than for Steven and I to be obedient to God's calling in our lives and to give glory to God by sharing the story as it unfolds.

~Kris