Prayers & Praises

Praises:

· Refugee Highway Partnership Confer-

ence: We are so grateful for the incredible con-
versations, new partnerships, and Kingdom con-
nections that came out of this time. God moved
in powerful ways, and we saw firsthand how
small moments can lead to big impact.

· Ryan’s First Visit to Spain: We were

overjoyed to have our son, Ryan, visit us in I have a confession: every time I sit down to write this newsletter, I panic. I
Spain for the first time! It was such a gift to freeze, I procrastinate, and then I beg Billy for help. He rattles off a dozen
share our life and ministry with him, and we are things I could write about, and I systematically eliminate most of them.
so thankful for the time together. “That’s not interesting,” I think. “That won’t make sense to anyone.” And
then, inevitably, I end up here again, staring at the blank page, trying to
Prayers: piece together what this season has looked like.

· For the Refugee Ministry Leader Staying The truth is, there hasn’t been one big, dramatic moment. No headline-
in Our Guest Apartment: Pray for healing, worthy event. Instead, this season has been full of small, seemingly ordi-
rest, and renewal during this extended care and nary connections—introducing people, sharing ideas, walking alongside
recovery time. We ask for God’s deep restora-
tion over this season.
someone in a hard season. And at first, I thought, “Is that really worth writ-
ing about?” But then I realized: these small connections are everything.
· For Billy’s Upcoming Travel: Billy will They are the Kingdom in action.
be traveling soon to help care for his mom. Pray
for safe travels, strength, and wisdom as he sup- Conference Connections
ports her.
A couple of weeks ago, we attended the Refugee Highway Partnership con-
· For Laurie as She Holds Down the Fort: ference. Billy was on the Planning, Prayer, and Care teams, offering sup-
With Billy away for three weeks, Laurie will be port to mission workers and humanitarian aid staff who serve refugees. Af-
managing everything solo. Pray for energy,
peace, and all the extra grace she’ll need during
ter one of those conversations, a ministry leader approached him and said,
this time. “We have a worker who really needs deeper care. Can you help?” Now, that
person is staying in our guest ministry apartment for an extended care and
· For Billy’s Camino Spiritual Retreat recovery plan with Billy’s support. Keeping ministry workers healthy keeps
Group in May: Pray for spiritual renewal, them in the field. And when they stay in the field, the whole Kingdom ben-
meaningful connections, and clarity for each efits.
participant as they walk this sacred journey.
I taught a session on Multicultural Gospel Perspective, helping people see
· For Our TMS Global Team: We are navi- how different cultures interpret Scripture through their own worldviews. To
gating a season of mediation and restructuring my surprise, it was standing-room only. Afterward, people came up to tell
after a difficult period. Pray for wisdom, unity, me that the session completely changed the way they understood sharing
and God’s guidance as we seek the best path
forward.
the Gospel. One person realized why their Bible studies weren’t connecting.
Another saw why their approach wasn’t working. Those moments of clari-
ty? They change lives. They change ministries. That’s Kingdom impact.
Continued on page 2...
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At that same conference, we met with leaders, built relationships, and introduced
people to new opportunities. One leader is now partnering with TMS Global. A
refugee ministry worker I connected with is attending our two-week cross-cultural
training in Panama. Our local Spanish pastor, Miguel, who we always bring to this
conference, had yet another transformational experience.

The Power of One Conversation

Every year, Miguel learns more about cross-cultural ministry. This time, he met
leaders from Muslim backgrounds who now lead thriving refugee ministries. He
served communion alongside a pastor from North Africa who was once a Muslim
and now shepherds a church for Arabic-speaking refugees in Spain. Those mo-
ments deeply impacted Miguel.

When he returned home, he stood in front of his church—a congregation made up

of about 75-80% immigrants—and did something bold. He asked the Spanish
members to pray over and bless the immigrant members, acknowledging how
much courage it takes to start over in a new country. And then,
something unexpected happened.

A woman from Central America stood up to share her story. She

spoke of the grief, the struggle, the five years it took before Spain
finally felt like home. And then she started naming names—
Spaniards in the congregation who had helped her. The man who
picked her up for church. The woman who provided clothes for her
family. The man who always made sure she received a box from the
food pantry. The person who helped with legal documents. The one
who brought her a set of purple towels, a simple yet beautiful gift
that made her feel seen and loved. By the end, Miguel and many
others were in tears. The sermon never happened that day. The testi-
mony WAS the message.

The Ripple Effect

Miguel has changed over the years, and that change is reshaping his
church, his prison ministry, his sports outreach, and our city. And it
all started with small, seemingly ordinary connections—a hand-
shake, a conversation, an invitation to a conference.

When I look back at these last few weeks, I realize that what felt like
a season of small moments was actually a season of Kingdom-
building. Just the few connections I mentioned here have rippled out
to Greece, Germany, Cyprus, Morocco, Somalia, Sudan, the Nether-
lands, Spain, Nicaragua, Brazil, Panama, Romania, Ukraine, and be-
yond. That’s an incredible return on four days at a conference.

So, the next time I sit down to write and think, “Is this really worth
sharing?” I’ll remind myself: yes. Because the Kingdom of God is
built one small connection at a time.

Right: 200+ cross-cultural workers, pastors, and

Christian aid workers met for the Refugee Highway
Partnership Europe meetings in March. These workers
are serving in refugee camps, churches, and communi-
ties to welcome displaced people and share the love of
Christ will all who find themselves in need of hope.
Please respect the safety and security of those in this
photo by not reposting or sharing outside of our group.
 Current Events
The current state of politics and news coming out of the United States affects us deeply here in Spain. To remain silent or ignore its
impact would be, in a sense, complicit. While we do not wish to engage in partisan debate or take sides, it is important for us to share
how these events influence our lives and ministry abroad.

To be fully honest, we often do not know what to believe. Having lived outside the U.S. for 17 years, we have seen firsthand how
different news outlets around the world present events through their own lenses. The news in the U.S. is not the same as what we see
here in Spain or across Europe. Online articles often contradict each other, and what we hear from people on the ground or see on
television can be entirely different from what is reported elsewhere. Social media algorithms, driven by location, reading habits, and
networks, shape the content we consume, making it nearly impossible to trust platforms like Facebook or Instagram as accurate
sources of information. We hear wildly different opinions from both sides of the political spectrum, leaving us wondering if people
are even living in the same reality.

As Americans living in Europe, we are frequently confronted with questions, assumptions, and even accusations about the state of
our home country. Some people are angry about what they see happening in the U.S., and that anger gets directed at us simply be-
cause we are the face of America standing in front of them. Others are deeply confused and look to us for answers we do not have.
Some laugh and dismiss America as a nation in chaos, comparing it to a child throwing a tantrum. Others express genuine fear, ask-
ing why the American public cannot recognize warning signs they themselves have lived through—dictatorships in Spain, the trau-
ma of Hitler’s regime, or Soviet control in Eastern Europe. Their concerns are not hypothetical; they are rooted in painful, lived ex-
periences.

In these moments, all we can do is listen. We do not have the answers. We cannot explain the complexities of a nation divided. But
we can empathize, show compassion, and seek to understand their past and their fears for the future. Still, we don’t know how to fix
it.

Beyond conversations, the ripple effects of U.S. politics are tangible in our work. We have missionary friends facing visa loss and
deportation in retaliation for American policies. European colleagues are canceling work and travel plans to the U.S. out of fear.
American friends ask us what it takes to leave the country and live abroad for a season. Donors are losing money and cutting back on
support, directly impacting missions and workers worldwide. Ministries reliant on aid now face funding cuts that threaten their very
survival. In some cases, these cuts mean the difference between life and death, and when aid disappears, American workers are often
blamed, creating dangerous situations.

We do not have the answers, but we do want you to understand how global politics affect ministry workers and the people we serve.
Please pray for all cross-cultural workers navigating these challenges. Pray for wisdom, courage, and open hearts as we listen to and
walk alongside our international friends. The interconnectedness of our world means that political decisions made in one place have
profound consequences everywhere. May we all seek to be voices of hope and love in the midst of uncertainty.

What’s Ahead for the Rest of 2025!

The next several months are packed with exciting opportunities to serve, train, and care for ministry workers around the world!

· April: Billy will be in Texas helping his sister care for their mother while continuing his ministry remotely—leading care ap-
pointments, teaching burnout workshops, and developing the Pathways spiritual formation retreats. Meanwhile, both of our min-
istry care apartments will be at full capacity through June, hosting people in need of rest, counseling, and coaching and offering a
welcome place to land for a season.
· May: Billy will guide a group along the Camino de Santiago (Portuguese Route) for two weeks of spiritual formation and
retreat—a time of deep reflection and renewal.
· June—July: We’re heading to Panama to lead a cross-cultural training for 70 pastors and mission workers from around the
world! This bilingual training (Spanish & English) will equip leaders from the USA, Panama, Brazil, Nicaragua, Turkey, Ka-
zakhstan, Zimbabwe, Spain, and more.
· July: Peru, here we come! We are thrilled to return, reconnect with old friends, and see how God continues to work through the
ministries and leaders we left behind. It will be a joy to visit our village and witness firsthand the Gospel’s impact.
· September—October: Billy will lead two back-to-back Camino de Santiago treks, guiding groups through a two-week jour-
ney of spiritual formation, discipleship, and retreat.
· End of October: We’re off to Kenya to lead a train-the-trainer event for 15-20 cross-cultural workers, pastors, and ministry
leaders. This initiative builds on our 2024 training, equipping local leaders to extend this training to even more communities in
culturally relevant ways.

We’re grateful for your prayers and support as we continue walking alongside those in ministry, offering care, training, and encour-
agement worldwide!
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