Update: Joy in the Midst of Frustrations

My heart has been bittersweet the past few days after two dear friends went to spend eternity with Jesus, over the weekend.  I rejoice in knowing they are free from the physical and emotional pains of this world, yet I miss them deeply...as I know their family members do, as well.  Last night, though, my focus was turned toward our trip to the Congo, as I shared with a group of women from our church about our trip.

I awoke this morning, with excitement because I was going to have another opportunity to share at our women's Bible study group and would later go get my last remaining shot that is needed in order to go to the DRC.  The enemy loves to bring frustration and despair any time we are following God and He has certainly been at work in this journey.  Amid this morning's anticipation of sharing about our mission, I received an email from the National Passport Center stating, " In order to continue processing your request, please submit the following:  
·         Your certified marriage certificate from a previous marriage or a certified court order to show how you acquired the name Tolliver Guinn, Debbie as shown on your marriage certificate."

WHAT???  My previous marriage was dissolved over 17 years ago. The last time I remember seeing that marriage certificate was when I was asked to hand it to the judge the day my divorce was final.  I didn't need it to get my original passport in 2010. Why would I need it now to change my name after marrying, this summer?  And why am I just now getting this notice when our passports should be getting here this week???

As you might imagine, I had these and many other questions racing through my mind like a freight train storming through town, during the middle of the night.  Then, God stopped me, reminding me that He ordained this trip and He will work all things out for it to take place. He also reminded me that I was heading out to share our mission with a group of praying women and I now had a very specific request to share with them. What great timing!!!

As I shared with the women this morning, I did share this immediate need...the need to have this issue resolved and that I might find favor with the passport agent when they return my call...which they have not done, as of this writing.

While I was at the church, I received additional forms some of you had sent (most with checks), indicating you wanted to join our support team.  Once I returned home, Mike and I sat side by side, making note of the names on those forms.  As we did, a flood of emotions swept over me...love, peace, humbleness, assurance, thankfulness, joy, and more.  I really don't know how to put into words how it felt knowing that so many of you listened as God spoke to your hearts and obeyed in such big ways. When we felt God stirring our hearts to accept this mission, we knew time was short for raising the financial funds (among other things) but we knew that God could and would provide.  We began sending out letters exactly 10 days ago and God has provided over half of our support...through your obedience.  We cannot thank you enough and we stand in awe of what He is doing through you!!

So, while the enemy would like to discourage us with the glitch in my passport renewal, God reminded us in a huge way this morning that He called us to this mission, He is in charge, and He will work through this and in this. If He can raise the amount of money He has in 10 days, He can certainly take care of getting our passports and visas here in the limited time available!

One other bit of news:  The health department was hesitant to give me my yellow fever shot--required by the DRC--due to medication I take for MS.  However, I received the okay by my MS doctor to have the shot and will get it this afternoon.  God trumps the enemy again!!

Please pray for the passport issue to be resolved quickly. I have ordered a copy of the requested marriage certificate and my dad will pick it up and express mail it to me, tomorrow.  Pray they complete the passport process quickly once they receive the certificate (Friday) and we receive it next week.  Pray the visa process goes quickly so we receive them in time to leave, between March 22-24, as planned.  Pray for the rest of the financial need to come in. Pray we keep our focus on God, not on circumstances. Pray we stand against the enemies attacks on us personally!

Thank you again and again for your prayers and financial support.

The Opportunity, Needs, and How You Can Join Our Team

Life has been exciting for us, since we married, in August. We settled into our house and have enjoyed making it a home. Mike turned his garage into a workshop and has spent many hours shoveling snow, this winter. He continues to serve in the community, wherever he sees the need.  Debbie taught a women’s Bible study at church, teaching the study she wrote and published, “Joy in the Furnace”. She continues to enjoy her passion of teaching children, sharing Jesus with as many as 25 preschoolers, every Friday morning.

God has now provided us with the most incredible opportunity, since being married. He is calling us to go to Kinshasa, DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo), where some of Debbie’s good friends, David and Sandy Francis live.  We will join a team from MAF’s (Mission Aviation Fellowship) headquarters, in Idaho, for their annual Family Conference ministering to the families, who have committed their lives to serve in the DRC...the country which has been deemed the hardest place in the world in which to live. 

The theme of this year’s conference is Joy in the Furnace. Yes, that is the name of the study Debbie wrote and part of what drew us into this mission adventure.  Debbie will be teaching the missionary children…revising her study to an age appropriate level for them.  The burden God is placing on her heart is to help these children learn, even at an early age, that they can find joy, no matter how hard life is. She will also speak at a couple of Bible studies, prior to the conference…one for the MAF wives and another one which consists of the pilots/mechanics and their wives.

Mike’s role will be that of a servant.  Mike has a humble servant’s heart and is always willing to do whatever needs done. He plans do some handy-man work on the missionary homes and the airplane hangar. In addition, he will probably wash a lot of dishes, during the conference.

In order to make this trip possible, we need a team of ministry partners.  First, and foremost, is our need for prayer partners.  As with any endeavor in life, we dare not take one more step unless we are in the center of God’s will. Prayer support is the most important thing we need so that we continue to follow God and hear only His voice.

A trip of this magnitude cannot take place without the financial support of friends and family.  We have a financial need of $5,250, with $4,500 needed no later than February 28^th and the rest due by March 20^th.  This covers all of our costs (passports, visas, shots, transportation, housing, food, transportation and other miscellaneous expenses). 

To join our prayer team, please email us at debbie@joyinthefurnace.com. Financial gifts can be made by check, payable to “Clearview Community Church”, and mailed to Clearview Community Church, PO Box 1336, Buena Vista, CO 81211.  Please include a note, indicating your check is for Mike and Debbie Martinez' mission trip. This will ensure your donation will be credited to our account.  You may also designate the check for “Martinez - DRC”. All financial gifts are tax deductible.

Thank you for partnering with us on this new adventure. We are ecstatic and can hardly wait to see what God has in store, as we walk through the preparatory process, as well as our actual time in Kinshasa. You can follow our journey as we prepare to go, as we are in Kinshasa, as well as thoughts once we return, here on our blog. We will try to update it as often as we can.

Giving Him All the Glory, 

Mike and Debbie

Passports Application Process Completed

After a slight delay to get a correct copy of Mike's birth certificate, our passport application process is complete.  Debbie had to renew her passport, due to her name change (from Guinn to Martinez) and Mike had to apply for his first ever passport. Please pray for speedy processing of these applications and that we receive them by the end of the month so that we will have ample time to get our visas for the DRC.

Next up on the agenda is sending out those support letters.  Then the excitement begins as God begins to bring people--you--on board as part of our team, joining this mission through prayer and financial support.

Mike and Debbie

Heading to Africa

You just never know what God is going to ask us to do next. Well, He's calling us to go to Africa...Kinshasa, DRC. Watch for a post coming up soon with more details.

For now, you can pray that we get everything done we need to do and all of our support raised in the short time we have between now and the upcoming deadlines.  We leave the last week of March.

We received Mi'ke's birth certificate today. Tomorrow, we'll send off our Passport applications. Thursday, we go get our shots...way too many of them.