2026: THE Year

We planned on returning to Peru as quickly as possible—five years tops! We were anxious to be home and to get to the work to which God has called us. God had different plans!

Very quickly, God helped us realize that we needed to live and invest in the journey and not focus solely on the destination. We decided to do that, trusting that God would bring us back to Peru at the right time. Over the past thirteen years, we welcomed our four children as gracious gifts. We made friends that have become family. We found a new home in Grand Rapids. And, as they do, things also took some unexpected turns (e.g., we never imagined that I would pursue a PhD).

As we look back, we see more of what God was doing. He grew us in unexpected (and sometimes undesired) ways. He gave us not only educational training but invaluable life experience: parenting, dealing with conflict, managing finances, working with people very different from us, saying goodbye to friends and family, moving (twice!) without any idea how we would make ends meet or even where we would live, and much more. God made us (and continues to make us) into the people we needed to be for a life of vocational ministry.

In 2026, we finally return to Peru. We both leave home and return home. We both begin the labor—vocational ministry, training leaders and supporting church plants—and continue the labor—faithfully living as Christian people in every circumstance.

Nonetheless, in 2026, in an important sense, we arrive at the culmination of thirteen years of hard work.

We plan on moving to Peru in July. I’m so excited to begin serving with Centros Teológicos Bautistas (CTB) as the Director of Academics and OT Professor. This seminary meets a crucial need in Latin America, where most pastors have no formal training, by providing high-level theological education. Last year, CTB served 550 students and not just in Peru, but in 20 countries! I can’t wait to take part in what God is doing through this seminary.

For this to happen, we need to hit 100% of our monthly budget goal. We are off to a good start, having raised 57%! We aim to raise the final 43% by June.

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Family Update

We greatly enjoyed our last Christmas and New Years with family in the US. We feasted on Peruvian food, played, laughed, and cried a bit together. Thank you, God, for family!

We are beginning to think through what we will bring to Peru, what we will sell, and what we will give away. The kids identified toys they can do without. Adriana has started contacting moving companies, as we will likely ship things we cannot easily acquire in Peru (mostly books and kitchen items).

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Ph.D. Progress Tracker

Dissertation

• January 5–20: Finished the final revisions of my defense draft
• January 21: Printed my defense draft (400 pages…1600 total sheets of paper!)

• January 23: I will turn in the defense draft in person accompanied by a host of PhD students
• March 20: Dissertation defense (Two Old Testament scholars and one New Testament scholar will ask me questions about my dissertation for 2 hours. I will explain and defend my work. All current PhD students and faculty will be present in the room. I’m told it’s likely I’ll pass. I hope that is true! I’m both nervous and excited for this day!)

Comprehensive Exams

• 31 of 37 book reviews done
• March 19: Oral comprehensive exam (1.5 hours of questioning by my advisor and another OT scholar).

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Ministry Partner Tracker

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Please Pray

• That God would open doors as we seek to finish raising our monthly budget goal by June.
• That God would give us energy and wisdom as we manage the details of an international move.
• That we would find joy in our final 6-7 months in the US.

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