April 2023

Hello friends!

So much has happened this month, which I guess has been the case for the past several months! This time preparing to leave for England has been such a whirlwind and I feel like every month brings another crazy adventure.

In my last email, I mentioned the possibility of a change of plans for my location, and it has now been officially confirmed. I will unfortunately not be going to Hoylake for the next two years. The transition was harder than I thought, the unknowns and drawing my focus from support raising has been difficult. Praise God that more things are starting to fall into place, which I am so excited to share with you, but I definitely have some things to work through as well.

Easter!!

What a beautiful time this Easter season is. I have had the privilege of partaking in a Passover meal with my church and it was so amazing. Getting to experience a little bit of the meal Jesus shared with His disciples was such a perfect space to reflect on what took place between them and the coming crucifixion. My heart was so full getting to share this meal with such great friends and experiencing tradition.

For Good Friday, my church did a breathtaking service where it was set up as an art museum with each stage leading up to the crucifixion and shortly after. There was a piece of art at each stage that really brought to life the gravity of what Jesus has done. The pain He had endured and the betrayal from the very people He served and loved. As I walked through I was so speechless and my heart was so heavy.

This photo is just one of the pieces of art that portrayed the women mourning the death of the Messiah. It was so different from reading or being told what Jesus had endured, but as we walked through we listened to an audio of the readings with noises that would have been heard in those settings. To hear the crowds shouting, the mourning, the mocking, and even the nails being driven into the cross was brutal. The Messiah endured all of this, the King of Kings, our Savior was shamed and executed by the very people He came to save. Jesus died for us, to save us, and it doesn’t stop there. Death never gets the last word, it is defeated and come Sunday we will celebrate the resurrection and hope for the Kingdom to come.

Placement

Where I will be placed has been in the works for a little over a month and the wait is finally over! I have officially been placed with…….. Stockwell Baptist Church in Southern London!!!

I have met with the two pastors, Nathan and Yannick, who were amazing. I will be honest, after our first meeting I thought it was too good to be true. It was crazy how all the things I have been praying for in a church just fit so well with them. I am going to be talking more with them throughout the next five months, and they are working to get me connected with women in the church who will be supporting me in this journey! I will keep you all updated with more information on who they are and what my role will be within their church.

Support raising

Since my new placement is in the heart of London, the cost of living is much higher. The goal this month was supposed to be 60%, but I have dropped down to 31% with the increase in budget. I am working with Nathan and Yannick to figure out what a realistic budget would look like, but right now it is looking like I will have to raise $4,100 a month. This is almost $400 more than the original, and I have been struggling to find new supporters, so I will be dedicating most of my time to trying to reach 60%. With that being said I will need around $900 in monthly support to get around 55% but I have so much faith that God’s will will be done. God has done amazing things and I will continue to submit to Him.

If anyone would like to become a monthly supporter I would love to share this experience with you over a coffee or Facetime if you are farther away. There is an online donation link in the right-hand column of this page. If there is anyone you might think would want to be a supporter, I would love to get in contact with them.

I will also be sending out prayer cards that can serve as a reminder to continue to pray for England and my mission.

Thank you all for your love and support! God’s kingdom is so glorious and I am so thankful to get to share in this journey with you!

In Christ,

Grace Schmidt