Soooo...what's next?

Well, the big news first...WE PASSED!! We just finished a week and a half technical evaluation with Mission Aviation Fellowship (more on our trip here and here). Basically, as a couple we were evaluated personally, spiritually, and psychologically, and then Marcos was evaluated technically as a maintenance specialist. At the end of all of that, the candidate committee extended an invitation to us to join their ministry! We really feel that God has opened this door and is leading us through it so we are following in faith as He guides us. 

Marcos' job would be an airplane mechanic somewhere overseas to help keep the planes running so that they can be used to provide medical flights, transportation for missionaries and more. To find out more about MAF and their ministry go here. 

We are really excited about joining MAF at this particular time after hearing some of the board member's hearts. MAF is trying to change the culture of their ministry from support members who back up the "real" missionaries to more of a culture of "living on mission". In other words, rather than a mechanic, a pilot, and a missionary, they want to see everyone involved in the ministry as a missionary. Marcos will be a mechanic but he will also be a missionary. I will still be a stay-at-home mom, but I will also be a missionary. This is so in line with our thinking and especially the training we've received over the last 3 years at our church where we've been challenged to live on mission and find ways to incorporate disciple-making into the everyday rhythms of our life. We are excited to be a part of this change in the organization and we feel this is what God has been preparing us for. 

So, what does this mean for our life? Well, the next step will be in January when we return to MAF headquarters. We will go through two weeks of "candidacy" at the end of which we will be made official MAF staff and given a country assignment. Then two more weeks of training in how to raise financial support. After that month of training, we will be sent out to fundraise. MAF's goal is to have us leave for language school in about 12-14 months after joining. So, tentatively we are shooting to go to language school sometime early in 2016. Language school would be a year long and then we would head out to our actual field assignment where we will be for the remainder of our four-year term. 

Yeah...HUGE life changes in the works at the Souza house!! We have tons of decisions to make about logistical stuff like when to sell our house, where to live for the rest of our time here, possibly a vehicle purchase, etc. 

So ways you can be praying for us are: 

• Continued guidance and clarity from the Lord as He leads us down the path of the unknown
• Wisdom as we make logistical and financial decisions
• For the Lord to raise up ministry partners for us (both prayer and financial)
• For boldness and courage to combat the fears that creep up in our hearts

We would so appreciate your prayers!

Also, we will be putting together a mailing list in the near future to send out prayer letters, updates, etc. so if you'd like to be on that please let me know! 

Blessings,

We're Home!

After 16 days of travel and staying in four different locations, we are finally home! Just wanted to update about the second half of our trip and of course the RESULTS!! 

So for the rest of the first week we were there, Marcos basically went to work for a typical "work day", but was being evaluated on everything he did during the day. The kids and I were free to do whatever, which mostly consisted of Elias playing in the sand box with "my kids" (the other missionary's kids). So here are some pics to catch up.

Checking out the hangar with dad...

On Friday morning, I took the kids to a play place and Elias told me "I like going on dates with you mommy!" <3

Saturday was Marcos' birthday but he had a ton of studying to do. So one of the other mom's and I took the kids to a nature park along the Boise river in downtown Boise. It was super fun!

Later, some of our new friends helped us celebrate with ice cream :)

Seriously, how cute is this?

We were supposed to fly home on Wednesday, but our flight got cancelled (no, not due to Ebola) because of a maintenance issue with the plane. So, we stayed the night in a hotel and flew home the next day. This is on the shuttle from the airport to the hotel...one of Elias' favorite parts of the trip ;)

We finally got back to DFW late Thursday night and crashed at my parent's house. We then drove back to Oklahoma on Friday...but not home. We stayed the weekend at a cabin with our missional family (small group from church). It was a fun, relaxing weekend!

So, after all of that...we made it home!! So, what's next? Since this is already super long, I'll be right back with the results of our eval and our tentative "what's next" plan.

Here we go!

Early Saturday morning, as we boarded a plane at DFW airport, it felt like we were finally beginning a journey that has been growing in our hearts for years. For the next 10 days, we will be being evaluated by Mission Aviation Fellowship for service as overseas missionaries. Marcos is applying to be a maintenance specialist with MAF. Although it has been quite a journey already to get to this point, it feels like we are finally "really doing it" as we've said so many times over the past few days. It has been amazing to see God work in our lives to bring us to this point and for both of us to know without a doubt that this is where He has led us. We have no idea what the outcome of these next two weeks will be, but we are taking it one step at a time as God reveals His path for our lives. 
We could almost feel the prayers being said for us on Saturday, when we navigated 3 airports and nearly five hours on two different flights with our two littles without any major upsets or meltdowns. Apparently we have the world's best flying babies. :) 

The apartment we are staying in is very comfortable and it has a playground area literally RIGHT outside the front door so Elias has enjoyed that tremendously. 

We arrived Saturday afternoon and after getting unpacked and getting groceries, we shared dessert with some of the other missionary families staying in the apartments in an impromptu picnic. It was great to have some fellowship with other families as soon as we got here! Elias has already made friends with all the other little kids running around. He has experienced a bit of homesickness for the first time and has said every night at bedtime, "I want to go home to OUR home." Poor buddy. He also has no concept of travel and that after getting off of the airplane we weren't still close to Nanny and Papa's. He kept saying we needed to go get our car from Papa's house. ;)
Sunday we spent resting from our long day of traveling and Marcos spent most of the day cramming in some last-minute studying for his tests. 
Marcos and I met with the candidate committee Monday morning for our first interview which seemed to go well. Marcos then went out to the hangar after lunch to begin the written portion of his tests. He completed two tests and is working on a third "take-home" research test. We won't know how he's doing at all until his debriefing next Tuesday. We will have our final meeting with the committee next Tuesday afternoon and will get a decision at that time as to whether MAF wants to bring us on board. Needless to say, nerves are high for him right now. We are doing our psychological assessment and evaluations today. We just finished a nearly 600 question test for them to discover that we're crazy...I don't know why they didn't just ask us ;) Thanks to everyone for praying for the logistics of leaving the kids with babysitters for our various appointments. So far they have done great and I have been able to pump and leave plenty of breastmilk. 

Ways you can be praying for us right now are:
- Mental focus and recall for Marcos as he is evaluated technically
- Clarity and guidance from the Lord for us as we make these big decisions after receiving the yes or no next week

- Physical endurance and health as the nights are late and the mornings are early and as we all start to feel the effects of travel and stress

- Safe travel home next week

Thank you for partnering with us in prayer!

Blessings,