So what’s the big deal about our upcoming deadline, anyway? Why did we need to be at 50% of our monthly funding by mid-June? What are we doing at this training in July anyway? Read on to find out!

An action shot from New Missionary Orientation in March

One thing we love about ABWE is how well they prepare their missionaries during pre-field. They are very strategic in helping missionaries get to the field in a timely manner. That means that along the way, there are required trainings that we have to attend… but in order to attend those trainings, we have to have reached certain support levels.

ABWE headquarters in Harrisburg, PA

Allen and I needed to fly back to PA this July to attend a training called Good Soil. This training is only two days long, on a Saturday and Sunday. Luckily, it coincides with the Missionary Enrichment Conference (also required, since we are formally appointed by ABWE on Monday night at the conference), which lasts Monday through Thursday.

This is our cohort from New Missionary Orientation in March with some of the trainers.

Additionally, once a year, only in July, ABWE offers a required week of training called EMC – Essential Missions Components. In order to attend EMC,  you must have obtained 50% of your monthly funding and completed several assignments. EMC is the Monday through Friday of the week after the Missionary Enrichment Conference.

Did you follow that? We need to attend these trainings/events in July:

• Good Soil Training
• Missionary Enrichment Conference
• Essential Missions Components

When we heard about all these consecutive required dates, we both thought, “If we have to fly back to PA for Good Soil training and the ME Conference, we may as well try and stay for EMC, too!” So we made that our (very aggressive) goal.

Super awkward… and super excited!

The Lord has really blessed our efforts in reaching this goal. Our assignments are nearing completion and our finances are coming in. We can’t wait to attend the training and then update y’all with what we’ve learned!