September News

The Winters Family

Serving at ICS Caracas

So far….

We have been adjusting day by day to our new lives in Caracas. It is a huge adjustment with Jessica at work, Annaliese in school, and all the changes that a new culture and country bring. One of our biggest difficulties has been figuring out all the logistics of exchanging currency and little by little making our house a functioning place that feels like home. With that said we have been blessed so much by God who has continually provided for us in the midst of every trying circumstance that we face. We quickly found a church here and our pastors and their families have been such a blessing with helping us in our adjustment. One of the hardest things for me is the constant need to work on Spanish. I work with a wonderful staff and faculty which is made up of several key people that mainly speak Spanish. Sometimes I get so worn out from all the work my brain does trying to understand.

Isabella and Annaliese are adjusting well after initially having a rough time. Bella says that she is happy and they come home tired and dirty every day since they get to play so long with their friends at school. Please pray that we continue to improve the mosquito situation. They have really been burdensome so far.

Our Church

Confraternidad Cristiana Internacional is our new church home here in Caracas. Having been blessed so greatly with a wonderful church family at SIBC, during our years in Seoul, we were eager to find a body of believers here. CCI is a Spanish-speaking church founded by two American missionary families(World Venture), the Engels and the Berkeys, who have both served in Venezuela for nearly 20 years. From the beginning, these families have been such a blessing to us as we settle in. The Engels have adopted our girls as surrogate grandparents.

The church has been renting a suite in an office building in the area of Caracas named La Trinidad. Just recently, however, they were informed that as of November, the rent would be more than triple what they have been paying for the last 4 years. The church will need to find a new place to meet in less than four short weeks. Please join us in praying for the Lord's guidance and provision. We would also appreciate your prayers for our pastors, David Berkey and Rocky Engel as they seek the Lord and make decisions for this church family.

Please Pray:

• That Jessica is able to get comfortable driving a manual transmission before Chris leaves for a conference in December.
  
• That Chris is able to learn Spanish fluently because he desperately needs to by the end of this year.
  
• For our students and that our school would be a light in Caracas. Please pray that we continue what was started at our secondary retreat!
  
• For God's guidance and favor as we enroll new students throughout the year.
  

That our church would find a new home and that God would guide us as we explore new ways to minister in this body.

Updates!

Please check out our revisions of the projected needs for living expenses in our new positions. After speaking with our director in Caracas we realized that we were projecting low and having the wrong perspective in our support raising efforts.

We are thankful that we have received some pledges as move closer to the goal of $1000.00 a month. If you are interested in supporting our ministry please email us with a pledge after prayerful consideration. This will help us as we make plans and continue in support raising efforts. Thank you so much!

Chris



For Financial Contributions, please make checks payable to: Network of International Christian Schools, 3790 Goodman Rd E Southaven, MS 38672Phone: 800-887-6427(NICS) Please write our project number 001638 on the check.**Please do not write our names anywhere on the check.**

or, visit www.nics.org and make an online donation. We are still currently listed under missionaries in Seoul but will be switched to Caracas this summer.

Mission Support Prospective

Chris and Jessica Winters

Mission Organization:

Network of International Christian Schools – NICS http://www.nics.org/

International Christian School Caracas - http://icscaracas.com/index.php

School Profile:

ICS Caracas is an International Christian School. I am so impressed with the way the teachers and administration at this school is working to educate students, present the gospel of Christ, and disciple students by giving them opportunities to make connections between faith in Christ and their daily lives. The school is small with an enrollment of 87 students representing around 20 countries around the world. I was amazed that a school in Latin America would actually have a strong representation of Korean students. The close knit community and excellent student to teacher ratio are a great setting for discipleship and ministry. The school is held accountable by the standards of NICS and is actively supported by local churches in Caracas. In fact, a Korean Church in Caracas recently donated $40,000 to assist ICS in providing long-term visas and transportation assistance to ICS faculty. I would encourage you to watch this short video to get a better idea of what ICS is all about http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avsITmxMq5A . The entire faculty in encouraged to be involved in local church attendance and ministry. The school director is currently serving as interim pastor and asking us to pray for the leadership of the one international (English) church in Caracas. We are prayerfully considering supporting that ministry while also becoming involved with a local Spanish church.

Calling:

Since this past summer I have felt God's calling to move into more administrative and leadership opportunities. I began developing a vision for taking a bigger role in helping students to connect their faith with what they are doing in their daily lives. I was also drawn over the course of my graduate studies to taking a bigger role in professional and spiritual development of teachers. When I was approached by administrators at Yongsan International School about pursuing junior administrative opportunities within the school I initially thought that may be God's direction. I soon found out that would just be the beginning of what God was doing in changing my heart.

I was called to overseas missions back in 2000 when I led a group of 20 college students from Eugene, OR to serve on a 3 week trip with Food for the Hungry. Jessica had already been called to missions in college but I did not feel that calling prior to this experience. We began looking for opportunities to serve and eventually began service with NICS in 2004. We were comforted that our service in Seoul did not include having to raise support.

As we were exploring God's direction with the leadership of NICS it wasn't long before they brought up opportunities to serve in Caracas. My initial response was that the position and location were not ideal. I had many fears about taking my family to any country in Latin America. In addition I had always liked the idea of receiving a salary that would support my family without the need of any additional support. After saying I was not interested I had absolutely no peace and ended up expressing a change of heart the next morning. As things developed this process repeated as circumstances changed and I was offered a new opportunity with the same school. Ultimately the director of the school asked me to come in and teach a small 2^nd grade class and begin service with part-time administrative responsibilities. In addition they offered Jessica a position in which she chose to teach pre-school in a class that will include our 3 year old daughter.

I made a commitment during college that serves as confirmation for me as we follow God's calling in our lives. The example of Christ in ministry and service which Henri Nouwen points out in the book In The Name of Jesus has always been influential to me. In our professional lives the world presents a vision of a spiraling ascension to bigger organizations that pay larger salaries, offer an increase in numerical influence, and allow us to drive nicer cars and live in nicer homes. The example of Christ is essentially the opposite. He gave up heaven for earth and humbly sacrificed throughout his life on earth. I don't want to ever make decisions by thinking I am entitled to anything. While needing to raise support is not comfortable, it is an opportunity to place our faith in God to provide for our family according to His riches. I am thankful that his provision and faithfulness is bigger than my fear and any challenge we will face. This is a thought that will undoubtedly be tested over the coming days, weeks, and years.

Financial needs to be addressed through SIBC, YISS Faculty, and individual contributors:

Salary Provided

Total annual household income of around $22,000 with Jessica and Chris working full-time and Aetna Medical benefit (This means that we have to pay 100% of rent and only receive an airfare benefit once every 2 years.)

Flights

Annual Expense $3,000 – 8,000 (depends on exchange rate, possible ics contribution, and visa)

Vehicle

The purchase should be only a first year expense ($5000). Nate found us a 2000 Honda accord for $5000.00. This is below blue book and far below the going price in Venezuela.

Family Needs $12,000 - $18,000 annually

Rent, summer travel, clothing for next year, medical expenses

Rent $800.00 monthly ($9,600 annually) Nate is negotiating on our behalf for a annex house that is within walking distance of the school. This has been awesome because the owner actually approached Nate. Nate was surprised to find housing in our school's neighborhood for a reasonable price. $800 a month is considerably less than what this place should rent for.

Car - $5000.00 plus maintenance & fees

Communication:

We are committed to ongoing ministry updates through a monthly newsletter and a blog http://venezuelanwinters.blogspot.com/ to stay connected and partner in ministry with our entire support team. Please choose to follow this blog in the side panel.

Baguio City Mission Trip

Baguio City 2009

The Winters and Horne children loved all of the attention from our mission team.

The entire Winters family recently returned from a week of sharing God's love and leading YISS students in Baguio City, Philippines. This trip was adventerous and a lesson in trusting God and He was faithful throughout the journey. While we had opportunities to minister to nationals at VBS, park witnessing, and orphanage visits, helping our students to grow in their faith and relationship with God was our ultimate mission. I was very impressed with the desire of our students to return to Seoul and live daily lives of obedience and service to God.

During the trip Jessica and Chris were able to teach lessons during 3 Vacation Bible School sessions with around 75 children. Isabella was able to participate in the VBS and as usual she loved it!

One of the many wonderful things about this trip was being able to reconnect and with 2 of my students from our first year in Seoul. Since this is our last year at Yongsan International School this trip was a great way to help us say goodbye. You can view many more pictures on my facebook account or at foreigndestiny.shutterfly.com .

Please continue to keep us in prayer as we prepare to leave Seoul. We are in the process of raising support and developing a ministry team for our servicein Caracas. If you are interested in donating you can go to NICS or:

For Financial Contributions, please mail checks to: Network of International Christian Schools, 3790 Goodman Rd E Southaven, MS 38672Phone: 800-887-6427 (NICS) Please write our project number 001638 on the check.**Please do not write our names anywhere on the check.**

Thank you and God Bless!

The Winters

New Direction

The Winters' Report

A New Adventure Awaits…

By Chris

Pack the suntan lotion and Spanish/English dictionary, the Winters are headed to Venezuela. We have just accepted positions at the International Christian School in Caracas, Venezuela. We are very excited about the way God has opened our hearts to consider serving at a small school with only 87 students in the Latin American country. Over the past several months I began feeling drawn to an administrative role. In response to that desire we began looking into options and have been through a character building process that has caused us to cling to God's promise that He really does know the plans He has for us (Jeremiah 29:11).

In the coming year I will be teaching a small 2^nd grade class most of the day and take on several administrative responsibilities including professional development. Jessica will be getting back into the classroom as well. She will be teaching a pre-school class that includes our youngest daughter Annaliese. We will be coming home as scheduled this June and departing for Caracas around the beginning of August.

The logistics of this move will require the expansion our support team. We are trusting God and asking our church in Seoul, YISS faculty, and network of friends and family back home to consider supporting us especially in this first year. Please feel free to pass our newsletter on to others that may be interested in supporting the gospel and Christian education in Venezuela.

Member Updates

Jessica:

I am so thankful that God cares about every aspect of our lives. It is wonderful to know that I can bring everything that concerns me to him.

Chris:

I am so thankful that God gives us the desires of our heart. I am in awe of His faithfulness.

Isabella:

I am learning that you don't have to give some one a toy to make them your friend. You can just be nice to them. I have been busy on Mondays lately with singing praise songs at Seoul Seekers and learning Bible verses at Awana after school.

Annaliese:

I have a new favorite phrase which is "I need to go home." I say this when I get sleepy or just plain tired of being out.

Jessica's Junction

As you have just read, there are many changes that await our family in the near future. Our life in Korea these past five years has been a time of growth, joy, and (of course) challenges. Although Annaliese is too young to know what is going on, we wanted to start talking to Isabella about the upcoming transition. At the age of five, she still doesn't understand the implications of a move like this. Chris and I asked her how she felt about moving to a Spanish-speaking country the other day, (we expected her to possibly object to leaving her school and friends), but instead, she didn't hesitate as she looked us in the eyes and said "Is that what God wants us to do?" We were taken aback by her response. It just goes to show what Christ was talking about when he said that we must come to him like a little child. Complete trust. Some would say it is naive- the innocence of a child. That is what faith is- complete trust. Not in the outcome of the circumstances, but in the character of Our God.

This morning I stumbled upon Psalm 34, which is titled: "The Happiness of Those Whose Trust is in God". It brought peace to my heart as I consider all the changes in the months ahead. I encourage you to read it as well. God is faithful to carry us through the challenging times. I encourage you to read it and entrust your circumstances, whatever they may be, to His very faithful and competent hands.

Join Our Support Team

Donations are administered through NICS and are tax deductible.

For Financial Contributions, please mail checks to:
Network of International Christian Schools
3790 Goodman Rd ESouthaven, MS 38672

Phone: 800-887-6427(NICS) or 662-892-4300

Please write our project number 001638 on the check.

**Please do not write our names anywhere on the check.**

Prayer Requests

• We need to raise support for airfare, car, settling in and moving expenses
  
• YISS Accreditation
  
• Our mission trip to the Philippines this spring break April 4, 2009
  
• God's will in Venezuela
  
• Chris is leading a professional development workshop in March
  
• Preparations to depart Korea including our ministries and dear friends here
  
• For God's grace and hand of protection as we joyfully submit to His will.
  

Guardians With A Message

We have been preparing for a spring break mission trip to the Philippines with YISS high school students. The main purpose of this trip is to disciple our high school students including two students from my 5^th grade class back in 2004. Jessica and I will be teaching vacation Bible school to school children in Baguio City. Our mission team is led by our good friend Ben Horne who has been asking us to join the team since last year. We have been meeting with the team most Mondays since October to establish relationships and prepare for this venture. I am so excited to return to the land where the Lord first called me to foreign missions back in 2000. We are also thankful for the opportunity to have Bella and Annaliese involved in missions.