What's Next

For those of you who didn't know, Kelsie and I have had a very crazy and trying year. This past fall I finished one of my toughest semesters yet and graduated from St. Cloud State University with my Bachelor's Degree in Theatre. I am very glad to be done but I spend most of my time now serving at Mongo's (Wed-Sun lunches) and La Casita (Wed, Fri-Sat nights). Kelsie has had a similarly busy year. August through December she spent at the Coffeehouse as a General Manager before being let go just in time for Christmas. Since then she has spent most of her time between the chiropractor, physical therapist, and gym while also finding time just last week to pick up a job in the Barnes and Noble Cafe. Life is very crazy. On top of all of that, something Kelsie and I have dreamed of since we were married was the possibility of spending a year overseas doing missions work following my graduation. We pursued this in November and December but it became apparent that at that time it was our will for our lives and not God's. Since then we contacted our friends, Job and Bethany, to find out if they had a need for assistant staff in Nepal this summer. They did not, but Job directed us to Hank, the leader of Royal Servants' Ireland team. I spoke with Hank mid-February and he excitedly accepted us as assistants on the team. We have been very eagerly preparing to head overseas and get ready for another summer with Royal Servants. God wasn't quite done adjusting our plans however. For various reasons, the need for assistant staff on Ireland was no longer pressing and we found ourselves without a team. After a long conversation with Tom Ives, the director of Royal Servants, we agreed to join the Scotland team were there is a very pressing need for staff. It's amazing how God can change your plans not once but several times over the course of several months and yet everything seems to come together the way He intended it. I shouldn't be surprised by this, but He still amazes me. Kelsie and I are thrilled to be heading to Scotland. Logistical details have not changed very much. We will still be gone June 6 - July 29 and there is only a slight decrease in what we must raise financially. Culturally and geographically it is very similar to Ireland. The major change is the people we will be traveling with; the students and staff we get to invest our lives in and the leadership we get to work alongside. We will post more details as they become available, but just know that we have become very content with our plans changing, though it has been slightly discomforting at times. We continue to seek your prayers as we prepare for this trip. God bless.

Jack and Kelsie Becker

Change of Plans

Dear friends and family,

I just want to begin by thanking all of you for the outpouring of prayer and support; Kelsie and I truly appreciate it and ask for you to continue in prayer for us. We have been gearing up most of the semester to head overseas to Nepal for a seven-week mission trip. We both love this country and were looking forward to ministering to the people there, however, God has made it clear to us that this is not where we are meant to be this summer. It was a difficult decision filled with anguish and shed tears.

Over the last month or so there have been a series of events that have given us cause for concern regarding Kelsie’s health and though this is not meant to alarm you, we wanted to inform you about it because it is the primary reason we have chosen to withdraw from Royal Servants this year. Our focus this summer needs to be on our physical health. This has been especially difficult for Kelsie as you can imagine and we covet your continued prayers as we mourn the loss of this opportunity. We do also know that God has a beautiful plan that we do not fully fathom and this decision is in our best interest.

As far as the financial funds are concerned, we have just over $4,000 in our accounts at the moment and they will remain there at this time for possible future use.
Thank you for all of your kindness and love in this time.
God bless,

Jack and Kelsie Becker

Praise and Prayer: Updated

Praise: Kelsie and I had a huge answer to prayer this past week. Kelsie posted on The City (our church's online social network) last Tuesday that we were looking for two people to rent our apartment this summer while we are gone, to help with the cost. The very next day Kelsie had received a response from a young couple looking for a place to live right after getting married in June. We got to meet with them on Friday, they seem like a really great couple and Saturday morning they let us know that they would like to rent it from us! Huge answer to prayer. This is going to mean $800 less that Kelsie and I must raise to cover that cost. Awesome.

Prayer: We are still in need of a home for our two cats from June 7-August 3. If you are willing to entertain the idea of housing them, please let us know! And please pray that we find someone who will. Thank you.


A BIT OF A REVERSAL.

The last few days have been interesting. Unfortunately, Kelsie and I are back in the market for a couple of people to rent our apartment this summer. Though we had a young couple planning to rent it, God has blessed them with an awesome job opportunity in the cities and they had to back out. This, however, is great news for YOU that needs a large apartment for only $400 a month for the months of June and July. Please pray for this need to be taken care of quickly.

As for the cats, we have a lead on a home for them though it is yet not confirmed.

Five Ways to Pray

How can you pray for us right now? (Thanks for asking!)

1. Hearts: Speaking (or more accurately, writing) as a guy who goes to school full-time, works part-time and has a wife to invest in, it is really easy to neglect God. This is my confession. Please pray that we would continue to fight for our daily time with the Lord. Pray that we would daily focus on the gospel and discipleship. This is key in everyday life, but especially while preparing to serve God on the mission field.

2. Marriage: Though it’s been nearly three and a half years since Kelsie and I were married we still have times when we are two single people sharing an apartment. Prayer for us as a unit is vital, that we would hear God speak and continue to grow in one love for Him, one passion for his people, and one desire to invest in each other. Our experience in Nepal two summers ago still stands out as having the greatest effect on our marriage of anything we’ve done so far and we look forward to seeing how God will transform us this coming summer.

3. Diligence: Because we are such busy creatures (Kelsie and I specifically) we find it so easy to collapse onto the couch at the end of the day and watch an episode or two of Downton Abbey before heading to bed. Not that this is a bad thing in moderation but we want to find the motivation to push through our exhaustion and continue preparing for the summer. Whether it is making those dreaded phone calls for financial requests, praying for the ministry of the summer or merely spending quality time with each other, we request prayer that we be diligent in using our time wisely.

4. Students and Staff: Please also be in prayer for the students and staff who are busily preparing for the summer as well. We have roughly thirty high school and college aged individuals we will be taking over to Nepal and we are super excited to meet them. Please pray protection over them, as this is a time when spiritual warfare is especially intense. Also, our team has a specific NEED. Please pray that we would find one more male staff (age 18-???) to lead a small group. Or if you are a college-aged guy reading this, pray about joining the team. Seriously, go pray about it.

5. Finances: The subject that is completely necessary for missions but comically uncomfortable at the same time. Kelsie and I must raise roughly $9,400 for the both of us to travel, be fed and have a place to lay our head throughout the summer. This is the absolute minimum we must raise to go. We have an additional, and just as crucial need, of roughly $2,600 for expenses at home (rent, car insurance, etc.). I will post a more detailed breakdown of these expenses at a later date. The initial dollar amount needs to be sent in to Reign Ministries, and is tax-deductible. To date we have received nearly $2,500 which is a little over 20% of our goal. This is a great start, but please be in prayer that God would continue to bring in the finances for this trip. Also, we understand that not everybody is able to support us financially. However, if it is possible for you, please pray about giving financially. Out of a $12,000 need we still have to raise about $9,500 more over the next three months.

Thank you for all of your prayers, and please don’t stop praying for us.

Back to Nepal

From the moment I (Kelsie) stepped foot out of the airplane in Kathmandu, Nepal, nearly 2 years ago God caught hold of my heart strings. A piece of my heart was left in Nepal that summer, but I knew that Jack and I would be back someday. After spending last summer in the US, God has once again called us to partner with Royal Servants and help lead a team of students to Nepal. We will be assistant team leaders with our good friends Job and Bethany Hammond (and their newest addition.) Throughout the summer we will have different roles: banker, head chef, nurse, etc. But the most important and rewarding role that we will have is to spiritually mentor and encourage/guide the staff and students on our team.

As some of you may already know, before we head overseas we will spend time here in the states preparing mentally, physically, and spiritually, for the journey that lies ahead. We do this at the Training Camp in Portage, WI. We will be spending about 3 weeks there preparing for the trip; our summer staff will arrive two weeks before flying out; and the students will show up a week later. We will then be spending a full month ministering to the Nepali people and exposing our students to the world’s burning need for a Savior.

What we need:

                Prayer – We need your prayer more than anything else. Please keep us in constant prayer leading up to, and in the midst of, the summer.  Prayer for the strength of our marriage; for love to give our students; for diligence in remaining in the Word; and for faithfulness to God while trusting Him to bring in the finances for this trip

                Encouragement – We need this in abundance! Whether you’d like to send care packages to Training Camp or shoot off a quick text with a passage of Scripture, we covet your encouragement!

                Supplies - After spending the summer in Nepal two years ago we have a better understanding of some of the supplies that would help us. We are looking for two good quality rain jackets, a queen sized air mattress and a pair of rain boots for Kelsie. If you know of a good place to get these or have something extra on hand please let us know. You can also give a special donation to go specifically towards these items. We will keep you updated on any additional needs.

                Finances – This is THE big area where we are learning to trust God more this year. We are learning a new level of trust on a daily basis but especially in regards to the summer. The cost for both of us to travel to Nepal is going to be around $9,400. This does not include another $2-3,000 of expenses back home. Will you consider supporting us with a financial gift? We have a long road ahead of us in raising around $12,000 and it would be a lie to say it isn't daunting. However, we know that God is faithful, and we know that if He desires for us to be in Nepal this summer, money cannot hinder Him.

Thank you for taking the time to read our letter. I would love to talk with you more about what Jack and I will be doing this summer. 

For Him,

Jack & Kelsie Becker

Home

We are home! I admit this is a bit of delayed response and for that I apologize. Kelsie and I are home now and back into the full swing of life. I am in school full-time majoring in Theatre: Acting/Directing while working at Mongo's part-time. Kels has begun her new full-time job at the St Cloud Christian School, teaching yearbook and doing graphic design. We are very happy to be home, but a part of us has been left in Nepal.

Our final week in Nepal was spent in Kathmandu debriefing the summer. No scheduled performances for ministry, just a lot of processing what God did through us throughout the summer. Our team did awesome! Such a passionate group of teenagers we were blessed to know. We miss Nepal so very much. The people who LOVE chatting, the odors (good and bad), our translators which I got to know really well, the mountains, the early morning walks to the bakery, the food, and our own team. We miss you all. Thank you for an incredible experience serving God in a beautiful nation.

Waterlogged

I am tired of being wet. I knew that this was monsoon season in Nepal, but I don't think I fully grasped what that meant. It means every day is cloudy, and every day it rains. Some days it just sprinkles, other days it pours. I know this now.

Something I've been thinking about lately is the rain. Frankly, I haven't been thinking about it in a positive light. I've been griping. You can just ask Kelsie. I just haven't had a good attitude. But it has recently occurred to me that rain creates growth. Life thrives through consistent rain. And let me tell you, life is thriving here in Nepal, here in Pokhara. Every morning on my walk to the bakery I am offered taxi rides, a fresh pastry covered in dirty newspaper, or a smoke of hashish (Nepali marijuana). Every afternoon as we head to do ministry the people around us are flying by on bicycles, scooters, motorcycles, cars, buses, rickshaws, and tractors, with their horns a-blaring and their brakes a-squealing. Every evening as we go out for dinner we hear the sound of a fire being started and the cooks at hard at work to prepare our favorite dishes of hot momo, fresh naan, veg curry and chicken chow mein. Life is thriving here. People seems genuinely happier and more content then in the States. Perhaps its because in Nepal they are constantly rained on for several months every year. It causes growth. I'm starting to wish it would rain more in Saint Cloud. I'd love to see more growth in people there.

It's really hot now. I wish it would rain to cool things down.