JV UK!

When I joined Josiah Venture one of the questions I was frequently asked was “Why are you joining an American organisation?” Now, I don’t think JV would describe themselves as an American organisation but I was the first full time missionary from the UK to join and move onto the field with JV. And our staff are half North American and half nationals (people who serve in the county in which they were born).

That meant there was a lot of details we had to figure out – how do we get my support over and processed? Do I go to missionary training in the US like everyone else? What about visas? And health insurance?

Thankfully we were able to figure out most things and there were just a couple of small surprises when I arrived in Czech.

But one thing I remember telling some of our leaders was that I was praying that JV would start JV UK as a charity/sending organisation. I think the response was a chortle and a “maybe in five years.”

Not to be perturbed, I kept praying and even felt from God that JV UK was something I should be praying for. I felt it was really strategic, to start building our base in the UK and hopefully get more short term teams and interns. It would also make the route my support takes a little easier and, in general, raise the profile of the needs of the Gospel in central and eastern Europe.

And then I started to hear the whispers and the maybes. Another family from the UK was hired and they were going to be based in the UK! And it was decided that now was the time to start the process.

Setting up a charity/sending organisation in the UK isn’t a short process, and it isn’t over yet, but on the last day of Fall Conference the UK board members arrived in Czech for some meetings.

Just after Fall Conference ended the JV missionaries from the UK met with the board. After all being introduced, and not a few jokes about geography, we got to share about our lives and ministries, our path to joining JV full time, our needs and prayer requests. It was such a joy- and faith-filled meeting and it was wonderful to meet these men and be prayed over by them.

So here it is – our first official JV UK board members and JV UK missionaries photo! I’m excited to see how God is going to continue to answer prayers and build His kingdom through this venture!

Please be praying for this process as hopefully everything gets completed and we start JV UK. Please be praying for the board as they shepherd the process. And rejoice with me about the God who answers prayers!

For all my wonderful UK financial supporters: when JV UK is fully set up, including Gift Aid status, I will be in touch about how your support will be funnelled over to Czech.