Update Central: News. Needs. Narrative.

A letter from Justin and Renee Sundberg, completing service in Nicaragua

June 2017

Queridos amigos,

We have a lot to share—updates and a request for your help.

First, however, thank you!!! You’ve partnered with us financially. We hear from at least one of you every day. And you continue to come and visit. We battle fatigue and sickness, and yet we jump into life and work with a good measure of enthusiasm and vigor. Your encouragement fuels us! We thank God for you.

Sundbergs visiting First Presbyterian Church, Charleston, WV.

NEWS!
Update 1: We will be in the U.S. from August to December, visiting churches on behalf of Presbyterian World Mission (PWM) and CEPAD. We would like to help you revamp, deepen or re-envision your global mission involvement. And we would love to visit/speak at your church. Justin will be doing most of the traveling and Renée will join him when possible.

Update 2: Our four-year commitment with PWM ends on December 31. It has been a lifetime dream to live and serve abroad. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to our faithful and talented employer, PWM, and to you, our faithful supporters and prayer partners.

Update 3: Seattle will be our home base. The kids will start school a few weeks after our August arrival. They are both anxious and excited about returning to the U.S.

Update 4: CEPAD, our Nicaragua partner, is just plain wonderful! Many of you know CEPAD personally and you know how they stimulate life for rural Nicaraguans. We know CEPAD’s entire Nicaraguan staff of 60. We have participated in their trainings. We have heard countless people talk about their changed lives and communities. CEPAD is the real deal and we plan to support them with their campaign and in other ways beyond 2017.

NEEDS!
We have some needs and prayer requests in this transition to share with you:

1. Two cars. A big one (6-8 passenger) and a small one. We will go to any part of the country to receive one if you can gift it or sell it at a very reduced rate.

2. Transitional emotional support for our kids. When you see or think of our children, ask them specific questions about what they are most excited about as they re-enter life in the States. And ask them what they will miss the most about Nicaragua. You can do this via email or snail mail, too. We believe it will be important for them to talk about how they are feeling as they bridge their two worlds.

3. When you think about your life in relationship to our planet, please ensure Nicaragua remains in your sights. This beautiful country suffered quietly under occupation by Spain, the United States and Great Britain for most of its modern history. Yet today they welcome our investment of love, prayer, resources and relationship. Please continue a long obedience in their direction.

4. Pray for us to finish well with PWM and CEPAD. Ask that we trust God to unknown careers in 2018.

Rafael of Santa Josefina.

NARRATIVE!
Rafael’s story: I don’t care about my house!
Now we share the briefest of narratives, but long in its power and impact. Yesterday we returned from the community of Santa Josefina. A year ago we shared with you about this “forgotten” place.

We were talking with a man named Rafael, a participant in CEPAD’s training. Our necks whiplashed as we observed his 15 different fruits and vegetables, fanning out in all directions from his house of wood planks. Most would call it a shack. We marveled at 4,000 coffee saplings a few meters away. Rafael told us he will plant them next week.

We were incredulous about the variety and volume of his farming. We knew that communities routinely move beyond corn and beans while working with CEPAD. Surely Rafael could not have achieved so much and advanced so quickly in this period of time. But I asked anyway, “How much did you know about these coffee plants and crops before we began working with you two and a half years ago?” “Nothing” was his one-word answer!

We have known Rafael for just a short while, yet in that time we have seen him grow food . . . and himself! He is still very quiet, a man of few words, sometimes just one! But he has become increasingly engaged with us when we bring visiting groups to Santa Josefina. He wants to learn and work alongside all who find their way to his small and out-of-sight community.

Rafael’s posture has shifted. He is still an active learner and receiver, but he now yearns to give of himself. He couldn’t wait to invite us to ride his recently purchased horse and to show us his appropriate low-tech drip irrigation system for his squash . . . and his 30 chickens! At one point he invited us into his house. It was a mess, and he was apologetic, but only in a casual way. He did not seem to really care about it. He had invited us into his house only to get to the other side to show us more growing food!

How do you sum this up, all this growth of Rafael and his community?

The answer is written on Rafael’s T-shirt.

With much love and gratitude and anticipation,

The Sundbergs

PS: We’re praying that you know the awesomeness of Christ as you seek to recreate and renew this summer.