Our Mission Post :: FAQ
Dear friends, family, Mission Team, and everyone else who cares about Catholic Missionaries & families!
We have been so blessed in the past month to be able to be home with our most loving families for the holidays. We saw God move in mighty and small ways, we were refreshed by the genuine and raw overwhelming love of our families. We all shed a few tears and I was reminded just how much of a sacrifice it is to be far away from our family.
I was also reminded that this Mission for our family is not optional, it is required. We have received so much, we are compelled by Christ to offer ourselves to the people in Mexico. Ben and I, with Raeleigh & baby Boy in tow, arrived in Louisiana on Wednesday afternoon. We got to see our mission family at Missionary Formation that night where we praised the Lord, shared a meal and prayed over each team that was being sent out this week. To date, the guys going to Haiti left on Thursday morning and the men going to Peru left early this morning. There was also a baby born Wednesday night and Brooke & Joe, our Directors are at the hospital laboring as we talk. God is SO good!
We also has a baby doctor appointment Wednesday and heard a strong and steady heartbeat. And on our way back from the doctors were pleading (or complaining) with the Lord to provide a car for us to drive down to Mexico - it seemed to be the only 'hold up' in leaving to get to our mission post. We had not returned to the Big House for more than 5 minutes when a fellow missionary told us he & his wife have been praying about selling us their car...BING, BANG, BOOM...The Lord surprises & delights us again!! Ben spent all yesterday working with the DMV to get the car titled, registered and insured (in two countries) for our journey. I hope to be able to post that amazing & delightful story one day.
In the meantime, we wanted to answer a few of your questions about our Mission Post & the mission we are embarking upon. We were able to share these details with some people on our trip back to Colorado, but many of you are around the US, let alone around the world supporting this important mission. If you have more questions we'll answer them all...leave a comment or email ntschumann@gmail.com.
Blessings from US to Mexico!
Where are you going?
We are very blessed to serve in the oldest established mission base that FMC has, the Casa de Misiones in General Cepeda, Mexico. We will be serving alongside two other mission families who have daughters about Raeleigh’s age, and who are also expecting new additions to their families within 4 weeks of our little guy’s arrival. God is so Good!
Where will you live?
The Casa de Misiones is a traditional Spanish style patio home that is actually older than the United States of America. It formerly served as the servant’s quarters for the wealthy family that used to own all the land that the town was built on. It has one large Sala for gathering, playing & prayer, a large dining room that can seat up to 60 people, a kitchen area and 10 separate bedrooms, plus a small office/first aid room. And, best of all, let’s not forget the chapel! Jesus lives in our house which is a special treat.
What will you be doing?
Our main mission will be to work with the 2 priests in General Cepeda who are responsible for the souls of the over 11,000 folks that live in the town, as well as throughout the 42 smaller villages, called ejidos. Our ministry will include communion services, work projects (fixing up homes, building chapels, etc), home visits (taking food, pantry staples, medicine, etc. to homes and praying with the people), and mini missions in the ejidos (sacramental prep, catechesis, prayer meetings, praise & worship, bible studies, etc). Mainly we will enculturate the Gospel and model life lived for Christ through building relationships.
What about the language?
For anyone who doesn’t know us very well, I’ll just go ahead and say we are fluent in Spanish. For those of you who do know us, you know that is far from the truth. To help rectify the situation, we have been studying Spanish by using Rosetta stone, and in February, our hope is to take a trip down to Guadalajara to participate in an Immersion Language School for a few weeks. Once we have our basic foundation laid we will have every day to practice with the people we serve, who are very forgiving when we speak like 2 year olds…so no worries!
As you start your mission what do you need?
We are most in need of your prayers! Please pray that God will:
Can people come visit?
Yes…start saving today! The mission house is open for visitors…any time you want to come, just let us know. The best way to visit and be immersed in this mission life is to come down with a mission trip. Our mission house hosts many mission trips throughout the year. For more information you can check out the FMC website for a listing of trips down to General. It looks like there’s one open March7-15. What are you doing for Spring Break?!
We have been so blessed in the past month to be able to be home with our most loving families for the holidays. We saw God move in mighty and small ways, we were refreshed by the genuine and raw overwhelming love of our families. We all shed a few tears and I was reminded just how much of a sacrifice it is to be far away from our family.
I was also reminded that this Mission for our family is not optional, it is required. We have received so much, we are compelled by Christ to offer ourselves to the people in Mexico. Ben and I, with Raeleigh & baby Boy in tow, arrived in Louisiana on Wednesday afternoon. We got to see our mission family at Missionary Formation that night where we praised the Lord, shared a meal and prayed over each team that was being sent out this week. To date, the guys going to Haiti left on Thursday morning and the men going to Peru left early this morning. There was also a baby born Wednesday night and Brooke & Joe, our Directors are at the hospital laboring as we talk. God is SO good!
We also has a baby doctor appointment Wednesday and heard a strong and steady heartbeat. And on our way back from the doctors were pleading (or complaining) with the Lord to provide a car for us to drive down to Mexico - it seemed to be the only 'hold up' in leaving to get to our mission post. We had not returned to the Big House for more than 5 minutes when a fellow missionary told us he & his wife have been praying about selling us their car...BING, BANG, BOOM...The Lord surprises & delights us again!! Ben spent all yesterday working with the DMV to get the car titled, registered and insured (in two countries) for our journey. I hope to be able to post that amazing & delightful story one day.
In the meantime, we wanted to answer a few of your questions about our Mission Post & the mission we are embarking upon. We were able to share these details with some people on our trip back to Colorado, but many of you are around the US, let alone around the world supporting this important mission. If you have more questions we'll answer them all...leave a comment or email ntschumann@gmail.com.
Blessings from US to Mexico!
 |
| Top left to bottom right: a grandma & her granddaughter get rosaries & new toothbrushes; our formal assignment letter to Mexico, a chapel at one of the ejidios, the wall of a restuarant |
Where are you going?
We are very blessed to serve in the oldest established mission base that FMC has, the Casa de Misiones in General Cepeda, Mexico. We will be serving alongside two other mission families who have daughters about Raeleigh’s age, and who are also expecting new additions to their families within 4 weeks of our little guy’s arrival. God is so Good!
Where will you live?
The Casa de Misiones is a traditional Spanish style patio home that is actually older than the United States of America. It formerly served as the servant’s quarters for the wealthy family that used to own all the land that the town was built on. It has one large Sala for gathering, playing & prayer, a large dining room that can seat up to 60 people, a kitchen area and 10 separate bedrooms, plus a small office/first aid room. And, best of all, let’s not forget the chapel! Jesus lives in our house which is a special treat.
 |
| Top left to bottom right: Our dining room at the mission house; the courtyard in the middle of the house filled with guests for Thanksgiving; our front door shaded by a tree; the view of our street out the front door. |
What will you be doing?
Our main mission will be to work with the 2 priests in General Cepeda who are responsible for the souls of the over 11,000 folks that live in the town, as well as throughout the 42 smaller villages, called ejidos. Our ministry will include communion services, work projects (fixing up homes, building chapels, etc), home visits (taking food, pantry staples, medicine, etc. to homes and praying with the people), and mini missions in the ejidos (sacramental prep, catechesis, prayer meetings, praise & worship, bible studies, etc). Mainly we will enculturate the Gospel and model life lived for Christ through building relationships.
What about the language?
For anyone who doesn’t know us very well, I’ll just go ahead and say we are fluent in Spanish. For those of you who do know us, you know that is far from the truth. To help rectify the situation, we have been studying Spanish by using Rosetta stone, and in February, our hope is to take a trip down to Guadalajara to participate in an Immersion Language School for a few weeks. Once we have our basic foundation laid we will have every day to practice with the people we serve, who are very forgiving when we speak like 2 year olds…so no worries!
As you start your mission what do you need?
We are most in need of your prayers! Please pray that God will:
- · Open the hearts of these people to his Word
- · Free men from alcoholism & machismo, to lead their families and communities to God
- · Teach us the language quickly
Can people come visit?
Yes…start saving today! The mission house is open for visitors…any time you want to come, just let us know. The best way to visit and be immersed in this mission life is to come down with a mission trip. Our mission house hosts many mission trips throughout the year. For more information you can check out the FMC website for a listing of trips down to General. It looks like there’s one open March7-15. What are you doing for Spring Break?!
Love you Natalia!! So excited for your family and new adventure! Prayers always
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