It’s been a crazy and awesome five months! A lot of things have happened and are happening that I’m excited to share with you about!
In February Wyatt and I got to go to Mexico with EQUIP. I did write a letter about the trip. If you’d like to read about it you can go follow this link and read the Mexico newsletter. It was an amazing time of fellowship, work and ministry. We’re so thankful we got to go!
Moving on Campus
When we got home from Mexico we started packing our things to move on campus! Leam’s new apartment was ready and he was almost moved out completely. So we started packing all our stuff. It was bitter-sweet as moving almost always is. We were excited to move on campus but we were also moving out of our first home as a married couple. It was bitter-sweet for me because I’m more sentimental than Wyatt is. I’m so thankful for Wyatt’s grandparents giving us a home for over a year and a half. Without them doing this I don’t imagine I would have been able to continue working at CMTS.
March 9th we got all our things moved, everything went really great. I’m so thankful for the community we have here. Justin, Aidan and Donny came with a big van and truck and we got all our things moved that day. It’s been so fun being on campus. Wyatt and I love this community! It’s great passing by people in the evenings and on the weekends. It’s also great getting to walk to work! We save so much money on gas now it’s kind of crazy!! We’re so thankful to be moved in even though it’s a temporary spot.
Food Fest Fundraiser
Friday, March 13th was the Food Fest Fundraiser! This is the second time we have done a fundraiser like this. It was a special time of fellowship with other missionaries and ministries CMTS has impacted. I love the way Joel and Danielle do this fundraiser because it doesn’t just promote CMTS it promotes other missionaries and ministries we serve. I’m always so encouraged to hear testimonies of the way God is using CMTS to impact people in need. It’s so beautiful all the different parts of the body and the way we support each other. It encourages me that my part in doing things like cleaning is valuable because it helps make it possible for the staff here to continue serving other missionaries, pastors and ministries. We raised a total of $13,500! The purpose was to raise funds for the ministries monthly expenses. This amount covers one month’s worth of operating costs for the ministry. We are so thankful for all the generous people who made this fundraiser possible and helped us raise some funds.
Equip 2025 – 2026
April 7th – 10th was evangelism week with the EQUIP students. This is one of my favorite things to do with EQUIP! Tuesday and Wednesday mornings are spent teaching them how to evangelize and why it’s even important. Joel, Justin and Nolan are the leaders who taught the class. So we go over the purpose and the work of the Holy Spirit when you’re talking to someone. We talk about how to even start a conversation with a stranger. Then they watch videos of people doing it on youtube so the guys can see the different styles people have in sharing their faith with others.
Thursday and Friday we do a little review and pray about where to go. Thursday we went to the Berkshire mall and then to Penn St in Reading. We had about 10 people go including the students so we split up into groups of 3 or 4. It was an awesome time talking to people and praying for them. I’m always surprised at how easily people will open up and share what’s on their hearts. If they see you genuinely care about them most of the time they will share and let you pray for them and share about God’s love for them. Friday we went to Penn Ave in Reading and then the skate park. It doesn’t always go great where someone gives their life to Christ. Sometimes people seem hostile at the mention of the name of Jesus. And this could be for a number of reasons, but it’s not personal to you. It’s not you they’re choosing to reject, it’s Jesus. The point is that we plant seeds and the Holy Spirit will continue to use those seeds for days or even years to come!
May 22nd was the EQUIP Grad dinner. Congratulations Malachai, Robbie & Charles! It was a special night with them as we reminisced about the year and all the good times we had. It’s quieter without them here so it’s a little odd. Wyatt and I are thankful for the opportunity we had to be a part of their lives for a short 10 months.
This year we don’t have any EQUIP students which is even weirder! It sounds like we have a large class for next year which is very exciting! It’s like we are taking a gap year to prepare for the next batch of students. There have been a TON of great changes around the ministry.
Mission Groups
Friday, March 6th we had a group come from Salem Christian school. There were about 10 people that came so a few of them helped me clean the apartment to make it move-in ready for March 9th our moving date. The other students cleaned up a tree that had been cut up, and helped us start the renovations of what will soon be another apartment (the old offices).
During the summer we had two overnight mission groups, both youth groups that came. We definitely accomplished a lot of work between the two, but more importantly we got to minister to other students and their leaders! Groups coming to CMTS are about exposing people to missions, displaying a loving community, and getting to encourage them in their faith. We hope to accomplish things that need to be done but that’s not the main goal. These are all things we got to do with these students this summer and are going to continue to do! So far we have three more groups coming this year! Two are overnight groups and one is for the day.
Staff Changes
A few members of our staff have felt God calling them into the next season of their lives and part of that was leaving the ministry. This is always hard for me but they didn’t die…they just moved! It’s hard to see people go on to the next thing because it changes the dynamic of the community. That being said we’ve also gotten some new staff members which is very exciting. A number of young men have officially come on as staff including a young lady who’s name is Abigail! Abigail interned with me in hospitality and with Hannah in the office over the summer to serve and see if becoming staff was something she wanted to do. The summer was so much fun having her here, she’s been a huge help to me and is a great person to be around!
Misc Things
May 23rd was the day it seemed like we were all waiting for. Isabella and Leam’s wedding was the coldest and rainiest day in the month of May for an outside wedding it was crazy, awesome, wet and very cold! Things like that have a way of making it even more special than it already is. It was great to celebrate with my sister and be by her side. Not everything was perfect…at one point the decorations literally went missing! And still those things make it more memorable. Isabella and Leam had a great time. We all enjoyed good food. We had lots of help with everything. The whole day was full of blessings!
June 9th – 12th was our annual staff retreat at Three Springs Ministries! We had such a great time! Swimming, playing games, horseback riding, volleyball, worship ect. It’s like a vacation with all your friends!
Lots of other things happened around the ministry, these are just some short highlights for the sake of how long this letter is going to be. Wyatt and I also have some news to share! We are expecting a little one of our own! We found out September 8th that I’m pregnant. Words can’t express how excited we are and the joy we have! September 26th is seven weeks so we aren’t very far along right now. That being said your prayers for a healthy baby and pregnancy are greatly appreciated!
I pray you were encouraged in some way through reading some of the highlights that have been in the past few months! Thank you all so much for your support whether that’s financially or through prayer. Wyatt and I need both! In the next letter I will share how the hospitality department is going, an update on our monthly support and the needs we have with a baby coming, construction updates around campus and the Texas base!
Would you join Sandra as a monthly supporter so she can continue the work God has started? She would be honored to be able to share the experience with you and make you part of the team. As she shares how God is working and the impact she is having on His Kingdom, please pray and ask God if you should partner with her as a monthly donor/supporter.
