New Career Conference

Our church - Reston Bible Church - partners with four other churches in the area in a "missions coalition." The coalition's mission (ha, ha) is to help get missionaries on the field as soon as possible. Each year the coalition selects a missionary from one of the churches (it rotates between the churches) and provides a very large percentage of their needed support. We, unfortunately, came around at time when it wasn't RBC's "turn" to nominate one of their missionaries. I think it will be RBCs turn in 2009. Lord willing we will already have been on our assignment for 6 months by then! I'm sure it will go to a missionary family that is struggling to raise their support and will be a huge blessing. With the value of the dollar being so low right now many missionaries are struggling. At our missions conference last November, quite of the few missionaries there are currently serving in Europe. Their support has gone from, for example, 90% to 70% without the $$ amount even dropping. The couple that will likely (at least I hope they do) get the coalition support is going to Japan and needs to raise over $7,000/month.

So I got a little off topic there. Every other year the missions coalition puts on a "New Career Conference." It is advertised at each Church as well as all over the area in newspapers, christian radio, etc... The purpose of the two-day conference is to gather people who are considering changing careers to go into missions and give them a starting point. Over 20 missions agencies send representatives to set up booths and share information on opportunities in their organization. There is also some wonderful times of worship as well as a speaker. Although it seems to be somewhat directed towards people who are retiring who decide they want to do more in their retirement than play golf (in this area that is the major goal of almost everyone I knew at work), people from all ages attend. Two years ago, when Damien and I were seriously considering going into full-time missions, we saw this conference in our church bulletin. We decided to go, specifically hoping to talk to the mission agency we are now a part of. The Lord really used that conference to help solidify our decision. Well, last weekend we got to go to the conference and sit on the other side of the table. Our agency asked if we (along with another member) could represent it at the conference. It was special to be there. We weren't there to recruit, but to answer questions, give informtaion pray, etc... I was only able to go on Friday night (I had conversations rehearsal all day Saturday) but Damien went both days. It was neat to talk to people who were on each end of the spectrum (and some in the middle) - some who felt that God was leading them into missions but just not sure in what capacity, to people who were not sure what God wanted their next step to be and wanted to find out more about missions. I'd say over half of the people who came to our table were interested in IT (their current job is in that field) so it was great that Damien was there to talk to them. I wasn't surprised - this area is full of IT folk. Damien actually interviewed a few people. Not sure if anyone will make the decision to join our agency or another or none at all - it doesn't really matter. We're glad God allowed us to be a part of it and pray He used us to help somone figure out how God wants to use them - be it missions or something else.