Grace and peace!

It is a humbling experience for us to post here our final ministry update as “standard appointment” global servants through International Ministries. As you know, we will officially retire on 30 September and shift to volunteer status. We are deeply grateful to God and you for your faithful partnership in this 36-year mission journey. Now, another journey begins!

Speaking of journeys, we made a short trip to the US in July and August to attend IM’s Conference for Missionaries and thank many of our partner churches and individuals in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Washington, and Oregon. These gatherings were everything we hoped for – and more! Together, we celebrated what God has done in and through an extraordinary network of US supporters and global partners during our service as commissioned ABC missionaries.

We hope you will transfer your giving to support other International Ministries’ global servants based on your sense of God’s leading. Would you like to support someone in a similar ministry or geographical location? Or perhaps a younger global servant just beginning their service? If so, please get in touch with IM Donor Services at 610-768-2323 or email them at imdonorservices@internationalministries.org to redirect your automatic monthly, quarterly, or annual gifts.

If you’d like to continue to receive ministry updates from us on our continuing service as volunteer Global Consultants, send us an email at borquist@internationalministries.org to let us know.

What’s next on our new journey?

“Breathe and reflect” is our theme for a couple of weeks in October as we take a break to look back and look ahead. Please pray for refreshment and wisdom as we consider what God has been teaching us over the years and how God has prepared us for our next journey.

Ecuador: We just finished teaching another cycle of classes for the Ecuadoran Baptist Convention and its main seminary, the Baptist Theological Seminary of Ecuador based in Quito. These sisters and brothers in Christ want to equip churches to reach out with the love of Jesus in practical ways through social enterprises that address real problems.

One of our students said they learned that faith-based social entrepreneurship “is not only about creating business for profit, but about expressing God’s mission while meeting needs and/or solving social problems through business models that generate profit and help the community.” Amen! They are looking forward to our next class on faith-based social enterprise planning in early 2024.

Click to see the video the Convention made to promote this course

Aotearoa New Zealand: We continue to facilitate a year-long strategic planning initiative with Carey Baptist College, New Zealand Baptists’ main seminary. We are blessed to work with Carey’s extraordinary leadership team as they seek God’s direction to engage in gospel renewal to people and places in Aotearoa and beyond.

Ann will continue to serve as Pastoral Care Coordinator for global workers serving in Asia through Arotahi (the New Zealand Baptist Mission Society). As part of this program, Ann is working with a kaitaki (Māori leader) who has developed a brand-new paradigm for pastoral counseling from a Māori perspective.

Pastor Elliot invited everyone to put their fingerprint on the Arotahi logo during a recent mission-focused worship service at our local church

Brazil-United Kingdom: we continue to mentor a Brazilian Baptist family that has served in the UK since November 2021. They pastor a multicultural congregation that welcomes people from Ethiopia, Sudan, Iran, Portugal, Brazil, Honduras and 14 other countries. It’s an inspiring example of mission from everywhere to everyone!

Indonesia: We look forward to reconnecting with Indonesian Baptist colleagues in November to support their initiatives in cross-cultural mission, youth mentoring, and holistic community and economic development.

South Asia: It’s time to follow up on two successful semester-long courses we taught on Christian Social Enterprise Development last year. We are part of a team that is developing a training and mentoring program for church leaders who are starting social businesses that bless their communities in Jesus’ name.

Once again, thank you for being on the journey with us.

Grateful for you,

Ann and Bruce