The Moss Family Adventure

The Moss Family Adventure

Here is our letter.
Greetings from the Moss Family,

A couple of months ago we were called by a friend who is working with Youth with a Mission (YWAM) in San Diego. He asked Bill to consider joining their staff team in Ensenada, Mexico, to serve as the Kitchen Manager. The last week of July, 2006 we visited the YWAM facility there and did a thorough investigation of the property, the people and the work that is going on in Ensenada. After thoughtful prayer and seeking advice from some of you, our friends and family, we felt that this opportunity would be a perfect fit for the whole Moss family. We agreed to pack it up and move south of the border to join with what YWAM is doing in Ensenada, Mexico.

What is YWAM doing in Ensenada?

Youth from all over the world come to experience ten days serving out of the base facility at Ensenada. During this ten-day experience they receive extensive training on how to serve the local population and help them connect with Jesus Christ. Whether it's performing a drama or a puppet show for kids or giving a cup of hot chocolate and some food to the homeless on the street, these days are filled with serving. The last two days of the trip the team builds a house for a family in need, a program called, “Homes for Hope”. It is inspiring to watch these teens give unselfishly to help a less fortunate family in Mexico regain their life. During the spring break and summer there are four houses built per week. As of May 30, 2006, the YWAM ministry has enabled one thousand, nine hundred and ninety six homes to be built in the Tijuana and Ensenada communities. Families who had been living in homes with cardboard walls and tarp-draped roofs received real roofs, a firm foundation and strong walls to begin their life anew. That sounds a lot like what Jesus might do, to us.

Throughout the rest of the year YWAM gets students from surrounding cities in Mexico involved with a variety of community projects, including building a home for a less fortunate family in their own communities. YWAM also invites corporate businesses and families from around the world to get their hands dirty by building a home for the poor. Poor families are being helped, and those that serve them have their minds and hearts opened as they participate in God’s agenda to care for the poor of the world. To get more information on YWAM please visit their web site at www.ywamsandiegobaja.org.

What will you be doing?

Bill will get to use his amazing God-given gifts to cook, create new menus, supervise volunteers, teach others how to cook, maintain sanitation, and strive to have a friendly, fun atmosphere in the kitchen. Misty will attend Discipleship Training School (DTS) to be qualified to come on staff with YWAM. DTS, which is three months long, takes place on the base in Ensenada. After the schooling she will apply to be involved in the Video Department, which is what she has been doing in her current position at Sparks Christian Fellowship.

The Ensenada YWAM base is filled with kids, some the same age as our children, and some teen/college age. We hope to connect with and help create community amongst the staff and volunteers at the base, learn Spanish, and relate to the Mexican people. This should be fun, challenging and faith building for our whole family.

Wow! That sounds awesome! How much are they going to pay you?

Although YWAM does provide a modest salary, we need a lot of people like you to partner with us financially to enable them to do this. We are asking you to become part of a team of people who will commit to supporting us, both in prayer and with finances. We need to raise $2,555.00 a month, which will cover our housing, living expenses, insurance, medical expenses, transportation, school for the kids, and more (a detailed budget is available upon request). We also must raise an initial one-time expense of $9000.00 to cover moving expenses, DTS for Misty, and to ensure we can afford to return home when that time comes. Our initial commitment with YWAM is for 2 years, but we are only asking you to consider committing to one year at a time.

Would you be willing to join us on this adventure?

It’s a three-step process.

Step one:
Pray! Pray for our pending travel plans, for needed finances, and for the work God is going to do through us. And pray about joining our team by pledging a monthly gift and/or a one-time contribution. Pray about what your gift should be, and then pledge whatever God leads you to give… no more, and no less.

Step two:
Give! Checks should be made to “YWAM San Diego/ Baja”, and all contributions are tax-deductible. Make sure you enclose your pledge form with your check (for your first month’s contribution, if you can give monthly) so we can ensure that your gift will be credited to our account, and so we can have your current contact information. Please don’t put our name anywhere on your check.

Step three:
Mail! Use the self-addressed, stamped envelope for your convenience. Our deadline to hear back from you is September 20, 2006, so please don’t delay! We hope to depart for Ensenada as early as October 2006, but our support goals must be met prior to leaving.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read through this letter! Our hope is that you would consider joining the Moss Family Adventure and serve with us without having to leave home. Our commitment to those who commit to our team is to keep you “in the loop”. We commit to write to you monthly, preferably by email, but by snail-mail if you prefer. We have also set up a blog site: mossfamilyadventure.blogspot.com. This is a journaling site where we will post up to date information and even some video footage of our adventure along the way. Feel free to check it out anytime!

We are excited and look forward to hearing back from you soon. If you have any questions at all, please contact us at any of the numbers or addresses on the top of this letter. We’d love to hear from you!

The Moss Family
Bill, Misty, Joey and Emily