January News

Nattier News – January 2014

As many of you can relate, the last year has been a whirlwind for us.  Bryce returned from a deployment in March.  In May we enjoyed a family vacation to Disney World and learned we were expecting our 4^th child.  July brought us to candidate classes with ABWE (Association of Baptists for World Evangelism) and an official appointment to serve overseas.  August, September and October were filled with studying, soccer and weekend trips to visit family and share about ABWE and our call to foreign missions.  Andrew had an impressive bike crash in September resulting in the loss of several teeth and a jaw fractured in 3 places.  Miraculously he has healed well, although he has a lot less teeth. In November Bryce passed his oral boards (Praise the Lord).  December brought a trip to Charleston for a family wedding, lots of holiday festivities, and wonderful time spent with family.  Now here we are in January and we just welcomed Ahnilyse Caroline on 1/18/2014!  Whew 2013 was exhausting even in recap.  2014 is shaping up to be just as momentous. 

     

     

Bryce will separate from the military in July, and for this first time in 10 years we will have a choice on where we go.  We are seeking the Lord’s direction as to what comes next. 

Both of us have felt God’s call to use our skills to serve on foreign soil.  Until recently we did not know where the Lord would lead us.  We now know that he is directing us to Togo which is a small country in West Africa.    There is a hospital being built in the Northern part of the country in the city of Mango.  It is an amazing opportunity, because the local tribal/religious leaders have invited ABWE to take over the medical work for this region.  Wow!!!  This is nothing other than a miracle from God. 

In July we attended candidate classes in Harrisburg, PA with ABWE.  We met an amazing group of people in the home office who make it possible for missionaries to go.  We were very blessed to be appointed as missionaries.  We are also very excited to join the team God is bringing together in Mango, but we have a lot of work to do before we can actually begin long term ministry in Togo.  We are currently in “Prefield” which means we are building a prayer team, raising monetary support and completing a long list of tasks which will help prepare us for ministry in Togo.   The next training that we need is called Essential Mission Components, and it is offered in July 2014.  It’s a 1 week course on cross cultural church planting.  In order to attend the course, we must complete a number of reading tasks.  Additionally we need commitments for 50% of our required monthly support.  Despite our busy schedule and only a few opportunities to share about Togo, God has already provided 12%. 


If you would be interested in partnering with us in ministering to the spiritually and physically poor in Togo, we would love to tell you more about this amazing ministry that God is doing.   To join the prayer team, please email us at bnattier@gmail.com.  To help us reach the financial support needed, you can commit to be a monthly supporter at www.abwe.org/give.  On the left you will click on automatic support program to give electronically.  Alternatively you can click on “Commit to support a Missionary or project” to give by check.  Our account number is 0135751.  Additionally, you can check out our website which is a work in progress www.nattiers.blogspot.com, and you can register there to continue receiving our blog/prayer letters.

As we begin this amazing journey please pray for us!  Specifically:

Praise:  Thank God for a healthy baby Ahnilyse Caroline and Andrew’s miraculous recovery from his injury.

Prayer: We have a lot of preparation to do in the coming months to include: reading several books, completing seminary classes, raising the needed monetary support, and figuring out the location where we will move to while we are preparing for Togo.  Pray for us to have wisdom on how to allot our time between work, church, prefield, and family so we can accomplish the needed preparation.

Protection for our family physically and mentally as we begin the great transitions that will come with separating from the military, finding new short term jobs (for both Bryce and Natasha), and moving.

That we would fully rely on God’s provision for the remaining support and have peace that this will occur in his timing.  Is He leading you to partner in His ministry to heal the spiritual and physical suffering in Togo?

We will be traveling to Togo again in August – more to come in our next blog!