Schmidt Journey: MAF Winter Candidacy

After a wild ride from Spokane to North Dakota, back to Spokane for one day, then down to Nampa all during Christmas break, we are finally here at the Mission Aviation Headquarters in Nampa, Idaho for a 4-week long candidacy class.

Candidacy can be split into two sections that look like this:

2-week long "engagement" time with MAF; during this time we learn more about MAF and it's operations and locations, and they learn about us and determine where to place us. At the end of this time (this coming Tuesday, to be exact!) we will find out where we will be serving and also become full-time staff missionaries with MAF.
2-week long Ministry Partnership training; during this time we will learn the basics of raising a support team around us, including putting together presentations, preparing newsletters, and much more.

Our Candidacy Class of 11 families

We are just about finished with our first week, and while it is exhausting and busy every day, we love the process of gaining a deeper understanding of MAF's mission and how that is accomplished. If you are unfamiliar with MAF as an organization, please check out their website, https://www.maf.org/, or email us with questions, we would love to share with you the fantastic impact MAF is having on the world through the ministry of aviation.

One of the best parts of our training so far is the close community and friendships we are developing with our classmates. There are 11 families in this class, so it is fairly large, and we all are enjoying sharing our hearts about where we feel God leading us and sharing a deep connection of going into overseas ministry of the same kind.

Please pray:
-for continued stamina as we still have 3 more weeks of intense training.
-for the candidacy committee over the weekend and on Monday, when they will decide where to place each family on the field. We look forward to sharing the news with each of you soon!

praising God,
the Schmidt's