Big News!!

We have some exciting news!!!  Rob and I have been on quite the adventure over the past 6 months.  Since graduating from Moody Bible Institute we have always felt like God would lead us into full time ministry one day.  We didn't know when or how, but we knew that we felt called to serve together.  In 2007-2008 we taught at an international school in the Philippines.  It was an invaluable time for us as a couple to search our hearts and see if God was leading us to full time ministry overseas.  While Rob had always had a desire to serve overseas, I (Christina) have always felt like God would call me to ministry but never thought it would be overseas.  Until we spent that year in the Philippines. God really showed us the incredible NEED there is overseas for people to come to know the LOVE of Jesus Christ.  This was a need we could not ignore.  God began to change my heart in a way I never thought He would.  He truly began to stir within me a passion for overseas ministry.

We came back the summer of 2008, feeling like we would love to go back overseas but knowing that it wasn't the right time.  A few months later we found out I was pregnant and knew that this season of our lives would be focused on starting our family.  So, we planted ourselves in New Orleans, LA were Rob works for a local house raising and Shoring company and we began to be a part of a core group that helped to start a church (http://www.crescentcitychurch.com/)  In 2009 we had Clay and in 2011 we had our little Zeke.  It wasn't long after having Zeke that Rob and I made a goal to be at a place were we discussing and looking into what God would have for us next by the time Zeke (our youngest) turned one in August of 2012.  

While we had this goal, God was already working.  We received a mass email in May concerning a need for a Site Volunteer Coordinator for Southeast Asia.  The location for the position would be in Chiang Mai, Thailand, but we would be coordinating volunteers for 5 different countries in Southeast Asia.  The more we looked into the position, the more God began to show us that this was something we really had a heart for and that would utilize both of our gifts.  They were specifically looking for a couple who could work together!  Emails became interviews which turned into a trip to Chiang Mai to see if this was really where God was calling us.  Soon after our trip in October of this year, we were officially offered the position and it didn't take us long to accept!  So, we will be moving to Chiang Mai (Lord-willing) in September 2013!

The Site Volunteer Coordinator is a very key position.  Basically we would be assessing needs and coordinating volunteers to come to 5 countries in Southeast Asia whom will help with various projects, including teachers, construction projects, computer projects and various other needs.  We are excited to serve in this way and truly feel like we can impact Southeast Asia in a mighty way by and through the hand of God.  

We have already begun to prepare for this transition as you might imagine, it is a monumental task!  We  are already selling/ getting rid of things and preparing our house to be put up for sale!  (Anyone interested??? :)  The biggest task of all is that we have to establish a group of partners willing to financially support us and our ministry..  Being that this is a ministry position, we need to raise funds to cover our expenses.  In order for us to be able to go in September of 2013, we need to have people committed to financial partnership with us totaling $4,000 per month to cover all our living and insurance expenses.  We also need a total of $20,000 in one time gifts to help establish our new house, buy a car, and cover the cost of our training and language learning expenses.  If you would like more information about our family and what we will be doing or are interested in financially partnering with us, we would love to add you to our mailing list.  Please email us at randcjohnson (at) hotmail (dot) com.    
    

Taken on our trip to Thailand in October with the city of Chiang Mai in the background.