I’m writing this sitting at the departure gate in Sydney.

And this time… I’m by myself.

If you remember my last newsletter, I shared a photo of our mission team - a group of us preparing to go together. But over the past few weeks, things changed quickly. Due to the conflict in the Middle East, all the team members’ flights were cancelled.

Somehow, because I joined later and booked my flights separately, my route is still open - flying via China.

So while the team trip didn’t go ahead as planned, I’ll still be going.

Just… in a different way.

A Personalised Mission Trip

After speaking with the college, I’ve been given approval to continue this as a personalised mission trip.

In many ways, this actually aligns closely with what this season has been about for me - vision and discernment.

Not just studying…
but asking:

Where is God already at work?
What kind of community am I called into?
What does long-term faithfulness look like?

This trip becomes less about “going with a team” and more about learning to go with God.

The Journey Ahead (5 Weeks)

The plan remains largely the same, just walked out alone:

Northern Spain - connecting with ministry among the Basque people
Italy - attending an ECM retreat, meeting long-term field workers
Southern Spain - exploring Muslim ministry and media work
Georgia & Azerbaijan - additional vision trip with OM

Altogether, it will be close to five weeks on the road.

Each place carries a different expression of mission - culture, language, faith, and story.

Again I go as a learner.

Prayer Points

Over the next few weeks, I would really value your prayers:

Discernment - clarity for long-term direction, not just good experiences
Presence - to be attentive, not rushed; relational, not task-driven
Connections - meaningful conversations and honest insights from people on the field
Protection & health - especially with the amount of travel involved
A listening heart - to notice what God is doing beneath the surface