Monthly Archives: September 2014

The center where we serve in Elkhart, Indiana, has been granted wings to become an independent non-profit organization called SonSet Solutions!!
Exert of the press release of Reach Beyond:

(Sept. 29, 2014 - by Ty Mays)  The board of trustees of Reach Beyond announced Thursday, Sept. 25, that the HCJB Global Technology Center, the ministry’s technology division based in Elkhart, Indiana, will become an independent, nonprofit entity called SonSet Solutions. The move allows the center to pursue new ministry opportunities while continuing to serve the technology needs of Reach Beyond.

For nearly 30 years, SonSet Solutions (formerly HCJB Global Technology Center) has been a ministry of Reach Beyond, providing radio technology, broadcast equipment and other engineering services to help spread the gospel to unreached people groups worldwide. The two organizations believe the move will be mutually beneficial, multiplying the impact of both.

“As technological developments continue to emerge at a mind-boggling rate and shape the world around us, it’s more imperative than ever that Christ’s followers seize the capabilities available to us for communicating the message of new life in Jesus Christ,” explained David Russell, president and CEO of SonSet Solutions. “The move by the board of trustees of Reach Beyond will help strengthen the church and engage more believers in God’s work.”

Although this means big changes; like learning how to operate as an entire organization, not just a ministry branch of a larger one, and finding the finances to do so; for Tom and I, things will stay pretty much the same. We are still Reach Beyond Canada missionaries serving at a US non-profit. We still get to be part of the same awesome projects while doing so. Elkhart will still be our home base and we get to serve ministry partners all around the globe from here. But now get to do so in a manner that is much more efficient and responsive to our partners' needs. And for this, we are thankful.

It's official. I'm going.

No, Tom is not. Nor are the kids.

Yes. We are all going to be okay. Lord willing.

November 28th I, along with 13 other members of a work team, will be heading to Haiti for eight days of service. For Tom and I this is a fruition of our dream: To use our skills and passions to serve those in need. Although we get to do so from afar every day we work at the office in Elkhart, I am excited for the opportunity for some hands-on work in the field. While on the ground in Haiti I will be working at an orphanage ran by Kids Alive International (a partner ministry of the Technology Center).  My focus is to improve the nutritional status of the children in their care. Not only will I get the chance to work with the ladies who run the kitchen and the house mothers who care for the children at the orphanage, I will also have the opportunity to get involved in community programs that serve the community at large.

Tom will be man-ing the home front with the boys, whom we feel are too young to join in the effort this time. Thankfully, my mother is also going to help hold down the fort in Elkhart during my absence, which will allow Tom to keep working on his projects while I'm away. Yes, we are asking the family (including a nurseling who will be 13 months at the time) to give up mommy for 8 days. A husband to give up his wife. A Baba (Grandmother) to travel to Elkhart to help with the kids... But these sacrifices will be so worth it. And we are all called to make them:

"...look after orphans and widows..." James 1:27

Each member of the service team is tasked with raising the funds required for travel and in-country expenses. The cost for this trip is approximately $1,500. If you would like to help with these costs, that would be awesome! All donations will receive a tax receipt. Give easily (and securely) online:

--> For those in Canada, please click this button:

--> For those in the US, please follow this link!

We are also tasked with filling our second allotted suitcase with donations the orphanage is in need of. If you would be interested in shopping for some items to send down, please contact me for the list of items the orphanage is hoping for!

And, as always, prayers are required! It's our desire to make an impact during our time on the ground and, Lord willing, an impact with an eternal effect.

Thank you for your support!

For the past 10 months we have been without a permanent residence. We've relied on The Lord's provision for a home for our family and made a million memories along the way. We are so grateful for the amazing friends, family, and supporters that we have and can lean on heavily at times of need. And now. After 10 (sometimes long) months, we are home. We can unpack the suitcases. Unpack the boxes. Unpack and set up a new normal for our children: Home.

On August 29th we closed on our family's first house. The Elkhart housing market is one of the most affordable in the entire USA. The market is so low that it is cheaper to own than to rent. Not even kidding. Unfortunately this scenario is a reflection of the local economy. The housing market crash took a double hit on Elkhart, where the major industry is RV manufacturing. When people can't afford their homes, they certainly aren't shopping for RVs. Which meant major job losses and a lot of people leaving town. So the housing market is flooded with homes that no one is living in, and often a mortgage that the owners can no longer afford. To say the least, it is a buyer's market.

We picked this one:

She's terribly out dated and in need of a lot of TLC. But if there's one thing we've got it's elbow grease. We've been in the house for just over a week and already have many hours of wallpaper-removing, wall-puttying, sanding, priming, and painting under our belts. With LOTS more to come. But we work with joy. And extreme gratitude. We are so thankful. We are home.