Our First Month at FPO
The beginning of April marked the start of our Field Personnel Orientation (FPO) in Virginia! After wrapping up school, work, ministry, and life in Spartanburg, we loaded our very full van and began the journey to the outskirts of Richmond.
FPO began on April 7, and we’ve been deep in learning ever since. It’s been a joy to meet men, women, and children who will soon be serving in nations across the globe. Our girls are in classes with friends headed to different continents than us, and they’re learning more each day about how life will look as each family heads to the field this June.
Each week at FPO focuses on a part of the Core Missionary Task—Entry, Evangelism, Discipleship, Healthy Church Formation, Church Leadership, and Exit. In April, we mapped areas of Richmond for spiritual, social, and geographical insight, followed by a week focused on evangelism. Our challenge was to engage in three full gospel conversations during that week, and by God’s grace, our entire FPO cohort met that goal.
One of the biggest lessons that the Lord is teaching us here is that prayer is the ministry. We are helpless to save anyone from their sins, Satan has blinded the minds of unbelievers so that they can not see spiritual things (2 Corinthians 4:4), and most often God uses those who are weak in the world's eyes. This has challenged me to see that I don't pray far enough. Prayer demands to admit that I need the Lord and that he is the one who goes before us and routs the enemy.
I don’t like admitting I’m needy.
I want to be strong, smart, unique. I want to be the difference maker in a place that needs Jesus. But the truth is, the best missionaries, pastors, moms, husbands, and friends are those who daily confess their dependence on the Lord. When we fail to pray, we’re really saying we don’t need Him. We are saying that we have the power and glory. That doesn’t work—not on the mission field, and not in everyday life. We can either choose pride or prayer. So when we pray in faith, we’re placing the power and glory where it belongs: in Him.
So we encourage you—make prayer your ministry too. This world desperately needs God to move, and we desperately need His power.
—Kris & Aubree
Updates: We officially have our visas in hand and our plane tickets purchased! It felt surreal buying one-way tickets to Manchester. FPO has been a gift, but the reality of moving to Europe in just a few weeks is sinking in fast. We are thrilled to begin our Kurigers in the UK journey—and so thankful for your continued prayers.
