We Made It.
Well friends and family, we did it, we moved to Scotland. The journey to get here was difficult and filled with spiritual warfare, but God is eternally faithful in all things.
After arriving in Scotland we were placed in a ten day quarantine in which we were not allowed to leave our home for any reason due to Covid restrictions. Those ten days felt like forever but we made it through. Once out, we were finally able to go into town, get some house materials, and purchase a car. Though shortly before our release it was announced that Scotland would be undergoing a full lockdown starting the day after Christmas. In total we had all of ten days before going back into a full lockdown. As you can imagine this came as a blow to the “honeymoon phase” of our move. From the 26th of December to the 26th of April, we were in a strict lockdown here in Scotland.
However during those four months we were able to acclimate to life here. After a while we established some normalcy and a routine for our family, tried some of the best Indian takeaway here in Stirling, and spent time working through the emotions of our move. To be honest, it was a struggle and mixture of emotions; a combination of depression, and elation. The depression was mostly due to the fact that leaving everything and everyone you love is hard; it was painful for Karissa and I, and it was painful for our boys. It continues to be. We are elated that God did an amazing work and moved mountains by bringing us here in the midst of so much uncertainty. We’re grateful because we are finally here in this country that we have been praying and striving to move to for over a year and a half. Yet, it was a rollercoaster of very high highs and low lows, all experienced while in isolation. However, despite the challenges, we knew that God was going to use it for our good, and now on the other side of lockdown we can see the areas where He was at work. We are grateful that nothing is wasted with our God.
Also during lockdown we were able to get Theo and Mateas both enrolled in school here, which has helped them adjust. They’ve been able to interact with peers and teachers and it has helped lessen the sting of leaving all of their friends and family in Colorado. They have enjoyed going to the various parks, adventure walks, and forest explorations that we did during lockdown; they are amazed by this country and its beauty, as are we! Mostly though, they were happy that we have a park right outside our flat, and play there as regularly as the rain allows.
As some of the restrictions began to loosen, Karissa was able to start making a few friends. She met a very sweet girl college student while walking in town one day, they recognized one another as being Mexican and bonded immediately! She has also become friends with Chante, who serves at the church and is dating the Pastors son. It was an answer to prayer for Karissa, as she was struggling with the limited social interactions, and felt the void of relationships and community. Throughout all the emotions, challenges, and loneliness, God was in it with us. His faithfulness was on display for us every day that we woke and turned our eyes upon him. We truly were blessed to stay in the flat we have with our healthy children, and our lovely views of Scotland.
Of course We were thrilled when lockdown lifted at the end of April and we were looking forward to a new kind of life in Scotland. Yet we know that the enemy desires to cause frustration and distraction, and oh has he tried. When we first arrived, we had purchased a car we thought would be reliable and unfortunately, that has been the practical area where we have been attacked in the most. Since it’s first week of purchase, it’s been a problem. We took it back to the dealership for repairs multiple times and we were assured that all issues had been resolved.
Once travel restrictions were lifted, Karissa and I planned a trip to Inverness, excited to visit the place that we had moved across the world for. On an unusually sunny morning, we hopped in the car and drove up for the day to look at a few properties and check out the city. During our drive we talked through our dreams and aspirations for the coming year and season ahead. We made it about twenty minutes outside of Inverness (a three hour drive), when our car died. There we sat on an off ramp for three hours waiting for a recovery vehicle to tow us. Although this was an obvious attack from the enemy, Karissa and I sat along side of that rode and just laughed and prayed. We were not dejected or bickering with one another, we had a great time. We met a sweet couple who offered to help, then realized there was nothing they could do. Once we had been towed to a mechanic shop in Inverness, it took about thirty minutes to realize the car would not be fixable that same day. Fortunately the mechanic offered to drop us off at the train station and we made it on the last train back to Stirling. On the day we thought we were finally going to visit the city that we have been praying for, a city we have been preparing to move to for two years… we couldn’t make it twenty more minutes. Honestly, you just gotta laugh.
As for the car, the engine is totaled and costs for repair would outweigh it’s worth. Essentially we were sold a broken car. We bought it, hoping only for a safe and reliable vehicle, nothing new, fancy or particular; the exchange rate made it a cheap car here but almost double it's price in US dollars. So, we are out 4,500 USD. We will get 200 pounds for it as scrap and 140 of that will cover the cost of taking it into the shop initially. It's very disappointing and discouraging but we trust that everything we own including the car, ultimately belongs to God. He is in control. We covet your prayers for provision, guidance, and wisdom in the coming weeks as we navigate going forward.
Prayer Requests
For the continued health of our family
For Calvary Fellowship Stirling to continue to grow and flourish
For Dan and Angela (Pastor and Wife of CFS)
For our boys to continue to enjoy school and make friends
For our coming move to Inverness. To find a good place to live with enough space to do home church in. To get the boys into good schools and some sort of community sport.
For our support financially to increase as our move will increase our expenses
That God would provide us with a reliable car.
For Karissa and I to build relationships and friendships with peers and other churches in Inverness.
We are grateful for everyone’s love, support, and prayers throughout the move and these last months. We are excited for the season ahead and can’t wait to see what God will do; we plan to stay here in Stirling until the boys finish their school year, which will be wrapping up at the end of July. As international travel begins to open to up, we hope to host visitors and share this lovely country with you! We covet your prayers as we continue in this venture of faith.
Grace and Peace
Inverness Church Plant Update
“ Go therefore and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit...”
Our desire to see the Kingdom of God expanded has not been detoured during this very intense and chaotic time. Now more then ever, we believe God is calling His Church to rise up and be the a light in the darkness.
I am writing this today as an update for where we are at in our move/church plant in Inverness Scotland. After speaking with Pastor Dan (Calvary Fellowship Stirling, UK) we have agreed that the best timing for us to move would be in October. International travel to the UK is supposed to be opening up by that time and we should be able to obtain our visa’s prior to their opening. Also upon arrival we will be required to quarantine for two weeks, which will give us and our kids a good amount of time to acclimate to the time change and a new environment.
So where are we now? We are in the process of raising support. We have to raise support in order to be able to be granted a visa, but also to be able to live and do the work that God has called us to in Scotland. Our over all monthly goal of support is 6,000.00 USD, this amount converts into 4,835.00 £. As you can see, the conversion rate can be brutal. Which is why we have such a high monthly overall goal. With these finances we will be using them for, groceries, car, insurance, housing, ministry, utilities, clothing, church supplies, and more. If you would like a break down of our monthly budget I will gladly send it to you upon request. We also are raising a lump sum of $10,000.00 to be combined with the $10,000.00 that we have saved aside. This sum is for our travel and relocating expenses. Flights with baggage will be around 5.5K - 7K, the rest will be used for car, housing, and furnishing. Now to us this seems daunting, but we know that our God owns all the cattle of a thousand hills. He has continued to supply all of our needs during this uncertain time so we trust that He will provide for us. We plan our ways, He directs our steps.
How can you be involved?
The first way is to be in continual prayer for us, and for the people of Scotland. Nothing can be, or will be accomplished through our own strength and efforts. We must be totally reliant on the Father and the Holy Spirit if we are to see fruits from this labor. Prayer is powerful and an vital way to participate in our ministry.
The second way is to support us financially. Our sending church is Calvary South Denver; they have graciously agreed to receive tithe and support through their church website for us. This means that all support for our church plant is a potential write off for our supporters, as well as it helps us keep a record of our support on a monthly basis. The way to support us financially is simple: go to our website, click on the give tab, follow the instructions. We understand that in this season of life many cannot give or feel that they would not be able to give much. The widows mite was given with a joyful heart and it was more precious than any other gift that was given. It was not the amount, but the state of the heart. We would ask that you would pray and if led, you would give what you can. Our God is an awesome God, who provides our needs and cares for us, we place our hope in Him. To make it easier for people to come up with amounts you can refer to the graphic below. This is not to say that these amounts are all we will accept, it just gives a visual to our support raising and allows you to see where we are at in our process.
The third option is to speak with your church\missions pastor about the possibility of allowing us to come and share with them about our church plant. This gives us an opportunity to partner with more churches and have more resources to utilize. We are all working towards the same goal: to see Jesus magnified throughout the world. Relationships built with other Pastors and church leaders are vital to a missionary/church planter’s success. Surrounding ourselves with wise counsel and like minded companions for this venture is a great desire of ours. It also allows us to interact with people that we would most likely never get a chance to meet with or share with about what God is doing. If you would like to introduce us to your Pastors or church leaders you can email me directly and we can chat about it. This is not something to be rushed into, this is something to pray over and consider, we do not want to operate out of haste, but out of prayer.
Our family would like to thank you.
Thank you for loving us and supporting us through the years with your prayers and your finances. We have been blessed by the overwhelming love and support we have received from everyone. We are excited to participate in Gods work and His Kingdom for His Glory.
- Cody, Karissa, Theophilus, and Mateas
Imago Dei
"They treat our pain as invisible and forget to mourn with us after bible study. I know how much it stings when some of our churches fly to Africa to do missions, but won't go to march for Trayvon in Florida." - Preston Perry
This quote is from a man with a background, unlike mine. I grew up in sunny southern California thinking that racism was a subject for history books. I did not grow up with the fear of being another statistic on a page for some to debate. I did not grow up with the harsh reality of learning how to conduct myself in a police to civilian interaction so that I might hope to survive. I did not grow up in the position where I had to worry about what I was wearing, how I was walking, or what I looked like after dark.
I did not grow up with the pain and effects of genocide or slavery on my heart, mind, and family.
The situation that happened with George Floyd is more prevalent than many would like to admit. I, for one must confess that in the past I used to say things like, "all lives matter”, "heritage not hate", or "they shouldn't have resisted”. All too common of things being said amongst people today. I have learned that this mindset was dismissive and hurtful to people of color. I have always loved all races and would have never considered myself superior to anyone, but my denial of the very real issue of racism was damaging and ignorant. It was by marrying into a diverse family of color, that I have observed and learned that they have all experienced the world much differently than I.
I don't consider myself woke. I consider myself someone who was uneducated in the social realities of our world and had to be taught about these things and digest them, no matter how hard it was. This process was not overnight. It has taken years of conversations, debates, apologies, and prayer. I thank God for Karissa, she was passionate and patient with me throughout the process. She is a gift of which I am undeserving.
I am not a person of color. I come from the side of the oppressor, not the oppressed. The Lord has brought me to a place where I can see and admit my sin and shame. I am ashamed of the legacy of my ancestors and I am ashamed for myself. I was blind and could not recognize the damage that I had done to others by not admitting my sin and shame; not only by not admitting it but in being foolish enough to think I had nothing to be ashamed of. Don’t misunderstand me please, I do not hate white people. I do not hate myself for being white. With that being said, I now know that my thoughts and conduct were hurtful to people of color, and for that I am sorry.
Throughout this week many conversations, inquires, and discussions have come about, not just with Karissa, but with other friends and family over George Floyd, and the matter of police brutality. After reflecting, discussing and praying on it I feel that I have some things I want to say not only for myself, but for the church, and to our Brothers and Sisters who have to deal with atrocities like this continually.
If you are a fellow believer in Christ, The King, The Hope of Glory, The Prince of Peace, and Our Salvation, then sitting in silence or being in opposition, is not the way. When God said let us make man in Our Image, he imprinted on us Himself. No matter who you are or what you believe, you are made in the image of the Creator. George Floyd, Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice, and many others were all made in the image of God. Recognizing that they are God's Image Bearer is of the utmost importance. When you look at the life of Jesus in the Bible and see how He interacted with people who had been stripped of their rights to be considered equal or important, He corrects that. Throughout scripture we see Him recognizing the lowliest in His society as people who bore His image and were made for His purpose.
We have watched as countless black image-bearers of God, who were formed with His own hands in their mothers' wombs, whom God had breathed life into, also had God’s breath from their lungs removed by individuals that did not recognize the sanctity of their life as God’s creation. The weight of this should lay heavy upon the bride of Christ. It should weigh heavy on the hearts of Church leadership, it should lay heavy on the individual Christian. The answer is not a clever little tweet once in a while, nor just saying racism is bad and this needs to stop. It is to say their names, and acknowledge the system that has taken their lives. It is to stand beside the oppressed and say no more. No more silence, no more passivity, no more injustice, no more lifeless bodies to whom God had given life to. We as the church need to rise and follow after the Savior’s footsteps. He would not be idle, passive, or silent. If He was, a woman would be stoned, a thief would not be in glory, and I would not have inherited grace. He gave value to women, children, servants, slaves. Why? Because they are His. They were not devalued in His sight past, present, or future.
Preston Perry’s words got to me, as a Pastor and as a fellow disciple of Christ. I had never really thought about it in those terms until he said it. We are so quick to jump on a plane, spend thousands of dollars to go and "help/serve" black people in Africa specifically. But here in our own country we see a Black Lives Matter march, and we are divided by it. We see a protest for the unjust death of an Image Bearer and do nothing. I have done nothing. It makes me physically ill to meditate on this fact. I have genuinely had to ask myself why. Why have I been privately outraged about God’s creation being destroyed in front of my very eyes, yet publicly afraid to speak out against these deplorable actions? Honestly, there is no good excuse or reason, I think I wanted an exemption from it; that enough people were saying and doing enough things that it was enough. Somehow, I was justified in my private outrage because any opposition to the status quo is seen as political, so I remained silent. However, there is no justification in standing idly by and watching God’s beloved ones being executed. My wife wrote a beautiful post about hoping that this is not just going to be a trend for some or a bandwagon to ride while it is popular, but that it challenges us to change, not just momentarily, but for our lifetime.
Think about Martin Luther King Jr, think about how he gathered people of all racial groups and bound them together in the unity of Christ creating all men and women equally. When the civil rights movement happened and Jim Crow laws were abolished, it did not mean that racism and bigotry stopped. It has been happening still. We cannot keep our heads in the sand any longer. We must mourn with those that are mourning, and weep with those that are weeping. We must stand against the oppression of others, and fight alongside Gods image bearers for the right to exist without fear. This is only possible through the cross of Christ. The bloodline that I once had was that of the oppressor, but now I have been adopted into the bloodline of the Savior. Just because Christ conquered sin and death on the cross does not mean we do not war against sin and death daily. He has delivered us from the ultimate death and separation, but until we are in glory with Him, we are at war. We war against the darkness that hovers over our world. A darkness that wants to divide and conquer, one that wants to strip away our Savior’s imprinting on us and shackle us into sin and death. Beloved Bride of Christ, we must fight, we must stand, we must hold fast to this truth: that all people, of every tribe, nation, and tongue, are all made in the Image of God. Being that we are all made in God’s image, we must fight alongside image-bearers that are oppressed and murdered at a much higher rate than their Caucasian counter parts. The great cloud of witnesses that is in heaven is diverse, it is colorful, it is beautiful, and it is exactly how God desires it.
We can not just say 'no more'. We need to Stop. Stop letting our pride get in the way of recognizing the atrocities that have been committed against them, past and present. Stop making excuses for unjust and unlawful societies and institutions. Stop saying 'one bad apple'.
We must stop exempting ourselves from the problem of racism because 'we are not racist’, 'I don’t hate black people', or 'I have black friends so I can't be racist'. Stop discounting pain felt by the black community and explaining away their life experiences by explaining your own. Stop telling them how to feel, how to respond, and how to conduct themselves when they are in agony and grief. Stop saying you don't see color because that means that they are invisible. Stop and let the weight of their stories and life experience resonate within your mind. Remove the idea that all they have is an agenda, and just consider that they want to be heard. Maybe they want us to recognize their pain and feel a small measure of it with them. There is no agenda here but to enjoy the same freedoms and liberties that you and I enjoy all the time. James tells us about the tongue in Chapter 3. He says it is a small member of the body, but it boasts of great things. He calls it a fire, saying no human can tame it. He writes that from the tongue comes blessing and cursing, and it ought not to be so. Christian, I implore you, tame your tongue. Watch the outpour of your mouth. I know that I have failed in this area. Out of my mouth and from my lips have flown blessing and cursing. This is not the way. The world is watching us Church and this was not the example that Christ laid before us. Stop following the trend of others and follow Christ. Christ is the standard which we should live by, since he is the standard by which we will also be judged.
What we need to do…
Acknowledge that racism is still a prevalent part of society today, not just in the past, but presently. Take ownership of some of the pain that you have caused personally either by passive comments or dismissal of life experiences. Apologize for expecting silent suffering. Acknowledge that from a young age black sisters and brothers have experienced fear and anxiety over just existing. Stop refusing a discussion because you currently disagree and try to open yourself up to hearing them, and allowing their words to resonate in your hearts. Mourn with them, really mourn. Speak from a place of humility always. Accept that you have inherited a privilege that they have not been afforded. Work alongside them to achieve the same justice and safety that you have for your own children and families. Do your research before you speak. Learn how you can do better and what you can do to help, then do it. Go to a peaceful protest and stand with them against the injustices that are happening. Ask them how they are in this current climate and situation, then keep your mouth shut and listen. Interjecting or interrupting sends the message 'what you are saying is great, but what I think is more important.' Put aside your pride, be humble, and allow yourself to change. Learn, read, and appreciate black artists, pastors, authors, and educators.
To my fellow Brothers and Sisters in Christ who feel the weight of racism and ignorance in your daily lives, I am sorry and I grieve with you. More so than myself though, God grieves and God mourns with you. He sees the struggle and knows your pain. He calls you Beloved. He has come for you and walks alongside you. He will not abandon you. He stands against the unjust on your behalf. You are His. He has created you in His Image. Does the eternal glory awaiting you take away the present pain you feel? No. But the God who died on a cross, condemned as a criminal, misunderstood by many, and abandoned by all, hears your cries. As Preston said, He has a crown of glory for you. He has adorned you with love, covered you with peace, and gifted to you eternal life. You are God's anointed, You are an inheritor of His Kingdom. Your life Matters.
Black Lives Matter.
You are Imago Dei.
- Cody
One Step Closer
Hey friends and family,
We got some great news today!
Border Control has approved our sponsorship for working in the UK. What that means is now we can be formally invited to move to Scotland.
What we now have to do is, raise enough financial support to obtain our Tier 2 visa, NHS, and living costs! These are are two largest prayer requests at the moment.
God is opening up doors for us and it has been amazing to see His handy work in all of this. Please continue to pray for us, and if you feel lead come along side us financially.
Thank you all
Pray For Sponsorship
Hello beloved friends and family,
As some of you know the next steps for us to get over to Scotland are some of the most insane hurdles to run. Dan and Angela of Calvary Fellowship Stirling have been faithfully putting together all the correct documents in order for them to acquire sponsorship. Which is basically saying that they could invite us to come and live in Scotland. They have sent all the documents to Boarder Control and now it should be a few weeks until they hear back.
Please during this time would you lift this up in prayer. That God would give us favor with board control and that he would make the process go by as quickly and smoothly as possible. Also that God would bless Dan and Angela for their faithfulness and diligence in all of this.
Also we will be getting Theo and Mateas their passports, so please be praying for that as well.
Lastly for me (Cody), two weeks ago I got hurt at work. Really messed my back up and I have not been able to function the same. I am going to physical therapy and have been on some medication. If you would lift me up in your prayers that would be amazing.
If you would like to support us financially please click here, use the drop down to select Scotland Nunes.
Thank you for your prayers and love,
Pray For Scotland
PRAY FOR SCOTLAND
First Off Thank You!!
The First thing we would like to say to all of you receiving this list is thank you. Thank you for your continual prayer and support over the years! We have had some crazy seasons behind us and crazy more ahead, so the fact that you would take time out of your schedules to read this and pray for us is a major blessing. You are a huge part of what God is doing in our lives now and what He is going to do in Scotland! So THANK YOU!
PRAYER REQUESTS
Sponsorship - In the UK churches have to apply to sponsor ministry and missions, it is approved or denied through Boarder Control. Right now Dan and Angela of Calvary Fellowship Stirling have put in their application to sponsor us. So please be praying for favor with Boarder Control and that God would make the process go smoothly.
Spiritual Warfare - As in every Christian's life, Spiritual Warfare is a fact; with us venturing into a place that has been a strong hold for the enemy and Post-Christian culture, it has been relentless. Since we have gotten back, we've had a totaled car, walking pneumonia, and a whole other host of obstacles. We've really had to rely on the goodness of God throughout this season. So if you would lift us up to be strong and vigilant in this time.
Financial - This is going to be a staple at number three for some time. Karissa and I have sat down and wrote out our budget of moving costs and living costs. To us it is daunting and seemingly impossible. We are trusting in the Lord that he will bring about the means for us to do what he has called us to. That being said I want to be specific with you all. The first thing we need is $7,000.00 for our visa and NHS (National Health Services). We have to pay for 3 years of NHS in advance to be eligible for our visa. We are trying to get what is called a tier 2 visa, which will allow us to live in Scotland for 3 years and renew our visa in country when they are expired. This is a very hard visa to obtain, but we are confident that the Lord's will is going to be done, whatever the outcome.
Praise Report
Missions Conference - Karissa was able to attend the Missions Conference in California. It was such a blessed time for her and for me. She got to spend time gleaning from some amazing missionaries and pastors. It was a time of refreshing for us both as God was speaking to us through the teachings and workshops. Karissa also got to reconnect with many of the teachers and staff from CCBCE, they all had a tremendous impact on lives during our time there, and it was a blessing to see many of them again after so long.
Kindred Spirits - Dan and Angela Loaiza are the planters of Calvary Fellowship Stirling. They have been faithful friends ever since we first interacted back in May of 2019. They are continuing to serve the Lord in Stirling and other surrounding towns and cities in Scotland. Their support, friendship, and faithfulness has been a major blessing in our lives. Please lift them up in prayer!
Last Thing
Thank you again for reading this email and praying for us. If you or anyone you know is looking to support missions or church planting, please prayerfully consider referring us. Also, if your church is looking to support church plants or would allow us the pleasure of sharing our exciting venture, please let us know.
Also if you have prayed about financially supporting us and would like to, you can click the button below and it will take you to pushpay. Once there, a drop down option will appear, you can click on it, and scroll down to Mission_Scotland(Nunes). There you can give a one time gift, or you can set up recurring support.
Thank you!