Murphy Family from
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Our Story
Letter to Friends and Family - May 2016
Dear Friends and Family,
As most of you know, Scott and I have felt very strongly over the past three years that God was calling us to full time mission work in Ecuador. We have prayed continually over this overwhelming idea and have had peace during our time of waiting. We have officially committed to a three year assignment serving with several different ministries in Quito, Ecuador. We are excited and feel extremely blessed by the Lord’s faithfulness. We will be leaving for a pre-field training on June 17th, then immediately leaving for Ecuador on July 25th.
Scott and I both experienced short-term mission trips while in high school that made a lasting impression on each of our lives. During the summer of 2013, I made my first trip to Ecuador with a small team from our local church. We served primarily along the coast in the region of Esmeraldas hosting Vacation Bible Schools at local schools and churches, visiting orphanages and nursing homes, and sharing the Gospel and the Love of Christ with those who crossed our paths. We met more abandoned children who lacked proper nutrition, had no shoes, and whose parents simply couldn’t care for them properly, than I ever thought possible. These children knew nothing different. They would pass up a lollipop to beg for our water. They were so appreciative of everything given to them and would often place an extra cookie in their pocket to take home for another time.
During this trip, I knew that my time in Ecuador wasn’t finished. I returned home to our family in Atlanta and asked Scott if it would be possible to spend an extended period of time in Ecuador the following summer. Scott’s immediate response was “How is this possible? We own a business. We can’t do this!” But, God had other plans. Scott was shown a scripture on several occasions that would lead him to seek God for direction. It was Mark 10:21. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” Scott really began searching his own heart and God showed him that he needed to shift his focus. He was shown that he idolized his business, put more focus on his martial arts training than his family, and that his spiritual journey was lacking in a serious way. He had just reached the last ‘goal’ he had set in martial arts, which was becoming a Master Instructor, and he still felt a sense of emptiness. He knew God was preparing his heart for his next mission!
After much prayer and guidance from the Lord, we spent 8 weeks during the Summer of 2014 serving throughout many regions of Ecuador, which included: Esmeraldas, Riobamba, Guayaquil, Banos de Agua Santa and completing our trip in Quito. During this trip we spent a week serving at The Ark Children’s Home and we knew our hearts were deeply impacted by the orphan community. As our entire family spent a lot of time in prayer over what we were being called to do next, the four of us agreed that our time in Ecuador was still not complete! We returned home and began praying that God would open doors for us to return as full time missionaries.
Beginning in August of 2014 we began praying that God would send us back to Ecuador. We knew He had placed the desire to continue serving there in all of our hearts and He would open the doors in His timing. We went through a major refining process and this time of waiting taught us so much and prepared us for the journey ahead. In January 2016, we felt that God presented us with an opportunity and we began to seek direction and confirmation. In mid-April we felt that everything was lining up for us to pursue the ministry opportunity, but one major concern remained. What were we going to do with our small martial arts business, Canton ATA?
We spent a lot of time in prayer over the decisions that were soon to be made and we decided that we knew God was in control and if He was leading us to Ecuador we needed to step out in complete faith that He would take care of the details. On Tuesday, April 19th around 10pm, Scott and I decided if the business did not sell prior to June 1st we would simply close the doors. This is not what we wanted to do, but we knew this is what we were being asked to do. We prayed and decided to post one last time on a private school owner’s page on Facebook asking if anyone was interested in purchasing Canton ATA. Just before midnight, I heard Scott’s phone beep with a message alert. It was a message from a young man who was very interested in purchasing the business and he wanted to talk first thing Wednesday morning. After several meetings with 2 separate interested parties, within 6 days Canton ATA was SOLD and the new owners wanted to take over as of May 1st!
Folks, this is how God works! He wants us to step out in complete faith and simply be obedient! He knew that our hearts were focused on doing what He had asked us to do 2 years prior, but we had not stepped out in complete faith. The moment our hearts were ok with the negative outcome of having to close the business, He stepped in and met the desires of our heart. Are you being obedient to His calling? If not, step out and Trust Him!
Scott will be teaching at the Alliance Academy International and I will be serving with many different ministries on a daily basis. We have a deep love for the people of Ecuador and we hope to make an eternal difference in the lives of those we serve! We ask that you keep us in your prayers and join us on our journey. We hope to inspire others to pursue their calling and live out their purpose!
As we proceed with answering this calling we know that God is leading many of you to join us in some form or fashion. Many of you can’t ‘go’, but you are a prayer warrior who would love to pray for us. We NEED you! Many of you don’t feel led to ‘go’, but feel led to support the ministry financially. We NEED you! Many of you DO feel led to ‘go’, but haven’t stepped out in faith to go. We NEED you! There will be opportunities to serve within our ministry in the near future! Many of you do not have a relationship with Christ and wonder why we are doing this…we want to hear from you! We would love to share with you how awesome a relationship with Christ truly is! It’s not about religion…it’s all about the relationship!
As mentioned earlier, we felt led to sell everything we own in order to give our time and service to the precious people here on a strictly volunteer basis. To love those who have never felt love. To feed those who only receive 1 or 2 meals a week. To provide an education for those who were once orphaned, but have been adopted into a beautiful family. To put shoes on feet that walk miles and miles on rocky, dirt surfaces. To give men and women who desire an opportunity to provide for their family a way to do that. To show all of these precious people that there is Hope!
We are not a wealthy family. We have lived on a very limited income, but we were always provided for. We have enough money set aside to take care of our monthly expenses for a few months and we are actively doing as many side jobs as possible to raise the money needed for our one-time expenses such as, airfare, pre-field training costs, visas, furniture, and housing deposits. We are seeking any additional ways to raise the money as possible. The time we have left to do this is limited, so please pray that opportunities arise and we can work as much as possible! If you have an opportunity for us to work, please let us know!
Many of you have asked how you can support us on a monthly basis. Please know that your monthly support is not simply supporting us…you are supporting the thousands of children who desperately need your support! It is impossible to do the work we will be doing, alone. You will be making an impact in the lives of these children and families on a daily basis. Your partnership allows us the ability to teach these children that they are beautiful children of God, who were designed for a purpose, and provide training that gives them the opportunity to live a life that honors and glorifies Him! We hope to keep everyone updated on the amazing work God is able to accomplish through all of us simply working together!
Also, please know that NO financial support is too small! Maybe you have a Starbucks addiction…Give up 1 Starbucks a week and you could provide the child who only eats 2 meals a week the opportunity to eat 4-5 times a week. Maybe you spend $10-$15 on lunch every day. Make an effort to pack your lunch just 1 day each week and you are helping to provide an education for a child who was once never given the opportunity to attend school. There are many, simple ways to help! Monthly Support of even $10 or $25 a month means the world to us…and to the families we will be working with day in and day out. Whether your income is $1000 a month or $25,000 a month…YOU can make a difference! We NEED your help! The children NEED your help!
If you feel led to support our ministry, please see the information attached on how to do this. We know without a doubt we are doing exactly what we are supposed to do and we Thank You for the outpouring of love and encouragement you have provided. Also, if there is anything we can do for you, please let us know. How can we pray for you? We would love to pray for you and your family! We look forward to experiencing this journey with each and every one of you. May you be Blessed with Abundance!
Thank you advance for your prayers! We look forward to sharing with you how amazing our God is!
We Love You!
In Christ,
Scott, Brandy, Madeleine and Patrick Murphy
Dear Friends and Family,
As most of you know, Scott and I have felt very strongly over the past three years that God was calling us to full time mission work in Ecuador. We have prayed continually over this overwhelming idea and have had peace during our time of waiting. We have officially committed to a three year assignment serving with several different ministries in Quito, Ecuador. We are excited and feel extremely blessed by the Lord’s faithfulness. We will be leaving for a pre-field training on June 17th, then immediately leaving for Ecuador on July 25th.
Scott and I both experienced short-term mission trips while in high school that made a lasting impression on each of our lives. During the summer of 2013, I made my first trip to Ecuador with a small team from our local church. We served primarily along the coast in the region of Esmeraldas hosting Vacation Bible Schools at local schools and churches, visiting orphanages and nursing homes, and sharing the Gospel and the Love of Christ with those who crossed our paths. We met more abandoned children who lacked proper nutrition, had no shoes, and whose parents simply couldn’t care for them properly, than I ever thought possible. These children knew nothing different. They would pass up a lollipop to beg for our water. They were so appreciative of everything given to them and would often place an extra cookie in their pocket to take home for another time.
During this trip, I knew that my time in Ecuador wasn’t finished. I returned home to our family in Atlanta and asked Scott if it would be possible to spend an extended period of time in Ecuador the following summer. Scott’s immediate response was “How is this possible? We own a business. We can’t do this!” But, God had other plans. Scott was shown a scripture on several occasions that would lead him to seek God for direction. It was Mark 10:21. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” Scott really began searching his own heart and God showed him that he needed to shift his focus. He was shown that he idolized his business, put more focus on his martial arts training than his family, and that his spiritual journey was lacking in a serious way. He had just reached the last ‘goal’ he had set in martial arts, which was becoming a Master Instructor, and he still felt a sense of emptiness. He knew God was preparing his heart for his next mission!
After much prayer and guidance from the Lord, we spent 8 weeks during the Summer of 2014 serving throughout many regions of Ecuador, which included: Esmeraldas, Riobamba, Guayaquil, Banos de Agua Santa and completing our trip in Quito. During this trip we spent a week serving at The Ark Children’s Home and we knew our hearts were deeply impacted by the orphan community. As our entire family spent a lot of time in prayer over what we were being called to do next, the four of us agreed that our time in Ecuador was still not complete! We returned home and began praying that God would open doors for us to return as full time missionaries.
Beginning in August of 2014 we began praying that God would send us back to Ecuador. We knew He had placed the desire to continue serving there in all of our hearts and He would open the doors in His timing. We went through a major refining process and this time of waiting taught us so much and prepared us for the journey ahead. In January 2016, we felt that God presented us with an opportunity and we began to seek direction and confirmation. In mid-April we felt that everything was lining up for us to pursue the ministry opportunity, but one major concern remained. What were we going to do with our small martial arts business, Canton ATA?
We spent a lot of time in prayer over the decisions that were soon to be made and we decided that we knew God was in control and if He was leading us to Ecuador we needed to step out in complete faith that He would take care of the details. On Tuesday, April 19th around 10pm, Scott and I decided if the business did not sell prior to June 1st we would simply close the doors. This is not what we wanted to do, but we knew this is what we were being asked to do. We prayed and decided to post one last time on a private school owner’s page on Facebook asking if anyone was interested in purchasing Canton ATA. Just before midnight, I heard Scott’s phone beep with a message alert. It was a message from a young man who was very interested in purchasing the business and he wanted to talk first thing Wednesday morning. After several meetings with 2 separate interested parties, within 6 days Canton ATA was SOLD and the new owners wanted to take over as of May 1st!
Folks, this is how God works! He wants us to step out in complete faith and simply be obedient! He knew that our hearts were focused on doing what He had asked us to do 2 years prior, but we had not stepped out in complete faith. The moment our hearts were ok with the negative outcome of having to close the business, He stepped in and met the desires of our heart. Are you being obedient to His calling? If not, step out and Trust Him!
Scott will be teaching at the Alliance Academy International and I will be serving with many different ministries on a daily basis. We have a deep love for the people of Ecuador and we hope to make an eternal difference in the lives of those we serve! We ask that you keep us in your prayers and join us on our journey. We hope to inspire others to pursue their calling and live out their purpose!
As we proceed with answering this calling we know that God is leading many of you to join us in some form or fashion. Many of you can’t ‘go’, but you are a prayer warrior who would love to pray for us. We NEED you! Many of you don’t feel led to ‘go’, but feel led to support the ministry financially. We NEED you! Many of you DO feel led to ‘go’, but haven’t stepped out in faith to go. We NEED you! There will be opportunities to serve within our ministry in the near future! Many of you do not have a relationship with Christ and wonder why we are doing this…we want to hear from you! We would love to share with you how awesome a relationship with Christ truly is! It’s not about religion…it’s all about the relationship!
As mentioned earlier, we felt led to sell everything we own in order to give our time and service to the precious people here on a strictly volunteer basis. To love those who have never felt love. To feed those who only receive 1 or 2 meals a week. To provide an education for those who were once orphaned, but have been adopted into a beautiful family. To put shoes on feet that walk miles and miles on rocky, dirt surfaces. To give men and women who desire an opportunity to provide for their family a way to do that. To show all of these precious people that there is Hope!
We are not a wealthy family. We have lived on a very limited income, but we were always provided for. We have enough money set aside to take care of our monthly expenses for a few months and we are actively doing as many side jobs as possible to raise the money needed for our one-time expenses such as, airfare, pre-field training costs, visas, furniture, and housing deposits. We are seeking any additional ways to raise the money as possible. The time we have left to do this is limited, so please pray that opportunities arise and we can work as much as possible! If you have an opportunity for us to work, please let us know!
Many of you have asked how you can support us on a monthly basis. Please know that your monthly support is not simply supporting us…you are supporting the thousands of children who desperately need your support! It is impossible to do the work we will be doing, alone. You will be making an impact in the lives of these children and families on a daily basis. Your partnership allows us the ability to teach these children that they are beautiful children of God, who were designed for a purpose, and provide training that gives them the opportunity to live a life that honors and glorifies Him! We hope to keep everyone updated on the amazing work God is able to accomplish through all of us simply working together!
Also, please know that NO financial support is too small! Maybe you have a Starbucks addiction…Give up 1 Starbucks a week and you could provide the child who only eats 2 meals a week the opportunity to eat 4-5 times a week. Maybe you spend $10-$15 on lunch every day. Make an effort to pack your lunch just 1 day each week and you are helping to provide an education for a child who was once never given the opportunity to attend school. There are many, simple ways to help! Monthly Support of even $10 or $25 a month means the world to us…and to the families we will be working with day in and day out. Whether your income is $1000 a month or $25,000 a month…YOU can make a difference! We NEED your help! The children NEED your help!
If you feel led to support our ministry, please see the information attached on how to do this. We know without a doubt we are doing exactly what we are supposed to do and we Thank You for the outpouring of love and encouragement you have provided. Also, if there is anything we can do for you, please let us know. How can we pray for you? We would love to pray for you and your family! We look forward to experiencing this journey with each and every one of you. May you be Blessed with Abundance!
Thank you advance for your prayers! We look forward to sharing with you how amazing our God is!
We Love You!
In Christ,
Scott, Brandy, Madeleine and Patrick Murphy
