A letter from Justin and Renee Sundberg preparing to serve in Nicaragua
February 2014
Dear family and friends,
We have exciting news. We will move to Nicaragua to work with Presbyterian World Mission when the school year winds down later this spring.
We will serve as a bridge to churches and organizations in the United States who want to learn and explore how they can make a difference in Nicaragua. Justin will host short-term mission and other teams, in partnership with CEPAD, a Nicaraguan church-sponsored organization hailed for its training of pastors and its success in empowering Nicaraguans in their hard work to create a new future for their children and families. To support and equip us for this new call, Renée will initially provide a stable base for our family and will study Spanish.
Our sense of leading to Nicaragua has been a God-hearty, “I’m going before you!” The amazing call in this story is too long to detail here, but we can say that Justin’s life’s work has been centered in Latin America, in experiencing the beauty of her peoples, understanding their profound challenges and linking resources and relationships in the U.S. and in Latin America to change everyone involved. Renée’s pastoral career in teaching, equipping, spiritual companioning and small groups will complement Justin in our privileged place of facilitating the experience of North Americans journeying to Nicaragua. We are excited for this Spirit-led opportunity to team up in a new season of shared vocation, with much to learn and much to share.
We have committed to this position for a four-year period. We love our multicultural world and especially Central America and its hard-working people. God is on the move in Nicaragua and we look forward to joining in. We are leaning into this transition with great hope and anticipation, but also recognizing the challenges before us.
We will need your help—emotionally, practically, prayerfully and financially. We invite you to join us in a way that stirs your heart and makes sense for you.
In the midst of preparing for this new adventure, life is bustling. When Renée finishes at University Presbyterian Church in March, more than 17 tremendous years in all will have transpired. We are so thankful for our UPC family. Justin finished 13 wonderful and life-changing years with Agros International in August.
Our daughter Autumn turned 10 in November. It has been a joy to watch her mature this past year. She gets a kick out of life, whether it's playing soccer, recounting a book she is reading, or playing with her siblings. Jack and Cassie are rarely identified as twins, but share a close relationship. Jack is tenderhearted. He especially looks after his little brother, and is quick to jump to the defense of someone in need. Like Jack, Cassie loves to read. She loves to create beauty through her artwork and lights up others with her quick smile and laugh. Ethan has settled into kindergarten and still freely offers words of love and affection to his parents. It's fun to see him reading his first words. When we shared with them our plans to move to Nicaragua, they seemed ready to go—for a few minutes. Then the questions came and a few tears were shed. But that was short-lived. Our recently finished (and very remarkable!) three weeks of training from the Presbyterian Mission Agency, which included instruction for the children, has anchored the kids for the transition we’ll soon experience together.
From February through June we will visit churches, presbyteries, and other groups to share the stories of our call and the work of the global partner we’ll be joining in Nicaragua. We would like to schedule a time to visit with you or your church before we leave the U.S. Please contact us and send us your mailing address and preferred email address to justinsundberg@gmail.com.
Please note that we will receive a salary during this time of itineration, so if you want a visit to your church, an honorarium is not necessary. However, the hosting congregation generally covers travel and is asked to provide meals and lodging (homestays work well). Travel expenses can often be shared between two or more congregations in the same general area and Presbyterian World Mission is able to help in some cases.
We will treasure time with you in the coming months. And then we hope some of you will visit us in Nicaragua or will even organize a team visit.
Warmly y con abrazos,
Justin, Renée, Autumn, Jack, Cassie, and Ethan
P.S. Please begin to consider how you might partner with us.
• Commit to monthly or yearly financial gifts. Might you consider being a part of our “Go Team,” early partners who make a gift to get us started?
• Pray for us. Pray for visiting U.S. teams. For Nicaragua. For God to change lives, children and adults, here and in Nicaragua.
• Visit us personally.
• Visit, but as part of your circle of friends, family, church or business getting to know and learn from and helping to change a community in Nicaragua.
• Correspond with us.
• Propose sister school or church relationships.
• Connect us to others who might be interested in supporting this vision.
We welcome all the advocacy you can garner and encouragement you can give. And we’d like to hear how we can pray for and encourage you as well.
The 2014 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, Nicaragua, p. 44
Read more about Justin and "Renee Sundberg's ministry
Contact: Renée Sundberg
Contact: Justin Sundberg
Individuals: Give online to E200391 for Justin and Renee Sundberg's sending and support
