February 2021 Morton Update

February 2021

Queridos amigos,

When I was staying with Kathi during my 2019 trip to Ireland, I often found myself anxious about what to do next, what would happen if I did that thing, what would happen if that thing didn’t lead to the next thing that I wanted to happen, and the anxious questions spiraled from there. Kathi reminded me that we can only do the next step, we cannot worry about the ten steps after. She reminded me that God would worry about those and we should not try to plan better than God. I am happy to tell you that the next step is here!

Ireland has begun accepting visa applications again! In January, Dan, Kathi, and I met with the leadership of my sponsoring church to discuss the application process and how we will work together. I have already begun organizing and compiling the documents needed for this application. The timeline of the application process is unknown. After I submit the application, Irish immigration promises a response in 4-6 weeks however that was before the global pandemic and lockdown of several key agencies for immigration. Please pray with me for the specific immigration officer whose desk my application lands on, for myself and my team as we gather documents, for my sponsor church as we reach an agreement for my role in their ministry when I arrive in Ireland, for my own sense of readiness and worthiness for this next step and my family and I as we prepare for something that we have been expecting to do for a very long time.

During application preparation, I will be engaging in The Plan Chapter 2 which includes remaining at Gateway Friends to continue to learn from this congregation about leadership and cross-cultural immersion, to finish my studies in May at Barclay College with a graduate degree in Pastoral Studies, to conduct research to complete that degree, to engage and care for my support base intentionally, to push myself outside of my Christian bubble, and to continue counseling. I am excited to take these next steps with the support of my entire team, which has grown by a whole congregation at Gateway Friends now!

I would love the chance to meet with each of you and share what I have learned in the waiting. I know that meeting in person is difficult now, but I would be happy to connect through email, phone or video, and I will be contacting you in the weeks ahead. I look forward to hearing from you about what God has been showing you during these unprecedented times.

I am filled with profound gratitude for the intentional and consistent ways I have been encouraged, supported, prayed for, and loved during this very unique journey towards full-time ministry in Ireland. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Molly

A word from Dan Cammack, the Executive Director of EFM:

The EFM staff is very proud of Molly! Rather than sit around and wait for Ireland to open back up she has embraced a number of stretching activities during the last year and a half that have helped her grow in her personal life as well as prepare her for ministry, which came at additional personal costs to her. Now that Ireland is accepting online applications and a church in that country has agreed to sponsor her for the visa, we are hopeful that Molly will be able to move there this year. Would you be willing to help make that happen? If so, please join us in praying for a favorable outcome to the application process. Please also join us in making sure that Molly is fully funded before she leaves the U.S. At this point she is 80% funded. Thank you for the ways in which you have stood with her up to this point in time. The Lord bless you!