Called to Be a Missionary

On July 14, 2005, God called me to be a missionary to Spanish speaking people. It was during my first foreign missions trip, in Peru. I don’t remember all the details of that night, but I remember the overwhelming burden on my heart for the lost souls there. I remember praying and committing myself to serve God among Spanish speaking people. I remember my parents’ excitement and support when I told them that God was calling me to be a missionary.

Summer Missions Internship in Lima, Peru

I spent the next 10 years of my life preparing and looking for the place and the specific ministries God was calling me to. I returned to Peru three times, traveled to Mexico and Ecuador, and served for a year in Puerto Rico. I studied missions and Spanish in college and ministered in Spanish speaking ministries in my hometown.

Throughout this time, both through my experiences and through the counsel of pastors and spiritual leaders in my life, God has burdened me for two specific areas of ministry: theological education and youth and children’s ministry. Through my education and service opportunities, God has been preparing me for service in these two specific areas.

One of the most exciting moments in my life happened about two years ago, when God brought these two together in one of the biggest “Aha!” moments of my life. I had met my wife online a month before, and through her I got connected with a missionary in Puebla, Mexico. He and his family were praying about and planning to start a Christian orphanage.

Dinner with the Bults (missionaries in Puebla)

When I heard about this opportunity, I was excited. I love working with kids. But in the back of my mind, I still wanted more. I was also burdened to be involved in training young men for ministry. So when I called the missionary about his ministry there, I found out that there is also a Bible college there where I can teach and help train young men for ministry.

That’s when I knew.

For the last ten years God had been preparing me for this moment, and it was finally here. This is what I’ve been looking for!

Have you ever had a moment like that in your life, when God just makes His will for you so clear? It’s exciting, isn’t it?

At Camino Global Headquarters in Dallas

Since that time, God has continued to lead us toward this ministry. Sarah and I got married and began pursuing this mission work together.

Last November we were approved by Camino Global as missionary appointees to Puebla, Mexico. We are raising support and plan to begin our ministry there in less than a year.

God is opening the doors, and we couldn’t be more excited. He is so good!

How is God calling you to use your life? Are you following His call?

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Collins Family Update: March 2022

Changing Ministry Location Many of you already know that we are planning to move back to the States in the near future. We have shared with many of you the reasons for this change, but if anyone has questions or concerns about this decision, please feel free to reach out to us. We are planning to arrive back in the States in mid-April, and we hope to see many of you then. We are currently pursuing an opportunity to serve in pastoral ministry in the northern Michigan area, and we are waiting for an answer from the church. While we patiently wait for God’s leading in our ministry change, we are continuing to serve in our ministries in Mexico, and we will continue serving via online ministry once we are back in the States. We expect to need missions support at least through the end of May, and perhaps longer depending on how God leads us in the next two months. We will do our best to keep in touch with our supporters as we learn how God is leading our family and ministry. We would ask ...

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A NEW AGENCY After months of prayer and consideration, along with counsel from pastors and other friends and family, we want to inform you of a big and exciting change for us! In an effort to be the best stewards of the resources God has provided through our supporters, we are resigning from our current mission board, Avant, and we are transitioning to a new agency, Mission Quest ( https://missionquest.org ). WHAT IS CHANGING? This change does not affect our ministries here in Mexico. We plan to continue in the same ministry as before: Making disciples of Jesus Christ in Puebla, Mexico through orphan care, theological education, and church ministries . This is also not a change in doctrine . Our beliefs have not changed! You can check out Mission Quest’s doctrinal statement here: https://missionquest.org/about/Missionary-Statement-of-Faith/ WHY CHANGE? For us, this change is about stewardship . For our family to continue with Avant would not be good stewardship of th...

Collins Family Update May 2020

ANSWER TO PRAYER: LIZ BECAME A BELIEVER! If you’ve seen our recent newsletters, you may remember that we have been discipling a younger couple who live at the seminary and go to our church. Alfredo grew up in Niños de México (the organization we work with at the children’s homes). He has a hunger for God’s Word and is really enjoying his studies at the seminary. His wife Liz , however, was not a believer, but she agreed to move with him to Puebla so he could study at the seminary. Soon after they arrived, we invited them to come to church with us, and we began discipling them. We knew from the beginning that Liz was not a believer, and so we have been praying for her and consistently presenting the truths of the gospel to her. The Bible study we are doing with them about marriage is extremely gospel-focused, and Liz has been receptive to the teaching now for a few months. And so we knew she was close to trusting Christ. And then on Tuesday, April 28, Alfredo shared with us...

Collins Family in Mesick, MI

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