Eric and Kelly Frey Martin both come from families who intentionally engaged with the broader world. So it’s no wonder that the couple is set to leave for Colombia in early February to serve with Mennonite Mission Network.
Kelly’s father grew up as a missionary kid in Mexico, and Eric’s family welcomed refugees and foreign exchange volunteers into their home when he was a child. The desire to be connected and to learn from different cultures took seed and continued to grow through their young adult lives. Both took opportunities to live abroad for short-term service experiences and soon found this to be a common interest that made itself known early in their relationship.
“We came in with a pretty open view -– not just where we would go or what we would do, but whether we would do it at all,” Eric explains. “As we continued exploring possibilities, we started to feel excitement and could feel God nudging us in this direction.”
Eric is the youth pastor at Silverwood Mennonite in Goshen, Indiana. It is a job he took a little over four years ago after working at Camp Friedenswald as program coordinator. Kelly joins him in leading the youth when her life as a labor and delivery nurse allows. They both feel a strong sense of support from their community, and are committed to intentionally making connections with friends during the week.
So why this? Why now? Their taste and yearning for shared ministry has not yet been satisfied.
“We wanted to be put in a place where we can learn from a church that is living out their faith in the midst of a society that has experienced a lot of trauma and violence,” Eric said. “The opportunity in Colombia is something we can do together. We are looking forward to learning from those we work with and joining them in their ministry.”
“There are a few things that have been happening naturally that help me prepare to leave. God has been providing me with dreams and passions for what Colombia could be like. This makes me excited to go,” Kelly said.
Though ministry opportunities often reshape, the current plan is for Eric and Kelly to join ongoing efforts of the Colombia Mennonite Church to connect with youth across Colombia. They hope to help develop youth programs and nurture the spiritual gifts of young people as the youth grow in their leadership potential.
As the months before departure become fewer, they recognize it will not be an easy transition. They are brushing up on their Spanish and attempting to begin the process of packing up their two-bedroom apartment.
“We are working at ways of thinking about how we will be alone, together, and making sure we have good support systems in place,” Eric says. They are also preparing to be humbled countless times while learning a new culture.
“But in those situations, you also find life,” Kelly said.
