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Our attempt at being a Drink Offering

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We ended 2022 as the de facto closing to many of our ministry responsibilities with the Campus Outreach team here in Belo Horizonte. Our time has been dedicated to the lengthy and slow immigration process for Tathiana, closing up our life in Brazil, selling our possessions and still continuing to invest as much as possible in relationships and personal ministry.

Beyond the ins and outs of personal ministry, still engaged in evangelism and church leadership, we have dedicated a lot of energy to the emotional swings that ebb and flow around us as we attempt to prepare well for this transition.

I want to update about a few highlights over the past months so you, our supporters who make this possible, can rejoice in God's continued hand on us and ministry through us. 

Church Leadership:

Jon continues to be dedicated to the church leadership elder board for our local church, Comunidade Horizonte. Each month there are many meetings and lots of discussion for our church as we decide on direction and strategy post-pandemic for our growing community. Pastoral needs are constant, and we are trying to shepherd well those who God has called to our community. In February, Jon organized a three-day elder retreat for the first time since our church officially organized 15 years ago. It was a great time for our elders and pastors to pray for one another, pray for members, and get away from the urgency to spend time and energy to look forward to where God is directing our church. 

Investing in the Next Generation:

In March, Jon had the absolute privilege to take two new Brazilian staff to a support-raising bootcamp in Curitiba, Brazil. It was a great jump start for Vitor and Lorrayne's practical support-raising process. We are praying that these two national staff can begin to pave the way for increased support raising in Brazil. It was extremely encouraging to spend time with dedicated Brazilian missionaries and ministers who have labored for years and to see them embrace biblical principles for missionary funding.

Continuing to the Spiritual Friendships:

Both Tathiana and Jon continue to engage in specific relationships that are efforts to be the light of Christ to those who do not believe or in the midst of a personal battle for belief. We want to pour ourselves out as a drink offering, as Paul mentioned in Philippians 2:17, as much as possible before we end this chapter of our life and ministry.

Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. Philippians 2:17 ESV

Transition Update - May 2023

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One last trip to say goodbye to Tathiana’s brother and his girlfriend.

The transition of our family to the US and to Campus Outreach Serve in Birmingham, AL has had its ups and downs. Here is a short list to update everyone on where we are and what is next to come.

  • September 2022 - submit Tathiana's residency process with US authorities.

  • November 2022 - communicate to supporters about our move to the US and to Campus Outreach Serve

  • December 2022 - close-out direct responsibilities with the COBH team in Brazil

  • February 2023 - Expedite Request with US Immigration was accepted and case was approved.

  • March 2023 - Payments and Supporting documentation to US authorities

  • April 2023 - All documentation approved and Consular Interview set for June

  • May 2023 - Tathiana's medical exams and Emergency Consular Interview rescheduled for May 15th in Rio de Janeiro

We have already been served by Campus Outreach Serve staff and a longtime Counselor and professional Psychologist in preparation for our transition for our family and the impact the international move will have on us all and, also, individually. I am currently working through the book Looming Transitions by Amy Young and its accompanying workbook with family activities.

And in the midst of all this, I admit there have been some challenges. 

  • Just WAITING is never fun. And the date we wanted to make our move to settle and spend time with family in the US before school starts in August is slipping by and we are still here.

  • Our house was broken into on Easter Sunday. Most of our electronics were stolen and some other things. We have been in a long process with our insurance company to see about coverage and reimbursements. 

  • Trying to search for viable housing in Birmingham from afar is challenging. I did learn a lot about US financing, mortgages and all that adult stuff that I spent 20 years not having any experience.

These next weeks could become very fast-moving after Tathiana's interview at the Consulate in Rio on May 15th. However, we try hard not to get our hopes up until we have concrete answers and documentation in our hands. Please pray for the final chapters of closing out a life in Brazil and for the multitude of things that will begin to call attention once we land in the US.

A (simple?) Request (UPDATED on 03-20-23)

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Update 03-20-23

Within 10 business days of sending the Expedite Request to a Congressional Aide who has assisted us, not only was the Expedite Request approved, but US Immigration went ahead and reviewed our petition for Tathiana’s residency and approved it. Now the process moves onto the State Department’s National Visa Center, where they will process and activate the presiding Consulate in Brazil for an interview. Things are moving, and I thank you so much for laboring with us in prayer.

The Congressional Aide told us to not get out hopes up because the Expedite Requests are seldom granted. However, not only was it granted, but abundantly more. It is a joy to ask great things for God and received great things from God.

2023 has begun and phases in our transition have started and others have been delayed. Specifically, I want to talk about Tathiana's immigration process.

A request to US Immigration Services

On Monday, February 27th, we submitted an Expedite Request for Tathiana's permanent residency. For the past weeks I have been working with a congressional office and they were able to give us specific information that was hard to receive - currently the expectation for this process is October of 2023. Our main priority is getting to the US and at least a bit settled in Birmingham before the 2023-2024 school years starts. For this reason we decided to submit an Expedite Request.

A request to our Partners to pray

These Expedite Requests are not easily granted, so we want to ask our partners to pray with us for God's favor on our request and for it be granted. 



2022 Year in Review & Year-End Giving

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This year brought many things, both rewarding and challenging. 2022 was much different than the previous two COVID years here in Belo Horizonte. I want to review quickly and celebrate with all our partners what God has done.

Personal & Family:

  • Celebrating 20 years in Brazil with Campus Outreach

  • Kids - growing and maturing in wisdom, stature and favor with God and man

  • Decision about the next 10 years of our life and ministry in the USA

  • God providing for our 20-year campaign

  • Facing stress, sadness and excitement about new chapter in the US in 2023

Campus Ministry:

  • Back on campus full-time after 2 years

  • New contacts, new conversations, new doors open to the gospel

  • New life! Students coming to Christ

  • Reinventing ourselves as a ministry at UFMG

Team:

  • National leadership growing and leading

  • New Campus Director thinking for the movement

  • Hiring new staff, both Brazilian and American

  • Transitioning current staff to new opportunities in the marketplace.

  • New intercultural families forming

Year-End Giving:

Thank you to everyone who gives faithfully and sacrificially throughout the year. If anyone would like to make a year-end gift beyond your current giving, please follow the link here. These gifts help us make up for the monthly support we currently lack and finish the year in a strong support situation. LINK to Online Giving - https://www.campusoutreach.org/donate/jon-elam/

Official Communication of our Transition in 2023

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I ask for only 4 minutes of your time for an important Video Update about exciting developments and decisions made toward a big transition for the next season of life and ministry. We are ending one chapter in Brazil and beginning a new one in the US.

(Sorry for the audio filter distortion because of wind and background noise. And the video was sped-up so it would fit within 4 minutes)

Family Calling

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In the next few weeks, we will be opening up more about how we used this year to evaluate and think about the best way to strengthen our family and our personal ministry for the next season of life and ministry. 

We have dedicated time to prayer and consideration of the next ten years of life and ministry. We have enjoyed celebrating how God has worked in us and through us, and continue to be excited about what He can and will do in the next chapter for our family. 

Please stay tuned for more via our updates and social media accounts. Thanks!


20 years of Teams

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In celebrating the past twenty years in Brazil for our 20/20 Giving Campaign, I want to highlight the privilege of serving with a TEAM over these two decades; a dedicated, faithful, multifaceted and multicultural team. Campus Outreach holds teams as a value, as an important part of who we are and what we do in ministry on the campus. Not only are the ministerial benefits significant, but my personal experience and growth has been multiplied so much more because of the teams with whom I have served.

Although our team is constantly shifting and changing, my experiences on the CO team in Belo Horizonte can be characterized by the following chapters of my 20 years and my role on the teams which they span.

2002

Newby: 2002-2004

When I arrived in Belo Horizonte, the original launch team that landed 4-5 years previously was still here. They had paved the way for many things and had understood the need for contextualizing our ministry approach. I looked up to them all. During this time the first generations of Brazilian staff were hired. This was a time to really learn about personal ministry and my understanding of the gospel in real life. 

2007

Growth: 2005-2007

There was growth in three specific areas in the second chapter. First, our team and our campus communities were growing because of the fruit of new believers, discipleship and new staff. Still, the majority of the original launch team was still laboring with their young families. Second, I began my new family! Tathiana were married in December of 2006. Thirdly, 2007 also birthed the church plant of Comunidade Horizonte, our local church authority.

2010

Baptism by Fire: 2008-2011

August 2008 began one of the hardest seasons of my life. It, also, was the season that God moved me to embrace the leadership He had in store for me and the personal growth and maturity in my sanctification to become more like Jesus. Our team had many staff leave, both in harmonious, need-based transitions and also in contentious, combative division. This affected both our growing campus ministry and our young church. This was also within my first two years of marriage. It was very, very hard. This chapter resulted in a renewing of resolve and an opportunity to step-up to lead when others had stepped away.

2018

Resource Director: 2012-2018

For about seven years, I had the joy of contributing to our mission and our team via our operations. I took on a role I knew I was gifted and prepared for, but in which I had no experience, nor a subteam to work alongside me. Our renewed team and once again growing movement was in need of structure for the long-haul. It was sweet to provide in these ways in order for the campus ministry to push forward in confidence knowing that the operations were being handled. We developed and recruited what we call a Resource Team, and I handed the reins to that team off because God had prepared others to take over.

2022

Experienced Veteran: 2019-2022

The current chapter began in 2019, when I was already serving on our Leadership Team, and when I made the move back to the campus and to shepherding staff and executing our strategic plans. The team is younger (or we are just older) and I now meet freshmen who were born after I moved to Brazil. However, that's what a veteran is. Even as a church "elder" on our session of elders, I continue to see God using our gifts, experience and commitment to the gospel ministry here in Belo Horizonte and Brazil.