The Next Step

Ever since we first started this journey in 2011, God has faithfully guided us by giving us next steps. He has never given us a clear vision for the next two, three or four years, but He has always provided clarity when the time came to take the next step.

As we started to formulate the plan for our time here in the Dominican Republic, we left the plan open-ended because we hadn't yet received the next step from God. We wanted to keep our hearts open to whatever He had next for us. Therefore, the plan was to stay here for a year and wait for God to guide us from there - whether that meant continuing our mission here in the DR or anywhere else He wanted to send us.

We are happy to tell you we have received yet another next step from our Heavenly Father! Beginning after Labor Day, Dan will be a full-time member of the Transformation Ministries staff serving the Keller Park area of South Bend, Ind.

Dan and Katie helped Kory and Ali Lantz lead the 2011 

Nappanee Missionary Church Summer IMPACT Team

to the Dominican Republic.

While the official call came quite recently, the seed of this next step was planted in the summer of 2010 when Dan first participated in the Keller Park Basketball Camp. Dan knew of Transformation Ministries Director Kory Lantz, but they weren't really friends yet. We had recently moved to Mishawaka and Dan was looking for ways to get involved in ministry opportunities close to home. The Keller Park Basketball Camp seemed like a great fit and it turns out that God has used those few days in July of 2010 to grow in us a passion for serving the Lord wherever He calls.

Dan and Kory Lantz (center) became friends

in 2010 at Keller Park Basketball Camp and 

have since worked closely together both in 

Indiana and in the Dominican Republic. 

In September they will be full-time ministry 

partners at Transformation Ministries in 

South Bend, Ind.

By the end of KP Camp, Kory and Dan had become better friends and later that year we were asked to help Kory and his wife Ali lead a group of students on a Summer IMPACT mission trip to the Dominican Republic! Throughout the last five years, Dan has continued to participate in KP Camp when possible and play basketball with Kory at Keller Park Church whenever he can. Many times during those encounters, they would joke about Dan someday being a more official part of Transformation Ministries. The jokes have now become a reality and we are very excited!

This is new territory both for us and for Transformation. Dan will be the first full-time staff other than Kory and they will work together to figure out exactly what the position looks like. One thing we do know, however, is that working with Transformation will give our family the opportunity to grow and build upon many of the lessons we've learned during our time in the Dominican Republic. We were somewhat surprised to see many similarities between the Dominican culture and the urban culture where Transformation does its work.

We are excited and thankful for the opportunity to continue doing relational ministry, and to do it with a great team. 

To our financial supporters:

First of all, we want to thank you for faithfully supporting us throughout our time in the Dominican Republic. Your generosity and obedience to God's call has allowed us to fully invest this year of our lives in an incredible life-changing ministry. We've learned a great deal about ourselves but also about God's desire to use each and every one of us to bring people to Himself.

We'd like to give you the opportunity to continue supporting us as we take the next step and go full-time with Transformation Ministries. Of course, you're under no obligation, but we'd love for you to pray about it and continue to obey the Lord however He leads.

If you're a regular monthly supporter and you want to continue supporting us, all you have to do is change the designation of your monthly donation to "Transformation Ministries."

If you'd like to end your monthly support when we complete our time in the Dominican Republic, you can simply stop making donations.

If you'd like to give a one-time or less frequent gift to support us at Transformation Ministries, you can always to to this page and donate online.

As always, we want to thank all of you who have given us love and encouragement throughout our time in the Dominican Republic. We're very excited to follow the Lord in this next step. We appreciate your prayers as we make the move back home to Indiana and prepare to dive into a new ministry opportunity in South Bend. We love you all!