Updates from our Newest Missionaries
- Elizabeth Piasecki ~ After a week of assessments in July, Elizabeth was invited to join World Team. She is now officially a missionary appointee and is actively pursuing what World Team field and team God would have her join!
- Gabe Suavé ~ God has raised up a support team and full funding for Gabe's year long internship with the Navigators, and he is now hard at work preparing for Freshman Orientation which begins next week!
Elizabeth Piasecki
Appointee with World Team
I'm excited to share that I have officially signed on with World Team as an appointee! World Team is a non-denominational mission sending agency that sends out workers to 20 different countries around the world. They have a long history in starting churches that multiply among least-reached peoples.
RACE, the week-long candidate school and reciprocal assessment with World Team, was filled with both joys and challenges. I formed many meaningful relationships with the other candidates, and I'm excited to see how God will work in their lives. I also loved hearing the stories of the assessors, many of whom have spent years serving on the mission field. Although I was anxious about the interviews and wanted to answer each question honestly and thoughtfully, the Lord was faithful to use His Word to remind me of His truth and give me peace.
As for my next steps, I will begin speaking with field directors from several different countries as I prayerfully discern where to take a two-week vision trip. World Team requires me to take a vision trip where I visit a field, World Team workers there, and get a feel for whether this is God's future place of long-term service for me. I hope to update you once I have more details, but the trip will most likely take place within the next three to six months. In the meantime, I also have several books to read and courses to complete as I continue preparing for missionary service.
You may be wondering about the timeline, and honestly, so am I! The length of time between RACE and arriving on the mission field varies greatly from person to person and situation to situation. For now, I'm simply trusting the Lord to guide each step, and I'll keep you updated as I learn more. One step at a time. :)
Vision Trip Prayer Requests
- That I would have fruitful conversations with the field directors of the countries I'm considering.
- That the Lord would give me wisdom and clarity as I decide which country to visit.
- That every practical detail of the trip—including timing and finances—would come together according to God's plan.
General Requests
- That I would balance work, life, and my World Team preparation well.
- For a sweet end to the summer and a great start to the school year.
- For continued spiritual growth and a deepening joy in the Lord.
- For even more opportunities for gospel witness and discipleship.
- For meaningful, quality time with friends and family while I am still in the United States.
- For my upcoming school year, I plan to teach Spanish part-time so that I can begin shifting more of my time and energy toward preparing for missions.
Thank you so much for your prayers and encouragement during the week of RACE and beyond!
In Christ,
Elizabeth Piasecki
** To get more information, to receive Elizabeth's prayer updates, or to support her, use the button below to contact her **
Gabe Sauvé
Intern with Navigators
A Funding Update
Friends and family, thank you SO much for your support! God has provided through your diligent prayer, your willingness to give resources, and the relationships you have passed on to me. By God’s grace, I am nearly to my goal for the year! Thank you for helping me reach that goal and allowing me to focus on ministry! What a gift it is to partner with you all in this eternal, kingdom-building work! Join me in praising our good Father for his faithfulness!
An Orientation Update
In June, all ~2000 new students registered for classes and kicked off their summers, forming new friendships at Summer Orientation. I met students and parents from all over, most of whom are nervous for this next chapter.
The month of July has been full of preparation for Welcome Week, which begins on August 15th. This upcoming week, the team will all be back together to tie up logistical loose ends and finish the final tasks before our ~225 student volunteers (TT Leaders) move in on August 8th. My “Family” is a hand-picked group of 19 leaders—sophomores, juniors, and seniors—who have a desire to show hospitality to the incoming freshmen. They understand the gravity of the transition to college and are committed to giving up 10 days of their summer for no other purpose than to help others feel loved and welcomed. What a beautiful picture of the self-sacrificial love Christ calls us to!
One of my returning TT leaders, Sara, has cerebral palsy. It does not stop her light from shining, nor does it deter her from loving new students! She is incredibly conversational in a one-on-one setting, compassionate, and has a keen eye for incoming students who find themselves on the sidelines. I have a lot to learn from the way she steps outside of her comfort zone to joyfully serve strangers. What a cool opportunity to serve her as she makes an impact on students!
Orientation is an amazing way to kick off the year of ministry! I’ll meet so many new students who know that I am there to help, and will be able to aid in their transition to college, connect them with other students, and ultimately share the gospel with many and disciple some of them as they grow in Christ.
Pray for my work with Orientation
You can specifically pray for me as I train & equip my smaller group of 19 TT leaders to lead their students with integrity, gentleness, and hospitality, using the unique gifts God has given them to serve those around them (Rom 12; 1 Pet 4:10). Pray for my leaders to seek out the quiet and overlooked, not just those who are easy to talk to or are socially “cooler”. God is the good shepherd and will seek the lost (Ezek. 34:11-16), so pray He would use my group for that purpose!
Not all of my leaders know Jesus. Please pray that as they participate in this selfless work, they would gain a deeper understanding of how we were made to live (Eph 2:10) and that Christ is behind the whole operation. Pray that I would be a faithful witness to them through my leadership, and that they would be curious about the abundant life only He provides.
Pray for my work with The Navigators
Pray for the Church Fair on August 16th. This is a pivotal moment for many students to decide 1) whether they want to go to church or get plugged into a campus ministry and/or 2) where they will go to church or invest on campus and 3) whom they will spend their first semester surrounded by. It’s also the single greatest opportunity to introduce new students to The Navigators at Belmont.
Finally, pray for God to connect me with the right guys, at the right time, and that I would disciple them with wisdom from the Spirit as we walk through their first year of college together.
Thank you for praying. As always, feel free to reach out any time!
In Christ,
Gabe Sauvé
** To get more information, to receive Gabe's prayer updates, or to support him, use the button below to contact him **
Pictured above: This year’s Orientation Council (or “OC”). I am beyond grateful for this team. They work hard, serve others sacrificially, and above all—they love Jesus! They’re 11 of the greatest gifts God has blessed me with this past year. And yes—we don’t take ourselves too seriously 😉
Also available as Markdown.