Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

We would like to express our deepest gratitude for partnering with our family in overseas gospel ministry. We do not take your partnership lightly. We also want to thank you for your prayers on our behalf, especially as we have recently been prayerfully considering where the Lord is leading us to serve next. It took some time to heal, recover, and process after we left Madagascar. The Lord knew we needed this time and we are thankful for it.

We now have the absolute joy to share with you where we believe the Lord is directing us for our next ministry assignment. It has taken many prayers, conversations, counsel, and meetings since we returned to truly be confident to move forward. We are thrilled to report that we plan to begin serving in Polokwane, South Africa! David plans to join the faculty of Christ Seminary—a training center of The Master’s Academy International (TMAI). Christ Seminary has been training men for pastoral ministry for over 26 years and has impacted over 140 churches, with its students coming from over 20 countries on three continents. Christ Seminary is a ministry of Christ Baptist Church and under the theological oversight of its elders, and they also share the same campus. We intend to become members of Christ Baptist Church and to use our spiritual gifts for the growth of this congregation. By God’s good providence, our family was blessed to spend almost a month with this church and seminary last October. At the time, we did not know the Lord’s plans, but He already knit our hearts to this body of believers and gave us time there to dive into ministry and build relationships. We praise God that despite South Africa having 12 official languages, our ministry and daily life will all be in English!

Crime in South Africa is a significant concern, and we have weighed it carefully and prayerfully. Yet, the question is not whether something is safe, but whether it is right. Doing what is hard should not dissuade us from doing what is right. Having evaluated the ministry God has entrusted to us, we are persuaded that we must carry out all He has called us to do.

We cannot foresee what will happen to us there (Acts 20:22), except that trials await (Acts 20:23). Nevertheless, we do not regard our lives as precious to ourselves but aim to finish our course and the ministry received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God (Acts 20:24). Some callings from the Lord involve danger (Acts 21:10–11), and fellow believers may urge us not to proceed (Acts 21:12). Yet, while deeply mindful of your love and how this affects you (Acts 21:13a), our hearts remain willing to face danger for the name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 21:13b). For this reason, we ask you to entrust us to “the will of the Lord” that it may “be done” (Acts 21:14).

We do not seek to escape hardship, but to join the long-line of godly men and women in suffering for the gospel and for the sake of the elect, strengthened by the power of God, as good soldiers of Christ Jesus (2 Tim 1:8; 2:3; 2:8–10). Because all our days were written by God before any existed (Psalm 139:16) we know that none of His purposes for us or our children can be thwarted (Job 42:2; Isaiah 14:27). Ultimately, we look to Yahweh to guard our lives rather than trusting our own strategies for safety—“Unless Yahweh builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless Yahweh watches the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain” (Psalm 127:1).

Thank you for being a crucial part of what the Lord is doing around the world for His glory and for joining with us in the ministry the Lord has called us to. One of our next steps is to begin the process of collecting the documentation to apply for South African visas—which may take up to three months. Thank you again for your continued prayers and support. We’d love to connect with you and answer any questions you may have. We look forward to talking soon. To God be the glory alone!

All Glory be to Christ,
David and Ashley Ellingson

• Praise God for granting us clarity on our next ministry.
• Praise God for the encouraging church visits and times of sweet fellowship with believers that we have been able to reconnect with.
• Praise God for the Grace Ministries International conference with fellow missionaries from all over the world. That was such an encouragement for our whole family.
• Pray for wisdom and favor as we navigate the visa process in the coming months.
• Please pray that the Lord would graciously provide the remaining funds needed for our monthly support and for our moving expenses, trusting Him to supply all that is required for this next season.

All Glory Be to Christ,
David & Ashley, Isabella (age 16), Lydia (age 15), Anna (age 13), and Clara (age 11)

Here are individual videos of Izzy, Lydia, and Anna’s testimonies and baptisms on YouTube:

• Izzy’s video
• Lydia’s video
• Anna’s video

• Praise God for His love and care for our family during this time of transition.
• Praise God for the blessing that our family and the church have been!
• Pray for wisdom and clarity as we consider the many opportunities in various parts of the world to determine where God is leading us next.

All Glory Be to Christ,
David & Ashley, Isabella (age 15), Lydia (age 14), Anna (age 13 on April 15th), and Clara (age 11)