Who’s that girl? Meet Audrey!
I was born in Omaha and attended Concordia High School. I graduated from Wayne State College with a degree in middle level education, while also being a part of the women’s basketball team. I have spent the last three years teaching 8th grade math with Omaha Public Schools at Marrs Middle School in south Omaha.
I was first invited to a City Group (YAL-young adults Leavenworth) by a friend I had known from Wayne and, after about 6 months of attending the group, I started regularly attending Citylight. I have been at Citylight Midtown about 2 ½ years. I have been blessed by both the Biblical teaching on Sundays and the community throughout the week. I have found grace and a place to heal from past hurts as well as an intentional body of believers looking to encourage and spur one another on in Truth and the pursuit of God’s glory.
This last year I got involved with Citylight Club on Wednesday nights and, for the past 2 years, I have been working with the various refugee populations in my neighborhood. Citylight Club was a great resource serving as another way for those kids to hear about the love of Christ.
Call to Mexico
This last January I began attending the Perspectives class hosted by Citylight. I learned the biblical basis and perspective of missions and it was there that I first heard about the organization, Ethnos360. I was not in any way planning to leave my students at Marrs or my refugee kids here in Omaha, but the more I learned about missions and the ministry of Ethnos360 the more peace I had in saying, “yes”.
Ethnos360 focuses their efforts on unreached people groups, people that have no substantial access to the Word of God. They live among the people, learn their indigenous language, often help them develop a written language, and teach literacy, in preparation for the translation of the Bible into the people’s language. They then spend years teaching the Word of God and discipling a new church, including raising up local elders and pastors. They operate under the mission statement of: A thriving church for every people.
While my heart breaks for my students and the unsaved here in Omaha, it’s hard for me to even think about those who don’t even know they have the option to choose Jesus. Moreover, God alone is worthy of praise, and not just my praise, but a praise from every person of every people.
Why Mexico?
Ethnos360’s work in Mexico is centered in the city of Chihuahua, Mexico. However, their focus is currently with 7 different unreached people groups living throughout northern Mexico. I will be living in Chihuahua and teaching at the local school, Colegio Binimea.
I will be serving middle school students and supporting their parents in their ministry. My students’ parents are missionaries and may be serving as church planters, linguists, pilots, missionary trainers, government liaisons, etc. About half of the missionaries serving in Mexico are Mexican born and the other half come from other sending countries from around the world. Besides teaching school, I will have opportunities to work alongside missionaries as well as serve the local people of Chihuahua. I’m humbled and so excited to invest my simple talent of teaching, that “those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.” (Romans 15:21)
You Are Part of the Mission!
I would be foolish not to thank you Citylight. Even if only indirectly, thank you for showing me love, teaching me Truth, and being the body of Christ in a way I had never experienced before. Thank you for being faithful and living a life worthy of the calling you’ve received. I pray that this partnership would continue. You have sown the seed and God, in his mercy, has given me ears to hear and is producing fruit. I ask that you support me as my sending church as I take what I have learned within your walls and among your people and help in bringing it to people who have never heard.
Psalm 127:1, “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.” I don’t want to get caught up in “ministry” while leaving God behind. Join me in prayer and seeking God’s face and his will among these unreached people. I will be sending out email updates and prayer requests and would love include you. Send me an email at audrey_holmes@ntm.org and I will add you to the list
Philippians 4:17, “Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit.” I want to invite you to invest your treasure in the person and purposes of Jesus Christ, knowing that you will be blessed as he is further glorified.
If you want to support me financially, you can give by checks made it out to Ethnos360. Include a note designating it for Audrey Holmes and send it to Ethnos 360, 312 W First St Sanford, FL 32771. To give online, use the link https://ethnos360.org/missionaries/audrey-holmes to give using credit or to sign up for electronic funds transfer.
If you would like to know more feel free to email me at audrey_holmes@ntm.org and we can get in contact. Also, the website Ethnos360.org is a great resource.
I’m seriously so thankful to even be writing this letter. Our God is so good.
Audrey Holmes