Lucas and Naomi Lorenz For the Sake of the Gospel About Us
We are the Lorenz family: Lucas and Naomi with Solomon, Patience and Eden. We arrived in the Republic of the Philippines January 27, 2010.
I, Lucas, am a fifth generation Montanan and Naomi was born in Washington state. We met at Grace Bible Church in Bozeman, MT and were married June 16, 2001. Our three children have each been born at a different stage in our missionary training. Solomon, our oldest, was born April 3 in while we attended New Tribes Bible Institute-Waukesha (2 years). Patience was born October 16 in Missouri near where we took our cross-cultural and linguistic courses (2.5 years). And Eden -our sixth generation Montanan- was born January 23 during our Partnership Development year between training and arriving in the Philippines.
Lucas testimony: I grew up in a Christian family thinking that missions was something into which you had to be raised. it was not until I attended the NTM Bible School that I came to understand Matthew 28:19. God was calling me right where I was to go to where only He was going to be able to direct my path. Over the past five and half years Naomi and I have been going through NTM training. We have studied the Bible from Genesis to Revelations and taken two and half years of cross-cultural and language training, including linguistics. Now looking back on my original thought, I realize that it is not being raised missionary, but a willingness to walking in obedience to His calling to GO.
“Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” -Matthew 28:19
Naomi Testimony: My parents have always supported missionaries in one form or another but I never dreamed I would serve the Lord in that manner. At age 20 I went on a short term trip to Bolivia as a teacher’s aide in an NTM boarding school for missionary kids. There God began to open my eyes to needs within the mission field as well as how my gifts and abilities could be used. Once Lucas and I were married, we enjoyed serving in the local church in many different areas including youth group and AWANA. As we served our hearts continued to be turned towards those who have never had the opportunity to hear the gospel or read scripture in their own heart language. I am excited to go to the unreached so that God can use us to further His kingdom in the Philippines.
March 2012: We have finished our two years of culture and language acquisition. Through this time we learned a lot about ourselves and about God’s hand in our lives. Lucas studied for the first year but then was asked to step into a building/maintenance role at the Manila Guest House while a family went home for an 8 month home assignment. During his time at the guest house, Lucas continued to acquire culture, language, and comprehension but not through formal study. Lucas and his team we able to accomplish many projects, large and small, that have made the guest house more comfortable and usable for those who stay there. Naomi continued on in the formal program. February 27th was her final culture and language interview. She scored at Level 6-Progressing High, one level higher than her requirement.
