{"id":721,"date":"2026-01-29T19:59:44","date_gmt":"2026-01-30T00:59:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hirtfamily.net\/chris\/?p=721"},"modified":"2026-02-01T01:46:57","modified_gmt":"2026-02-01T06:46:57","slug":"mission","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hirtfamily.net\/chris\/2026\/01\/29\/mission\/","title":{"rendered":"Mission"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Same Mission, New Chapter<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We came to learn to love Thailand and adjusted well to living in a different land.  We raised our 3 children there and it sometimes feels like we could have stayed forever. It’s hard to comprehend eighteen years with Wycliffe and over fourteen of those years in that beautiful country with many enriching experiences. We still vividly remember arriving in Chiang Mai in 2010 with Luis as a toddler, not knowing what adventures lay ahead. But as we’ve always told our supporters when asked how long we’d be in Thailand: “As long as God keeps the door open for us.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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October 2016<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n
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March 2025<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

We returned to the United States in October 2024 due to recurrence of lymphoma for Chris, this time in his spine. We thank God for remission for Chris, now 9 months.  After more than a year of prayer, reflection, and wise counsel, we’ve sensed God pointing us toward a new chapter. In the midst of many changes and challenges one thing remains very clear: God has given us the same mission and vision we’ve had since we joined Wycliffe more than 18 years ago<\/strong>. Our calling is serving Bible translation movements through using our skills in language technology and counseling. Therefore, in light of the needs of our family Grand Rapids, Michigan will be our new home base<\/strong>, while we continue to serve as missionaries<\/strong> in our leadership roles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Details<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This decision might raise lots of questions, so we’ve prepared an FAQ with as many answers as we can think of. Email us if you have more questions after reading it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In short, there is a convergence of health, family, and ministry factors that God has used, pointing us in this direction. Here’s a little more detail on each:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Health:<\/strong> Chris has been fighting lymphoma, and we praise God for nine months of remission. All scans and tests (the latest being Jan 20th) look good, and the doctors are pleased. Chris continues to have scans and tests every three months at Northwestern University in Chicago, and we anticipate regular monitoring for a minimum of another year and a half. Being based in the US provides closer access to excellent medical care as we continue to navigate the ups and downs during his recovery journey.  While Chris\u2019 bloodwork is good, the cancer medication he takes makes him more susceptible to illness, especially chest infections.  Staying near his medical team, who understand the complexities of his recovery journey, is wise; we continue to get support as he navigates neuropathy and nerve damage.  We have also encountered challenges with insurance since his medication is very expensive – living abroad would likely make this more challenging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Family:<\/strong> Our kids are getting older and closer to launching. Luis (17) is a sophomore, Lucas (14) is a freshman, and Emalene (12) is in sixth grade. We received wise counsel about helping our kids transition to life and culture in the US before they launch into their own adult adventures. As much as we might be Americans, our children’s identity as third-culture kids is more complex. Strategically, we feel like we’re giving them extra time for transition rather than making that life-changing adjustment when they graduate from high school. They’re gradually adjusting \u2014enjoying school and taking advantage of academic, extracurricular, sports, and music opportunities that weren’t as available in Thailand.  While they like American food they really light up when we eat Thai food!<\/p>\n\n\n

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Ministry:<\/strong> Chris serves as Director of Strategic Language Technology Initiatives, managing special projects\u2014currently focused on analytics and metrics for all of our language technology tools. This work has a global scope but is grounded in the decade and a half of experience and relationships we\u2019ve made in Southeast Asia. We’re uniquely positioned to help lead with our experience and relationships built over 17 years. Chris can do most meetings online and will travel occasionally for meetings and conferences, hoping to visit Thailand about once a year.  This role is exclusively to be based in the US due to time zone challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Becca serves as a counselor on the Well-Being Services team, ministering to the Eurasia group of SIL.  This area covers all of Europe and the majority of Asia\u2014a huge region with many workers who need care and support. This role is suited as well to be done mostly online and she will also travel occasionally.  In late February she will travel to Spain to meet with all the international counselors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Frequently asked Questions (FAQ)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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