(photos from the year below)
It’s hard to believe around this time last year we were spending our first night on our sailboat Selah! 2025 has been one of those years, where we look back and think, “That was only a year ago!?” We started this year off with a big and long anticipated journey south on the water that eventually landed us in the Bahamas. Although it was a hard and trying journey at times, it was also very rewarding to finally get our “feet wet” (pun intended) as a boating family with Maritime Ministries.
We landed back in Elizabeth City, NC after about 5 months of traveling on the water and had a very fun and full summer. We were able to take out about 200 people, mostly youth, for day outings on our local waterways. As summer ended, we began prepping for yet another round of repairs and maintenance jobs on the boat. We rebuilt another structural wall below deck and then hosted a fundraiser for Selah’s long overdue “bottom job.” We quickly raised all the money we needed, and in October we moved off the boat & hauled her out for the work, but like all good boat projects, the job is taking longer than we hoped, so she won’t make it back into the water till after the new year. In the meantime, MM has several local projects that we will be helping on. We will be working on prepping some ministry boats to be sold and lightening the load of our president Dan, to free him up to work on a new partnership between JAARS* and MM. Early next year MM will receive a 55ft trawler motorboat that we will run as a training vessel for JAARS missionaries and Bible translators. We are super excited about this new partnership. Lord willing, after the weather warms up again, we will finish our bottom job and take Selah out for another season of training and travel out on the water.
Of course there is so much more to tell you, one big thing being in January, Aaron will start his second semester of part time, online seminary classes as part of his training to be minister of the gospel on the water. The kids are happy and healthy and God continues to take care of their hearts and desires with lots of good friends and opportunities to grow. If your ever curious about what we are up to or what we hope to do in the future, please, always feel free to reach out. We recognize that we haven’t always done a good job of keeping everyone in the know. But please know that your prayers, support and encouragement mean a great deal!
Love and Blessings to you and your family in 2026,
Aaron, Laura, Rielle, Everett and Abel
*JAARS, a partner of Wycliffe Bible Translators – www.JAARS.org
We are still in the process of seeking monthly supporters to join our team. Please reach out to learn more and to hear about our plans for 2026
The Year in Photos
Aaron and the boys relaxing in our dinghy boat
Rielle and Laura on the beach in Green Turtle Cay, Bahamas
Aaron and his ukulele join the local musicians for a jam session. Green Turtle Cay, Bahamas
Aaron helps lead worship for Easter Sunday at Green Turtle Community Church. This was the churches first time with live music since having their building destroyed by a hurricane. They were super excited to have Aaron play for them.
Green Turtle Community Church
The boys play basketball in downtown Green Turtle Cay during the local school fundraiser event. Laura Donated a painting of the local marina to the fundraiser for the only school (an elementary school) on the island. Middle and high schoolers take a ferry to the mainland for school.
Everett walks on the beach in Green Turtle Cay
we arrived in Green Turtle Cay the week that some friends of our team we hosting a sailing camp for the local kids. There are about 50 kids on the island. The islands economy is supported mainly by tourist. Jeff, who runs the camp wanted to be able to have Americans serve the local community who is used to people coming to be served. The camp is free to locals.
Sailing camp was a great way for our kids to get to know the local kids quickly.
Selah anchored in Fort Lauderdale, FL as we traveled down the ICW
local sailing outing back in Elizabeth City. We had so much fun using Selah locally in NC this summer. It was a blessing to not have a boat in construction mode and able to use to host groups. We can take up to 25 people out on Selah at once. We took out over 200 people this summer.
We had 2 new families join Maritime Ministries this year. One came and spent a couple of months with us. One day we treated the kids to some dinghy sailing.
When the summer ended, it was time to out the boat back into construction mode. This used to be where our back shower was. The bulkhead wall behind the shower was found to be rotted out.
Ta-da! The rebuild bulkhead wall. Next we will rebuild the shower/bathroom
Laura laying fiberglass in the engine room as part of the bulkhead repair
Laura and two other Maritime Ministires team members help work on the bulkhead rebuild. Rachel (left) and her family are nearing the end of building a 40’ catamaran that their family plans to use to serve missionaries in South America. Kim (right) and her family work with a non profit to facilitate moving humanitarian aid supplies via personally owned boats from FL to the Caribbean
Selah getting her “bottom job” as they say in the boat world. Gives a new meaning to sailboats and beach chairs doesn’t it.
Aaron and Patrick sanding off the old bottom paint.
Rielle and Laura prep for more paint removal.
Thanks so much for reading! We are so excited about what God holds for us in 2026 as a family and as a ministry!