Pray for our missionaries…
Our April 2025 “Missionary of the Month” is Evan and Rachel Bachtold who serve with ABWE. The Bachtold’s are serving in Ireland, working with Irish Baptist pastors in planting churches and establishing relationships within the community, spreading the Gospel through children's programs, sporting events, discipleship, and community outreach.
MONTHLY MISSION FOCUS
Please share an update on your family.
Our four kids (ages 4 to 11) are still enjoying school, despite the homework and a few extra activities—GAA football, Irish dance, basketball and chess club. Raya is excited to start 'big school' in the autumn, resulting in all of them in one building for one year! Good thing we both don't mind driving! The kids are becoming more Irish as they think it's 'roasting' when it's 59 deg and the sun is shining! We've been told that we sound Irish as well. :)
Please share an update on your ministry.
We feel being and working here now for over four years has definitely made Ireland home! We've gotten to know people on a much deeper level and adapting more to the culture. Our focus has always been on starting a church plant in the town closest to us (5 min away), so we have run a kid's Bible club there and are intentional about being involved in the community. Evan coaches kid's basketball and also playing on a team; Rachel helps run a toddler group and leading ladies' Bible study. Then starting in January, we've been meeting as a church on the first Sunday of each month with Evan as the preacher/lead church planter. This has gone really well and has been such a blessing. We are also still serving at Cavan Baptist: Evan is helping with preaching, sound booths, youth groups, and men's Bible study, and Rachel is helping with kid's ministry and running toddler groups. Both of us meet one-on-one with others for discipleship purposes. Evan was also recently put in as an elder.
How can we be praying for you?
As most things have been going well in the church plant, there have also been difficulties. For two of the 3 services the elevator in the hall we are using was broken. We have a lady who is disabled, so we had to carry her upstairs as the service is on the second floor. We also have a few couples in our church plant that have been struggling with marriage, issues with alcohol, and trust. Please pray for wisdom as we try to help and work with them. Piggybacking on that, pray that our marriage and lives would be a picture of Christ to others that would draw them to Him.
Can you share any interesting facts about you, your family, or your ministry that people may not know?
We have had several different families come to stay with us that are interested in missions. All of us have come to love hosting strangers:) This carries over to just having people for dinner as the kids will ask, "Who's coming next?" I think they (we) all may be extroverts!