\u201cThere is no such thing as coincidence in the kingdom of God,\u201d Matthew said.<\/p>\n
Still, he was a bit hesitant at first, perhaps stubborn, wanting to make sure this was what God wanted them to do. Church planters in Idaho suggested they pray about it and seek wise and godly counsel before giving them a final answer.<\/p>\n
So that\u2019s what they did. But the more they prayed about it and the more they talked to trusted advisors, friends, mentors and fellow pastors, the more they realized this was God\u2019s calling. All the pieces began to fall into place, and quickly, too.<\/p>\n
Then they set out to raise money for this mission, an ambitious endeavor as the Boise area is an expensive place to live. They set their budget and began talking to churches about what God was doing and inviting people to contribute. Matthew figured it would take about 18 months. In just four short months, they were at the 95% mark!<\/p>\n Every step of the way, they saw God\u2019s provision. \u201cIt\u2019s unbelievable how quickly God was able to put this together,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The couple and their children moved to Boise in April 2022 and have been there about a year now. It has not been an easy process, nor a fast one, but then they were not really expecting it to be. Church planters in Idaho had warned them that this was difficult work.<\/p>\n The Basque people, who came to America about 150 years ago during the gold rush days and ended up staying in Idaho as sheep farmers, are .02% evangelical. Most are culturally Roman Catholic, but they are not a very religious people, Matthew said. Approximately 90% of residents in the area are unchurched, and some 60% have a Mormon contextual base.<\/p>\n \u201cThey hold tight to their culture and are really a tight-knit community,\u201d Matthew said. \u201cThey look like us, talk like us and dress like us. But they are not us.\u201d<\/p>\n The McDonalds have started a home Bible study, which includes two 18-year-old men, one of them from the Basque community. They would like to grow this Bible study and grow disciples who will make more disciples.<\/p>\n To make more connections and get to know more people in the community, they also serve in a variety of ways. The McDonalds volunteer at the Basque Museum and Cultural Center.<\/a> They take Basque language classes on Monday evenings with other Basque residents who speak English but want to learn their native language. They volunteer at a local elementary school, and they\u2019ve begun doing foster care because there is such a massive need.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/flbaptist.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_20230327_090325-copy.jpeg\")
<\/a>They applied to the North American Mission Board<\/a> for assessment, a rigorous process that can sometimes take 15 to 18 months. They were approved in just six months.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/flbaptist.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_20230219_215846-copy-1.jpeg\")
<\/a>Making connections<\/strong><\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/flbaptist.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_20230327_090719-copy.jpeg\")
<\/a>They host \u201cPintxos with a Purpose\u201d at a local church once a month, serving Basque appetizers called pintxos, giving out recipes and interacting with people.<\/p>\n