New & Future Ministry | Newsletter #9
- exodusglobalinfo
- Jun 27
- 9 min read
6.22.2025
Hey Everyone!
It’s been a few months since we gave an update, so we wanted to let everyone know what has been going on. We’ve had so much happen! Below are the topics we will cover in this newsletter:
Family Update: Baby Uriah
Born March 8, 2025
Move to Htauk Kyant, Myanmar
Position of Principal of Home of Stars International Academy
Tessa’s role: supervising students at Level 5 and above
Vision: Christ-centered education as discipleship
Scholarships and Giving
EGM giving partial scholarships for 31 students totaling $5,637
Full scholarships for MayThitKo and ZunPan totaling $1,000
Gym Ministry
Salvation Sports - mats arrived!
Teaching self-defense, physical, and spiritual health
Ministry Vehicle Update
2010 Toyota Fortuner seats 8+
Earthquake Report
Death toll from 3,700-10,000+
EGM Support for Mandalay Pastor’s home repair
Upcoming Ministry Trips
Thailand – Anti-Trafficking Mission
Goal: connect with partners and discern next steps
Athens – Sports Ministry with SportsLife
Sports outreach among youth and unreached communities
Journal Entry Highlight
2 Cor. 5:15: Gal. 2:20
Prayer Needs
Baby Uriah documentation
Leadership and growth of the school
Gym ministry and sports discipleship
Upcoming travel
Ministry direction for next year
Family Update: Baby Uriah
Baby Uriah Haniel Marquardt was born on March 8 in Wah Net Chaung, Myanmar. His name means “Flame of Yahweh, Grace of God.” All of our children’s middle names have the meaning of “grace,” and we believe Uriah will shine the fire of Jesus here in the dark world of Myanmar. We are still waiting for the birth certificate. Please pray for the correct documentation and the right timing. We are taking him as our own, but how the adoption process works could be easy or complicated, depending on which documents we receive and which route we take.
A little update from the last newsletter: I wrote that the mother was 16 years old. That is what we were told, but when we met her, Tessa interviewed her with a translator and found that she was 19 years old, and this was her second baby. She had been an orphan since age 11 and had become a Christian within the last year. The father died in the war, and she had no way to provide for the baby, so we felt a lot of compassion for her. We offered to put her through school and support her financially, but she declined.
We see a lot of heartbreaking things here due to poverty and other brokenness. The family unit is under attack here in a different way than in America. We are always praying about how we can help Myanmar Christians understand and embrace the biblical created order and the family structure that God designed.
Move to Htauk Kyant, Myanmar
As you know, the school we founded last year, Ethne International Academy, was passed off to the local ministry leaders. They started their school year on June 1st with 27 students. We pray for those students to be successful and for our investment there to continue bearing fruit.
About a week after Uriah was born, we moved from Hmawbi to Htauk Kyant, a town 30 minutes closer to Yangon. We were called to Home of Stars International Academy for this school year, which has just under 100 students ranging from kindergarten to high school. About 30 of the students are orphans and live on campus. Initially, I didn’t understand why God had us here, but in time I’ve come to see how He is using us.
I believe God has us here for several reasons. First, we are helping with the school. We are implementing changes that will make it run more effectively and efficiently. Already this year, several of our students have jumped ahead one or even two years’ worth of curriculum. This is because we identified that some students were not at the correct level and had them retested. These children were saved from wasting hundreds, or even thousands of hours doing work they already understood.
Many of the improvements came simply from understanding both the ACE system and that it was originally designed for native English speakers, not ESL learners. I have to say, Tessa has really excelled in this ministry, thanks to her eight years of homeschooling experience and her love and patience. She supervises our own children’s learning (they learn from the curriculum) alongside 27 other students in the “higher-level learning center,” the classroom for students in Level 5 and up.
Another reason I believe God called us here was to show us how a large ministry like this operates. While we are making improvements, the school already had many good systems in place, such as weekly staff meetings. That said, culturally, people from Myanmar often find it hard to say “no” and won’t speak up even if there’s a better solution to a problem. If they feel pressured, they may go along with something for years without complaint.
For example, in a staff meeting, the leader assigned classrooms to supervisors. Everyone said it was fine, but Tessa noticed two individuals react slightly when their names were mentioned. She asked them directly if they wanted to supervise a different level. After some time and quiet discussion, we found better placements for them. Everyone is happier now, and they’ll do a better job. We hope to help instill a more open and honest culture in the school’s leadership.
Scholarships and Giving
Another reason we’re here is to bless the families and students. This year, the school administration raised tuition by about 67% because the school was losing money every month. They want the school to become self-sustaining, so they had to raise tuition to 2 million MMK (about $455 per year). For many families, it’s difficult to cover the increase without saving far in advance. (The common wage for a day laborer is about 20,000 MMK, or $4.55/day.) We prayed and believed Exodus Global Ministries should help. EGM covered the tuition difference for 31 students, totaling $5,637.
EGM also gave a full scholarship to MayThitKo, the daughter of KoKoGyi and ThitMway. KoKoGyi is our Burmese teacher and helps with many things. ThitMway watches Uriah during the day when Tessa is at school. EGM also gave a full scholarship to ZunPan, the daughter of Sakawah, who has worked for us doing household tasks since we paid off her debt. The cost for both of them was just over $1,000. They are all deeply thankful. One time when we told Sakawah that we would always keep her daughter in a Christian school, she cried. She told us she had always worried that if anything happened to her, no one would care for her daughter. Sakawah was once married, but when she was pregnant with ZunPan, her husband left.
We are grateful that God has put us in the position to help children and families in this way. Thank you all for trusting us. We are also thankful that God has put people like Sakawah, KoKoGyi, and ThitMway in our lives. We care about them and believe God will use us all in even greater ways in the future.
Gym Ministry
Another way God is using us is through the gym ministry. Currently, I teach five classes each week at Home of Stars (HOS). I decided to focus on one style, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, so they can reach proficiency in one year. I also work on wrestling after school with students who are especially interested. Now, college students are asking to join. I’ll be teaching them grappling, and we’ll also start strength training classes too. Tessa leads a 7:00 a.m. weekday fitness class for staff and parents.
But these classes are more than just sports. Sports ministry like this is very impactful. We teach physical health, self-defense, defending the weak, hard work, endurance, self-control, healthy eating, physical discipline, and skill development—all while building godly character. Sometimes I think we Christians forget our bodies are temples of the Spirit and vessels for the Kingdom of God. We should care for our bodies that have been given to us.
Another important aspect is the relational nature of sports ministry. Discipleship happens through relationship, and this is where we really get to know the students. They let their guard down, have fun, and relate with each other. Coaches become important role models, which is why it’s so important to have Christian coaches. We pray with the students every class, and through those relationships we offer godly counsel and become examples in this world.
Earthquake Report
Myanmar was hit by a 7.9-magnitude earthquake on March 28, 2025, which majorly affected Mandalay and surrounding areas. The death toll has been listed anywhere from 3,700 to over 10,000. The devastation was catastrophic, leveling buildings and entire floors.
We created a website for donations to help Christian earthquake victims, but only two contributions have come through that link. KoKoGyi asked about his friend Pastor John Thitha Aung, whose home was severely damaged. We sent him $1,000 from EGM. He wrote a thank-you letter and was shocked—this is about a year’s wages in Myanmar. If I had time, I would tell you more about this pastor. Please know he is a servant of God and is very grateful to all of you.
Ministry Vehicle Update
After moving from Hmawbi to Htauk Kyant, we needed a vehicle. We had been borrowing a Toyota SUV for the past year. We prayed about it and found a 2010 Toyota Fortuner. We needed something larger for our family of seven and for ministry outings. Used cars cost about three times more here than in the U.S. because of taxes and regulations.
This car is perfect: it’s large enough for flooding during rainy season, safe, fuel-efficient, has third-row seating, high resale value, and—best of all—the A/C works extremely well. Thank you all, and thank you, Jesus!
Upcoming Ministry Trips
Two big events are coming up. First, I’ll be heading to Thailand with my daughter Macaiah. We’ll meet the founders of Compassionate Hope, a partner of the Tim Tebow Foundation. We’ll visit several Villages of Hope and Homes of Hope—first near Bangkok, then in Chiang Rai.
This is why we came. Compassionate Hope rescues children from sexual abuse, trafficking, and exploitation. We’ve been praying every night for God to lead us in how to fight this evil. Our goal is to hear God, form partnerships, and receive His guidance. We believe this trip will help reveal our next steps.
Then in July, my son Nathaniel and I will go to Athens, Greece, with SportsLife, a ministry that supports and equips sports leaders for the Great Commission. We’ll be serving the leader of Alliance Jiu-Jitsu Athens. I look forward to helping the ministry there, building relationships, sharing the gospel, and spending quality time with my son.
Journal Entry Highlight from 1.4.2025
The last thing I want to share about is the journal entry I came across while looking back at how God has been leading us. Before we chose to move to Htauk Kyant from Hmawbi, I was facing some discouragement because of things in the ministry. I went on a fast to seek the Lord and to discern His voice. At the end of that fast, I wrote down what God was speaking to me…
“1.4.2025. Today, I need to reflect on what I learned through the fast. First I need to stay centered on the gospel. Believe the truth that I am forgiven and be thankful. Second, I need to be humble. If I try to make myself great, I am missing the point. Third, if I try to build God's kingdom with my own strength, then I become angry and impatient. I must trust God to open the doors and build his Kingdom through me. When things go wrong, have faith that God can do the impossible. Have faith and his timing in the process. Have faith that he works all things for my good. Have faith that his purpose will not be stopped… Lastly, I need to be on fire for Jesus. I need to stop worrying about what others think of me and have an audience of One. I want to live out my faith passionately without reservation.”
All these thoughts have a logical progression from believing the gospel, to being humble and living for Jesus instead of myself, to trusting Him to guide me and do the work through me, to being passionate about Him openly. If the gospel is true. We should all follow this pattern of thinking. “He died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised” (2Cor 5:15). And, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:20).
Prayer Needs
We appreciate you all! God has been providing abundantly!! Please for these things:
Baby Uriah’s documentation and citizenship in the country of God’s choosing (though his true citizenship is in Heaven)
Leadership and the growth of the students at Home of Stars International Academy
Gym ministry to be effective in discipleship and evangelism
Thailand trip: divine guidance and connections
Athens trip: t open hearts for gospel and discipleship
Ministry direction for next year: We will be working on our own ministry and we want to do exactly what God wants—nothing more, nothing less
Closing
We are so grateful to God for His goodness. I see how truly rich we are when I consider all the people who love us. Most of all, I see God’s love for us. What an honor to serve and trust Him!
We love you all. God bless you!!!
Love,
Nate Marquardt
💪🏼❤️🇲🇲
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