Category #Supporters & Endorsers

August Newsletter

July began with our family wrapping up life on the water. We spent a bit of time trying out our new sails and exploring a few anchorages we had never been to over our time in Mexico. Micah also ruptured his eardrum so that offered some extra “excitement.” It was just plain hot and we actually decided to call it earlier than we originally planned. We packed, cleaned, and loaded our minivan. The kids said goodbye to the boat for the last time, and we embarked on the 30+ hour drive back to Texas. Lots of high emotions and tears…none of us are really ready to say goodbye to that season of our lives. There are so many unknowns ahead for all of us. But God is good. “There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.” C.S. Lewis

As many of you are new to the Ankyrios International family, we wanted to take an opportunity to share with you all some of our story. I’ve included links to the longer stories if you’re interested.

In 2014, we purchased our sailboat as a place to live while Dennis still served in the Navy, and we were stationed in Coronado, California. We had no idea the adventures that awaited us and all God had planned. We named our new boat Ankyrios. It’s really just a word we made up – it’s from two Greek words, ankura, translated as anchor, and kyrios, which means Lord. Therefore, we are anchored in the Lord – Ankyrios. Her name was always a conversation starter with others (“How do you pronounce that? What does it mean?”) about our secure anchor in Jesus. Our desire is to help others find and secure their anchor in Jesus. Hebrews 6:19 “We have this hope {Jesus} as anchor of the soul, firm and secure.” 

In 2016, we headed south to warmer waters as Dennis’ Navy retirement became officialafter almost 21 years in the Navy. We began the work of assisting missionaries, pastors and other cross-cultural workers in Mexico and Central America. As this has grown, so have we. The name of our sailboat became the name of our ministry. Ankyrios International became a 501(c)(3) in 2022 for the purpose of providing physical, spiritual and emotional support and resources to humanitarian and cross-cultural workers and their families around the world.

But what does this really look like? We have a unique opportunity to provide encouragement, coaching, counseling, preaching and teaching, training, debriefings, and an extra set of hands to missionaries, pastors, chaplains, churches, as well as expats and other boaters. We are also able to share the Gospel and our lives with unbelievers around us.

What do some of these workers do? The workers and ministries that we support include church planters, youth ministries, prison ministry, home churches, Bible studies/discipleship for new believers, orphanages/abandoned children and transition homes, senior citizen homes, Bible translation, ESL classes, job training to provide opportunities to youth and young adults, homeless ministry, Operation Christmas Child, retreat centers, summer camps, building projects (schools, churches, homes), and addiction recovery ministries.

Where do you do this type of work?  We have worked with ministries and organizations from 5 continents! The organizations are in places such as: Mexico, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Canada, Ireland, Switzerland, Germany, United Kingdom, Georgia, Japan, Brazil, Indonesia, Egypt, Jordan, Rwanda, Mozambique, and the United States. While we try to focus on in-person opportunities, we are not able to visit everyone. Technology allows us to maintain connections with those we do visit, and also have “face to face” Zoom calls for coaching and counseling with people around the world.

How do you do this? Through financial support from people just like you! Part of our mission is to never charge for the care we offer. Workers have so many things to think about and caring for themselves usually drops to the bottom of their list due to time, finances, or other constraints. If we can raise funds to provide care at no cost to them, workers will be healthier and have healthier families to then reach more people through their work or ministry. Would you prayerfully consider partnering with us? We invite you to find a way that you feel led to partner with us to continue the mission of Ankyrios International. The impact of your financial partnership is felt around the world! Thank you!

July Newsletter
June Newsletter
May 2025 Newsletter

April 2025 Newsletter

In previous years, we’ve used the blog here and our facebook group to provide updates. We are starting an official newsletter. Our plan is to share a short, easy read each month.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

We are so grateful for many things this year and just one is all of you that follow and encourage us. Now that Ankyrios International is a recognized 501(c)(3), we are part of Amazon Smile. I’m sure many of you will be shopping at amazon this week. Please shop through amazon smile and support Ankyrios International. Thank you!! Happy Thanksgiving!

Ministry Statistics

If you were truthful with us, many of you wonder what exactly we’re doing out here floating on the ocean and dropping the anchor in anchorages along the Pacific side of Central America and Mexico. Are those Kellys doing anything besides taking a vacation? Come on, be honest, many of you have thought that. We’ve actually had a few people even ask us about our vacation. Well, to quote Dennis, “If we were on vacation, it would look a whole lot different.” We’ve mentioned the places we’ve been and some of the people we’ve met, but we’ve offered few details over the last couple of years. That’s mostly intentional but living off the grid makes it difficult to constantly stay in touch. AND, the very nature of our ministry is caring for those serving full time in ministry – many places, people and conversations are confidential. We do not share details with anyone, so that makes it hard to let our supporters know exactly what we’ve been up to. However, we think we’ve devised a way to share what we’ve been doing, to prove ourselves and our ministry so to speak. 

Many member care services are offered for a cost, and sometimes a very high cost. Missionaries are already funded by supporters and they just don’t have enough to pay $400 for a 3 hour debriefing or $1500 (or more!) per person for a 3 day retreat. We raise our own financial support so that we can offer our member care services for FREE!

Without further ado, here are our stats!

We divided our numbers up into 5 categories:

  • Missionaries and their families that we have personally spent time with. Most are face to face although some have been through phone/video calls during the months we are off the boat.
  • Pastors and their families
  • Lay leaders and their families
  • Cruisers, ie. boat people. We are part of a tight knit group of sailors. Having 5 kids on a small catamaran makes us stand out too. We have developed some incredible friendships over the last few years. Some are Christians, many are not. 
  • Others personally impacted such as those who attend churches where Dennis has preached and locals we have developed relationships with in places we stopped

We’ve also included how many kids there are in each of these categories. Our children are vital to our ministry and can reach other kids in ways we cannot. We were once told that our kids would get in the way of member care. The number of kids we’ve come into contact with proves that is not true. We also estimate approximately 1000+ people have been indirectly impacted through Facebook groups, in anchorages, etc. Those people who would say, “Ankyrios? Yeah, I’ve heard of them. They’re the missionary family with a lot of kids, right?”

Urgent Need!

We need your help!

Ok, so this is a very hard thing to ask. In the past four years, we have poured our lives and resources into the boat and the ministry to which God has called us. We have just received
the response from the state of California regarding our appeal.

Bottom line up front: we owe California $15,945.15 for something they call “use tax.”

When we started this journey four years ago, we had more than $50,000 in the bank (and a full-time, good-paying job). We had paid off all our debt including cars and turned around our financial world thanks in large part to Financial Peace University and Dave Ramsey. Today, not including our shipyard bill of about $3000, we have a balance in the bank of -$200. We have $4667.45 of ministry expenses on a credit card (Sorry, Dave Ramsey, life happens). The yard bill will go on the card as well.

We are extremely thankful for those of you who have supported us financially. At this point, our financial partners provide $1500 a month ($1100 after this month). This is roughly 25% of our monthly ministry expenses. To this point, the balance has come from our savings and retirement pay. The rule of thumb on boat maintenance expenses is 10% of the boat’s value per year. For us that is about $20,000. That doesn’t include other expenses such as marina fees, fuel, immigration, etc. Our boat payment alone is $1300 a month. These expenses are inherent in getting to missionaries. Once we arrive, there are the expenses of actually coming alongside the missionaries – such as transportation to them from wherever the boat is moored. Having done this for two years, our savings is depleted to $2083.38. (The kids each have about $15,000 in 529 plans thanks to an inheritance from Brandy’s grandfather.) We have nothing additional going into college or retirement savings. My monthly retirement pay is $3665.50. That goes toward food, clothing, shelter and education. We are not getting rich off of this ministry, at least financially. We are living frugally and modestly, seeking to be faithful with that which God has entrusted to us.

. It is basically sales tax for the purchase of our boat. We did due diligence for about a year to find out if we were exempt as non-resident military and had no luck. At the time of purchase, we had set aside the approximate amount, but as we never received a bill or response from the state, we spent that money on maintenance and repairs to the boat.

Additionally, last month we got to the bottom of an indebtedness to the US Department of the Treasury regarding an overpayment by the Navy. When I returned from Iraq, they failed to stop my special pays for Imminent Danger, Family Separation and Hazardous Duty. I knew I was overpaid on these and had put aside the overpayment. Before I retired, we had about $3500 deducted from my paycheck the payday before my retirement ceremony. (Ouch!) Since I no longer had access to my LES (pay stubs), I was unable to verify exactly what it was, but, since it was the same amount as my overpayment, logic said that it was my repayment. What we were finally able to discover was that was the federal tax on my untaxed combat zone pay. We hadn’t considered the federal tax. So, we still had additional indebtedness to the government of about $2000.

We know that God could make this disappear with a mere thought, but it appears that he has other plans. Part of that plan is to invite you to participate in serving missionaries in Mexico and Central America.

Here is what we need:

First, prayer for us. This is frightening, discouraging and challenging
to our faith and sense of calling. I’m sure you all know the weight that a financial burden can have. We do not think this is God’s way of telling us to sell the boat to pay off the debt and quit, but it is a storm and Jesus appears to be sleeping in the stern of the boat.

Second, prayer for our finances. Obviously, we cannot pay these debts in our financial situation. I know everyone has challenges, but we know that our God will meet our needs. We also know that he uses his children as stewards of his wealth. Please pray that those on whom God lays a burden to assist would trust and obey. We are first and foremost asking for a one-time, special gift for this specific time. Of course, we are also looking for regular giving parters. If God puts it on your heart to help, you can donate online at: SUPPORT

Finally, prayer for our ministry. We are planning to visit our missionary contacts in Loreto and La Paz as well as assist a new boating missionary family in La Cruz. Around the first of the year we will partner with missionaries in Guatemala, missionaries in Honduras in the spring and missionaries in Panama in the summer. There are many miles of open water between here and there, so we need your prayers.

Ankyrios Amazon Wish list

This is being updated constantly. Let us know if you want to send us something and we can give you an address.
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/dl/invite/03kkRtF

Ministry Needs

Even though ANKYRIOS is in really good condition, there are still lots of things that need to be done before we head around the world. If you are interested in some tangible ways you can help us, here are some suggestions. I will be adding links and prices later.

Prayer
– Unity
– Peace about our decision to leave Navy and begin missionary work
– Provision / support
– Safety
– Selling vehicles
– Purging excess
– Maintenance
– Sending agency

Repairs / Upgrades
Before October 2016
– Sails $3000
– Battery bank $1500-$3000
– Trampoline $200 (Completed 05/16 – $1800)
– Watermaker repair – in progress ($850 paid for hoses and new membranes)
– Tank sensors – $250
– Port head – $500 (Completed – $350)
– Taxes (Praise the Lord, no taxes due. We were looking at a $19k bill)
– Wind generator repair (Completed 07/16, Brandy’s dad, an electrical engineer, helped troubleshoot)
– Name / Logo – in progress (Name – $164 paid; Greg Key working on logo)
– Lifeboat maintenance / replacement – $2000 (Recertification not possible, must be replaced – $3500)
– Hard top $6000 (In progress, $6000 paid)

After October 2016 (we are considering going to a yard in Ensenada, Mexico for some of the work)
– Running rigging – $700 (In progress – $1200 paid!!!)
– Standing rigging inspection – $300 (Completed 09/16 – Full replacement – $10000 by the time we reach Australia)
– Tune mast
– Rewire (what a mess!!!)
– Cabinets (galley)
– Bottom paint $2000
– Wax $1000 (Completed 09/16, paid $1100)
– Remodel STBD Aft stateroom (3 bunks)

Required Purchases
– EPIRB $600 (Purchased 07/16, + 2 Personal Locator Beacons – $1080)
– Mast climber $275 (Purchased 03/16, $249)
– Stanchion racks $400 (Purchased one set, $190. Need another.)
– Foul weather gear (Purchased 03/16, $542)

“Nice-to-have” Purchases
– Kayaks
– SUP’s
– Surfboards
– Brownie electric hookah system VS335X – 3 Diver “X” Package $4,700
– Sewing machine $950 (Purchased 03/16, paid $1250)
– GoPro

Training / certifications
– ASA
– Red Cross – WSI
– Lifeguard cert – Hope, Caleb
– Skipper’s license
– Guitar lessons
– Surfing lessons for kids
– Women’s ministry

Recurring
– Boat payment – $1300/mo
– Marina fees
– Transportation fees (annual / emergency flights)
– Fuel
– Satphone subscription – $150/mo
– DMin – $375/mo
– Lodging @Knox Seminary
– Homeschool curriculum
– Homeschool testing
– Savings – Retirement, college, land
– Storage – $400/mo