Hello dear friends!
I hope that life finds you well and enjoying sweet summer time. I apologize for the delay in posts lately! But today I write to catch you up on this journey up ahead and how I need YOUR help!
As summer has quickly begun, the season of weddings, graduations, and road trips is well on its way! With this said guess what’s coming up??
TRAINING CAMP!
A week in Georgia filled with World Race training of all sorts, while getting to meet my entire squad, and experience Jesus in a way I never have before…I absolutely cannot wait for July 19th to arrive!
This is where I need your prayer and financial help!
In order to attend training camp, I have to meet a fundraising deadline of $3,500.
This deadline is due by July 5th (2 weeks before training camp).
**checks sent to the AIM office are no longer accepted to count towards this deadline due to processing time
so, TO MEET THIS DEADLINE, ALL DONATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED ONLINE! [in this very site through the “support me” link] by Tuesday June 24th!
Oh boy oh boy. Initially at realization that with current donations I have about $1,000 to raise in 8 DAYS! it is easy to worry, stress, doubt, and set low expectations for what could happen. But we have a God that will always tower our expectations. Conversations, moments, and experiences that will happen this week just so that our Lord is glorified and seen. A Jesus that has perfectly orchestrated this incredible journey to come into my life and become a calling I could not refuse.
Friends, money is nothing. I am unbelievably thankful for the life I live in blessings knowing that I have a bed to come home to, food, clean water, and a paycheck. But I would give it up in order to see Jesus’ face just a little clearer and to live the life I am meant to live.
Today I ask for you to join me in this. As we give up our comforts, we allow ourselves to seek and see our God clearer! How sweet is that??
Will you prayerfully consider joining me in this journey?
We got 8 days. Lets do this.
love, Ana Maria.
p.s – below you will find my Support Letter! read all about how this came about and get a better glimpse into training camp with this video!
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Dear friend,
I write to you in, what many call, one of the most uncertain periods of a person’s life. In May, I walked across a stage and became a college graduate from the University of Mary Washington with a degree in Psychology and minors in business and Spanish. Thinking of that sweet celebration causes me to reflect on the last four years, whichradically transformed who I am, want to be, and what I want to live for.
At the start of college I began an authentic relationship with God and since then, have been shaping my life to His calling. As a result, my heart cries out to those who do not know about the love and life being offered to us everyday. In my role as a volunteer leader in the ministry of Young Life, I am able to reach out to adolescents, forming relationships with them to hopefully one day have the privilege to introduce them to Jesus Christ. Through this ministry, and my growing faith, I now know that I could never live a life without experiencing the joy of purposefully serving others.
In this new season of life, I have been prayerfully asking the Lord to reveal the next adventure in our journey together. Living life with Him has allowed me to realize a lot of things that I am deeply passionate about, one which He has made unbelievably clear, is a calling to love different cultures and realize how broken and in need our whole world is. About a year ago, while on a cruise with my family, God placed two new friends in my path to tell me about my next journey ahead! These friends shared with me about The World Race, an unbelievable adventure and journey to have the opportunity to love those outside of what I know.
The World Race is an 11-month Christian mission trip to 11 countries around the world. I will be spending one month in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, South Africa, Botswana, Swaziland, Albania, Turkey, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica! One of the unique things about The World Race is that it’s not only a mission trip, but also an intensive discipleship program designed to launch my generation into our specific kingdom calling. Through The World Race, my team and I will serve in partnership with churches and ministries in local communities to preach the Gospel, plant churches, work in orphanages, minister to women and children trapped in prostitution as a result of human trafficking, and bring the restorative hope of our Father’s love to many tribes and nations. I am so excited to have the privilege of serving the Lord and His treasured people around the world.
As exciting and thrilling as this is, I know that I will face many challenges throughout the World Race, but as I prepare for my departure, one of my greatest challenges is my financial support. Like most other missions organizations, World Race participants are required to fundraise financial support. In order to leave fully funded on September of 2014, I need to raise $16,000. This money will cover all of my field expenses for the 11 months of the trip. As I take this large step of faith in trusting the Lord, would you prayerfully consider joining me by donating $100 monthly or some other amount?
I will be following up with you soon to discuss this upcoming adventure and answer any questions you might have. Suring my service year I will be blogging my entire trip, which I would love for you to follow by visiting (anamariamatiz.theworldrace.org). This site allows you to find out more about me, funding, and be a part of my journey. I look forward to hearing from you!
With love,
Ana Maria
