I’m currently on month 7 of 11 of my world race and am just now writing this blog. Want to know why? Because: I am disgustingly prideful.
14 months ago, I signed up for the race. It was the first m*ss*on trip I’ve ever signed up for, so it would be the first one I have ever gone to. I didn’t know how to fundraise, I didn’t know when I would have time to fundraise (I was working full time and working tons of overtime). I had a good job, but because of my pride: instead of saving, I focused on the now and, although I did donate to myself the chunk I needed to get to training camp, but was not a good steward of my money otherwise. Honestly, I did think G-d could provide and would provide if He really wanted me to go, but I didn’t want to do anything in regards of asking or hosting any form of fundraisers.
I was so wrong.
By the grace of G-d alone I have made it this far. I have seen things I never thought I’d see with my own eyes, I’ve cried more tears than I have within such a short period of time, I have had the chance to die to myself and love others, and I have both taken and rejected those chances from time to time.
I am completely undeserving of your money. I am completely undeserving of His or your grace.
That’s exactly why I need your help.
I am exactly $2,000 away from my final deadline, and through all the mistakes I’ve made and the effort I made to just “get through”, G-d still hasn’t given up on me and that’s why I want to finally surrender and say I can’t do this. I can’t live my little world that says that G-d has to prove Himself to me. He did that over 2000 years ago on a cross.
Although donating towards a mission trip can be sacrificial, scary, or even uncomfortable: I can assure you that the money given is not for me. Each dollar donated yes feeds me, houses me, and transports me from country to country, but it also does so much more than that. Each dollar that has gone to this trip has been a dollar given back to G-d. Each dollar donated has been a donation to help this crazy, undeserving young adult love people where there are in the name of J-sus.
I won’t lie to you and tell you that this trip hasn’t changed or helped either, though. Through this trip: I’ve finally found and accepted who I am in Chr*st, I’ve faced challenges from physical challenges, emotional breakthroughs, and spiritual chains shatter.
And as grateful as I am for all of that, I am more grateful that because of the dollars you’ve donated so far, I’ve been able to: feed the hungry (daily feedings in the Philippines), hug and love on orphans (lived at an orphanage in Nicaragua), pr-yed with non-believers and got to know them for more than what this world, their country, and their family has told them they were (red light district of Thailand). I’ve taught English, built playgrounds, loved through painful situations, taught B*ble studies and learned from every moment shared with G-d’s precious children of all ages. This is what you’re funding. This is where your money is going.
Thanks to you, I’ve been able to go where G-d has graciously sent me. I have 5 months left on this race. I need your help to finish.
I would LOVE to answer any and all of your questions if you have any. Please feel free to e-mail me at any time and I will answer as timely as m*n*stry allows me to.
Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for trusting our Daddy. Thank you for your support thus far.
Much love,
Andrea Sepulveda
