I am now officially at the halfway point on the World Race! I am blown away by all that I have been able to see and do in the last five months!
In Guatemala, my team and I visited and prayed for widows in a small Mayan mountain town. Both Honduras and Nicaragua were months of manual labor, helping to move the ministry into their next phase of development. I spent three weeks in Los Guido, Costa Rica; a slum so known for its danger and violence even the locals will not enter the area. Thailand, I spent my nights hanging out in bars, talking with the bar girls; doing my best to show them they are deeply loved and their body is not the only part of them worth something. Now, here in Laos, I am hanging out with university students and teaching English.
And oh, the children! Whether it is getting to serve them much-needed meals, or just playing with them, I have had a multitude of opportunities to love on some children, which I am always more than happy to do.
The Race has not been just about ministry, but has also become a lesson of self-discovery for me. I am learning where my passions lie, and what God breaks my heart for. I am learning to fully place my identity in Christ and to leave this world behind. I am learning to step up into leadership, and to stand up for what I believe in, even if standing alone. I hear God whisper to me, “I am preparing you to be the person I need you to be for the plans I have for you”.
But right now His plan for me is to finish the Race! And that is where I need your help.
My last financial deadline is quickly approaching. By July 1st, approximately two weeks from now, I need to have met my final goal of $16,254. Through you all, God has provided a whopping 81% of what I need, but I still need about $2,800 to be fully funded.
I know many of you have already given, but I humbly ask if you would consider giving again. Or if you haven’t already given but were thinking of doing so, I ask that this time you could commit to donating. There are two ways you can give:
1) Go to my blog, aprilclaybaugh.theworldrace.org and click the link “Support Me!” near the top of the page (or in the left-hand column), or
2) Write a check to “Adventures in Missions” with my name, April Claybaugh, in the memo line. Then email the check to my parents “George and Nancy Otterbeck” at 4180 Meander Drive, Redding, CA 96001. From there, my parents will mail your check into the office for you.
Most importantly, I ask that you would partner with me in prayer. Pray that I reach my financial goal, and can thus stay on the Race. Please also pray for my teammates and I; pray for safety, perseverance, and for many opportunities to share God’s love with others.
Thank you so much for investing into my life. When times are tough on the Race, I think about all of you who are rooting for me back in the States, and suddenly, things seem so much better. So, truly, thank you, and thank you for considering donating your finances. Have a blessed day!
Sincerely,
April Claybaugh
[Wanting more details from my Race?!? A more-detailed account of each month will be released in PART 2 of "Update Letter!" Coming soon…]
