My flight to Cambodia has been officially purchased.
A lot has to happen between now and October 5th.
September 1st-September 31st
During these days I will be working. I have 3 pay periods to try and pull in as much as possible for my yearlong expedition. My first fundraising deadline is September 13th, and I have $8,009 (as of now) of my $10,000 launch requirement. I am 100% confident that I will launch come October 1st because of your help and God’s provision. In fact, I am completely confident that the provision will come in that I have gone ahead and purchased my 1-way plane ticket to ATL.
There is still a whole long list of things I still need, and need to do in this last month here at home.
At Training Camp we tested out our supplies/gear and I now have a better idea of what I will need. I need a sleeping bag liner, more durable clothes, and I need camera/film equipment. (aka camera batteries, lots of headphones, tripod, a second 2TB Hard Drive, power converters, a microphone, and maybe even a solar charger).
So my extra paychecks will go to that, and provide me with adventure money.
I was planning on working right up until I depart for ATL. But I am still thinking about taking the last week off to make sure I have everything I need and to film a few videos.
(working two jobs really takes time away from my creative side, that’s 12 hours a day I don’t have to be creative…but I sure do think about it a lot)
Plus I need to get in as much quality 1-on-1 time with as many people as possible. So if you are reading this, and want to make the time to meet with me before I leave for a year…hit a brotha up.
October 1st-5th
These days will be spent in training in Georgia. There I will go through storyteller training. I will have more opportunities to practice and bond with my squad. I will get more practical tools for my 11 month adventure. I will have gross American fast food and American coffee for the last time. And to be honest I really have no idea what else is going to happen. (Which is kinda the way I like it)
October 5th-till we leave for the next Country.
First on the list is a 46 hour-long travel day, or should I say travel 2 days. We will have two long layovers in Chicago and Korea. It should make for a mighty fine adventure, with plenty of time to bond with the whole squad before we are separated for a whole month. (not to mention enough time to make a kick ass video…you try cramming 46 hours of fun into less than 10 minutes…its way harder than it looks)
After arriving in Cambodia, my team and I (to which I will have to give y’all a detailed blog about my amazing team, TEAM RIVER DANCERS, because they deserve a whole blog just devoted to them) will have to figure out how to get to our ‘ministry’ site. (I don’t quite like the word ‘ministry’ yet, and I have yet to find a better replacement). We will be stationed in rural Cambodia, in the Kampong Thom Province, working with Children’s Homes, Orphan Care, Feeding Programs, Working with High School Students, English Classes, and Church Planting.
To be honest, I am way intimidated. But, I have an amazing team, and we are all in this together.
On Saturdays we have “ADVENTURE DAYS”, and y’all know I already have tentative plans for any days we have off. Kampong Thom is uniquely positioned between the two biggest cities in Cambodia. My brain is already swimming in the possibilities.
However, with the WorldRace anything could change at any moment. Flexibility and Grace will be tenants to live by while on this Adventure
Route Changes
Speaking of Flexibility and Grace our route has changed. This isn’t the first time this has happened. In the midst of the Refugee Crisis in Greece our route got changed, to that the last country would be Greece. I, of course was thrilled about this itinerary change. It is easy to talk a big game on the social media sites about what should or should not be done in those giant sticky situations. I wanted to actually do something. This was going to be a great time to put my hands and feet to where my mouth was going.
However, over the course of half a year, the situation has changed. Europe has stopped taking in Refugees. (and they have their own political crisis going on). So the Refugees are not moving anymore. They are stagnate, so centers that helped refugees get processed into Europe are now more like detention centers. Make shift cities of tents and organized chaos.
Because of this our (Adventures in Mission’s) ministry contacts have pulled out of the region. Therefore we would have nothing to do. And let us be honest, that area of the world does not need a handful of missionaries to show up for a month, they need people to infiltrate the chaos and stick it out for the long haul.
So Greece has been struck from our adventure, and therefore the last country is TBA. Which is awesome! Nothing says adventure like having no idea where you are going. I have complete faith that where ever we go will need us to show up for the final month of our trip.
I am stoked. I hoped that translates through this blog.
I am nowhere close to being fully funded. If you want to partner with me, in prayer, as a subscriber both here on this blog and Youtube, or if feel the need to contribute financially I welcome all the help I can get.
For those of you that have supported me financially, thank you! If you would like to support this mission, click that DONATE button and help out. Whether it is $1, $100, a monthly commitment, or anything in between, it will make a difference!
