I have been home for a little over a month now. I have been able to share with family, friends, and Sunday school classes about what has been happening this past year around the world. Many great stories have been shared. Many discussons about helping children, eating different food, and the living conditions of every country.(<—Check out my previous blogs to see and hear what has happened) The one question that sneaks into the end of every chat or conversation is, “What’s next?” What are you going to do now that this little ‘vacation’ is over?
For the first few weeks before returning to project searchlight my answers consisted of: Eat my next meal. Go to the next city on my trip. Go home and sleep. They were one second, minute, hour, and day at a time answers. I tried to lovingly explain that I had no idea what God was leading me into this next season. I was just trying to re aclimate to America.
Every person gave similar answers. “Oh that’s good. I’m sure God will show you what is next.” I knew some of them were being genuine, but some you could just tell were thinking that I needed to do something with my life. I can’t just sit around all day remembering my time on the race. Like I don’t know this. I am well aware of the ‘limbo’ I was in. Full of unknown days ahead and no plans. I was terrified of getting stuck.
Then there was Project Searchlight(PSL). This was an opportunity for squads to reunite one last time and spend a week of reflection on the past year and also contemplating the future and asking eachother, mentors, and the Lord for guidance on what to do next. Learning to have faith and take a step and knowing that God will move you in the right direction. Over the week, God did just that for so many of us at PSL.
I had no idea where to begin. I knew I wanted a strong community, as well as to begin looking into long term missions while getting some training for it. I had heard of all of the programs Adventures in Missions(AIM) offers a few months ago while on the race. I decided at that point that I was not going to return and do anything with AIM. The only problem with that was I decided this, not DADDY.
Sitting at PSL, they had a session on Center for Global Action(CGA). I had heard about it in Cambodia and was about to tune out. Then there was a tug in my Spirit. God poking me in my side saying, “Hey, why don’t you do that?” I immediately corrected the Spirit and reminded Him that I did not want to return to AIM. Let alone move to Georgia. Poke. Poke. “Hey, why don’t you go anyway?”
So thirty minutes later I had applied to CGA for this fall. I applied for the Missions course and the Leadership course. WOW. What happened? Earlier that day I had decided to completely trust the Lord and decided to start moving forward and instead of sitting and waiting for him to show me what direction to go first.
I was planning on researching some other organizations and education. But before I put my foot down for the first step, He had me pointed in the right direction and affirmed it twice.
After applying I had my coach for the week approach me and ask how the session went. I informed him I had applied. He smiled and said, “on the first day of PSL after our first meeting I sat with your other coach and said God wants Dillon to go to CGA.” God told him not to tell me. I needed to hear from Him on my own. Affirmation one.
I then had a session where one of the young ladies there praying over me mentioned a seminar that I was very interested in. It would be here in GA this fall and wondered if I would be around to take it? Affirmation two.
So what does going to CGA mean?
1. I head to Georgia the frst week of September.
I will be packing up and moving to Gainsville, Ga for at least six months to attend CGA. I will be living in community housing with the other men attending the academy. I will not be packing a suitcase. I will be moving everything. My entire life. Ahh!!
2. I will be taking classes, apprenticeships, and volunteering.
What is CGA exactly? It is a community of believers who decide to focus on specific aspects of ministry to help determine their calling and launch them into the next phase of their life. Whether that is long term missions, ministry in your church, or being a disciple in your community.
We will be attending classes based on each coarse. These classes are held each day of the week. In the afternoon each person will have an apprenticeship. These are designed to give you experience in the field or track you are focussing on. Leadership coarses will work alongside of AIM leadership learning about organization and coordinating a non-profit. Missions will focus on working under other mentors to learn descipleship, leadership, and evangelism.
All these skills will help in the next period of life that God is leading me to. I know that he as big plans for me and wants me to succeed at CGA. It will be hard work as well as alot of fun.
3. I will continue to need the support of family and friends in fundraising.
As this is once again with AIM, a non profit, and I will be volunteering my time to do this. I will need to raise the funds to cover my lodging and food. As I said we will be living in community houses around the city of Gainseville, GA. We will also get a stipend for food. It may be possible to get a part time job while attending, but there will still be expenses that a part time job may not cover. I will need as much support as I can get.
I am so grateful for all the support that you have given me over the past year. I am humbled to know that the Lord used you to grow my faith and trust in Him. In this season my faith will be tested even more. I will not need to raise nearly as much, but I will need every penny to be raised. Whether it is from me having events and yard sales or from others blessing me with one time or monthly support.
The total I need to raise is about $7,500 for the entire six months. This will include lodging, home supplies, food stipend, and to cover some of the class expenses. Any support, no matter how much, will help significantly.
There are a few ways you can support me financially.
1. Donate to my already existing World Race acount by clicking SUPPORT ME to the left or at the top of this blog. Select Center For Global Action(CGA) as the program. Then make sure Dillon Seeley is entered in the Participant Full Name field. You can choose a one time donation or support me monthly. Whatever is better for you. This support goes toward the amount I need to raise for AIM. This method is tax deductable and can be written off on your taxes.
2. You can donate to me personally by going to www.paypal.com and clicking SEND at the top of the screen. Send to [email protected]. This will go towards things that are not included like personal hygene supplies, transportation costs, and getting health insurance that our oh so loving government requires I have. Sadly, this method is not tax deductable, but is vey appreciated.
3. Send money the old fashioned way. The first two were online transactions. If that is not your cup of tea, then feel free to give me money in person or mail a check made out to me (Dillon Seeley). You can mail to:
133 Brownstone Cir NE
Cleveland, TN 37323
This is a time of transition for me. I will be learning even more than I did on the World Race. There may not be wild adventures from far off countries to read about, but there will be stories to hear and adventures in GA to keep up on, so continue to follow this blog. If you have any questions at all please comment or email me at [email protected].
