Dear friends and family,
I am writing this letter to share with you the exciting opportunity that God has placed before me. I have recently been accepted to go on an 11-month mission trip called The World Race. The World Race is a part of Adventures in Missions, an inter-denominational missions organization, that has sent over 100,000 people into the mission field since 1989. I am set to leave in August of this year to travel to Spain, Morocco, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Cyprus, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, and China. While I travel to these countries I will be working with churches and ministries in local communities to preach the Gospel, work in orphanages, minister to women and children trapped in prostitution and whatever else God has me do in order to share the good news of Jesus and the grace that He so freely gives to those who come to Him.
This is something that God has really placed on my heart over this past year. As many of you already know, I have been teaching 9th and 11th grade English at Rusk High School during the day and also delivering pizzas for Pizza Hut at night. And in doing this, God has been so good to me and has allowed for me to grow so much not only as a teacher and a professional, but more importantly, as a follower of Christ. My mission field over this past year has been my students, co-workers, and even the families and college students that I happen to deliver pizza to. Being able to have those conversations about who God is and what He may be doing in their lives, whether it’s on a college kid’s front doorstep or during my conference period at school, has made working those 16-hour days oh so worth it when doing work for the Lord and seeing eyes and hearts open right in front of me.
However, even though I have grown in my walk with the Lord over this past year within my school and at my other job, I feel as though He is calling me to do more and to do so without hesitation. As I have prayed this year about what God is calling me to do with the World Race, I have been reminded time and time again that, as Francis Chan said: “…God doesn’t call us to be comfortable. He calls us to trust Him so completely that we are unafraid to put ourselves in situations where we will be in trouble if He doesn’t come through” and so that’s what I intend to do and to do so without hesitation.
So now here’s where you come in. There are two very important things that I need in order to do what I feel God has called me to do with The World Race. The first is support. Just like many other mission organizations, World Racers must fundraise financial support in order to pay for expenses. I believe that just as God has called me to go; He is also calling together a team of supporters and ministry partners who will serve alongside me during my 11 months on the World Race. I must raise $18,617 in order to complete my 11 months. I understand that this number is a bit overwhelming, but I know that the God who has called me to this is faithful to provide. If 30 people give $50 a month for 11 months, that’s over $16,000! My first deadline is May 15th with $5,000 needing to be raised. Would you prayerfully consider supporting me through this journey by giving monthly?
The second important thing that I need in order to do what God has called me to do is prayer. As important as fundraising is, prayer is even more so. So I ask that you please be in prayer over these next few months as my squad and I prepare our hearts and minds to step into this mission-field for a year and for the safety and health of my squad as well.
By supporting this mission whether financially or through prayer, you are enabling me to answer to His call and I thank you. I am praying that God would place on your heart the best way for you to support me. I am so excited to see how God will work and be glorified in this process.
Thank you and God bless,
Haley Marshall
Fundraising Deadlines:
$5,000 – Due 5/15/2017 (Fundraising Goal 1)
$10,000 – Due 7/21/2017 (Fundraising Goal 2)
$13,000 – Due 9/30/2017 (Fundraising Goal 3)
$18, 617 – Due 11/30/2017 (Fundraising Goal 4)
The funds raised cover all team costs once the trip begins. This includes food, lodging, air, land, and sea travel. It also covers administrative, set up, coaching, debrief, and training costs prior to and at the start of the Race.
(Adventures In Missions is a tax-exempt organization under IRS code 501(c)(3) and is a member of the ECFA. (Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability). Due to IRS and ECFA regulations governing the administration of tax deductible donations given in support of a particular trip/program, support contributions given on behalf of an individual will be used to offset the costs of the trip/program you are involved in. All contributions are non-refundable regardless of the participant’s success in completing the program.)
