Dear Friends,
Thank you for
visiting my World Race blog. Here’s a little bit about my life and what led me to The World Race. Whether or not I know you personally, I would love
to hear from you through comments or an email.
I’m enjoying my temporary job with Operation Christmas Child, a
project of Samaritan’s Purse, the international Christian relief organization
headed by Franklin Graham that’s based here in Boone. However, working for a
Christian international relief organization has had a profound effect on my
‘career outlook’ and has impacted my heart in ways I never expected. God used
S.P. (among other things) to instill in me a desire to ‘GO’ to the nations and
serve: not to be a reporter or tourist, but to be a servant. Until recently I
didn’t know what this step away from a ‘career’ and my current life would look
like. God has given me a new and truly unique opportunity.
In
early July, I will embark on The World Race, a project of Atlanta-based
Adventures in Missions. As a World Racer, in 11 months I and my teammates will
work on 11 missions projects in 11 of the world’s most impoverished countries.
I don’t yet know where we will go or what we will do. As World Racers, we are
called to leave our known lives behind, trust that the Lord will guide our
steps and ask God to ‘become greater as we become less.’
Along
our 11-month journey “to the ends of the earth,” we might…love on
AIDS orphans in Africa, reach out to young women trapped in the sex trade in
Southeast Asia, construct a church building in Eastern Europe or work alongside
the destitute who survive off of the garbage heaps in Central America. Living
simply with the poorest of the poor, in every location and ministry opportunity
our heart’s desire will be (and is already) that the Lord would use us as
Jesus’ hands and feet. The World Race is not just a trip around the world; it
is an opportunity to radically walk in faith like never before. To find out
more about The World Race and to read blogs of Racers currently in the field,
check out http://www.theworldrace.org.
You are reading this blog because you’ve expressed interest in keeping up with me as I embark
on this mission. So, as I mentally,
physically and spiritually prepare for the World Race, I ask that you
prayerfully consider partnering with me in one of three ways.
First
and foremost, I am looking for prayer partners who will pray for me and
my team. If you are a prayer warrior and can commit to scheduling one day a
week to lift us up in prayer, please let me know that you are able to do so.
Pray for the people the Lord has placed in our path to minister to, for the
health and safety of my team, and for the divine appointments awaiting us as we
go.
Secondly,
as I am on the World Race, I will keep a blog at http://katierowland.theworldrace.org. I hope you will read my updates (you can
even subscribe to them!) and leave feedback. You know of my journalistic
background, so naturally I hope to write and post photos quite often (and
perhaps an occasional video as well) to best show you how your support is
enabling me and my teammates to do what the Lord has called us to do on the
World Race.
Finally,
the cost of the World Race is $13,800, which includes all of my travel, food
and lodging for the entire 11 months, plus missions training by AIM. Financial
support can be a one-time donation of any
amount or a monthly donation for every month I am away. I have calculated that
if 20 people support me with only $25 a month, 10 people support me with $50 a
month and three people support me with $100 a month, my goal is met! As a
friend of mine told me, if the Lord wants me to go on this mission trip, He has
the money out there for me to go: I just have to find it. Would you consider
partnering with me financially as I embark on this unique mission opportunity?
The simplest way to support me financially is through this blog–just look in the upper left-hand corner for the “Support” button. Adventures in Missions is registered with the Internal
Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Donors will receive
receipts for their gifts with the understanding that the disbursement of those
gifts lies completely at the discretion of Adventures in Missions and that the
gifts are non-refundable and non-transferable, per IRS regulations. Gifts may
be tax deductible; please consult your tax advisor.
I
truly look forward to answering your questions about The World Race. Look on the left for buttons if you want to email me, check out photos as I post them (once I begin the Race), and read more blogs. Thank you for being a
blessing in my life!
Love
in Christ,
Katie
Rowland
