Happy New Year! I hope your Christmas season treated you well. It is hard to believe it is over. But the celebration of the birth of Christ doesn’t have to end when the new year begins. “For to us a child is born…and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” [Isaiah 9:6] Isaiah’s prophecy of this child begins with these words of hope: “Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress.” [Isaiah 9:1]. No more gloom because Jesus is the hope of the world!!!
With that, I am excited to share that I have been given new opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus, bringing hope to the world. This fall I was accepted on a mission experience through the organization Adventures in Missions called the World Race. This is a journey to 11 countries in 11 months to love and serve the least of these for God’s glory, not my own. It is 11 months of living in real and raw community with other young adults. It is a chance to abandon my worldly possessions and learn to depend on God, be used by God, and watch HIM change the world.
I leave in July 2014 and will be traveling to Swaziland, Botswana, South Africa, Estonia, Latvia, Thailand, Cambodia, India, Nepal, Guatemala and Nicaragua. In each country we will partner with and support local ministries. Our support will most likely be different each month and could range from manual labor, to teaching, to loving on orphans, to sharing the gospel with adults. We must learn to let go of expectations and just be available to serve.
World Missions is a passion God has been developing in me slowly over the last several years. I remember returning from a trip to Haiti thinking “One week is not enough.” I also heard countless stories of missionaries and I would think “I want to do this but…” I had plenty of excuses why I shouldn’t be the one to go. One of them was that I didn’t know where to go or what kind of mission I wanted to do.
Then I heard about the World Race. 11 countries. Different mission opportunities. I thought “I wish I’d known about this in college.” I still didn’t want to give up the security I had in the American dream. And then I met someone who had given it up. She left a good job to serve in a local ministry and then went on the World Race. I knew then that God was tired of my excuses. So I jumped in. I said, “Here I am Lord. Send me.” I am going to be the hands and the feet of Jesus to all nations.
“Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done.” [Psalm 105:1]
I Cannot Do This Alone — How You Can Help.
It is hard for the independent, self-sufficient person in me to admit, but I cannot go on this journey
alone. It is a very scary thing to be leaving everyone and everything I know. I need your prayer, support and encouragement along the way. I may be the one traveling from country to country, but I need a team to go on the journey with me in spirit. Here are a few of the ways you can help:
1) Prayer. This is the most important. Prayer is what connects us with God and keeps us in line with his will. I cannot begin to imagine the things that will come my way over the next year, but I know that I cannot do it without God and therefore cannot do it without prayer. I am looking for a specific group of people that would commit to praying as I prepare for the journey as well as when I am gone. If you are interested in being a part of my prayer team, please email me at [email protected].
2) Follow the Journey & Share the story. I will be writing on my blog throughout my journey in hopes of giving some insight into my heart, my struggles, my adventures but most of all how God is at work around the world. I am well aware that not everyone can go, but it does not mean that we have to live unaware. So follow along and share with others.
3) Financial Support. In order to do the World Race, I must provide $16,252 to cover the cost of
transportation, living and insurance for the 11 months I will be gone. I ask that you would go to God in prayer and ask if this is something he would have you support. Please understand, there is no obligation to give, but I want to extend the opportunity for you to join me on this journey.
If you would like to give, there are a couple ways to do so.
1. Make checks or money orders payable to Adventures in Missions with “In support of Naomi Demmon” on the memo line. Please mail the donation to:
Adventures in Missions
PO Box 742570
Atlanta, GA. 30374-2570
2. Online donations can be made using your credit or debit card by clicking on the “Support Me” link on the left side of my blog webpage. There will be a 3% processing fee for online donations.
All donations made to AIM are tax deductible.
Thank you so much for taking time to visit my blog and I look forward to sharing my journey with you along the way! God Bless!
