Dear Friends and Family,
A couple years ago I heard a speaker say, “No one ever gets to the end of their life and says, ‘I wish I’d played it safer.’” Everyone always wishes they’d taken more risks. I’ve decided to listen to my elders and do just that – play this game of life a little risky. I have to be proactive to do that. Many people my age are trying to find themselves. They are getting ready to graduate college, or have launched out into the real world and gotten a real job. You’ve known me for a while, and you know that there’s something in me that can’t settle for the ordinary. (Don’t get me wrong – I’m still going to graduate from college in May – three months from TODAY, but it’s what is coming after graduation that I don’t want to be ordinary). I want to change the world…and I’ve been wondering how to do that for a while now. It seems like such an overwhelming vision, but I’ve been praying and asking God for something that would help launch me, something that would take my heart for making a difference with my life, something that would help me live a life that is truly extraordinary.
About six months ago I was accepted into an amazing program called the World Race. I was originally supposed to leave in July, that got changed to June, and now I’ve allowed them to move me back to the September team so that I’ll have adequate time to prepare after graduation.
[Sidenote: If I had my way, I would leave in June, but I’ve been learning that it’s not about my way, it’s about God’s way.] The idea of the World Race is to take a year of my life and to live like Jesus did while traveling around the world, ministering in approximately eleven countries in eleven months. I’m sure you’re all asking, “How does that work?” Well, simplicity and servant-hood are the keys. When we travel, we’ll do so cheaply, and in many places, we’ll stay in tents or wherever people invite us to stay. As we go, we seek to serve partner ministries that are caring for the poorest of the poor.
Playing it risky also means not living my life for myself.
I want to be a part of something greater than myself. I believe that by taking a year of my life and intentionally learning to live as Jesus lived, touching the poor, learning to live on little, I will become the world changer that God intended me to be. I only have one life to live, and before I’ve taken on too many obligations, I want to commit to making it the radical life that Jesus himself modeled. I know I’ll learn to abandon all that has made my life comfortable and will learn to depend on Him as I’ve never had to before.
What separates this from the other mission trips I’ve taken is that this trip is designed for people my age who are
serious about committing to a lifetime of radically following Jesus. This isn’t just another experience; it’s a commitment to a transformational discovery process. Also, in each country that we go to, we will partner with local churches to establish long-term kingdom works that will last long after we leave.
While the cost of an average college might be about $2000/month (or more!), the World Race costs just half that – $1080/month. My entire year World Race experience costs $13,000. Even though next summer is a long way off, my team of 30 is beginning to raise the funds now as we prepare to leave on September 15, 2007.
God has given me great desires and passions, including learning and sharing the gospel with people. Through previous mission trips and the ways God has been growing me in my faith, I’ve discovered that I have a real heart for the poor and a love for those desiring to grow in Christ. I have longed to minister in a place where people are aching with a hunger for the gospel. During the World Race, I will be discipled and trained in various areas of ministry and missions. I will have the opportunity to minister to people who need to hear of salvation through Jesus. After the World Race is over, I will be able to take these skills and use them wherever it may be that God is leading me next – from an orphanage in India to a hospital or clinic in Africa, the possibilities are endless.
I am depending on God to meet my needs and to begin to show me what He has in store for me next. I believe this year of ministry is just the beginning of God’s great work for me overseas.
I thank God so much for this opportunity that is before me and am trusting that He
will meet my needs. Ultimately, my prayer is that He will do that through
you. I would be honored if you could partner prayerfully and financially with me in this ministry. I am specifically asking for fifteen people who will commit to pray for me every day until I return. Also, a number of you may be in a position to financially contribute to my support. If you would like to support me, you can click on the Support Me link on the side of this page, or if you want a paper form to fill out email me and I’ll be glad to send you one.
You can find more information about Adventures in Missions at http://www.adventures.org/ and more information about the World Race at http://www.theworldrace.org/. I will be posting on this website throughout my trip where you’ll be able to read about and see photos of my adventures. Also, if you would like to be on my personal email updates list (I’ll be sending them out once a month throughout my trip), please email me at [email protected].
If you haven’t caught this already,
I am very excited about how God will use me and can’t wait to see what He will teach me through this year-long experience. I hope not only to be a blessing to those I meet and serve along the way, but also to you, my faithful supporters. My desire is to go as your representative of Jesus Christ, and to be His hands and feet in the world. I hope you will prayerfully consider being part of my ministry. Thank you so much!
In His grip of grace,
Becky Wiltjer
