Dear Friends and Family,
I would like to start by thanking God for his continuous blessings and favor in your lives and my life as well. As you may or may not know in December 2015 I graduated from Howard University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology, and with this degree I intend to pursue a medical career. Though I am ecstatic about my recent accomplishments and how God has brought me through many trials and tribulations to see this point, this is not the reason I am writing you. As a child I always had the desire to travel outside of the country but never thought it would be possible for a person coming from my economic status and background. The closer I grew to Christ in my adult years the more my mind was renewed to having a better understanding of Philippians 4:13 ( I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me).
So I made plans and set my timing for travel but God had other plans and a different timing, as I’m sure most of you can relate. Last summer June 2015 as I was preparing to finish my last semester, God called me to a missions trip. I have never been on a missions trip, never been out of the country and had no idea what I would be getting myself into , but I felt the strong pull of God telling me to go. So I applied and interviewed for The World Race a Christian Missions trip, through an organization called Adventures in Mission.
I was accepted to The World Race for route 1 January 2017, where I will be traveling to 11 different countries in 11 months including Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Philippines, Indonesia, Romania, Kosovo and Greece. During this missions trip I will spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ while loving and serving the people through different ministries including but not limited to teaching english, planting churches, working with orphans and ministering to victims of natural disasters and those who have been trapped in prostitution due to human trafficking. I am very grateful for this experience and I believe not only that God will equip me for the journey ahead but that my life as well as those I come in contact with will be changed.
I have faith that because God has called me he will also provide for me. So I would like to ask you to join with me in praying for my upcoming mission, that God gives me strength, peace and supplies everyone of my needs. I also ask that if you feel led to donate to my trip, any amount big or small is a blessing to me. I have a financial obligation of 16,617 which covers my air fare, insurance and daily living in each country. I have placed below a list of donating options, please review and find the one that works best for you. Again thank you so much for taking the time out to read my letter. If you would like to stay updated with my preparation before the trip as well as my ministry during the trip you can follow my blog ( shakilacarroll.theworldrace.org ) or my Facebook @Shakila Carroll. Stay blessed friends and family and remember to put God first in all that you do.
-Shakila M. Carroll
