“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed.” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” – James 20:14-17
Dear Family and Friends,
Greetings!!! I hope this letter finds you and your family well. I am doing very well in Statesville, NC where I have been for the past year doing youth ministry. Many of you may have figured out that I seem to enjoy change. Right out of college I up and left everything that I knew and moved to NC. Well, I am about to do that again and I need your help.
God has placed a burden on my heart for the least, lost, and last of the world. This summer I will be going to rural Guatemala on a building team. When I signed up for this trip my only worry was that I would not want to stop doing this type of mission work. When I voiced this concern people started saying, “Is that really a problem?” After much prayer and thought I have realized that this is NOT a problem. In fact, it has instead become a burden on my heart. In March I started looking for long-term developing-world mission work, and God showed me what it was he wants me to do.
Adventures In Missions (AIM) has started an organization called The World Race. The World Race sends 21-35 year olds on a year-long mission experience in order to mirror the life of Christ. We are split into teams of 5-8 individuals and travel the world in 11 months spreading the good news of Jesus Christ to people in places that the light of Jesus Christ has not yet penetrated. I will be leaving in January of 2009. Each month we will be doing different types of ministries spanning from the care of orphans and homeless to church planting and disaster relief. We will truly be living, loving, and caring like Christ.
Lately I have been thinking a lot about my faith. I feel I have not acted on my faith as I should have (like James 20:14-17 tells us). While I have not been saying “No God, not me.” I certainly have not been saying, “God I give my life to you. Whatever you want me to do, wherever you want me to go, I trust that you will guide me and protect me.” I don’t want to be and won’t let myself be the person who hides in the corner and cowers from God’s call. After much prayer, I feel as if God wants me to do The World Race so that I can better figure out where he wants me to focus my ministry afterwards.
Why are you telling me this Teri? How can I help you? Thanks for asking! There are several ways you can help. My team and I will need a lot of prayer: prayer for safe travels, good health, and open minds and hearts. I also have to raise $14,000 for the entire year. You didn’t think we would ride donkeys across the ocean did you?!?! 🙂 The $14,000 covers food, lodging, and land, air, & sea travel. I will also need to raise money to cover visas, vaccinations, medical insurance and supplies (tent, sleeping bag, backpack etc). My goal is to raise $17,000.
Your support, whether prayer or financial, will literally mean the world to me! There are several ways you can give. One time and monthly donations are welcome. I figure if 5 people donate $100 per month (11months), 7 people donate $50 per month, 20 people donate $20 per month and 20 people donate $15 per month, I will make my goal. I have enclosed a response card and pre-addressed envelope that invites you to share in this ministry with a one time donation or monthly contribution. Please make checks payable to Adventures in Missions. You may write “appealed by” and my name in the memo section of the check if you wish. Including the enclosed card will provide AIM with all the necessary information. In turn, they will send you a receipt. All gifts are tax deductible. To learn more about AIM and the World Race, you may visit their website at http://www.theworldrace.org/. I will also send out a newsletter once a month to share with you what God has been doing in and through my journey. In addition I will have a blog at http://terigunnink.theworldrace.org/ that you can subscribe to and see what I am doing on a more regular basis.
I am very excited about this opportunity to do mission work around the world. I hope that you will be a part of it too. It’s going to be amazing to see how God is going to work through me and my team. If you have any questions or would like to talk with me about this amazing journey I am embarking on, please call me.
Please share this with your friends, family, church and business. I need all the prayer and support I can get. Thank you in advance for your prayers and financial support.
