To My Fabulous Friends and Family,
I hope everything is going well with you I just wanted to let you know about my upcoming adventure. I’m constantly growing closer to God through my experiences within my church, and now I’m ready to see how God is working in a completely different part of our world.
What you may or may not know is that for the last few years I have been struggling with depression and anxiety. I’ve had a hard time finding a sense of belonging. Every job I searched for didn’t look right, every interview I had didn’t feel right. I was unsettled and unhappy. My restlessness became overpowering. I sought counseling and it was the best present I ever gave myself. The more I healed the louder God got. A friend introduced me to World Race late in 2013. Her story was amazing, but World Race was a trip that other people took. I have a heart for people, but have never been involved with missions. The more I thought about World Race the more I felt calm and collected. At that point I thought “Jesus, if this is what it feels like to follow you I’m all in….and the decision was made.
God has called me to a challenging ministry opportunity. From September 2014 – July 2015 I will be working as a missionary in 11 countries throughout Asia with a group organized by World Race / Adventures in Missions. I am super excited about the opportunity and experience that lies ahead. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous and even a bit scared. I will be giving up everything I know. My comfort zone is about to be expanded beyond what I can imagine. Living out of a backpack, sleeping in a tent, bathing in a river, and using the infamous squatty potty will be my new definition of comfortable living. We will be working based off of the needs of the area. Some of the things we could be doing are working with local churches, women who came out of sex trafficking, caring for children in orphanages, and street evangelism. I would love for you to be a part of my adventure.
I ask that you support our team in prayer as we prepare for our trip; our travel, our health, safety in our work, and that our ministry will be productive. As you can imagine, funding for a trip like this requires financial support from a number of people. I need to raise $16,254 to cover my time abroad. This money will cover all of my field, travel, administrative expenses, and most of my food for 11 months. When it comes to missions, people can be active in three categories:
- “Mobilizers” – the people who build the excitement in their local church or missions organizations, keeping others informed of the needs and opportunities, and helping them get involved (World Race).
- “Goers” – These are the ones who feel called to spend time in another culture, live a different kind of lifestyle, and minister face to face (Me).
- “Senders” – It’s hard to say that one of these three groups is more important than any other, but without the “senders” not much will happen. They provide the funds–and more importantly–the prayer support. Prayer is the fuel that will allow us to be successful as we follow God’s leading in ministry in these foreign countries. Without prayer nothing will happen (You).
I am incredibly thankful that God has opened up a door for me to grow and be stretched while developing a greater compassion for his people in Asia. This experience is teaching me to trust Him fully. Asking for money is probably my least favorite thing to do; but even if I could take care of all the cost on my own I realize I would be cheating you out of a chance to be a blessing to all affected by this trip. You may not think of yourself as part of a “mission’s team” but I would be honored for you to become one my fantabulous “senders”. Donations can be made as a one-time gift or as a monthly support gift. If 30 people pledge $50/month for 11 months or 100 people make a onetime donation of $160, my trip would be fully funded!
Online donations can be made by visiting my World Race blog site at: http://nataliadavis.theworldrace.org. Just click the “Support Me” link on the left side of the page. Checks can be made payable to Adventures in Missions with my full name (Natalia Davis) on the memo line. The enclosed response card will provide the WR/AIM staff with the information necessary to send you a receipt. I am Boldly asking that you pass my letter and the extra response cards on to anyone you know that has a heart for missions, loves to give, or just needs a tax deduction. (See Ways to Give)
What isn’t covered in the $16,254?
- Vaccinations and Medicine: $500
- Gear (backpack, tent, sleeping pad, etc.): $1,500
- Gas to and from Training Camp: $100-150
- Flights to and from US Launch/Receiving city: $500
- Personal expenses and cultural experiences (toiletries and activities, food, transportation on our resting day, etc) for the 11 months: $3,000
I know some people prefer to give tangible gifts. If you are interested I have a wish list for the gear and equipment I will need. myregistry.com & REI.com – Gift Registry…Natalia Davis
Showering you with Blessings,
Natalia (Tai) Davis
For more information on Ways to Give please see my Additional Information Post.
