Well. It's my last semester of college, and it feels like it has taken forever to be here. That also means that people are frequently asking me about what my life will look like upon closing this chapter in May. And so I tell them about the World Race.
In recent, I have become somewhat timid in sharing about this missions experience, because, honestly it's pretty awesome.
- It's the nitty-gritty, often dirty work that was modeled by Jesus and His early disciples.
- It means loving people that have been forgotten and cast out by the rest of society.
- It means confronting evil in the world, and throwing God's life changing love into the mix.
- It means living on what seems like nothing, with no place to rest my head and no place to call home – just like Jesus.
- It involves realizing how powerless we are without God sitting on the throne in our lives and it involves stepping out in seemingly absurd faith to trust that God will provide in the times that He asks us to love others and to obey Him in tasks that are humanly IMPOSSIBLE.
The World Race doesn't seem easy and certainly not convenient. I must be weird though, because I think these things are awesome. This is the stuff of the Bible. These are the challenges that so many other disciples of Christ have gone through, and I am excited to be connected to history and to God's kingdom because of that. So, I feel timid in sharing because I know that such an undertaking wreaks of the power, awesomeness, and mystery of God, and putting that into words for others feels so small in comparison to the actual magnitude of it. It feels like a dream.
ANYWAY, upon sharing about the World Race with others, here are some of the frequently asked questions I have received:
What is the World Race?
The World Race is an 11 month missionary journey to 11 countries to serve the poor while living amongst real and raw community. It requires stepping out of your comfort zone and being exposed to what God is doing in the world.
Who are you going with?
I am going with an organization called Adventures in Missions, and I will be on a team of around 60 people who are all around my age (21-35). Our team will move to each country together but we will be broken into squads of around 6-10 people. Each squad will be deployed in different areas in partnership with local ministries and long term missionaries.
Where will you travel?
I will travel across 3 continents and spend one month living in each of the following nations: India, Thailand, Cambodia, Nepal, Vietnam, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and one other Asian country that my team will prayerfully select once we’re on the field.
What will you do there?
My team will volunteer with local ministries and with long term missionaries in each location doing everything from sharing the gospel to loving on AIDS orphans to helping those trapped in human trafficking to meeting with and encouraging believers in their faith. However, work isn't the be-all, end-all. We are part of the kingdom, and part of that means deeping in our relationship with Christ, learning what acting as a community means as a part of the body of Christ, and in worshiping God and giving Him glory in all situations.
What will you bring with you?
I will be carrying all of by belongings for the year in a hiking backpack. This will likely include my tent, sleeping bag, pad, limited clothes, Bible, journal, iPod (gotta have MUSE with me!), water bottle, headlamp, ereader, and my most basic necessities. Being a musican, I will also be bringing along a viola, hoping to use that to share the joy of God in worship.
What happens when you come home?
I have no idea honestly. There are ghostly outlines of plans that I have in the back of my mind. Likely, I will be looking into attending seminary for a degree in Missiology and Intercultural studies. I've often found, that my plans aren't necessarily God's plans, and His are always better. So I will follow Him.
Can you receive letters and packages while overseas?
I cannot receive packages for any reason other than emergencies. An emergency package contains only one of two things: a debit card to replace a missing one, or medication. The locations I will be living in are very remote. It just isn’t practical to send or receive packages. Communication will always be best through email, though with pending internet, I hope to be in contact with you through things like Skype.
How can I stay updated on your travels?
To the left of this post you will see a place to type in your email address to receive email alerts each time that I post. Please sign up, as you are a critical part of this journey and I want you to feel up to date with what God is doing in His kingdom through my team.
How much does the trip cost?
The actual trip costs $15,500, but this amount does not cover a handful of things. It does not cover the cost of travel to and from training, the flight to the start of the Race, the flight back from the end of the Race, medical insurance, the cost of equipment, and some of the visas I will need. I’m guesstimating I will need to raise around $18,000.
When do you need to have your support raised by?
There are several financial deadlines that I have to meet prior to departure, but I believe that I will be fully-funded. Fundraising has proven to be a difficult test of faith for me, but I am learning each day to trust in God's provision.
Support Deadlines:
- $3,500 Due 5/5/2012 (2 weeks before training camp)
- $6,500 Due 6/17/2012 (2 weeks prior to the trip)
- $11,000 Due 10/1/2012 (End of 3 months on the field)
- $15,500 Total Due 1/1/2013 (End of 6 months on the field)
How can I help?
Most importantly, I really need your prayers during this time and also while I travel. I am learning more and more how vital this is for God's kingdom work. Pray for my team’s fundraising efforts and that God would be preparing our hearts in big ways for this God-adventure. Pray for our safety as we travel and that we might bring love and hope wherever we go. Read over the list of the nations we will travel to. Pray for these broken and hurting nations! Pray that those we encounter and develop relationships with will be open to hearing the truth of God’s word.
Financially, there are several ways to help. You can donate to my trip as a one-time gift or as monthly donations, allowing you to choose the amount and beginning and end date. If you would like to do this, please make checks payable to Adventures in Missions, PO Box 534470, Atlanta GA, 30353-4470. Make sure to specify that you would like the donation to go to Chip Carnes or your donation will not be sent to my account. If you would prefer to make a donation online, you may do so by clicking the “Support Me” link in the upper left side of the page and complete your donation as instructed. Keep in mind, though, that a 5% credit card fee will be taken out of the donation for credit card processing.
I am also in the process of planning some benefit concerts/recitals. That being said, if you need some awesome viola ridiculousness for an occassion, it would be a wonderful contribution in my fundraising
Your support so far has overwhelmed me. May God shower blessings upon you.
-Chip
