Dearest friends and family….I have to tell you something!!!
But first…I want to tell you a short background story – it’s a story about the collision of God’s power and provision in just one area of my life.
So…please, read on 🙂
As most of you know, this trek around the world doing missionwork is NOT free of charge….the total cost of the trip itself was $14,300.00, which covers food, lodging, and transportation for 11 months of life outside of the US.
Also, as some of you probably know, I’m a pretty typical college kid when it comes to the financial department – no money-growing trees in my back yard.
God told me sometime near the end of my spring semester of 2010 that I was supposed to do the World Race in October – He gave me less than a year to prepare myself to leave for 11 months; gave me less than a year to tie up loose ends and sign my life away at home; gave me less than a year (MUCH much less than a year!) to come up with $14,300 – not to mention the cost of necessities I’d use in the field (such as a tent, sleeping pad, cooking stuff, Malaria meds….and a whole lot of other things too).
I can’t blame people for gently telling me things like: “Becca. Just sign up to go in January!”
or
“Plan to do it sometime when you’re more financially stable”
or
“How are you going to come up with the money? People don’t just get 14 thousand dollars…”
or
“Just finish school and work a little and then go; that’d make much more sense.”
How could be angry they were saying those things?
These things were constantly going through my mind, too.
And for the love of everything good, I didn’t know how to answer them…
except to say, “I just have to trust God.”
“I’m just…trusting Him.”
And I looked over my bank statements and the paychecks from 2 jobs and averaged what I could potentially make in the months leading up to my departure at the beginning of October, threw up my hands and told God – Do what You will. I have nothing to lose..You want me to go? You have to provide a way; I’ve got nothing.
And guess what?
He didn’t disappoint.
Month 5 on the World Race – AND I’M FULLY FUNDED!!!
So this is a blog that’s honestly just to thank YOU for giving so selflessly and generously.
It’s because of you that I’m able to do this – this is what brings me so much joy I can’t contain it.
I’m seeing and experiencing and taking part in what God is doing all over the world…and trying, with everything I’ve got in me, to be His hands and feet.
Right now, this is what it looks like:
Whether it’s praying, hugging, playing, teaching, holding, feeding, bringing Christmas to kids, leading worship, praying over bars and prostitution rings, building a soccer field or clearing jungle land that will soon be a farm – it is these things that I have been called to be part of for this season of my life.
This trip is challenging. It’s hard building relationships and then saying goodbye at the end of the month.
It’s hard being far from all of you – but I am in this specific place for specific reasons…I believe that God orchestrated this completely. I am thanking Him for you – whether you’ve supported me with your own hard-earned money, or if you’ve been fighting alongside of me, asking God to provide a way for me to do this – NONE of this would have happened without you. Some of you I’ve never met – some of you, for whatever reason, have never met me and STILL gave money to support me. Some of you I’ve known for years, some for days, some for a couple hours – know that your generosity does not go unnoticed.
I’m praying that God would fill you with the joy that’s filling my heart as I write this…that you would realize your giving to ME isn’t just stopping with me – you have given me the opportunity to reach out to hundreds and hundreds of people across 11 countries in a little less than a year…you’re changing the world.
I could go on forever…I really could.
But….I know you probably have a life…that and I need to go to sleep.
So.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
With all the love in my heart,
Becca
