***Forgive me, this blog is a tough one to write, as it is personal and vulnerable. I am still trying to find the right words for all of this.***
I am going on the World Race…and that’s crazy to me.
For those of you who do not know what the World Race is I’ll tell you. It is an 11 month mission trip to 11 different countries. During those 11 months you are serving some of the poorest countries in the world. Each month looks different on the race. Some months you serve at a local orphanage or simply paint a church. Your life is literally packed away in 2 bags for 11 months as you go attempt to bring hope to a very lost and lonely world. There will be months without wifi or a bed or AC but in return you get an adventure of a lifetime. It won’t be easy and there will be days when I miss my family and my friends but nothing good or beneficial is ever easy.
You are probably wondering ‘why would you want give up your life like that? Give up everything that is familiar and comfortable.’ I have tried to come up with an answer that people will understand or get but I have come to this conclusion… Jesus is the reason I live and when I made that commitment and decision to follow Him it meant that I was ALL IN. In Acts the disciples take what they have learned from Jesus and they go out to the nations and spread everything they were taught. I WANT THAT. These past 4 years I have learned so much about myself and who Jesus is. I have gathered that He is so worth following. I don’t want any other life than the one that I have with Him. So if that means leaving my life for something as crazy as living in 11 different countries or living 11 months without Netflix I will do so because I am meant to live an extraordinary life.
One thing I deeply desire of this trip is that you be encouraged by it. You are meant for an extraordinary life as well. My hope and prayer is that as you walk along this journey with me that you too go after your dreams, whatever they maybe. This by far was not an easy decision for me. I have been thinking and praying about the World Race since January, going back and forth to whether or not I was even good enough for something as great as this. I had lived in a box of fear leading up to applying for this. Fear that I would quit before it even began, fear of not fundraising all of the money, fear of simply not being a good enough christian. Once I realized that fear crushes your dreams I jumped into faith and applied. You too can jump into faith and step out of your box of fear, or whatever it may be that is holding you back.
The World Race requires full faith and reliance on Jesus. Faith that He will provide financially(as this trip is completely fundraised, all $16,617. CRAZY SCARY). Faith that when times get tough He is right there giving peace that surpasses all understanding. Faith that no matter what happens you keep going and keep fighting. I ask for your help in several areas.
1. PRAYER. Prayer for my emotions leading up to the trip and as I am on the race. Prayer for my health as I am in these different countries. Prayer for the finances of this trip. Prayer for safety for both my team and I as we will be going into countries that can be dangerous. Prayer for the people we are going to meet along the way. And ultimately praying for Jesus to be most glorified throughout all of this.
2. Donating. I am going to be honest, I hate talking about money. I hate asking for it and this trip requires me to break that wall down and be bold and vulnerable with people. Which is super scary, I’m not going to lie but I like I said, nothing good or beneficial is ever easy. This trip is completely funded by me and those who choose to give. You are probably thinking that there is no way on earth that I can raise all of this money in 11 months and trust me I have thought the exact same thing. I think “who would possibly want to support ME?” but then I remember that he who began a good work in me will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6). Meaning that the Lord has been preparing me for this for the past several years and that HE himself will bring it all to completion, meaning my faith is in the one who has given me this desire and this opportunity. It makes fundraising for this trip a little less scary. If you choose to give you are always able to make donations using my page, andyramirez.theworldrace.org or if you would like a support letter sent to you I would LOVE your address 🙂
If you choose to join me on this journey, whether by prayer or financially supporting me, thank you! There will never be enough words to say thank you! I will be keeping you all updated of this whole process through this blog so I hope you come back. I promise it is going to be a heck of a ride!
Your World Racer,
Andy Ramirez
