Hi all,
Many of you have received letters from me, some of you have sat and had meetings with me or have already set up times to talk, and some of you have already contributed funds for the missionary work my squad and I are going to do (a big THANK YOU if you are one of those partners).
I wanted to write a post that could be easily passed around that explains why at Adventures in Missions we choose to fundraise the way we do, and how contributing to my missions work with Adventures in Missions is different ( in a good way), and what exactly my goals and plans are for this month as I fundraise.
Why do we fundraise?
When we first start off applying for the World Race through Adventures in Missions I, like many of my other future squad members, thought about helping people. I imagined leading worship services, teaching English, building churches, feeding the hungry, and caring for the poor. I don’t think any of us went to bed at night dreaming about all the fundraising we would have to do. But Adventures in Missions has taught us that the fundraising process is a key component of this experience, and that it’s less about money than it is about inviting people to be a part of something amazing that’s about to happen.
1. Fundraising in itself is part of the ministry. I need friends, family, churches, and partners, to support me both financially AND with prayer. In return they need me to share the stories of what God is doing all over the world, and to carry out work they want done in this world. Fundraising is not about the money, it’s about connecting the entire body of Christ, connecting humans all over the world to one another, we ask people to support us so that they can become a part of the ministry.
2. Being a missionary is about being sent. This changes the mentality of a missionary. When things get hard on the field, knowing that I’ve been sent, invested in, and prayed for by people who need me to carry out this work will renew my spirit and give me an entirely different outlook as I approach new and challenging situations.
3. Fundraising means putting all of our trust in God and leaning not on our own understanding. It means learning how to give up the control. It means stepping out in actionable faith. It means throwing out my fishing nets, and trusting that God will fill them with fish. It’s about knowing that God has a plan for me, my partners, and those less fortunate than I in the countries I will visit, and trusting that if I follow what He says, and step out – he will provide for me and my squad both before and during the Race. Fundraising strengthens my relationship with and trust in God.
How is contributing to my missions work different than donating to another organization?
While I fully support giving and donating to other organizations, here’s how contributing to my missions work can be rewarding in ways you may not find with other organizations.
1. You’re not giving to a stranger, you’re giving to a friend who is working with a reliable and transparent organization that you can trust.
2. You actually get to see the people you are helping! So often we give, but we have no clue who the money has gone to, or who has received our donations, and how it has helped them. I will update this blog during the Race, you will know exactly what work is being done, see the faces of those you have helped, and hear their stories through me. The coolest part when you see the awesome work being accomplished will be that you KNOW it couldn’t have happened without you.
3. You connect yourself to the entire body of Christ to minister in every nation. When you support me you support my 50 squad members who need me (just as I need them). You become part of a web of supporters that stretches not just across the United states, but all over the world. That’s pretty cool.
What are my fundraising goals for January – what am I up to this month?
1. Find at least 20 people who will support me monthly for up to 11 months. Eventually I will need/ want more. Why a number? I like tangible numbers, they make goals seem less scary, and give me a number to work towards.
2. Send out resources to people in other countries (primarily in France where I have a lot of close friends and a great church) to gain both financial and prayer support.
3. Get more connected at Willow Creek, meet new people who have amazing stories and invite them into the ministry. I am meeting with one of the founders of Willow who works in the Missions Department on Wednesday morning. I am also planning on continuing to volunteer in the Biker Section on Sunday mornings as an usher – because those guys are really cool.
4. Meet with a few pastors from other churches where I have close friends, find out what their resources are, and make connections that will allow me to invite other’s in.
5. Follow up with all 75 people who received letters from me in December to see if they would be interested in sharing their stories with me, where they are at in their lives, what breaks their hearts in this world, and provide them with more information about The World Race that could help them decide if this is something they want to be a part of. I thought sending letters would be scary, but it’s been so great to reconnect with so many people from my past and hear where they are at now.
My coach has set the goal of having raised between 5,000 and 10,000 dollars by the end of May.
Just a quick word about prayer –
Prayer support is also something I will be looking for as a fundraise. I need prayer warriors who will pray that God will help me make connections, give me courage to step out of my comfort zone, and will provide for this work. Prayer pledges are SO important! I also want to be praying for my supporters as well.
