I am excited to announce my plans to go on a 9 month international mission trip leaving in September of 2017. The organization I am partnering with has sent out over 100,000 short term missionaries since 1989. The group I am with focuses on sending young adults. This experience is one way to realize if long term missions is a calling.
Our time will be spent in 1-3 month spans across communities in 5 different countries: Swaziland, Lesotho, India, Nepal, and Nicaragua. We will be assisting the local church, finding ways to meet the physical needs of the people we meet and sharing our faith. My passion is children’s ministry so I hope to be able to engage with kids within these communities.
You may be asking why international missions, why now? The short answer is I truly believe this is where God is calling me. Knowing God has me, that He is always with me has never been something I’ve questioned. Being raised in the church, I’ve always felt His love and presence. But I did have doubts and struggles about my faith about Jesus and the validity of the scriptures. My mom’s passing in 2011 brought on some depression and anxiety. It also heightened these questions in me along with a need to discover my purpose. Reading more on apologetics, having strong mentors, and growing my personal relationship with Jesus helped me find answers and peace. I felt I could hear God giving me a calling on my life –MOVE. That calling has taken many shapes throughout the past 5 years and has gotten me out of my comfort zone many times. Through several mission trips, leading small groups, serving in my community – God has used these moments along with a love of travel to build a passion in me to share his love with others on an international field. I’ll be honest, the call to MOVE this time feels big, it feels like a huge task, it feels uncomfortable both physically and mentally. But it also feels right, like an opportunity to see what God can pull off, His call on my life – it’s daunting and exciting to take this step and I truly covet your prayers
One of the biggest hurdles for this opportunity is the cost. In order to go on this trip I have to raise $14,591. $6,858 will go towards transportation expenses – specifically long distance travel to each country as well as the cost of local travel and getting our group around inside each country. $6,420 will cover expenses such as food, lodging, insurance, visas, training camps, and supplies. $1,313 that will go towards the administrative cost of the trip including staff and trip development. Currently I am in school full time with a part time job. Money from my job is going to help with the cost of this trip also I am selling shirts I designed for $25, Boston Butts for $35 and doing various odd jobs. If you would like to donate towards this mission trip you can do so online through nickrichardson.theworldrace.org or via check using the enclosed form.
Please visit nickrichardson.theworldrace.org and subscribe to my blog for updates as I go on this missionary life journey. I will post pictures, videos and stories. I truly appreciate your prayers and support. If you would like to know more contact me at (205)-542-7162 or via email at [email protected].
Make check payable to Adventures in Missions, Attach this form and mail to P.O. Box 742570 Atlanta GA 30374-2570
