Hi Everyone!
I thought I would write a blog post that might answer your questions about what exactly I am doing/where your support is going!
If you have any additional questions that I don’t cover, post them in the comments below. I will update the blog as the questions come in because it is likely someone else has the same question as you!
Any World Race specific LINGO will be big & bold for reference.
Q: What is The World Race?
A: The World Race is a program through ADVENTURES IN MISSIONS. It is an 11-month missions adventure to 11 countries. Participants go through an application and interview process for a specific ROUTE. My route trains in August and launches in October 2018. I will return to the United States around September 2019. I will return to Georgia, USA approximately one month after The World Race, for an additional debrief session with October squads.
My route is October Route 2:
Asia (Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia)
Africa (Lesotho, Swaziland, South Africa)
Central/South America (Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panamá, Colombia, Ecuador)
Q: Why are you raising $18,200? Why so much? Where does the money go?
A: The cost of my program is $18,200 to cover all costs of travel and living abroad. This includes everything from visas, airplane tickets, food, missionary health insurance, to ministry costs. This money goes directly to Adventures in Missions. I do not handle any of the funds raised. It is processed through AIM headquarters in Georgia. Any additional money raised over my assigned amount does not go to me, but a general fund for AIM. Therefore, I will notify all supporters when I am FULLY FUNDED.
I am encouraged to raise the entire amount, rather than contribute my own funds. I like to call this SUPPORT RAISING… this process is more than funds. I consider my senders to be ministry partners. This mission is a partnership. I am your representative of our community, the Church, and JESUS CHRIST. I take this call seriously.
I am currently saving personal money for unforeseen emergency situations, small gifts for family/friends/hosts, and occasional soul-care adventures during my time-off. Other personal expenses that are out-of-pocket: plane tickets back to Georgia at the end of the race, gear (backpacks, tent, sleeping bag, etc.), vaccinations, prescription medicines, etc.)
Fundraising Deadlines:
7/20 ………. $5,000
9/21 ………. $10,000
10/1……….. Launch (I am praying to have all funds raised before launch!)
11/30…….. $13,000
1/31 ………. $18,200
Q: What’s the best way to keep up with you on the race?
A: If you like social media by all means, please add me on Facebook or Instagram. Another great way would be SUBSCRIBING to this blog! You can do that with your email, right under my profile picture 🙂
Q: Who are you going with?
A: My route consists of approximately 40+ individuals (young professionals)… this is my SQUAD. As a squad, we will travel together to the same countries, and meet-up for occasional debrief and leadership weekends. However, our ministry locations and work will differ. Upon arrival of a country, we will split into TEAMS. Teams are 5-7 individuals who DO LIFE together. We are with each other 24/7. We give each other genuine FEEDBACK every day to help sharpen each other (this is a real thing… every single day!), and we submit weekly CELEBRATIONS & CHALLENGES to leadership for accountability and encouragement. Each person in a team has a team role, decided by leadership during TRAINING CAMP. These roles include a team leader, treasurer, communications point-person, and more. Teams will likely change 1-2 times, while abroad. Training camp will be held for ten days in the middle of August in Georgia, USA. Training camp is all about team building and preparing physically, mentally, and spiritually. Training camp is six weeks before LAUNCH. Launch takes place a few days in October in Georgia, USA before we travel to our first country. These days are the final training and preparation. Loose itineraries will be assigned.
While abroad, the squad is cared for by a squad-specific leadership team. The team includes SQUAD LEADERS, alumni Racers who travel some with us and identify/raise up new squad leaders within our squad to lead. We also have a marvelous crew of SQUAD MOBILIZERS, MENTORS, COACHES, TRAINERS, COORDINATORS… and more!
Q: Who are you staying with?
A: We will stay with local ministry hosts, called CONTACTS. We join the work of the local church through these contacts. If our contact does not speak English, we will have access to an interpreter. Our contact teaches us about their country and cultural expectations. Most times, we will pay our contacts upon arrival for boarding arrangements. (However, there are times when we stay in our tents for the month and do our grocery shopping via team budget!)
We will not know much about our contacts until launch, and even then, we are given limited information. This information is subject-to-change (AND OFTEN DOES!), so leadership prepares Racers not to maintain ANY expectations.
Many of you all have inquired specifics about province/state/city/village… simply, I do not know. I will likely not know until I arrive in that country.
Q: What are you doing in each country?
A: We will join in God’s work, often through our contacts. We will participate in many service-oriented projects (manual labor, construction, and farming, hiking into villages, and cutting grass with machetes), build relationships with contacts and locals through encouragement and love, teach English, and even preach.
We will have some “time-off” to engage, explore, reflect, and refresh. World Racer Alum has told me that weeks usually consist of five full-force work days, one adventure day, and then one rest day.
I am so excited for this journey and, if I could, I would leave tomorrow!
Please subscribe to this blog so you can see updates about Fundraising, how long until I launch, and more! The next blog I will be posting is all about the countries I am going to and you don’t want to miss out!
LOVE YALL,
Hannah Latone
