Dear Friends and Family,
I wanted to start out by saying – thank you for all your continued support. Your encouragement, counsel, love, and prayers have played a huge role in inspiring my dreams and the pursuit of them. I truly would not be where I am today without this love and support. It is extremely special and sacred to me. My hope is, especially during the times, that the Lord’s protection and blessings have covered your family – that God’s love has revealed itself to you in abundance. You have walked alongside me as the Lord has continued to lead me towards international missions and the care of orphans. I cannot begin to thank you enough for the encouragement of your presence and continuous support.
This past school year I had the privilege of interning with Exile International, a non-profit that seeks to empower rescued child soldiers & children orphaned by war to be leaders of peace through art-focused trauma care & holistic rehabilitation. It is through this internship that the Lord led me to further understand the path he has set in place for my life; the care of those whose voice has been stolen by oppression. With this path in mind, the Lord continued to open doors towards pursuing this on a larger scale. Therefore, I am humbled & excited to announce that I have been invited by the World Race to spend the entire month of July serving at an orphanage in Zambia, Africa. Our team will be serving wherever we are needed while learning from the Zambian culture & creating relationships with its people through evangelism. I am excited beyond belief to embark on this journey the Lord has set out before me.
Whilst preparing for this journey (and long before the corona virus made an appearance), I prayed over a verse to lead me as I began the process of working towards going to Zambia for the month of July. I repetitively came across Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding: in all ways submit to him and he will make your paths straight.” This continues to ring true and “surrender and trust” has become my daily meditation. It feels uncomfortable to send a sponsorship letter whenever the world is in such turmoil, but I believe the Lord has made a way for this opportunity and he will continue to do so regardless of a pandemic. I am trusting in his provisions and resting in his peace as I write to you now. Each ‘racer’ has been asked to raise $4,550 towards this experience. 100% of all contributions goes directly to my trip and the care of these orphans during the month of July. If contributing is something you would be interested in considering, I would be overjoyed to accept any amount you are willing/able to contribute. For those who feel led, I have attached a partnership card along with a prayer card. I would love the opportunity to specifically pray over you during these times and the seasons to come! If you wish to offer financial support for my trip, instructions will be attached as there’s some important information regarding tax-deduction opportunities. Either way, thank you again for your continued support and for the role you have played in making my dreams come true. I could not do this work without you!
Grace and Peace,
Kate Parrish
