Dear Family and Friends,
As I sit in a coffee shop, contemplating what to say in this letter, I have an overwhelming feeling of unworthiness. I keep asking myself “how can God possibly call me to do this?” I am not a bible wiz, I don’t know the order of the books of Bible and I can’t quote as many bible verses as most but what I do know, is how to love. God has given me the gift of service and love towards people. God made it clear in Romans 12:5 that we are all a part of one body, The Body of Christ, and each of us have work to do. We have all been given different gifts so that we can bind together and use those gifts to tell people about Christ’s love.
                The World Race has been on my mind since the day I met a Racer on my trip to Swaziland, Africa in 2007. It was always a nice and thrilling idea but one I never thought would become a reality. But, God had a different plan and here I am preparing to graduate from Messiah College (a year earlier) and accepted to The World Race all which came about in the matter of a few weeks from each. After praying for a couple weeks about if this was really what God wanted me to do and what route I should go on, I felt a strong connection to a route that left in September specifically that it would go back to 2 places I have already been, the Dominican Republic and Swaziland.
                The World Race is a stretching journey into 11 countries in 11 months to serve "the least of these" while amongst real and raw community. This unique mission trip is a challenging adventure for young adults to abandon worldly possessions and a traditional lifestyle in exchange for an understanding that it's not about you; it's about the Kingdom. I will leave for this life changing journey in September 2012 and will return home in July of 2013. I will be traveling with a team of people ages 21-35. During this journey I will be called to a life of abandonment not just of material things but of my life; giving it all completely over to God. With only an expedition pack, I will be traveling to Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Tanzania, Mozambique, Swaziland, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Moldova, Romania, and Ireland. I will be doing service that varies from place to place such as serving in orphanages, visiting homes and hospitals, befriending prostitutes, encouraging believers, educating, and anything God has in store for us. The people in these countries are thirsty for hope and restoration.
                So here is where I ask for your help, above all, your prayer. Pray for me and my team, that we will be transformed, made new and bind together. Pray for open hearts and God to use us in great ways. Pray for our safety and for our families back home. Pray for our preparations and that our finances would be covered. Pray for the people we will encounter, that their hearts would be prepared for what we have to share and for God to work through them. I am also asking that you would join me in this journey. You can follow my journey at alyssarevekant.theworldrace.org. I will be blogging and posting pictures starting now and continuing on my journey on the world race. That is also the site you can go to donate if you feel called to. The total cost of the trip costs $15,500 and about $2,000 in extra expenses for gear, vaccinations, travel insurance, etc. You can make one time or monthly donations by going to the above site just click on the “support me” link or you can make a check payable to adventures in missions and return the response card with it  and a receipt will be sent back to you. Together we can bring hope to hopeless nations. Thank you, to each of you for being a part of my life in some way, and I look forward to sharing my experience with you. Love you all.

Blessings,

Alyssa Revekant