It’s been one crazy week. Last week at this time I was only beginning to think about the possibility of taking a group of Alumni to help with the relief efforts in Haiti. Now, I’m up at 1:00 AM packing and finalizing some details before I leave on a plane for the Dominican Republic in the morning. All the pictures and videos from the news will get much closer tomorrow. The stories will become real. They’ll have faces and names.
When we send out World Racers we don’t expect them to come back the same person they were when they left. I don’t expect to come back the same person after this week. If I’m honest, I’ll tell you that I just don’t know what I’m thinking and feeling right now. I’m tired from this past week’s efforts to get a team of Alumni together and get the details and vision of the trip hammered out. I’m absolutely trusting God for strength to get through this week, knowing it’s going to require more than I have left in my tank. But I want to be empty when I get back…. I want to give and serve and love with every ounce of my being. My heart breaks for these people; it breaks for my brothers and sisters in Christ. If it’s already broken, I don’t have a clue what it will look like at the end of the week.
I’m excited. I’ve never had as much love, prayer, encouragement, and support for any other trip I’ve ever been on. People are dropping me encouraging emails and giving me encouraging words. There are always new notes on facebook. I get phone calls from friends who want to pray with me. I have fun messages when I miss the phone calls. I have a family and church at home in WV who are behind me. The Staff and my community here in Gainesville have surrounded me and laid hands on me to pray for the trip. Alumni have gotten behind the team to support and pray for us 24/7 for the entire length of our trip. Racers on the field in countries like Cambodia, Kenya, and New Zealand are lifting us up by name. It’s incredible.
This prayer covering has caused a shift in the atmosphere as we have prepared this week. As I dealt with details over the weekend, it was lonely and confusing and difficult and draining. But as soon as the word got out and people began to pray, the fog lifted. I can’t wait to return from this trip and testify to God’s amazing love and power through prayer. It’s the key to this entire week. Thank you to all who are providing that covering.
We’ll be flying into Santo Domingo, getting some supplies, staying with a contact, and then heading out to the border on Friday. We have the opportunity to work at a church and hospital there as well as connect with a pastor with some great needs at another border. Ultimately we want to walk away with a book of information to hand off to the people at AIM who are developing our long-term strategy to mobilize people and resources to bring restoration and redemption to Haiti. We are going to hug those who need hugging. We’re going to pray for the sick… we’re believing for miracles, the kind where limbs grow back and the dead are raised. We’re going to hand out food, and we’re beliving it will miraculously feed the five thousand. We want God to multiply our efforts for His glory and out of love for all those that are suffering. Along the way we’re going to document what our trip looks like, what the ministry entails, and some personal stories from the people we meet along the way.
It’s going to be a busy and amazing week. We are going to call and give updates so they can be posted throughout the week. I doubt we will be able to personally blog until we return. If you’d like to stay up-to-date on what is happening with our team and ministry and how to best pray for us, please subscribe to updates from http://haiti.adventures.org.
Also, please pray about supporting our team and the ministry we will be doing this week. If you feel led to give, please follow these instructions:
- Go to this direct link to give: https://www.adventures.org/give/donate.asp?giveto=worldrace&desc= (this is also accessible by going to www.theworldrace.org and clicking on the “Donate” tab on the homepage. Hit the button that says, “click here to give!”)
- Once you’re on this page, change the program on the drop-down menu to a “World Race Project.” A new box will appear, for a description of the project. Please have supporters put WR HAITI as the name of the Project.
Again, thanks for the prayer, the support, and the encouragement this past week. It’s already made a difference and we are all blessed to partner together in this ministry. For His Glory!
