My hope is that this letter finds you and your family doing well!
I am writing to you to share some of the things that have been happening in my life lately. First, I am pleased to announce that this May I graduated from California State University, Monterey Bay with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration! Lately the famous, “What’s next?” question is being asked a lot. If you know me well, you know that my heart has always desired to do just about any and everything it possibly could! I have considered returning to school to further my education, entering the business world, or even starting my own business. Every post-college plan I attempted to craft seemed superficial and lacked the fulfillment I so desperately desire. Through much prayer and consideration, I am beginning to see why my previous plans have yet to feel purposeful; they were my plans, not His. Last year that changed. My heart has always been broken for those who have been in need, so I pursued that passion. After learning more about the non-profit organization, Adventures in Missions (AIM), I felt God calling me to the mission field! I applied, and was accepted into the World Race! I will travel to 11 countries in 11 months to do missions work, community development work, and service projects in each country. I’ll be taking a step away from my life in California to spend a year abroad with a backpack and whatever I can squeeze into it to serve the nations alongside L-squad, a group of 50-60 racers.
The World Race is a program sponsored by AIM that focuses primarily on serving those who have been oppressed and marginalized by their society, or are stuck in poverty with little means to support themselves and their families. On the race I will travel to: Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Botswana, Swaziland, South Africa, Turkey, Albania, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. I will serve in partnership with churches and ministries in local communities. Our work will consist of building houses, churches, and orphanages, teaching English to children in schools, spending time with the terminally ill, building relationships with street children, working in orphanages and alongside local churches as they serve their community, and ministering to women, men, and children who are trapped in prostitution as a result of human trafficking. Through adventure, ministry, community, and self-discovery, I am ready to use my hands, my heart, and my voice to act for God’s Kingdom around the globe.
I am so incredibly blessed and grateful to be given such an amazing opportunity. I am confident that this trip is in His hands. I am writing to ask those of you who are able, to partner with me as I commit this next year of my life to serving those so desperately in need. At this point I have raised $4,035, which puts me at 25% funded! I must raise $16,285 in order to be fully funded by my September 2014 launch. This cost includes the price for airfare and land travel from one country to the next, as well as room and board for the entire 11 months.
I know this may sound like a lot, but with your help, working at my job until launch, fundraisers, and selling many personal belongings; it is a completely attainable goal! I apologize if this comes to you as a burden, and I hope that you will understand it is not my intention to ask you for money to fund my dreams, but rather this is an opportunity to contribute to a cause that is much bigger than either of us could tackle alone. Please keep me in your prayers as I prepare for this exciting (and terrifying) adventure. Please know that whether financially, through prayer, or affirming words, I appreciate every bit of support you are willing to offer me. If you have any questions about what I have just shared, please feel free to contact me! I want to do my best to alleviate any stress or answer any questions you might have, and to give you the opportunity to work alongside me toward this goal. I love you all so much and I am so excited to share this journey with you!
Asia A. Smith
