Hello friends!
I graduate from high school this year. I know. Time really flies.
Up until this year, the question, “What do you want to do when you grow up?” was just a thought-provoking icebreaker. Then senior year rolls around and it’s the question literally haunting everyone’s nightmares. So I am like, “Hey, God, everybody’s telling me I’m supposed to choose a college and a career path. If you want to help me out, that’d be cool.” In the meantime, I got accepted to a few schools, but just never felt peace about any of them or as if I had been called to go there, the way my friends did.
I’ve known about the World Race for a pretty long time and have always admired the people that were brave enough to obey a calling from God that time-consuming and risky, but assumed a nine-month-long mission trip wasn’t the kind of thing I’d ever be able to do. But God didn’t care.
I really knew that He called me for something more than what I was limiting myself to. In all honesty, I tried to deny this, especially when I considered that His calling could require letting go of all of my comforts like family, school, friends, and you know, America. But the Lord was constantly calling the World Race back to my attention. In a series of whispers and shoves, I made a terrifying choice to follow His indications, and ended up getting accepted into the World Race Gap Year 2018 program and making a commitment deposit.
So, I’m trading the dorm room for a tent, I guess.
The route I committed to is Route #1, and it goes to Costa Rica, South Africa, Myanmar, and Thailand. I leave from Atlanta in September of 2018 and will arrive back in May of 2019. Thats 9 months!
The World Race is nothing like any mission trip I have done before. It is extremely raw and Holy Spirit led. I will “see poverty, hopelessness, addiction, and destitution firsthand. [and] bring awareness and action by being the tangible hands and feet of Jesus.” I’ll be serving in a variety of ways, and it’s difficult this far out to be specific, but some examples are: teaching English, leading VBS, working at shops, and construction. Honestly, I am willing to do whatever is laid before me. I have always longed to break out of my distraction-filled routine and see the world the way that it truly is, and I know that this is the perfect opportunity.
Obviously, I am a highschool student with a minimum wage job. Hah. When God called me to this mission, I was like, “Okay God… But how?” But, who am I to doubt that He knows what He is doing? This trip costs $15,800 which is the same as the cost of living in America for 9 months, and includes all expenses, like housing, travel, and meals.
I would like to extend the invitation for you to support this endeavor. There are two main ways to do this: through prayer and through donation.
If you wish to support me through consistent prayer, these are my prayer requests:
-That God will use this time while I am away from comfort to challenge and grow me into a better disciple of Him
-That He will provide the funds necessary so that I can serve without being burdened by financial anxiety
-That He will reveal to me the power of His Spirit
-That He will provide Christ-like community
If, after prayerful consideration, you wish to support me financially as well, take this opportunity to obey the great commission with your finances.
Here is how you can do that!:
Most find that the easiest way to donate is online. If you wish to donate online, you can go to my World Race blog at averypratho.theworldrace.org and click the donate button, and follow the super easy instructions there. You can either make a one-time donation, or provide a recurring donation.
If you are feeling the old-fashioned way, that’s awesome too.
All donations are tax deductible.
You are extremely important to me. Thank you for pouring into my life and helping to bring me where I am today. PLEASE call me!!!!! I would love to talk to you!!!
Love,
Avery Pratho
(682)429-5009
