“The place where your greatest joy and the world’s deepest hunger intersect,
there is your calling.”
I have prayed about this quote and what it means in my life for many years now. I have had a desire to love people tangibly overseas since I was 12. I believe the way I am being led to love tangibly now is to begin this journey traveling the world, getting to know and love others, and experience life alongside them. God has developed and grown this passion in my life by teaching me to love well. I am not always good at loving like I should, but one of my greatest joys comes from loving and caring for others. With that being said let me tell you a little bit about how I made my decision to begin this journey on the World Race.
I am currently living in Cookeville, TN and I am nannying for a family of sweet boys, ages 4,2, and two more on the way. I am grateful for my time in Cookeville, however being here has confirmed my desire and passions to go out and serve in international missions. This past summer I worked at a camp called SIFAT (Servants in Faith and Technology) for the second summer in a row. My time at SIFAT was challenging and encouraging in so many ways; the Lord planted a seed and began to show me how to love people so deeply. With this new seed planted in me, I feel that the Lord is calling me to love His people globally. While serving this summer I met a young adult that had recently gotten back from the World Race and I began asking her questions and trying to find out more information. Not long after moving to Tennessee I started praying for God to “wreck me” and guide me to what was next for me. Well He sure did answer. I guess you can’t really expect Him not to answer when you pray to be wrecked. The Lord then began strongly pulling my heart towards overseas missions and I started very seriously listening and looking at what the World Race was exactly. After learning more about this mission’s program, I felt that God was calling me to serve with the Adventure in Missions organization on The World Race.
The World Race is, a global missions opportunity to travel to 11 countries in 11 months, where I will learn to love people of many nations, see what God is doing in cultures very different from my own, and embark on a life-changing adventure in faith. The World Race is a journey to 11 countries in 11 months to serve “the least of these” while among real and raw community. It establishes and maintains relationships with ministries around the world, and I now get to be a part of these relationships. The 11 countries that I will be traveling to are Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, India, Nepal, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicuragua. Through the World Race, my team and I will serve in partnership with churches and ministries in local communities to share the Gospel, plant churches, work in orphanages, minister to women and children trapped in prostitution, and love on people of many different tribes and nations.
I will face many challenges throughout the World Race, but as I prepare for my departure, one of my challenges is raising financial support. Like most other mission programs, World Race participants are required to fundraise financial support. In order to leave fully funded in September 2015, I need to raise $16,256.70. This money will cover all of my field expenses for the 11 months of the trip. As I take this large step of faith in trusting the Lord, would you prayerfully consider joining me in fundraising by offering a monthly donation or a one time contribution? To financially support me go to the “Support Me” tab on my blog! Also please begin praying for my squad and what God is going to do among this group and in these places.
Thank you for your love, encouragement, and prayers!
Much love, Carson Shock
