IT’S TIME!
I am finally posting the blog that everyone has been waiting for. The answer to the question I get most often… WHERE ARE YOU GOING?!?!?!?!
I am so excited to announce the countries I will be going to for the January 2016 fusion route! Below are the pictures and summaries given by Adventures in Missions and hopefully they will give you a clearer understanding of what we are going to do while on the World Race.
Philippines
This Asian island nation, former Spanish colony then American protectorate, is a country in tension, trying to cross the threshold between the third and first world. It offers a variety of landscapes – beaches, mountains, volcanic lakes – and languages, with Tagalog as the national tongue. The Catholic Church is a substantial piece of the religious pie, however, and Islam is growing in the island of Mindinao. The Filipino people and culture love music, dance and community. While there, you may find yourself living with and giving hope to the destitute, caring for orphans, and challenging the growing number of Christ-followers to rise up.
Laos
Following a brutal civil war, Laos came under communist rule in 1975. Therevada Buddhism and spirit worship dominate Laos with Christian missionary work monitored by the government. This ruggedly beautiful nation is home to some of the most unreached hill tribes in the world. The need is great for people to bring God’s love to the isolated places in Laos.
Thailand
The kingdom of Thailand, known as Siam until 1939, is the only country in the region not colonized by Europe. Their 2000 census showed that 94.6% of the population is Buddhist, 4.6% are Muslim, and 0.7% are Christian. Approximately 600,000 people live with HIV/AIDS in Thailand. With nearly two million people estimated to be forced into prostitution, it has become one of the most popular places for sex tourism. Change lives in the city-where you, like Jesus, might befriend prostitutes-or in the countryside-where you may serve youth, care for orphans, and encourage a remnant of believers.
Cambodia
Cambodia houses one of the Seven Wonders of the World, Angkor Wat, a Hindu temple and monastery built during the Khmer empire in the 12th century. It later became a Buddhist complex a century later, and today, just over 96% of Cambodia is Buddhist. Almost 30 years ago, 1.5 million Cambodians died at the hands of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge regime. Today, Cambodia is a source, transit point, and destination of human trafficking. Unfortunately, the government is struggling to stop it. The people of Cambodia are thirsty for the hope you can bring.
Montenegro
Known as “Black Mountain”, Eastern Europe’s Montenegro shares borders with Croatia, Bosnia, Kosovo, Serbia, and Albania. Formerly part of the Communist Yugoslavia, the nation is still recovering from the impact of Yugoslav wars of the 1990s. Having declared independence from Serbia in 2006, Montenegro is currently working to be the newest member of the European Union. Ethnic tension runs generations deep. With so many people groups living within this tiny nation; they are most united in their religion: over 70% practice Serbian Orthodoxy, while the Albanian citizens (19%) are Sunni Muslim. This is a country of deep wounds and even greater dreams; they are hungry for the hope and healing found through life in Jesus Christ.
Bulgaria
This southern-central European country is the 16th largest in Europe. Its geography is varied with mountain ranges, plains and a coastline along the Black Sea. Its economy is growing, but among all the European Union members it ranks lowest in terms of income. Organized crime is an issue as is human trafficking. Bulgaria is mainly a source of trafficking in persons yet also, to a lesser extent, a transit point and destination of trafficking. Here, about half the population claims to be orthodox and over 10% are Muslim. You can bring light and hope to this nation caught between “developed” and “developing.”
Romania
The northern regions of Romania are home to the gypsy community. Though strangers in their homeland and forgotten by society, the gypsies are a strong and vibrant people who embrace the light of Christ in an inspirational way. Here, you will teach english, lead sports camps, live life with the gypsies, and more. It will be an exciting time of learning about a people group you may not have known even existed.
Ukraine
his Eastern European country is caught between its past oppression under the soviet union and the desire to be accepted by the West. People in the West tend to be more nationalistic than those in the East, where Russian is more commonly spoken. There’s a substantial orphan (social and full) population and human trafficking’s an issue here, too. Most people claim to belong to the Ukrainian Orthodox church, which is subdivided into three bodies. God’s desire is to bring hope, peace, authentic relationship with himself, and unity to this nation; you’ll find out how exactly you’ll participate in that!
Zambia
After years of British colonial rule, Zambia became independent in 1964. Since then, the economy has grown and the official religion has become Christianity, but there are still great needs in Zambia. With the country near the bottom of the United Nations Human Development Index, the Zambian people still suffer from poverty, short life expectancy, malnourishment, lack of clean water, and the AIDS crisis. Zambia needs encouragement from missionaries who can remind them of God’s faithfulness in the face of challenges.
Botswana
Although it’s one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world, Botswana has the second highest HIV infection rate, next to Swaziland, its southern neighbor. The land itself struggles with drought and desertification yet boasts the largest elephant population in the world in one of its national parks. The majority of the people identify themselves as Christians but very much need people like you to advance the kingdom with love and in power.
South Africa
While it’s been several decades since apartheid has formally ended, there’s still more healing and reconciliation to take place in South Africa. One of the wealthiest countries on the continent yet much of the population living outside the cities is poor. Like the rest of sub-Saharan Africa, this country struggles with a high rate of AIDS/HIV. Host to the 2010 World Cup and breathtaking natural attractions, it’s also a place full of kingdom potential, waiting to be released — by you.
These countries are subject to change at any point in time. No matter where I go, I will be gone for 11 months and I will have the chance to minister to people in 11 different countries.
As I’m sure you can imagine, I am BEYOND thrilled about this opportunity that God has placed in my life and I am excited to see how He uses not only me in the lives of others, but also others in my own life throughout the year.
If you would like to be part of making this amazing dream become a reality, you can help in so many ways!
-You can go to my personal blog and click on the “support me” button to make an online donation at www.daniellemills.theworldrace.org.
-You can purchase and donate the equipment I will need to take with me by going to my registry at www.myregistry.com/wishlist/Danielle-Mills-Memphis-TN/820121 and clicking on an item you are interested in buying.
-You can also donate to my Go fund Me account at gofund.me/juaavk.
Thank you for all the love and support you have shown me so far and continue to show me throughout this journey! Please continue to pray for me throughout this process.
Humbly,
Danielle Mills
