Hello friends! Guess what? No, it’s not about national donut day. I’m just over 25% funded for the World Race and I am so excited (although you should go get a free donut at Krispy Kreme to celebrate with me)! Thank you to everyone who has donated, prayed, or purchased a t-shirt! My next fundraising goal is to hit the $5000 mark (and I have a new fundraiser discussed at the end of this post)!
Now, I love talking to people about this mission trip and find that most people have a ton of questions. To clear up any confusion for those of you I haven’t had the opportunity to speak with and be completely transparent with friends, family, donors and blog readers, I decided to compile a list of “frequently asked questions”. If I left anything out, feel free to send me a private message or comment with your question and I’d be happy to answer it! So without further adieu, here we go:
What is the World Race?
No, I’m not going on the Amazing Race. The world race is an 11 month mission trip to 11 different countries. Our goal is to live in raw community with the people of each nation and to serve them while coming to a place of abandonment for Christ in our own lives.
Where are you going and what will you be doing there?
My route will be taking me to India, Nepal, Vietnam, Cambodia, Botswana, South Africa, Swaziland, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Peru. In each country we will be doing missions specific to their immediate need, so I will not know exactly what work we will be doing until we arrive in each country. Examples of what we may do include ministering to the lesser members of the caste system in India, victims of sexual trafficking in Southeast Asia, orphans of Aids in Africa and indigenous tribes in South America. Our ministry will consist of serving, educating, powerfully praying over and connecting with the sick, destitute and forgotten people of the world.
Is this work sustainable?
I did a lot of research on this topic before deciding to go. Even though we will be in each country for only one month, Adventures In Missions maintains long-term partnerships with ministries in each country and will send teams according to the ministry’s needs. Because of this, there is a possibility that our route could change on the field. In a lot of the ministries we work with, they actually have a world race team there almost every month. Additionally, the ministry itself is sustainable. We will meet immediate needs but will also focus on education and training in order to equip the locals with lasting resources to make a change in their lives and their nation.
When do you leave and return?
I leave October 1st and will be gone until the end of August in 2017.
Who are you going with?
I will be going with a group of about 70 individuals between the ages of 21 and 35 (my squad) but when we get to each country we will be broken down into smaller groups (teams) and will serve in separate ministries. I don’t know any of them with the exception of someone in my area who I met and became friends with after signing up for the race!
Do you get to come home for holidays?
No, I do not get to come home at any time unless there is an emergency.
What are you doing right now/before launch?
I recently graduated from the University of Florida and will be working over the summer in an attempt to earn as much as possible for the trip. I will also be focusing on fundraising and preparing for the trip, spiritually and physically.
Why do you want to do it?
I feel called to missions and felt that the Lord was specifically calling me to this trip, or I would not be going. When I think about suffering people all over the planet, I feel a need to go help them. After my accident last year, I reevaluated my life and decided that there is no point of living with a false security of tomorrow. If the Lord is putting the mission field on my heart now, that is where I need to go. In the long-term, I do feel called to missions but I don’t know in what capacity this is yet. I think this trip will be a good opportunity to see what kind of mission work I am most passionate about, as I will be dipping my feet in all kinds.
Are you sure you don’t just want a vacation?
I get this question frequently and it is one of my favorites to answer. If you know me, you know that I like to sleep a lot, eat well, maintain personal hygiene, call my parents, wear makeup and choose my outfit from my well-stocked closet. I would not choose a vacation where I would need to wake up extremely early, sleep on a 2 inch pad on the floor in a tent, eat whatever is offered, shower sporadically, have no electricity or water most of the time, 5 shirts for an entire year and will wear all of my belongings in a painfully large backpack. Yes, I will get to travel and I’m excited about that because God put a desire for adventure in me. We will get approximately one day off a week to relax or take advantage of the surroundings. That being said, we will be working hard for the other 6 days to serve the needs of these countries.
Why does it cost so much and what do the costs cover?
I understand that almost $17,000 is a lot of money and a very intimidating number. When broken down, it covers the cost of my training camp, administrative expenses, all travel expenses, food and other living expenses, medical insurance, and all materials for our ministry.
What are your financial deadlines?
I would love to be fully funded before departure, but here are the official deadlines (with some flexibility for monthly donations):
- $5,000 – Due 7/22/2016 (Fundraising Goal 1)
- $10,000 – Due 9/16/2016 (Fundraising Goal 2)
- $13,000 – Due 11/30/2016 (Fundraising Goal 3)
- $16,961 – Due 1/31/2017 (Fundraising Goal 4)
What happens if you don’t raise it?
In this situation, I would defer to a later trip (January). If an emergency occurred and I could no longer go at all, donations to my trip will go to Adventures in Missions, which is a rule for all donations to any 501(c)(3) organization. That being said, I am trusting in God to provide and am allowing this opportunity to teach me about relying on God fully, as I certainly can’t raise this much without Him.
What’s up with your leg?
This seems to confuse a lot of people, rightfully so. Yes, my leg and foot were seriously injured last year. I am still in the process of healing but have been healing at a pace no short of miraculous. It hasn’t been easy but I feel that God allowed this to happen in my life so that I would have an awesome testimony to share of how great a healer He is. I also believe He allowed it to occur to interrupt my plans and force me to follow His, and that is why I am doing this! He saved me from breaking any bones (a medical miracle, according to my doctors) and allowed me to physically rehabilitate much faster than any physician thought possible. He showed me, through this trial, that nothing is impossible with Him. I do have large scars from my toe all the way up to my hip, but I look at them as a conversation starter to talk about God’s mercy and love, which I probably need because sometimes I struggle with boldness in evangelism.
Health-wise, my doctor signed off on the trip and I can walk without any limp and practically no pain at this point. I am currently working on rebuilding my strength and endurance.
Are you scared?
Yes, I am. I’m trying to raise a crazy amount of money so I can leave the country for 11 months with a group of 70 people that I don’t know. That’s scary. But, God has placed an excitement and peace in my heart about it or else I wouldn’t be going.
What will you bring with you?
Not much. In fact I have to fit all my belongings for the year in two bags – one backpacking pack and one-day pack (a regular sized backpack). The gist of what I will be bringing is a tent, sleeping pad, sleeping bag, some clothes, personal items, a computer, camera and a passport. As I’ve said, this will be interesting. If you need some entertainment be sure to follow my blog for updates on how I’m coping.
Will you be safe?
Adventures in Missions makes the safety of its missionaries a top priority. If there is a safety issue in any area we are scheduled to work in, they will assess the risk and decide if the route should be altered. They also have policies in place to ensure that we are as safe as possible in each country.
How can I follow your journey?
The best way would be to follow this blog, where I will be posting as often as possible (and Wi-Fi availability allows) when on the field! You can subscribe for email alerts by selecting the “subscribe for updates” tab under my picture. Another way would be to follow my instagram, as I will be bringing a go pro and small dslr in hopes of capturing some of my inspirations, sights and experiences and sharing them with you! My instagram handle is just my full name without a space or capitals, elisabethchauncey.
How can I help?
You can help me financially and spiritually!
Financially speaking, a donation of any amount would be greatly appreciated! You can either give a one time or monthly donation by clicking on the support tab on the progress bar above and selecting your preference when prompted. You can also give by mailing a check with my full name in the subject line to:
Adventures in Missions P.O. Box 742570 Atlanta, GA 30374-2570
I also have two fundraisers going on!
- The first is my t-shirt sale. I already put in my second order but I still have extras so let me know if you want one! They are $20 ($4 shipping if necessary).
- My newest fundraiser is adopt a day! When broken down, each day on the race costs about $50. If you donate this amount you can pick a day that I am away to sponsor me and I will write out a summary of that day and send it to you, letting you know what God was able to do through me and in me thanks to your investment! To participate, simply donate $50 and send me a message ([email protected]) letting me know what day you want to adopt!
What can I be praying for?
I need prayer for my safety, strength, and faith. I need prayer that I will be able to be used as a vessel by Him. I need prayer for wisdom, discernment and a desire for Him and not worldly things while I am gone. I need prayer that I will be able to meet financial deadlines. I’m asking for prayer for my whole team.
Encouraging words will also bring me joy!
And I’ll leave you all with these brief but uplifting words:
“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” – 1 Peter 5:7
