Here is a copy of my fundraising letter:
“It’s your breath in my lungs so I pour out my praise.”
It was a Wednesday night during a worship service at North Central University and this song was being sung. For whatever reason, these lyrics just hit home. I finally realized how amazing it is that there was a Savior who loved me and created me. He cared enough to put me on this world, so I asked myself, why should I do anything but praise him all of my days? Through this realization, I felt the Lord calling me to full time missions. The moment that I accepted this call, tons of questions and thoughts filled my mind. “Why?” “How?” “I thought I was going to be a pediatrician!” In the midst of this, I was reminded of Proverbs 16:9 that says, “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” Since then, there have been many pastors, leaders, friends, and events that have reaffirmed this calling. I believe that this Gap Year will be a time for me to continue exploring God’s plan for me while gaining experience in the mission field.
Personally, I don’t think there is a whole lot that sounds better than traveling the world while serving the Lord. As many of you know, I have the amazing opportunity to do that this year. You still might be wondering, “What does this whole Gap Year thing even mean?” The World Race program is run by a company called Adventures in Missions. I’ll be travelling to Chile, Peru, Romania, Ukraine and India in the course of 9 months. While traveling, I’ll be doing missions work and serving the Lord’s people in practical ways. I will be teaching Bible stories, doing construction work and evangelism, helping with sports ministries, and loving on children. I truly feel that I have been called to do this and that the Holy Spirit will work in crazy ways during this time.
In order to make this happen, I’ll need your help. First, and most importantly, I’ll need prayers…lots of them, both in preparation for the year and in going through it! This will be a time that requires a lot of faith, obedience, discipline, and getting out of my comfort zone. Secondly, I will need financial support from friends and family. This program seems like a dream come true for me, but it won’t be possible without a strong support system at home. Together, we will be the hands and feet of Jesus for those in need.
If you’re considering donating, there are a few options. The World Race website gives you the option of doing either a one time donation or recurring donations. I need to raise a lot of money so any amount helps! I have included fundraising cards in the envelopes. They have all of the donation information that you may need. I will be calling soon to follow up and answer any questions that you might have. If you have questions before that, feel free to call me. I’ll also be looking for ideas apart from donations to raise the money. If you have any ideas for me, I would love to hear them! I would love to talk to you about this opportunity and what it involves. If you’re interested in meeting, let’s set a date!
Thank you all so much for your support, both financial and prayerful. I couldn’t do this without you!
Elizabeth Friend // 763-732-2154 // elizabethfriend.theworldrace.org ?
