Well hello! Hope you’re doing well! Well, I will give you a little update! Well first I’ll confess that soon after I last posted, for about 2 weeks I didn’t do much for support raising. It was because it was my birthday and Easter, and there was a lot of things going on and things happening in relationships that were taking up my time/distracting me from support-raising. But now I’m back on course! It was also harder this week because some (not all) of the people I’m starting to contact I don’t talk to very much, if ever, and I just feel bad because I don’t want them to think that I’m only contacting them for like money, you know. Because I do care about them a lot and want to catch up and share Christ! I still did have a few meetings since I lasted posted though that I was encouraged by, and they were nice. I believe that I’m at about 35% funded right now of what I need. But there’s actually a good amount of people that have told me that they’re gonna support financially, but haven’t yet, so kinda waiting for that…but you guys know who you are!!! Haha 😉 😉
I scheduled a benefit night at Five Guys Burgers and Fries in St. Cloud on Wednesday May 15 from 4pm-8pm- so for all you St. Clouders, if you eat there at that day/time, they're giving 10% of their profit to my trip. :-).
Well, I got my final series of vaccines for the trip- just had to get 1 one day and then 2 more a couple weeks later. I seriously can’t believe that it’s already mid-April!!! We had a snow fall the other day here in Minnesota. The training camp for this trip is like only 1 month away! The weeks are going by so fast lately.
Last weekend, I went to a youth event at the church, and we watched a movie about human trafficking. Cambodia, Nepal, and India were featured in the movie, and it particularly impacted me because I’m going to those countries, and it made it more real to see images and stories of what is happening. There’s 27 million labor and sex slaves throughout the world including the U.S. It showed some horrifying things like pimps killing a woman to show the other women that they couldn’t escape and that some women think that they deserve it. The movie ended by saying “Those children are my children and that life is my life” and to not think of this situation as “those people” but as “our people”, and it said “Now you know, so tell others.” The only hope I can think of for this is Jesus. I’m honored and excited to be able to have any part in providing change and healing to this situation though Christ. It also made me a little more concerned for the safety in those countries and dangers of being raped or something because my purity is something that I highly value, but I know that God is sovereign and protects. It’s just hard to get a good idea on the safety because I’ve never been there, but I think it’ll be just fine. The organization obviously takes precautions that will keep us safe. Sometimes my mind just wanders, and I just need to trust in the Lord with all my heart. I also know that He can use all sin and turn it into something good. I don’t want anyone to worry about me at all either! Sorry, I didn’t mean to write this to make any of you worry either!!! Just being honest he he. Sometimes if I vocalize my fears, it helps me to not fear it, so that's a reason why I'm mentioning it. It'll be just fine.
So, everyone who’s given financially should’ve gotten a thank you note from me. So if you gave and you didn’t get a thank you note, let me know and I’ll send it again!!! I just want to mention this because it means a lot to me that you know how appreciated your support is. Also, I did receive an anonymous donation which was really encouraging, but also a little frustrating because then I don’t know who to thank. Lol. So thank you so much to “Anonymous”- God will use your donation for His glory and our good!!!!
Thank you so much for your continued prayers. I cannot emphasize enough how important that is and how I value it. Keep praying for everyone please! J One thing in particular that would be nice for you to pray would be for courage and focus for me right now in support raising (and I'm sure that it wouldn't hurt my teammates if you prayed that for them as well 😉 ).
I memorized this Scripture since I last posted, and it has been helpful and encouraging in support-raising. 1 Corinthians 2:1-5= “And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” This one is also coolio that I want to memorize. 1 Corinthians 15:58- “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”
Ok well that’s about all. God bless everyone, and I’m praying for you! Love you!
Here’s a picture of my booklet with info about what The World Race is and why I want to do it that I’ve been using while support raising:
