HEY EVERYONE!
Well if you’re reading this, a few different things have happened.
1. You saw my link and wanted to see what all this was about, to see if you would like to be a part of it.
2. I told you about my link, causing you to look at it and here you are!
3. You’re just an awesome person that scans through new World Race blogs looking for ways
However you got to this page, I am glad you’re here! Now here’s the story of why and how I came about becoming a part of the world race.
Ever since my brother was baptized when I was 5-8, not really sure exactly what year, I thought that was the coolest thing ever! After seeing that I knew I wanted God to lead me through life. (I’m really not sure how that triggered me wanting to follow him, but God works in mysterious ways). Anyways. For the longest time, I knew these things but it didn’t come into better understanding for me until I accepted Jesus as my savior and was baptized in 6th grade.
I began going to the youth group and the youth pastor at the time was Derek Westfall. Somehow, he and all the leaders engrained into my mind how awesome missions could be. Although I started at the church too late, they went to the White Mountain Apache Reservation to help the ministry there, and came back with stories of their own. Stories that began to fuel this desire in my heart to do missions. After a year or so Derek left the church and started work on the reservation.
Over the years, obviously making many mistakes as a teenager (I’ll share my testimony in a later blog), I kept going to the church not knowing exactly what to do, but helping in any way I could think of. Whenever the door was open, I was there. When Derek came up to visit one year when I was a freshman in High school, he talked to me about an internship that I could take on the reservation. I immediately thought that would be a fantastic idea. So I went and applied for the summer of 2010. I was accepted even though I was only 17, and went to the reservation for a month. This internship not only stretched me but made me so thankful for my family. (My parents let me go for a month as a 17 year old to a place neither have been. And we didn’t know anyone there since Derek stopped working at the rez that spring.) Talk about a blessing of trust.
This month not only changed my view on people, but it also opened my eyes to the huge need that others have around us. The state of poverty in this place was appalling. This awakened even more of a desire to do missions and help “the least of these” with my whole life.
After going home from that internship, I went back to my life I had, not knowing exactly what to do with this desire I had. I knew I wanted to do missions but I didn’t know how or where, or what God wanted for me. So I just stayed doing what I did, trying and failing many times to become closer with the Father. About a year and a half went by, and I met a man named Clint. He and another guy (Tom) led a group I started going to that taught me much of what it meant to follow God with all you have. Clint had gone on the world race [clintclark.theworldrace.org]. after hearing about the 11 countries in 11 months I knew that could possibly be something I would like to do. The only thing was that you had to be 21. Okay, not a problem, obviously this wasn’t in the ballpark yet. Not an option until God was ready for me to go on it.
A couple years went by and I started hearing about other people doing it, and randomly becoming more aware of the race. Not realizing until this past summer that God might be calling me to go on it. I was talking about it with someone, and they asked me. “Why don’t you go on it?” so I asked myself that question over the next couple weeks and months. Praying about if it was an option every day.
Then I signed up for it, and got accepted to the July 2014 route 2! Praise God. After praying for so long about how I can reach out, He showed me a path I could go down! I just had to be willing to listen.
NOW finally, you get to the section of…. How can YOU help!?
WHERE YOU COME IN!
Well first and foremost…
I NEED PRAYER!!!!!!!!!! AND LOTS OF IT!!!!!!!!!!!
A trip like this (11 countries in 11 months doing ministry in whatever form necessary) cannot be done in any way without people praying. This is the most important thing I could ask for! God will provide everything, I am confident in that. But I need prayer so I:
Thank you for all your prayer!
The second thing I need is…
Well let’s just throw it out there…
I need money to make this happen. The total cost for this trip will be $15,500plus the insurance cost that goes the adventures in missions of $773 for a total of $16,273. If you want to help, which it would be greatly appreciated, look to your left on the screen where it says “Support Me!” and take it from there! You can donate one time gifts, monthly gifts, quarterly, or even annually! $5, $10.76, $36.82, $50, $100, $1000 are all accepted! Thank you for all your donations!!!!!!!!!!
NOW FOR THE ROUTE I WILL BE TAKING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(taken from the routes list)
Albania
Located on the southwestern part of the Balkan Peninsula, with its coast along the Adriatic Sea, Albania is Mother Teresa’s birthplace. Did you know that the apostle Paul had actually been to Albania during his missionary travels (Romans 15:19) Albania declared independence in 1912, but then was occupied by Italy then Germany for a few years, during World War II. Afterwards, Albania was under Soviet rule, which ended in the early 1990s. There were only a dozen or so Christians then; today there are thousands. Most of the population identify themselves as Muslim (70%) while the remainder are Orthodox Christian (20%) and Catholic/Protestant (10%). Your ministry: simply connect with the young people. As you build friendships with students, you’ll get to tell them how Jesus tore the veil — thicker than even the Iron Curtain that divided Europe — that separated man from God.
Turkey
After the fall of the Ottoman Empire, modern Turkey was united in 1923 under Ataturk. Its location at the crossroads between Europe and Asia makes it an influential player in European and Middle Eastern politics and economy. Although there is no official religion, more than 99% of the Turkish people are Muslim. Istanbul has long been the headquarters of the Eastern Orthodox Church, but Christians still make up less than 0.2% of the population. The potential for outreach in this country is enormous. Come bring light to this beautiful nation of people who desperately need to personally experience the love of Jesus.
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.
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.
Swaziland
The Kingdom of Swaziland is one of the last remaining monarchies in Africa. Home to 1.1 million people and breathtaking scenic views, it’s also where the world’s highest HIV/AIDS infection rate lives (26.1% in adults and over 50% of adults in their 20s). It’s estimated that by 2050, Swaziland may cease to exist. Young orphans are scattered throughout this nation in desperate need of attention. For years, Adventures has been committed to seeing these statistics reversed. Here, you’ll most likely find yourself involved in a variety of outreaches, including education, orphan care, care point feedings, and more.
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.
India
With nearly a sixth of the world’s population within its borders, India is a country bursting with people and culture. Home to a diverse array of beliefs from Hinduism to Islam, to a blend of folk religions and other faiths, it is a country of pluralism with twenty-nine languages spoken by over a million native speakers, multiple religions, cuisine, socio-economic classes, and political parties. India’s struggles with poverty and crimes of human trafficking, forced prostitution, religious persecution, and more. You might work with local churches to encourage believers and most likely be challenged by their testimonies. Your presence’ll bring hope and truth to those that society deems “untouchable.”
Nepal
Home to Mount Everest, the world’s tallest mountain, Nepal literally sits on top of the world. In addition to adventurous experiences you will have here, you may also visit widows and orphans in their times of distress and protect the innocent who are prey to human traffickers. This month of your World Race experience will submerge you in a culture that is desperate for an encounter with the living God.
Mongolia
Founded by Genghis Khan in 1206, and under communist rule for most of the 20th Century, Mongolia went through a democratic revolution in 1990 to become a parliamentary republic. Containing the Gobi Desert and very little arable land, Mongolia is the most sparsely populated country in the world. 30% of the population is nomadic. The majority of the Mongolian people are either nonreligious or Tibetan Buddhist, and the nation is in great need of missionaries to encourage the Christian population and help reach out to those still searching.
China
Host of the 2008 Summer Olympics and home to 1.3 billion people, China’s not just grand in land mass and population. Beside the Han Chinese, there are over fifty minority groups. While China has grown in leaps and bounds industrially, intellectually, and economically, it’s still a politically closed nation. Depending on where you are, you may meet Buddhists, Muslims, and Taoists; there are even churches – government approved and regulated. The underground church is extensive and continues growing, even thriving, amidst persecution. While there, you’ll have to pay homage to the Great Wall, and bring light and hope to a people in darkness and depression. How you’ll do that exactly – you’ll find out once you get there.
