FUNDRAISING UPDATE!
Hey friends! I am 82.52% funded! Yay yay yay! My final deadline is November 30, which means we have 23 days to raise $3,164 so I can stay on the race.
Here’s a little breakdown of what this could look like, financially:
$1,054 per week
$137 per day
$28.76 per blog subscriber
$3.69 per Facebook friend (wait, 3-6-9, that’s so fun!)
I know that many of the pictures I post make it look like the race is a whole lot of beautiful views and children’s games – and it is a lot of that; I won’t tell you you’re wrong. But I will tell you there’s more. And the “more” is my “why.”
This journey is about the little moments that happen during the wild adventures – praising God from the edge of a rushing waterfall with women I’ve known for three weeks but already love so deeply. Pausing on a hike up the volcano to recognize that destruction of old landscapes can create unexpected and breathtaking beauty. Pulling headphones out during a phone call to speak with an old man who is trying to sell lottery tickets to pay for a surgery. Crying tears of thankfulness after a phone call with a loved one on the days when I decide that today’s adventure looks like finding a cafe with WiFi because I’m homesick.
It’s about not being embarrassed to tell my teamies I’m homesick. Not being ashamed to tell them things that have burdened my heart for much too long. Even more than that, it’s about receiving Father’s love through the sweet prayers and comforting embraces that my teamies offer when I tell them the state of my heart, whichever state it happens to be in.
It’s about understanding and embracing “life is ministry; ministry is life.”
It’s about learning how to depend on Holy Spirit, always. How to follow his lead when I can’t think of a single Bible verse during evangelism. How to depend on him when I suddenly forget everything I’ve ever learned about the Spanish language. How to discern his voice from all the rest when the enemy is whispering lies into my ear.
It’s about humbling myself enough to recognize I’m prideful and then humbling myself even more as my teamies call me higher. As they call me to step boldly into the power of my words. To have patience in my process. To speak kindly and graciously, even – and especially – when I don’t want to.
It’s about having spontaneous dance parties, riding in the bed of the truck, and searching for good chocolate in every country.
It’s about learning how to live from Sabbath instead of for it. How to rest in Father’s arms and open myself to Holy Spirit’s outpour. How to have a constant heart-posture of worship – one that is unshaken by exhaustion, catcalls, out-of-control classrooms, and tight living quarters.
This journey is about the healing, reconciling, sovereign love of Christ. Encountering it, embracing it, and giving it away. It’s about recognizing that my heart aches with a deep desire to be known. It’s about witnessing Father’s goodness reign as a woman with a wandering heart cries out to him in the hospital on behalf of her son. It’s about putting on the armor of God, stepping into battle, and standing firm on his promises, even when it feels like darkness is encroaching.
This journey is life-changing. It’s fun and hard and full of plot twists (some might say “route changes”). I am so grateful for it, and I am so grateful for everything y’all have done to partner with me in it. I am grateful for your donations, for your encouragement (to me and to each other), and for your prayers. I am grateful for the way God has provided and for the way he will continue to provide. Thank you for the way y’all have allowed him to provide through you.
With endless love and gratitude,
Jessie L (not to be confused with fellow K-squad mate and Kinsugian, Jessie B)
