THIS IS A CALL TO ARMS!!!
I NEED YOUR HELP AND SUPPORT!!!
As most of you now know I have just returned home from training camp. My time spent in Georgia was nothing short of miraculous. I left TC with an unquantifiable joy and peace I had never experienced before, but unfortunately that did not last long. The moment I came home I was bombarded with all of the stresses and anxieties I had left behind. There is still a lot of work to be done before I leave on June 30th. Lots of money needed to be raised, a few pieces of essential gear needed to be purchased, immunizations to get, etc. I am writing this because I so desperately NEED YOUR HELP! My resources are scarce and depleted. I am running out of ideas and am trying so hard not to lose hope. God has brought me this far and I know he won’t leave me hangin, but I also know he is calling me to seek out your support because this entire journey will be impossible without it. So, I come before you today with great humility, asking for you to look deep into your hearts and see what it is God is calling you to give.
Below is a list of things I need to raise money and support for:
Immunization Shots- I must have these by June 6th which doesn’t leave me with much time and this will cost upwards of a few hundred dollars, a few hundred dollars I unfortunately don’t have.
*Edit: I have received all the necessary immunizations needed for my trip!!! Thank you soooo much to the lovely donor who covered the cost of them! (you know who you are)
Medical Evaluation- I need to get a physical/evaluation before I leave but I do not have health insurance so thanks to the broken system in our country I will have to pay out of pocket for whatever medical services I receive, services that won’t be cheap.
$1,100 for Spending Money– So I’m sure you have all heard about all the amazing things each country has to offer, things such as diving with sharks in South Africa, zip lining through the amazon, bungee jumping, all kinds of wild safaris, and TONS of other life changing, ONCE IN A LIFETIME experiences. But unfortunately these things all cost money. $1,100 gives me a modest budget of $100 per month. Now some countries will call for a bigger budget and some less, but I strongly feel this will be enough for me to maintain a modest budget while living around the world. Note: this will also be used to purchase various items I may run out of on the field such as toiletries, sunscreen, meds, etc etc
Essential Gear: There are still a few items of gear I will need before leaving next month that are essential for my trip. these items include:
- Airporter/raincover for my pack. (My pack is argueably the most important piece of gear I own and prolonging the longevity of it is crucial.) There is a specific model made by Sea to Summit which acts as both of these so its a great way to kill 2 birds with one stone and save money otherwise these would be separate items and that can get costly.
- Sleeping Bag Liner. Many of the countries I am going to will be VERY hot and VERY humid. For this reason I will need a liner for those hot nights when I do not wish to be in my sleeping bag. A good liner will allow me to sleep on top of my bag, acting as a light sheet that won’t take up much space or weight in my pack unlike a regular bed sheet.
- Light Rain jacket. I learned quickly on the Manhike that it will rain at times and a hoodie is not the smartest option to have with regards to weight and bulkiness. It WILL rain in the countries I’m going to and I would like to be prepared.
Fundraising– Good news is I am on track to reaching my next fundraising deadline of $7,500 by June 20th! This is huge and I would like to thank everyone thus far for helping me reach this goal. Bad news is there’s sill a lot more to go before I will be fully funded. I need to raise the full amount of $16,300 by January 1st and I am confident that God will provide through your loving hearts. My next deadline will be October 1st and I will need to have raised $11,000 by then. Whether it is $1 or $1,000 I strongly advise you give whatever God is putting in your heart to give, although it would be REAAAALLLYYY nice if you gave me a thousand dollars. Keep in mind that I AM TAX DEDUCTIBLE! Any donation you make towards my trip can be written off on your taxes so its a win-win!
I cannot make this journey without your help and support. Regardless of how much you give, you will be a major part of this mission trip. Yes it will be my feet walking among these nations but those feet cannot make it there without your help and support. I cannot bring hope to the hopeless, love to the loveless, light to the darkness, and grace to the forgotten without YOUR HELP. The lives I’ll change will be changed by you as well. So, I ask that you take time to really consider the weight and power that comes with your support and that you look deeply into your hearts and give what God is calling you to give. For it is written:
“Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9 As it is written:
“They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor;
their righteousness endures forever.”[a]
10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.”
2 Corinthians 9:6-11
If you wish to make a donation of any kind please contact me via this blog or email me at [email protected]
Your support is deeply appreciated and may God bless all of you!
