It’s funny how easy it is to get incredibly caught up in our own worlds. We build routines that we mindlessly go through day after day. We set goals for ourselves, both small and big, trying to get from point A to point B. We start off as children concerned with making friends, excelling in sports, fitting in etc. As we get a little older we become focused on graduating high school and getting the grades we need to get into the college we want to attend. We attend school for years, day in and day out, in order to run after a certain job that we want. Along the way we hope to meet new people including that special someone. We dream about that day when we have established our career, get married, and start raising our family. But then what? As I am getting ready to graduate college at the University of Minnesota, I can’t help but be discontent with the constant striving for these goals that are solely centered around myself. In this pursuit of building a life for myself, I fail to look around at a world that is so much bigger than my own. I miss out on so many perspectives, cultures, insights, and experiences. I limit what I have to offer the world because I am unwilling to look beyond my own plans for personal success. What if life wasn’t about building our own worlds, but more about eliminating the boundaries that keep us from that of others’?
World Race is an 11 month long mission trip and intensive discipleship program in which I will be backpacking to 11 different countries to spread the love of God through serving the communities in a number of different ways. On my route I will get to travel to Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, India, Nepal, Thailand, Malaysia, and Cambodia. Some of the ways I will be serving include building wells, sharing the gospel, building/working in orphanages, teaching English or various self-sustaining skills, planting churches, and more. The God I serve loves without condition. His love is not conditional upon a response or fulfilling an expectation. Therefore, when I go into these countries, I am not going with the purpose of converting people. I am called to relationally love people without an agenda to change them. Love not only is, but love also does. Love implies choice followed by action. Love without action is just a four letter word. When I chose to love, I am choosing to care in a way that moves me to act selflessly without an expectation of return. It is the unconditional love of God and the power of the Holy Spirit that moves people to believe in and live for Him, not our persuasive skill and Christian strategies. However, when we live out our faith, we allow others to experience God through the love we show them. World Race is an opportunity to spread God’s love in a tangible way. Not only will I have the opportunity to serve various communities, but I will also have the privilege of experiencing and learning from new cultures and perspectives. Furthermore, I will be challenged in many ways which will push me to grow mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically. World Race is going to be a life changing experience.
I will face many challenges all throughout the World Race, but as I prepare for my departure, one of my greatest challenges is my financial support. Like most other missions organizations, World Race participants are required to fund-raise financial support. In order to leave fully funded on September 1 2015, I need to raise $16,000. This money will cover all of my field expenses for the 11 months of the trip. If 50 people were to join my monthly support team at $30 dollars a month for 10 months, I will almost be completely funded. As I take this large step of faith in trusting the Lord, would you prayerfully consider joining me at financially supporting me monthly or with a one time donation as you see fit? If you are unable to contribute financially, I ask that you please support me in prayer as I embark on this new journey God is taking me on. Thank you so much for your time and consideration.
