When I signed on to the World Race, I thought I could do everything myself. I’d saved summer-working money, babysitting, birthdays, Vietnamese New Year—half, if not all of it, went to the bank (thanks, Mom). $15,500 is a lot of money, but my savings and hard work could cover most of it, right?
That was the thought process until I talked to my cousin, Kathy. When I told her about my plans to finance the Race through my own savings, she just looked at me.
“Mary, that’s awesome that you were able to save money, but that’s not the point. It’s not just about fundraising. You are support raising. You need to allow people to come with you on your journey—you need support. You need people thinking about, praying for, encouraging, and supporting you. Mary, if God’s calling you to the World Race, the money will come. If not … then you have your answer. “
Not exactly what I was hoping to hear. But truth is truth, and Kathy was shooting straight. This is God’s project, and I’m here to obey. It’s not easy, and usually not what I want to hear, but it’s truth.
So I wrote my letters, my dad graciously translated them to Vietnamese, and … I waited. And waited. And waited. I waited until the last week I was home for winter break because I was scared.
Scared? It’s not hard to hand out a bunch of letters, is it? You’d think it’d be easy. But it’s not at all. It’s hard for me to ask people for anything, let alone money. I like to think of myself as independent, self-sufficient, and self-reliant—I typically don’t ask people for help unless absolutely necessary. Pride? Yes. Insecurity? Yes. Dig-my-heels-in-the-ground stubbornness? Yes. I have all these things in spades, and the last thing I wanted was to ask for help. But what is the World Race, if not a growing process? So I ducked around the family party handing out letters feeling completely flustered. I left so quickly I almost forgot to put on shoes.
But something amazing was working. Donations started coming in that night, and I only heard curiosity (the good kind) and encouragement. The words didn’t strike me as much as the actions did.
Y’all (Phamily and friends), it is now Month 5 of the Race in Nepal, and I’m FULLY FUNDED!!! Let me say it as clearly as possible: this is not even slightly a result of my doing, it’s the LORD working through y’all!
I thought I could run the Race by myself, but I’ve clearly been proven wrong, and I couldn’t be more thankful. Really, I don’t have the words. You’ve given me the opportunity to teach English to Romanian teens, dance with Indian orphans, and run with Nepalese kids (kids make me happy, if you couldn’t tell). Because of you, I’ve witnessed healings, prayed over dozens of people, and found God’s glory around the world!
Your prayers have kept T-squad, my team, and myself firmly protected from Cyclone Phailin, being blown over while camping at the top of a bur-ridden Moldovan hill, thieves and robbers going after the unsuspecting Americans, our Indian safari car from crashing into a pothole or pile of stacked trees in the middle of the road, malaria-infected mosquito bites, and Molotov cocktails during the Nepali election vehicle ban. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Those prayers and support mean everything to me.
I’m so thankful to have you as part of my life, and would love to stay in contact—whether you have questions, comments, or prayer requests, more joy is brought to each day when I get a message from you. I love it! God is doing powerful things on this earth, and I’m blessed beyond belief to be part of even the smallest movement.
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11
Love,
Mary
We’ve had another route change! Barring any further disasters, we’re now scheduled to travel to:
December – Swaziland
January – South Africa
February – Thailand
March – Cambodia
April – Malaysia
May – China
It’s the World Race!
