Hey everyone!
Myself and the rest of the S-Squad made it safely here tto Antigua, Guatemala! Our flight left Los Angeles at 1:40AM on Sunday and we arrived in Guatemala City at about 9:30AM. We piled up a all of our packs on top a van and made the hour or so drive to Antigua. It is quite the culture change from the US. For one, traffic lanes are meaningless because people just drive where ever they want to, and secondly there probably isn’t an Environmental Protection Agency enforcing emissions coming out from some of these vehicles! I think I might’ve caught a little headache from breathing in some of the exhaust fumes. Oh well, welcome to the World Race.
It is so beautiful here! The weather is suprisingly cool and the people here are very friendly. We will spend the next few days getting acquainted with the culture and with eachother. My team will find out what our ministry for the month is during our ministry meeting tomorrow. We will begin our ministry work starting on Wednesday! I can’t express how excited I am to be finally getting to do some ministry. While I don’t know where or what we’ll be doing, I know God will lead us to do some AMAZING things in this country. The leaders have planned an adventure day for us on Tuesday, and from where I hear it’s something that no one on our squad has ever done. I have a slight idea of what it might be, so you’ll have to stay tuned and see what it is……
I would like to take a quick minute to talk about the “F” word. Fundraising. We’ve been told that we need to drop all expectations and allow God to do work. I have been blessed with many financial supporters and I can’t thank them enough for getting me this far. I know I had mentioned before that I needed to reach a certain number before I could launch. With amounts pledged and support already given, I would have surpassed the $5,000 mark needed to be able to launch. Well, the day before I was set to leave for LA, a major support pledge fell through thus leaving me short of the launch mark. Through God’s good graces I was still able to launch with the rest of my squad. I now have a task of trying to raise support from the field. If I don’t raise $5,000 in my account by Oct. 31st then I would be endangered of being sent home. I know that this whole process is going to test my faith in God. I know that through this I will learn that there is no task too great for our Father. I’ve NEVER been one to ask for money, but this experience is not for me-it’s for our awesome God. So today I ask if you could at least just pray for me to get funding; and if God ever so happens to place it on your hear to help me partner in this ministry then I would be most grateful. Or if you may know someone that would be willing to help, please pass on my blog address or have them email me. You can find out how to support me by clicking the “Support Me” tab on the upper left sidebar. Currently after equipment expenses and a few other things needed for the race I’m sitting around $2,600. Our next fundraising deadline is January in which $10,000 is needed in my support account, and then I need to be fully funded at $14,300 by April. NO ONE has ever been sent home from the World Race due to lack of fund. Many people have been in my position and God ALWAYS provides J.
I know it’s not the most fun topic to read about, but it needed to be done. I’ll try and keep everyone updated as I am able to.
Well, I am off to go help cook dinner for the squad and then we will begin to start a worship session for the evening. I’m safe. I’m blessed. I’m loved. And I am ready for whatever God brings my way!
Until next time……
