Hello Loved Ones,
I hope you are well and that you and your families are winding down well now that the holidays are over. Those that are students — I presume you have started your spring semester. Hopefully you are feeling refreshed, restored, and even a bit excited to get back into your normal routine of things (or maybe even start some new things with your new years resolutions). I wanted to write you to catch you up to speed with what has been going on in my life as well as how things are going in preparation for the World Race, and what God has been teaching me.
Raising support is a hard thing for me. I remember the feelings I had when I raised support the first time for my trip to Botswana. Who should I ask? Who can I ask? Will they care? Is this letter going to offend them?
Since then, I have found myself tempted to ask similar questions — but have since found truth that I can rest assure in. I have come to the conclusion that I’m not asking for anything as much as I am informing the people whom I care about. I want to inform everyone that I can about what’s going on in my life and where I am being called and why they may not be seeing me for almost a year. As I inform them of what I’m doing and humbly state the need that I have for both prayer and financial partnership, I can only leave the rest up to God —trusting, in the end, that He will provide through his sons and daughters.
My current experience with raising support for the World Race vs. my experience two years ago for Botswana has already been so different. There is so much more preparation to be done, so many more people to see and talk with. And the Lord has changed my heart and my perspective on fundraising as well.
Recently I have learned that fundraising is very much a form of ministry. That by casting our vision to others we are able to keep sight of the plan (Proverbs 29:18), see new directions that can taken, (Acts 16: 9-10) as well as offer an opportunity for others to be apart of the vision and mission that we share.
In preparation so far, I have handed out about half of all of my support letters, have been meeting with different prayer partners and financial supporters, getting to know my teammates, making vaccination appointments, getting my gear, and working on other possible fundraising ideas/ outreaches.
It has been both an honor and joy to answer the call of the Lord for me to go on the World Race. So far, this journey has already taught me so much. Although our launch date is in July — this is what has to happen in order to get there. I have been blessed to see many ways God has worked financially to move His people where He has called them to be. And I am excited as I take this journey with Him, trusting Him all the way. One name of God is Jehovah-Jireh, meaning God will provide.
Romans 10:15 “And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’”
I ask that you would consider supporting me financially and/ or prayerfully as I prepare and am on this journey! I genuinely appreciate all of you so much and already thank you for all of your support and encouragement. You are all a blessing to me in more ways than you could possibly understand.
Thank you!
With Love,
Samantha Ziobro
Ways You Can Be Praying:
– For males to join our team – as of right now we are a team made up of only girls. Males will provide a different way of thinking to our team as well as protection in some of the more dangerous places.
– For Team Unity and Good Relationships with all of the teammates.
– For me and my teammates to be fully funded before Jan 2016- if not fully funded 6 months after being on the field you go home.
