My biggest fear (or so I thought) about going on a mission trip was raising support and at the start, $15,500 seemed like an impossible goal. Well. Let me just tell you, that God has completely and totally shattered that fear and blown my expectations out of the water by the way He has provided, so I will share a few fundraising highlights with you from the past few months.
- My fundraising kicked off at a simple coffee date with a new friend. She told me she was interested in going on a mission trip through Adventures in Missions, so we sat down and chatted for about an hour. After our conversation, she handed me an envelope with a large sum of money and said something along the lines of “God told me to… and I don’t disobey him anymore.” Wow. What beautiful obedience!
- I sent out about 70 support letters to friends & family, and was HUGELY blessed by some of you who love me greatly, believe in me and gave so sacrificially! THANK YOU!
- I had a spaghetti dinner fundraiser, which was alotta work up front but also so much fun! I have some truly amazing friends who helped serve food, set up (and clean up!!), played music and came out to support me.
- Memorial Day weekend I had a yard sale. So many friends and family members generously donated MANY MANY items and I am happy to say it was a great success! From this event alone, I raised about $700 and was able to share about the World Race and what I will be doing with nearly all the people who came!
- I decided to make my car into a portable billboard and have had so many people ask me about it. Two older gentlemen have even given me money on the spot! Last week, I stopped at Wendy’s and as I was standing in line, this man walked up to me and asked where I was going on my mission trip. I gave him the short 2-minute spiel about the World Race. He told me he would LOVE to go on a mission trip some day. I encouraged him that he is not too old to do so and should certainly look into it. ((Just proves that you never know who is watching or paying attention to what you’re doin!))
I could go on an on about so many stories and blessings from raising support, but that’s all I will leave you with for now. I really don’t like to share numbers, but I will say that because of the ways God has provided through each one of you dear friends and family members as well as through complete strangers, I am almost fully funded. Thank you so much for the blessing you have been to me!
I also want to leave those of you who have thought about going on a mission trip but haven’t because of the financial aspect with a word of encouragement: ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH GOD. No amount of money is too large! If He has given you a heart for missions & is calling you to serve Him somewhere, step out in faith, take a risk and be blown away by the He works!
Some of my AMAZING friends who helped out at the spaghetti dinner and dressed up like the countries I will be traveling to!
My parents representin’ China at my spaghetti dinner!
