I am embarking on the journey of a lifetime! I am so excited to serve Christ in an unforgetable/adventurous way. For those who know me well, you know that I couldn't enjoy anything more than a good challenge or the outdoors. You probably also know that I am a believer in Jesus Christ and in His perfect death and resurrection so that we can live eternally with him. I can't describe how amazingly blessed I feel to be able to go on The World Race and share it with you here, through my blog. So, for now, I'll just say thank you for joining me in this blog and this opportunity and I hope you enjoy following me!
* Info about THE WORLD RACE:
Please let me know if there is more information that you would like to see!
What
The World Race
Simply stated, the World Race is an 11-month mission trip to 11 different countries to serve “the least of these” with Adventures in Missions (AIM). The World Race partners with local churches and ministries to enable long-term missionaries to extend their reach and deepen their impact. The opportunity to reach the unreached and love the unloved is paired with an intense community environment while being exposed to what God is doing in the world.
Ministry
The type of ministry will depend on the monthly location and kind of needs present in the community. Some days may be packed full with construction, VBS, building relationships with orphans, teaching English, organizing feeding stations for the poor, or praying for the sick at hospitals. We will also be preaching at large gatherings, teaching, prayer walking, and doing door-to-door ministry.
Team and Leadership Organization
For each team, one person will be designated the team leader. We have a larger squad of 60-70 people that will be grouped into smaller teams of 5-7 people at training based upon different factors, including personality tests and teambuilding exercises. Looking at the male to female ratio, we will probably have 4-5 females and 2 males in each team, although some all-female teams are very likely. For the first four months on the field, we will have alumni from the program serve as squad leaders that will train leaders on how it all works and teach us the ropes of world travel.
Housing
Housing includes host homes, tents, and hostels. We will get an allowance, coming directly from our support funds, each month for food and travel purposes.
Training
For 8 days in late July we met to prepare for the trip and receive training for cross cultural ministry and ministry skills. I met and spent time with my squad of 60 and my team of 7.
Adventures in Missions
Adventures In Missions (AIM) is an interdenominational missions organization that emphasizes prayer and relationships in their work among the poor. Since being established in 1989, they have taken over 80,000 people into the mission field, some for as short as a week and others for as long as a year or more. Their 14 bases around the world provide year-round ministry to places where "the least of these" are found.
WHERE
1. Australia 7. Tanzania
2. Malaysia 8. Rwanda
3. Vietnam/Laos 9. Kenya
4. Cambodia 10. Ukraine
5. India 11. Romania
6. Nepal
WHEN
I am leaving for Chicago on September 4, 2012 and returning at the beginning of August 2013.
WHY
I am going on the World Race because I know that God has brought me to it and His plans have consistently been better than my own. I love to meet people different than myself and I want to share the hope I've found in my relationship with Christ to those people who believe no hope exists. I started application processes for other non profits, but God very obviously brought the Race to my attention and continued to confirm it. I realized giving people food and shelter is necessary and fantastic, but they are temporary needs. A relationship with God is the only lasting thing. Through the race, I will be sharing
HOW
I’m asking people to pray about partnering with me for prayer and financial support while ultimately trusting God to make everything work together. Many of the places I am going to are under heavy spiritual darkness, and prayer is going to be essential for ministry impact and team unity. If you are interested in diligently praying for my team and I, please comment on this blog or email/facebook me so I can send you a prayer magnet! I am so blessed to say that almost all $15,500 of necessary finances have been provided by family, churches, friends, and strangers so that I can travel without worrying about needing more funds to go! (Thank You!!!)
What fundraising support includes
The funds raised cover all team costs once the trip begins. This includes: food, lodging, and air, land & sea travel. It also covers administration, setup, coaching, debrief, and training costs prior to and at the start of the Race.
It does not include: travel to the start point, return travel home from a major U.S. city at the conclusion of the Race, medical insurance [required], vaccinations, or personal spending money, but God is so good to provide!
Breakdown of Costs
The $15,500 is broken down into these general categories:
- Training Camp–$320 (2%)
- Field Support–$620 (4%)
- WR Development Program–$1,860 (12%)
- Administration Fees–$2,635 (17%)
- World Racer–$10,065 (65%)
Within the 65% going directly towards me, the budget is further segmented into these categories:
- Intercontinental Travel–$4,939.45 (45%)
- Food–$1,256.25 (13%)
- Lodging–$1,758.75 (19%)
- Transportation–$1,005.00 (11%)
- Long Distance Travel & Misc. Supplies–$1,115.55 (12%)
Support Deadlines
July 1st, 2012 CHECK 🙂 November 30, 2012 CHECK 🙂
$3,500 $11,000
September Departure Date CHECK 🙂 February 28, 2013
$6,500 $15,500
SAFETY
AIM is a well-established organization that has sent out over 1,000 World Racers in the past 6 years of the program. The organization is aware of the dangers inherent in travel and well prepared for them. They are cautious that avoiding danger would not preoccupy people from advancing the Kingdom, but they are committed to setting standards for safety. Two of their commitments is to never allow anyone to be without another Racer at any point and to not send Racers into countries that are listed by the Department of State as unsafe for travel.
COMMUNICATION
With natives
Our ministry contacts will provide translators as needed.
With you
I will be able to communicate with friends and family at home through Skype (horn.225), email ([email protected]), and facebook. My blog will be the primary resource for communication, so please leave comments below blogs or drop me an email with questions! I would love to keep in closer contact with you while on this journey. Make sure to subscribe to my blog through the "subscribe to the blog" link on the left-hand sidebar of this page, in order to receive email updates when I post blogs and pictures!
Much Love -<3-
