It wasn’t a very pleasant conversation to have. My dad and I don’t see eye to eye very often, what with him being a business minded, goal oriented individual rooted in the real world, and me being a wanderlust idealistic question seeker with my “head in the clouds” (his words, not mine). The differences in who we are were polarized with my latest idea.
A mission trip through 11 countries in 11 months living out of a backpack with limited contact with home.
A hurricane raged in the Ticknor house that night, but after a “conversation” and to the slight displeasure and hesitance of me taking a year off from school, my parents reluctantly gave me their blessings.
In early July, I will be leaving my family and friends to spread God’s love and do humanitarian work in Romania, Ukraine, India, Nepal, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines.
We will be fighting human trafficking, teaching English, building churches and schools, giving love to orphans, feeding the homeless, comforting the sick, and much more.
I’ve never been away from home for more than a month, let alone away from a hot shower and a bed for more than a week. I’m nervous, hesitant, worried, anxious, scared, excited, hopeful, and eager all at the same time (given different circumstances, I might be put on medication for these conflicting emotions). Needless to say, this trip will be draining in more than one way.
That’s why I want you to join me on this adventure. Be part of the experience. Join my support team. I will keep you updated on what I’m learning through my experiences and show you what I’m seeing with pictures and writing through my blog:
http://steveticknor.theworldrace.org/
I need support in this trip. I can’t do it alone. I need to know that there is a strong group of people back in the United States who care about me and what I’m doing. Just knowing that will give me renewed strength everyday.
As I’ve said before, this trip will be taxing in several ways. Emotionally, Spiritually, and Financially. If you feel compelled to support me on this trip, you can in any or all of the following ways.
Emotionally – Follow my blog and share in my experiences. Respond and ask any questions you have about where I currently am and what I’m doing in the comments section.
Spiritually – Pray for patience, peace of mind, safety, strength, well being, and comfort for the trip as well as for my family (my mom will need all the prayers she can get after seeing her first baby off into the big bad world).
Financially – The trip is very costly for a poor college kid ($15,500). ANY, and I mean ANY help here is GREATLY appreciated. You can either make a one time donation, or since the trip lasts for the better part of a year, make monthly pledges throughout the trip*.
I’ve always wanted to leave the comforts of my blessed life and see reality outside American borders. Leaving high school, I felt so empowered to “change the world”. College and understanding the reality of how the world works has left a bitter taste in my mouth. A taste that has left me feeling complacent and a victim of a future of conformity and helplessness in making change. I know that if I see with my own eyes the hurt and need that’s out there, a fire will rekindle inside. A fire that will burn for the rest of my life in pursuit of justice and hope in the world. A fire that has the possibility of sparking other fires. A fire that can change the world.
I need your help to spark that fire.
Sincerely,
Steve Ticknor
* If you’d like to contribute financially, you can make a check out to:
Adventures In Missions
PO Box 534470
Atlanta, GA 30353-4470
In the memo line, write Steve Ticknor, World Racer
Adventures In Missions is registered with the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Donors will receive receipts for their gifts with the understanding that the disbursement of those gifts lies completely at the discretion of Adventures In Missions and that the gifts are non-refundable and non-transferable, per IRS regulations. Gifts may be tax deductible; please consult a tax advisor.
