Dear Friends and Family,
I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to tell you about an incredible journey that I am about to embark upon, and I am so excited to share this news with you all.
In the last few years, I graduated from Auburn University, moved to Memphis, Tennessee to pursue my graduate degree in speech pathology, and finally settled in Nashville, Tennessee where I have been practicing as a speech pathologist in elementary schools. I have loved my time here in Nashville and adore the children I work with.
Lately, I have begun to feel God stirring something in my heart. He placed the seedling of a dream in me, which was fuzzy at first, but over time has grown and blossomed as it has become more and more clear. I have realized my spiritual gifts of compassion and servant-hood that the Lord has placed in me and how He wants me to use those gifts to further His Kingdom.
Here’s what the Lord has revealed to me: He has called me to the mission field. I have a passion for loving the broken-hearted and serving the less fortunate. My heart yearns to be a part of big things, to see God move in big ways. I want to see the world. So what more perfect way is there to combine all of these things than by serving a multitude of God's children while I travel the world?
In October of this year, I will be traveling across the world with an 11-month program called the World Race. The World Race is a Christian mission trip with an organization called Adventures in Missions, where I will be serving as a missionary in 11 different countries. With World Race, my team and I will serve in partnership with churches and ministries in local communities to preach the Gospel, plant churches, work in orphanages, minister to women and children trapped in human trafficking, and bring the hope of God’s love to many tribes and nations. I will be traveling to Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, and a location in Asia to be determined.
I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity that I’ve been given, but I cannot get there alone. I am writing to ask you to partner with me financially and prayerfully as I embark on this life-changing journey. The total cost to cover travel and living expenses over 11 months is $15,000. You can play a part in reaching the nations!
Your financial support may be given as a one time gift or as a monthly donation. I have enclosed a response card and pre-addressed envelope, and I invite you to share in this ministry. Please make checks payable to
Adventures in Missions
P.O. Box 534470
Atlanta, GA 30353-4470
Once we receive your response card, AIM will then send a receipt for your donation. If you would prefer to make your donation online, you may do so by visiting my blog at http://sydneywoods.theworldrace.org. Just click the “Support Me” link in the upper left side of the page and complete your donation as instructed. You can also follow my team‘s progress and hear my stories from the field on this site. I also ask that you partner with me in covering this journey in prayer. Please pray for my safety in these third-world countries. Pray for comfort and peace in the times when I will miss my loved ones. Pray for unity and love among my teammates. Above all, pray for all those who I will be serving, that their hearts will be receptive to God’s love.
I am beyond excited for all of the opportunities and experiences that lie ahead. I am also nervous to be stretched completely out of my comfort zone in so many ways. I want to thank you for the ways that you have loved me and impacted my life over the past 25 years. Thank you for being a part of my story, and I hope you will consider partnering with me on this journey, whether that is through monetary support or through prayer. I would love to talk with you more about this upcoming journey, and I look forward to speaking with you soon!
In Christ’s Love,
Sydney
