As with anyone who does the World Race there were some obstacles that I had to overcome to get here on the Race. For most people that came in the form of fundraising. It’s daunting raising $18,700. My main worry however was that the race wasn’t the best way for me to go down the path of long-term missions. I was thinking that while it would be amazing and the Lord would do great things through it that there were better paths for me to pursue long-term missions. Which is why about this time a year ago I had applied to YWAM at a base they had in Greece where you would spend half a year working with refugees from places like Syria and then half a year in the Middle East working with Muslims there. I thought it was a perfect fit for me. That was exactly what I wanted to do in long-term missions, work with refugees from places like Syria.
God obviously had other plans since I’m on the World Race now. On paper (literally, I made a pros and cons list) YWAM sounded like a better fit for me. It was cheaper, exactly where I wanted to go and do and some other things I don’t remember. But then one of the people on my squad, I was on my Asheville, NC semesters trip at the time, gave me the advice to forget about the cost because God will provide regardless. So I did and once I did that the pros of the World Race beat YWAM. But there was still something holding me back from the race which was that the race wasn’t going to the Middle East. As I was praying about it God reassured me that I will get to the Middle East eventually. It might not be on the race, which it actually could be at this point, but He said I will get there at some point in my life.
Once He told me that I was sold on going on the World Race. I trusted most of the time that God would provide the funds and He did. Over half of it came the week after I started to fundraise. With it taking about five months in total for me to be fully funded. There were definitely times in the fundraising process even after getting so much at the beginning that I doubted God. For most of March and the beginning of April, the funds had started to slow down and I got worried about being able to raise the rest that I needed before leaving. I never doubted that I would get it all before the final deadline. But after time in prayer, God reassured me and by the end of April, I was fully funded.
Those were the obstacles I had to overcome when it came to going on the race. God never said that living life for Him would be easy. It will be difficult but it leads to abundant life.
“Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.’” Matthew 16:24-25
God always provide even more than is needed when the mission is right! I am so glad you were fully supported. We all support you and I know God will provide. Someone supported you in a mighty way, and I do not know who that anonymous donor was ($10K!!!), but if they are reading this, I want to thank them myself. I am very grateful God compelled someone to do that!!! Wish we all could, and will continue to pray that for all of your ministerial endeavors, that $$$ is never an issue!
Reynaldo I am so proud of you for having the heart, courage and faith to follow the call of God on your life. So many of us miss God’s call and purposes in our failure to fully surrender our lives to Him. We fail to trust Him to provide for our every need. We follow our own aspirations and even though we may find success we miss God’s best. I am grateful that God is merciful and forgives us. He even gives us opportunity to repent and turn our hearts and lives back to Him. I am so inspired by your heart for God and desire to see others come to Him and your willingness to lay down your life for His purposes. God bless you and keep you as you pour out your life for His purposes. Love Trish
There are so many times in life when we have choices, and it takes a strong person of faith to submit Gods plan. This will be a year of tremendous growth for you. God work is so evident in you! And now the world will see it.
I’m really excited to hear about what God is doing in your life.
So glad you didn’t listen to your doubts or pay attention to how hard it is to fundraise but were able to decide that WR is where you wanted to be! Also very grateful that you are currently fully funded.