If you can’t tell by the title, I’m officially fully funded for the World Race. I started fundraising right around Thanksgiving, last year. So in just over five months $18,000 has been raised (I started fundraising with about $700 already there from my previous trips). Fundraising did not go anything like I expected it to go. I expected to just barely be hitting each fundraising deadline that we have and not be finished fundraising until November. There is nothing wrong with that. For some people that is exactly what they need. God waiting until the last minute to provide what they need. Much like when Abraham was being obedient to God and was about to sacrifice Isaac. Then at the last minute was stopped by an angel and there was a ram stuck nearby that God provided as a sacrifice. That’s how I expected fundraising to go for me, God providing at the last minute.
But that quickly turned out to not be the case. God wanted to prove his faithfulness in a different way. Within two weeks of starting fundraising, I was already more than 50% of the way. Thank you so much to whoever anonymously donated $10,000!! This was all because of God. I could never have done this without him. Every time I reached out to people about this trip I always felt like I was fundraising wrong. But God kept providing again and again. Thank you to all of you. Whether you gave $100, $20 or you’ve just been keeping me in your prayers you have all been equally amazing.
Anyone who has ever fundraised for anything will probably agree that it usually isn’t fun. That’s what I was thinking going into this. That this is just what I had to do to be able to go and serve overseas. But Adventures gives you fundraising tools when you first join the World Race and a few of them were about changing your heart from this is something that has to be done to another ministry in and of itself. This is a way to partner with God and allow others to partner as well with what He is doing. I really enjoyed the ways fundraising has allowed me to connect with others. Getting to hear other people’s stories, catching up with people I hadn’t talked to since high school, praying for people. Seeing how God is moving not just in my life but in other people’s lives.
I can’t wait to share with you what is going on once I leave for the trip. I plan on posting one or two more times before I leave, about what I don’t know. Thank you all again so much for, however, it is you supported me.
