Hello wonderful people! I have answers to your questions! It is good news!
But first,
THANK YOU. Thank you for your support thus far. Support raising has been an incredibly humbling experience and getting to talk with each of you has been SUCH a joy. You all inspire me. I can’t thank you enough and I can’t express that thankfulness completely in written form, so here is a video for you to watch!
2 Corinthians discusses being a cheerful giver. Each of you has displayed this in such graceful and powerful ways. Your eager and joyful giving is not only humbling to receive, but humbling to witness. I am inspired and excited for more! For that, and all of the reasons above, THANK YOU!
Next,
The launch date for the 11 months has changed from October 2020 to January 2021 due to COVID-19’s effects on international travel. With this change comes a change in the amount of countries we can go to and which ones can be on our route. We will be in the regions surrounding Costa Rica, Thailand, India, and South Africa. Usually, the structure of the World Race program includes going to 11 different countries over the 11 months. Due to COVID-19, the route has changed from a rigid plan with 11 specific countries, to a “hub route” where we will be partnering with the World Race’s strongest, deepest ministry partners located in these four countries, and if we can move throughout that region, we will. If not, we will be staying in that country for three months and switching to the next after, and so on.
I was initially saddened by these changes, as I was very excited about the original 11 country route. But, among other things, the Lord is doing a work in my heart to prepare me for the route He has planned all along.
With the new route and launch date, the total fundraising amount required to go has increased to $17,900. Your prayers over that number and any dollar amount mean everything. From here on out, if you choose to be a monthly donor, please set the end date to April 30th, 2021. This is the last date funds will be accepted.
Blog #1 has been updated to reflect these changes.
With each of these changes, there are constants I hold onto. The God we get to intimately know is above it all. He is in charge and there’s no one else I’d rather have seated in authority and authorship. YOU are all consistent and amazing to me. And the World Race leadership is making every decision over this matter prayerfully, with wisdom, caution, and guidance. I am thankful to have such trustworthy leadership over it all.
The final part of my update is that I will be at Training Camp at the World Race headquarters in Georgia October 9th-16th. Training Camp will consist of meeting my teammates I will be spending the 11 months with, using all of our gear including our packs and tents, completing a fitness hiking test, worship, teachings, prayer, bucket showers, scenario trainings, team building exercises, and eating really weird things like crickets to prepare for the 11 months abroad. I have been forewarned that my teammates and I will end the week exhausted, smelly, stretched to new levels of discomfort, and new depths of intimacy in our relationships with the Lord. It is a week that will give us a glimpse of what serving on the World Race will be like and I am very excited to go and learn a lot!
Thank you for reading this all the way through and for being invested in this with me. Your partnership in prayer, encouragement, and financial support mean everything!
Thank you!
Your girl,
Sierra 🙂
