Today was an encouraging day in many ways...but most of all because I was given an opportunity to share again with others the ways that God has blessed me and is blessing me. They are stories that amazed me when they happened over the last few months, but then they became part of the past, and I turned to focus on the next thing. In many ways I have a short attention span...not unlike the media when it comes to diasters and wars and large-ish stories. In the days following the earthquake in Haiti last year and in Japan earlier this year there was a huge rush to find information, tell stories, video footage, etc. But quickly, their focus moved to something else. When it comes to what God has done in my life, sometimes I'm like that as well.
As I began thinking about, praying about, and preparing to teach in Honduras, I was entering into it as a step of faith. I didn't know where the money was going to come from, I didn't know what was going to happen with my house, with my job, with my cat, car, other belongings. How would my family react? My friends, co-workers, administration at school, and everyone else? So it started with prayer...and after the prayer, more prayer, as well as moving forward when I was prompted to apply. Soon it became evident that God was saying go. In my mind, that was still going to be at least a year away...most everyone I spoke with said the fund-raising would probably take half a year at least. But when I got the call, I got the call for this coming school year...and so I agreed...and started raising support less than 5 months before I need to be there for next school year.
Initially, I was set to get monthly reports. By the end of the month of February, I was 15% funded. It was a start, but it was also somewhat discouraging. Because there was one month gone, 4 left to go, really...and at that rate, well...God was going to have to get things going. At that point, I was switched to "weekly" reporting...which was something of a teaser, because initially it didn't get set up correctly, so I was just getting weekly re-updates of February (which hadn't changed...still 15%). I got one weekly report correctly, which was also encouraging, and that week alone brought my total up to around 30% (due in large part to one very generous donation). I thought that was pretty good, because it at least was growing, and I was pretty sure then that March would at least be a bit more than February had been.
Spring break started, and I was sitting, from what I knew, at about 35%, from the week that I had seen. I had a chance to e-mail back and forth with the person who was trying to get the weekly reporting set up, and he not only got everything fixed, but he also sent me a monthly update so I could see the entire month. With that update (with a week still to go in March) I was closer to 50%. Wow! Maybe I could get this money raised after all. By the end of spring break (1 week later) I was closer to 60%...so on getting back to school, I was able to fill in an awful lot of the "fundraising thermometer" on my board.
The update last Monday got me above 70%. Which means, looking back on it, in the span of a month and a week, I went from 15% raised to 70% raised...which translates to over $10,000. And these are only counting the people who have actually given...I have more people who have told me they are planning on giving, but haven't yet (for various reasons). I've had people come up to me this past week and either ask for the information so they could donate, or just give me money (which does get put aside for me to purchase things I need for the trip...I am being very careful about how I handle personal donations).
I have been completely overwhelmed by how God has provided for this opportunity and who He has used. I have been so blessed by my family, my friends, my church, and people I don't even know. I get to buy (or at least look into buying) a plane ticket to Honduras once I'm over 80% funded. I was hoping I'd be able to get that by the middle to end of May. I may have that by the end of April! God is so good, He is so faithful...and I'm so blessed to be following Him on this venture. Even though there are times when I wonder where the rest of it is coming from, or who is going to take my house while I'm gone. When I'm fixating on the little things, the details, etc...I just have to remind myself that He has shown me in so many ways that this is where he wants me to be, this is what I'm supposed to be doing, and He knows how all those details will be resolved.
On the way home today, a song was playing on the radio...and it was basically perfect for what I was thinking about:
Here I Am (by Downhere)
Here I am, Lord send me
All of my life, I make an offering
Here I am, Lord send me
Somehow my story is a part of Your plan
Here I am
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