I sent an email to Charlene who is the director of Thrive Africa and asked her what would happen if I did not have all the funds by the time we leave. This is the encouraging message she sent me:
"Just keep working on it and sending it in as you get it! If you don’t have all the money in by the time you leave, just have your folks or someone send it in as it comes in….that is fine. We need it to pay for things on this side, but it won’t be a deal breaker….tickets are bought and your name is on one…so we will see you here!!! Thank you for keeping me up to date! I appreciate it!"
Praise God for that! I will be going to Africa in 2 weeks and 2 days!!! :)
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Thursday, May 22, 2008
From the Global Missions Commitee
I finally got an email from the missons committe today, but it was a lot more discouraging than I imagined it would be. In short, they will not be able to support me. I need a lot of prayer right now. I am so discouraged from this and the deadline is coming up so very quickly! It's only 23 days until I'm supposed to leave and I don't even have 1/2 of the money raised. I don't know what to do anymore and I'm so confused. I want to trust God in everything but it gets more difficult every day. Please, please, please, keep praying.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Update
Yesterday I was asked the quesiton, "Why are you going now?" The obvious answer is that I am just out of high school so it just makes sense because I don't have any big responsibilities. But that's not really why I want to go now. The honest answer is even more simple: I love missions. But along with that, I want my life to be filled with service to my Savior. Why wait? There is no better time than right now to live my life for Christ. I don't want to wait for a two week trip out of the country or a time that is convenient. Jesus said to pick up our cross and follow him. He said to let the dead bury their own dead. There is nothing that is telling me to wait a little while and then go. I want to live my life on a mission for Christ, so why not start now?
"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him. Matthew 4:19-20
When did they follow Jesus? AT ONCE. They did not wait. And neither shall I.
"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him. Matthew 4:19-20
When did they follow Jesus? AT ONCE. They did not wait. And neither shall I.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Africa Support Letter
Dear Friends,
God has been tugging at my heart lately. If you have ever been tugged by God, you know that it is no escapable thing. I have known for a while now that I am supposed to be involved in missions but until recently only God knew where I was going. A few months ago, I began to pray, seeking whatever was God’s plan for my life, and more steadfastly, this summer. A friend told me about an organization called Thrive Africa, and I decided to check it out. When I got on the website and started reading, my heart leapt. I knew immediately that going to Africa was God’s plan for my summer.
In the days following, though, I began to doubt. I felt called to a 2 month internship in South Africa which is a very long time to be so far away from home with people I have yet to meet, not to mention, a rather large financial need. Throughout the following weeks God made it clear, as I had prayed for, that Africa was the right thing for me. There were countless references to Africa on a daily basis. My history class began studying Africa a couple days later, and the topic of traveling to Africa came up in my French class on that day as well. Pastor Boone even talked about a girl who was planning to serve in Africa in one of his sermons. And today, as I was talking to a woman while getting my tire fixed, and watching Oprah in the waiting room, she said to me, “Maybe they should just go to Africa.” It seemed like an ordinary comment, but to me, it was another nudge. Throughout the whole experience of seeking and applying for this internship, I have been assured by God in every way that this is where He wants me.
From June 16 – August 8, 2008 I will be staying at the Thrive Africa base, Eagle Mountain, near Harrismith, South Africa. The base is located on a 2,500 acre game reserve, which is shared with zebras, wildebeest, and African antelope. While in Africa, I will be helping to host mission teams, working with kids in an after-school program, evangelizing through relationships with the nationals, growing in my own relationship with Christ, and learning and experiencing a very different culture. I am excited to see how God will strengthen my faith and my trust in Him as well as teach me through the lives of other missionaries.
This will be a great experience but I cannot do it alone. I greatly need your support as I work to raise money for the trip. Please pray that I am able to trust God in every circumstance, that I may continue to grow in my relationship with Christ, and that my heart will remain open and ready no matter what direction God leads me. I need God’s strength as I will be far from home, becoming completely vulnerable to God’s plan and action. I also need financial support to participate in this trip. I need to raise $3850 for travel and provisions while in Africa, plus the cost of other necessities for preparing to go to Africa, traveling out of the country, and spending two months of my life living in Africa. I am doing service projects through the church and working part time to help fund the trip, but most of the money will come from donations and God’s faithful miracles. Whatever gift you have to offer will be greatly appreciated.
If you would like more information about the internship, please do not hesitate to contact me via e-mail, so.human@hotmail.com, call me, 425.218.7433, or visit www.ThriveAfrica.org to check out the Outreach Staff Internship. If you wish to help me financially, please know that all donations are tax-deductible and checks may be written to Thrive Africa (for tax deduction) or Hannah Borcherdt and sent to [23806 53rd Ave W, Mountlake Terrace, WA, 98043].Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and for your prayers and consideration.
In the Family of Christ,
Hannah Borcherdt
“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”
At once they left their nets and followed him. _Matthew 4:19-20
God has been tugging at my heart lately. If you have ever been tugged by God, you know that it is no escapable thing. I have known for a while now that I am supposed to be involved in missions but until recently only God knew where I was going. A few months ago, I began to pray, seeking whatever was God’s plan for my life, and more steadfastly, this summer. A friend told me about an organization called Thrive Africa, and I decided to check it out. When I got on the website and started reading, my heart leapt. I knew immediately that going to Africa was God’s plan for my summer.
In the days following, though, I began to doubt. I felt called to a 2 month internship in South Africa which is a very long time to be so far away from home with people I have yet to meet, not to mention, a rather large financial need. Throughout the following weeks God made it clear, as I had prayed for, that Africa was the right thing for me. There were countless references to Africa on a daily basis. My history class began studying Africa a couple days later, and the topic of traveling to Africa came up in my French class on that day as well. Pastor Boone even talked about a girl who was planning to serve in Africa in one of his sermons. And today, as I was talking to a woman while getting my tire fixed, and watching Oprah in the waiting room, she said to me, “Maybe they should just go to Africa.” It seemed like an ordinary comment, but to me, it was another nudge. Throughout the whole experience of seeking and applying for this internship, I have been assured by God in every way that this is where He wants me.
From June 16 – August 8, 2008 I will be staying at the Thrive Africa base, Eagle Mountain, near Harrismith, South Africa. The base is located on a 2,500 acre game reserve, which is shared with zebras, wildebeest, and African antelope. While in Africa, I will be helping to host mission teams, working with kids in an after-school program, evangelizing through relationships with the nationals, growing in my own relationship with Christ, and learning and experiencing a very different culture. I am excited to see how God will strengthen my faith and my trust in Him as well as teach me through the lives of other missionaries.
This will be a great experience but I cannot do it alone. I greatly need your support as I work to raise money for the trip. Please pray that I am able to trust God in every circumstance, that I may continue to grow in my relationship with Christ, and that my heart will remain open and ready no matter what direction God leads me. I need God’s strength as I will be far from home, becoming completely vulnerable to God’s plan and action. I also need financial support to participate in this trip. I need to raise $3850 for travel and provisions while in Africa, plus the cost of other necessities for preparing to go to Africa, traveling out of the country, and spending two months of my life living in Africa. I am doing service projects through the church and working part time to help fund the trip, but most of the money will come from donations and God’s faithful miracles. Whatever gift you have to offer will be greatly appreciated.
If you would like more information about the internship, please do not hesitate to contact me via e-mail, so.human@hotmail.com, call me, 425.218.7433, or visit www.ThriveAfrica.org to check out the Outreach Staff Internship. If you wish to help me financially, please know that all donations are tax-deductible and checks may be written to Thrive Africa (for tax deduction) or Hannah Borcherdt and sent to [23806 53rd Ave W, Mountlake Terrace, WA, 98043].Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and for your prayers and consideration.
In the Family of Christ,
Hannah Borcherdt
“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”
At once they left their nets and followed him. _Matthew 4:19-20
Thursday, May 08, 2008
The Mission
“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him. Matthew 4:19-20
I read a quote on the bottom of a bunkbed at Jr. High Retreat this year about God equipping the called, not calling the equipped. My simple thoughts were this:
I once heard that God doesn’t call the equipped but equips the called which is great since I am so incredibly unequipped and God is immensely faithful.
How ironic that this is Thrive Africa's missions statement:
It is the mission of Thrive Africa to equip and mobilize indigenous leaders to become effective, valuable, and projective influences in their cultural communities through evangelism, discipleship, leadership training, and mercy outreaches.
Finally, here is my personal missions statement that I created for my trip:
This summer, I will venture into God’s calling in order that I may know Jesus more, grow in Him ever longingly, and live out in the Love which I have so graciously been given.
I read a quote on the bottom of a bunkbed at Jr. High Retreat this year about God equipping the called, not calling the equipped. My simple thoughts were this:
I once heard that God doesn’t call the equipped but equips the called which is great since I am so incredibly unequipped and God is immensely faithful.
How ironic that this is Thrive Africa's missions statement:
It is the mission of Thrive Africa to equip and mobilize indigenous leaders to become effective, valuable, and projective influences in their cultural communities through evangelism, discipleship, leadership training, and mercy outreaches.
Finally, here is my personal missions statement that I created for my trip:
This summer, I will venture into God’s calling in order that I may know Jesus more, grow in Him ever longingly, and live out in the Love which I have so graciously been given.
Saturday, May 03, 2008
Myspace Post
I've been going through a long process of God calling on my heart and me doubting that it's really Him at the door. But through His strength and steps..or bounds rather... of faith, I found myself applying to an internship with an organization in South Africa called Thrive Africa. It was exhilarating just to talk about it. Then, just yesteday, everything changed. It became a different story, no longer the one about me wanting to go to Africa, but rather, a new story about how I'm saving up to go to Africa. Yeah, I definitely got accepted to go to South Africa. When? June 16, 2008. How long? 2 months. It's really scary, but it's happening and I have complete faith that God will carry me through this and that He alone can be my everlasting strength during this time. I need your prayers and a lot of support as I'm about to go to another CONTINENT this summer.
Anyway, much love to you all, and I thank you in advance for your support and prayers. I will post more later as I get more details and such.
PS In less than two months I'll be living with elephants and lions and giraffes (Oh my!) in my backyard!
Anyway, much love to you all, and I thank you in advance for your support and prayers. I will post more later as I get more details and such.
PS In less than two months I'll be living with elephants and lions and giraffes (Oh my!) in my backyard!
Friday, May 02, 2008
It's Official
I got the official email today letting me know that I have been accepted to the Outreach Staff Internship with Thrive Africa. I'm going to Africa?? I'm going to Africa. It's very scary and really really overwhelming because there is so much to do!!! Please pray for me A LOT as I need so much support and know that the only way that I'll be able to go is by the miracle of God's faithfulness. There is so much more to do that I had expected and it's starting to set in, and I don't even know where to begin to start! I'm trying to breath deeply but I'm nearly crying because I'm so excited and so thankful for God's faithfulness thus far.
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