Thanksgiving 2019 kicked off the fundraising portion of this trip; with a goal to have all support raised by mid-July. First, I could not be more thankful to have started this part of the journey with family and relatives over the holiday. I come from a very tight-knit family from different states that makes consistent effort to communicate with one another and gather together throughout the year. Even though many of my relatives are very diverse in spiritual views (with some of them Christian), they have been supportive of this trip so far. Now, the path of preparing for the Race is ahead of me. Overall, I am very excited about this process and plan to utilize a number of churches in my area to help with support (while keeping them updated throughout the journey). Yet I also see support raising as a winding path- filled with challenging uphill climbs, terrific moments, and unexpected turns. It is a time to re-connect with old friends and reach out to the local community about missions. However, it is also a time of confronting fear and giving it all to the LORD as I do not know how raising this much support will ultimately come about. Yet, it is important to be faithful; for the LORD will continue to provide. One of the verses that came to light is Philippians 4: 5-7, which says: “Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Here is my support letter, and please feel free to donate if inclined to do so:
“Dear Haas Family and Supporters,
I hope this letter finds you well. As I prepare to graduate from Lenoir-Rhyne University (LR) this coming spring, I wanted to share an update about my future. Over the past four years while at LR, I have studied Engineering Physics and been actively involved with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and No Place Left groups. During this time, God continued to grow my faith and began to call me into helping reach the “Unreached People Groups” of the world. The unreached are those who have very little access to the Gospel or a church community that can share the message of Jesus.
During this past year, God opened the opportunity of an eleven month World Race Expedition trip through the Adventures in Missions organization. After a significant amount of prayer and discernment, I decided to participate in the trip. The Expedition takes place in eleven different countries in Asia. While there, we will partner with local ministries and conduct pioneering efforts in order to share the Gospel in some of the most remote areas of the world. We will assist in discipleship and church planting as we engage many different nations with the Good News of Jesus and share His message with the unreached.
As I begin the process of preparing for the trip, I would like to ask you to pray for me. Please pray that He will continue to call a team that will love and support one another, and for God to bless our preparations and efforts in the mission field. Like most mission organizations, World Race participants are required to fundraise financial support. In order to leave fully funded when we depart next August, I need to raise $18,600. This money will cover all expenses associated with the trip and equip our team to share the Gospel. As I undertake this journey, would you please prayerfully consider giving a one-time or monthly donation of $50 – $100 or some other amount? I would love to call or meet with you to answer any questions that you may have about the trip. Please feel free to follow my blog for updates on fundraising, preparations, and weekly posts while in the field next year, which is available at https://bretthaas.theworldrace.org/. It has been a privilege to know you as a friend, and I hope that we can stay connected during this journey.
Yours in Christ,
Brett Haas”
