Preparing for Thailand & Cambodia

Quick little update on my trip to Thailand & Cambodia.  Just over 4 weeks til I leave.  Oh my gosh.  I have shots to get and I just sent in for my passport.  Yeah, I really like to make my life more stressful sometimes...!

Anyway, wanted to give a quick update on how prepping for this trip is going.  I first of all have to say THANK YOU to all who have supported me financially.  So far, I have $1050 (nearly a third) raised for my trip!!  What a blessing!  I am so thrilled and grateful for those who've said they'd give and those who've said they will be praying.  I couldn't do this trip without your support... so thank you, thank you, thank you! And just thanks for reading this blog! :)

Little sidenote here, if you'd like to support me, we will be having a car wash THIS WEEKEND {July 2nd}  Here is the information from facebook ... Asia's Hope Car Wash.  I'd love to see you there.  It's just downtown Goshen at the Wagon Wheel parking lot.  Or you can always send in money to my church (check my last post for information) it's not to late to give! :)

I'm really shocked this trip is coming up so quickly and has really begun forcing me to focus.  In our informational meeting about this trip, Pastor Jim warned that as soon as we commit to going on this trip a large X will appear on our back and we can start expecting things to go wrong.  It would be satan's attempt to discourage our resolve to go.  Well, I have thought about that statement quite a bit and have gone on enough trips to understand what Pastor Jim was talking about.  But this time around, (at least not so far), I'm not feeling like my world is colliding and falling a part.  But satan doesn't have to do that.  All he has to do is keep me from spending time with God.  And unfortunately, with a change in schedule and routine, (school's out for summer, photography is keeping me busy) I have found myself spending less and less time with God.  So while I have been prepared for the world to collapse, I haven't been good about protecting my time with God.  And that needs to change. 

I know I'm so on again, off again about blogging (but when you have two to keep up with.... :) but I am going to attempt to blog about how God is preparing my heart for this trip.  I'd love it if you'd stay tuned and keep me accountable.

That's all for now.  Be blessed! :)

I could use your help :)

I have recently, VERY recently, decided to go with my church to Thailand & Cambodia to visit Asia's Hope.  As a church, we have two orphanages we sponsor specifically.  A couple of years ago, before Galen & I started attending Grace, our pastor challenged our church to raise enough money to build another orphanage for Asia's Hope.  They were so moved that they raised enough for TWO orphanages that Sunday morning!  Ever since then, our church has seen these kids as OUR kids, OUR responsibility. So about every 9 or 10 months another group from Grace goes over just to love on those kids.  We'll also help with whatever projects need to be worked on.  This past Spring, our church was once again challenged and we raised enough money to build a home for one of our orphanges.  Before they had only rented their building.

Personally, I've been really excited and challenged to go.  Reading the book Heaven is For Real by 4 year old Colton Burpo (actually written by dad, but about his young son's story) tells his dad that Jesus really loves kids.  He continues to remind his parents about that truth throughout the book, and when I questioned if God really wanted me to do this I heard, "Kelli, Jesus REALLY loves children."  And after losing my child last year, I am ready to go love on others who don't have parents of their own.

This trip will cost $3500.  I'm excited to say, I have a tenth of it already paid for! Woohoo!  Galen & I are prepared to make our own financial contribution to this trip, but we can't do it all.  And this is where I could use your help.  Would you PRAYERFULLY consider giving any amount?  If I had 320 people give $10 or 160 give $20 I could have this trip paid for in full!  But here's the thing, I don't want you to feel guilty. You can't help everyone and if you're like me, we always get support letters.  So if you don't feel like God is leading you to give, that's fine.  We are still friends :)  But if you could give any amount, even just $10, it'd be appreciated!

Thanks for reading!
-Kelli


If you would like to give you can copy and paste the bottom portion of this and mail it in with a check:

Kelli Rasler

Thailand & Cambodia
Asia’s Hope

Name and address: __________________________________________________________________________

Phone: __________________________________
Email: ___________________________________________

I would like to donate

____$10_____$25 _____$50 _____$75 _____$100 ______ Other

Please make checks payable to Grace Community Church. Please send this form with your check to:
Grace Community Church
20076 CR 36
Goshen, IN 46526

Your contribution will be tax deductible, just make sure you don't put my name on the check! Thanks! :)