Friends and family, first I want to say I hope and pray you are doing well and staying safe and healthy in these times. I pray that you are pressing into what God has for in this season and in the moments where everything around you may be spinning that your eyes are fixed on God and what He is telling you and showing you. Thank you so much for walking with me on this journey even in times of uncertainty. Thank you for bearing with me as I take the time to really press into God in this time of uncertainty. My squad and many others racers have been back in the states for two months now. It’s crazy to think of time and how sometimes it can fly past you and other times feel as if it is a lifetime.
With all that time though, there has been time to support those around us (whoever we are living with, in the community and with technology reaching out when we can). There has been time to dig deep into what the Lord has taught us in the last few months and still teaching us. There has been heartache as some people lost loved ones or remembered ones that have been lost. There has been healing whether emotionally or physically or relationally. There has been community being built up where we landed and community across the states and world with those we were close with while on the race. There has been good in the heartache and I hope you have experienced some of that as well.
As far as what is next I don’t necessarily have an easy answer for you. There are a lot of factors that play into my next steps and therefore, your decision to continue supporting me. Factors such as when my squad launched, how much of my goal has already been expensed, how much of my support was raised, and will my team be offered the option to go back out on the field at some point.
From an organizational standpoint, Adventures (the organization I went on my mission with) wasn’t planning on making any decisions regarding finances or next steps until mid May. (I will be getting an email next week with more information as to what they decided and next steps). This gave them time to calculate the expense of moving over 550 missionaries back home in five days. In addition, they need time to calculate the costs of what those teams spent for the time they were on the field. And finally, put a plan in place for next steps for certain squads, while monitoring the ever changing global landscape.
So, all that to say, I am thankful for your support and will be a good steward of that support and also understand that these are difficult times for families and that may impact your ability. I will continue to work with Adventures to determine the best options for me.
If you have any further questions, please feel free to reach out to Donor Relations at Adventures at [email protected]. They will be able to help you with any questions or concerns you may have.
I hope to share more with you what I have been learning and experiencing throughout this time of being back in the states and home in the next few days so keep a look out for that! Also in just 4 days all missionaries that were pulled from the field will be getting an email about possible next steps or possibilities. Please be praying for Adventures in the decisions they made in a difficult time, each of us as we get the news and any decision we may have.
THANK YOU THANK YOU for all of your support throughout this time, know God is with you and He has such great plans for you even if it is hard to see it all right now.
Please reach out with prayer requests and needs would still love to support you all in this time as well. If you want to chat or have questions please reach out as well, would enjoy catching up! 🙂
“Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”
– The Lord (Isaiah 43:19)
With Much Love,
Bethaney
