Update on Finances

I've been incredibly stressed out about missions finances lately. Lately? Let's be honest I've been stressed about finances since I accepted the staff position in New Zealand. I knew when I said yes two months before I needed to fly out that getting financies was going to be hard. I knew it would take incredible amounts of faith, trust and hard work on my part and lots of generosity and obedience of tons of family and friends. I was reading the blog of another missionary this morning and she was talking about what it's like to raise funds as a missionary. She said 99% of the world does not understand what it's like to enter into a career where you have to raise your own income. Where you literally, in humility have to ASK people to pay you to be able to feed your family, continue your ministry, bless someone else. Working sometimes twenty four hours a day knowing no pay check is guaranteed. She said there are times when she sits with knots in her stomach wondering if enough is going to come in this week to be able to continue her ministry. It's a frightening, humbling, awesome place to be.

While a lot of that stress just kind of comes with the territory, it has at points though become distracting from what I believe God is trying to speak into my heart in these last few weeks before I head out. Seeing this, my best and incredibly insightful friend Jennifer challenged me to "fast" from checking finances this last week. She told me to continue to blog, update on facebook, tweet, and generally work my butt off to get finances but if anything came in, to put it aside and focus on other things. This meant no checking paypal or emails that updated me on account information. I knew stuff had come in and the first few days it took incredible self control to put the envelopes in a file and move on. My sister would see them in the mail and ask how much had come in, I'd have to tell her I wasn't checking.

Today was the end of that week and so I opened envelopes, wrote "thank-you's", crunched some numbers and met with a friend whose committed as one of my financial prayer warriors. And here's the details...

$1875 has come in so far!

$750 has been donated to me personally for my flight, New Zealand VISA, license and insurance.
$925 has been donated to YWAM for my school fees, room, board and outreach.
$200 has been given that was unspecified.

First and foremost: PRAISE GOD THE GIVER AND CREATOR OF ALL THINGS! In less than a month almost half of the total finances needed have come in.

Half? You might ask.... Isn't $2000 only a quarter of what is needed? True (Thanks Mrs. Virchow's 1st grade Math class for the 1/2 and 1/4 review this week) $2000 is only a quarter of what is needed but my church has decided to be my sending church and carry a large portion of the financial burden. What they are requiring is that I raise a quarter of the total that I need before I leave (A little more than $2000) and when that has been raised or pledged they will release another quarter of the total to YWAM. Which means: I'm only $125 short of that first $2000 needed! (So in this case a quarter actually means half).

So here's where I stand:
After the $125 comes in and church can release the next quarter of funds:
$2000 of the $3100 needed for outreach will be in!
$1050 of the $1650 needed for base fees will be in!
The $750 Activity fee will be completely paid for!
$750 of the $2100 needed for my flight/travel insurance will be in!


So this is where you can come in. Not everyone can pack up and head down to New Zealand this year but God has called me to and you can come along and join in this adventure both spiritually (through prayer, support and encouragement) and physically (through financially partnership, support or donation).

• The immediate need is for that last $125 to come in to push total raised to $2000 and allow church to release their quarter of funds. (If you feel led to give this money it can be to YWAM Oxford or me personally. The required $2000 is TOTAL money raised). 
• The second most important need is for the other $1350 needed for my flight and travel insurance. Flights into New Zealand bounce between $1800-$2000 USD on any given day, we are hoping and praying that by working with a missionary travel agent that we are able to get the plane ticket down to around $1600. 
• Thirdly I am praying for two individuals or families that would be willing to partner with me financially at $100/month May-November. This would provide the rest of my base fees, VISA, license and flight charges (I will need to change my flight in August to comply with New Zealand immigration laws). If you feel led to give on a monthly basis and would like to set up a recurring payment plan please contact me personally and we can set that up. 

I spoke at a meeting of our Young Adults ministry at church a few weeks ago and my Pastor Nate got up after me and told our group (bluntly) that my financial need is the most felt, in your face needs right now. And he's right, finances is what is on my mind and the thing that is easiest to quantify. I am lacking right now and there is a huge need but I am also encouraged. In less than a month we are just $125 short of the half way point. I have 23 more days here to raise the other half. I believe God can do this! I believe God is doing this! ( $100 was donated this morning before 9am! And that was by a fellow missionary with no income!! She had an overabundance of financial blessing this week and poured some of that overflow unto me!) And so I pray that God would speak to you clearly if you should give and how much. All support is appreciated and will be used with integrity. (Just fyi: I have a team of three that are set to be a financial accountability to me, in prayer for and with me. One of them acting as "missionary financial advisor.") There are a few ways to give if you feel lead: 

• Personal check to either myself or YWAM Oxford.
• PayPal. (mandistavnaw@gmail.com) or the convenient PayPal "Donate" button above. :) 
• If you desire to set up recurring monthly payments please contact me directly and I can lead you in the right direction.

Secondly (but no less important) is the need for spiritual and emotional support. The kingdom of darkness is in crisis as I and the others that will be part of this school prepare to go. I (as I'm sure they are) starting to feel this crisis. I desperately need prayer. A supernatural covering that will keep me in Gods loving hand, drenched in His peace and joy as I walk this journey. My prayer is that my ears and heart will be stopped up against the lies of the enemy. That the false identities, false ideas and false emotions would not find root in my heart or mind. I pray that the last twenty three days I have in Minnesota before this new adventure would be marked by supernatural protection, joy, grace, peace and provision. If you feel led to pray for me please let me know! I was so blessed by a family who added a post-it to their support check saying "Praying for you" and by a friend who asked for extra "Mandi magnets" to keep me visible even while I'm gone to pray for me daily. 

I have a dear friend whose an Atheist and whose moral code won't allow her to donate money to help send me into missions but wants me to know she supports me as a friend and wanted a list of physical items I need for my trip. Yes, there is a list of physical items I still need! Such as a mosquito net, head lamp, malaria pills, sleeping pad are a few, if you would like a copy of this list please let me know. One of the most common items a female missionary needs is an ankle length skirt, one of the "Mama's" in my life is making me one! 

I need prayer! I love cards, letters, emails, texts of encouragement. ;) Feel free to comment a "Keep your chin up" here on my journal or any of my social media pages. Please know I have been so blessed by all of you. So many people have shared excitement with me over my trip. Giddiness at this new adventure. Joy at my opportunities. Thank you, thank you, thank you for everyone who has gone out of their way to love and and support me in this journey and this time. I am so blessed and excited for the team and "family" I have standing beside me as I step out in this great adventure God is calling me on. I'm excited at the miracles I know are going to pour out in the next twenty three days and the next seven months. Tonight ends the last full month I'll be in Minnesota for until December. CRAZY! Let's do this! God's doing a mighty work in my life and in all the communities I find myself in. Go big or go home!

Let's do this!!