We REALLY Need Funding Help

Hello everyone!
I have been fund raising for a mission trip I will be going on this summer to Japan for the last few months with little success thus far: so I figured I would come ask help from my online brothers! I have contacted several churches but most of the ones (so far) that have offered to help have applications that take a while. The first deadline is coming up for the funds. I have committed to raise $1,850 by February 1st and have a total of $187.50 so far. Please if you can help it would be greatly appreciated. The site to donate is: http://www.lst.org/2011projects/noahvanwinkleoc

I will be going through Let's Start Talking (LST) to Japan in June. We will be teaching conversational English through the book of Luke to many readers. Japanese population is less than 1% christian so many of our readers may know very little to nothing of Jesus. This is an excellent opportunity to spread the word of Christ and bring new hearts into the light.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

donation link once again is: http://www.lst.org/2011projects/noahvanwinkleoc

God Bless you all!

Noah
 
Noah,

My kids have been on many missions trips and I always had a rule - they could not ask for money. I am not telling you this to say what you are doing is wrong - just to give you an alternative!

First, they were "required" to send out letters so we sent them out, but omitted the begging for funds and only asked for prayer. Yet, they still got money from the letters - though not much.

For my son, we prayed for jobs and the odd jobs came rolling in! For one daughter we set her up with a small book selling business and I did allow her to ask for books. People gave us TONS of books. Many we had to give a way, but many we were able to sell. It seemed like God worked in different ways for different children ,but God seemed to delight in bringing different funding sources - nearly all of them requiring that my kids work. They as each one went off on their trip they did not have a sense that "this was easy - all you have to do is beg - but rather an awe of God and what He can do to bring in funds.

May God bless you and your trip and I pray God gives you creativity in seeking ways to earn the money!
 
My best friend has gone on mission trips with her husband through their church. I remember her telling me how the church told them they had to "raise" the money for their trip. She didn't understand why since they could afford to pay for it themselves, but that's what tyhey were told they had to do.

They sent out letters asking for prayer and financial help.
 
Some organizations do require you to send letters because as much as 10% of the money actually goes to them, not the person raising the money. Unfortunately, so many "trips" were stating they were missions organizations the IRS here in the US of A now has strict rules as to what is a missions trip that people can donate to and get tax exempt giving credit. That is very unfortunate.

I was so frustrated with many of these organizations we had our son contact ministries directly. He did MORE work and it cost everyone LESS money. There are inner city ministries and missionaries all over who would die for a godly young person to offer themselves for 2 to 4 weeks. There would not be as much "fun" but you would bless the socks off of a missionary!
 
I forgot to state that many of these organizations then use the contact information to raise money for themselves and if the individual pulls out of the trip the organization keeps the money. Once these tactics were revealed some organizations have changed, but others have not.
 
I remember working my behind off to go on a mission trip to barbados to build a church. I was 16 and had to raise 1500 dollars in 60 days. I am a little late on the post. I am assuming you need the money raised be feb 2011 not 2012. Anyways, Hope you were able to go on your trip
 
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