Don't let money keep you from going on Commission Unto Mexico.
You've heard about our annual ministry trip to Mexico. You really want to go,
but your piggy bank is empty You're low on hope.
So, how do you find mission trip funding?
There is a way.
The Big 75
Don't concentrate on finding money. Concentrate on building a prayer support
network. Find 75 friends and family members who will commit to praying with and
for you as you prepare to go on Commission Unto Mexico. Keep those 75 prayer
supporters informed of your financial needs, but don't feel like you have to ask
them for money.
How do you find 75 supporters? Write a letter to everyone on your parent's
Christmas card list. Tell them about the trip and how much it will cost. Ask
them to pray for you. For a sample of that kind of letter, click here.
If you know of people who have been on Work and Witness trips, ask them to
help you experience what they did.
Fund raising characters
Are you a Prudence
Procrastinator, a Fraidy Alfred or a Frenzied Frieda? Do these descriptions fit
you? [ read
article ]
Begin today to:
Pray- If you believe God would have you go to Mexico during the
Christmas holidays, ask Him to make it possible. Find others from your district,
dorm floor or class who hope to go and who are willing to pray with you. Ask God
for wisdom and creativity in building a prayer support network. [ read more
]
Plan - Start saving for Mexico immediately. By socking
away $30 per week, within 17 weeks you will have saved the entire trip cost. Or,
as participant Roberta Ridgway says, "For a trip that costs less than $500, you
could save $50 per month and, in a year, have enough for the trip plus
miscellaneous money for other needs."
After calculating the additional money you'll need for travel to the city
where we'll cross the border and incidental costs, get your creative juices
flowing. A little sacrifice now on your part, and the involvement of others,
will make that money mount up. The important part is starting
now!
Pursue - The way to make a dream come true is to have
it affect your daily decisions. So, if you've decided to set aside a specific
amount each week, stick to that decision even when tempted to spend part of it
for something else.
Want to come up with the money yourself instead of having 75 friends pray
it in with you?
Try these tips.
Do you have a savings account? Ear-mark some of that money for Commission
Unto Mexico? If you have a part-time job, consider adding a couple of hours a
week to your schedule. Or save a few dollars every week from your paycheck.
If you can't work a regular job, take some "odd jobs".
You can...
- run errands
- clean houses
- tutor
- do yard work
- work for a temporary help agency
- babysit
- collect old cell phones [ web
site with more info ]
Team Up With Others
It can be productive and fun to raise money
with others. For example, work together with the college group at the church you
attend.
Organize a car wash in the parking lot of a store like Wal-Mart. You can ask
for a suggested donation from drivers, but the key to success is for each person
in your group to find sponsors willing to make a donation for each car washed by
the group.
Ten people could do 20-30 cars in four hours. If each person has five $1 per
car sponsors, the group could make $1200-$1500 in one afternoon.
Other ideas:
- hold a garage sale
- sell pizzas
- paint houses
- take inventory for a business
One excellent source of group fund-raising ideas is a book called:
Fundraisers That Work
Ask around for work opportunities
Put a notice in the Sunday
bulletin of the church you attend. Let the local paper know what you're doing.
Sometimes small town newspapers will run a story on something like this. Contact
other churches in the area. Generally, people will be enthusiastic about
employing you if they know it's for a mission trip.
Home church scholarships
Call your church's missions chairperson or
NMI president. Share why you want to go to Mexico and explain the finances you
need. Some Nazarene churches already have scholarship funds to help people go on
the trip. Others have taken special offerings to help people participate.
Express your appreciation to supporters
When your trip to Mexico is
supported by individuals or churches, treat them as if they are making an
investment in your spiritual growth.
Investors have the right to know how their stake in you paid off. Report in
writing to each sponsor about your experience.
A final word
God cares about you, your plans and your dreams. He is
able to provide for you so you can experience Commission Unto Mexico. Make
prayer with others an essential and regular part of your efforts. Trust God's
faithfulness!
More fund raising ideas
For more ideas on how to raise financial
support for "Commission Unto Mexico" and other short term mission trips, click here.
Need more information?
E-mail us:
mexico@snu.edu
Call us: 405-491-6693
Write us: Commission Unto Mexico,
Southern Nazarene University, 6729 NW 39th, Bethany, OK 73008