I know it's been awhile since I've updated; lots of things have been going on!
I'm moving back home to Delaware exactly 3 weeks from today! I decided this was the best choice because my lease ends in the month of May and I do not want to do anymore moving than I have to. In order to live in Chattanooga I have had to work almost full-time to pay rent and other bills. Living at home I won't have those expenses, so I won't need a job, so I will be able to fundraise full-time! I also want to spend my last few months in the states with family and friends I hardly get to see anymore.
The last few weeks have been insanely packed with getting ready for this move as well as finishing up with my assignments from New Staff Training. I sent everything I own that I can't fit in my station wagon up with another friend who moved from Chattanooga to Delaware, so packing is completely done and I can focus on the last of my fundraising here and my goodbyes.
I am planning on having some of my Young Life musician friends here play a benefit show for me that will double as a going away party. I'm looking forward to that!
There have been some changes in my budget recently. This is because I decided not to take my Young Life training classes for credit at a seminary. I just do not know for sure that I will complete a degree or that it will be essential for a future job that I will want, so I feel that I should just finish paying off my student loans from my undergrad degree and not ask donors to give towards yet more schooling. That took out about $1,200 of my one-time needs. Additionally, I am not making an advance trip. There was $1,000 in my budget for this, so that has been subtracted as well.
Because my first year on the field will be the fiscal year of 2010-2011 at this point, my budget has also increased slightly to accommodate the increase in benefits cost. So after all of this math, here is my most recent budget:
Annual: $33,473 / Monthly: $2,790
One-time: $12,164
So far I have raised $14,280 of my annual budget and $5,090 of my one-time. Praise God! This puts me at 43%!
Prayer requests for these next 3 weeks would be:
-that I say goodbye to Chattanooga and all my friends here well
-the upcoming fundraising concert to come together and be successful
-safe travels to say goodbye to friends in the near area and have donor meetings
Also please pray for some other personal requests:
-the health of my friend Steven who is in a hospital in Philadelphia in critical condition with leukemia for the 2nd time and a bad infection
-the health of many friends at my home church in Delaware who are having major health issues at this time
Thank you all for your prayers, love and support!
