March 22, 2010

Dear Friend,

Some of this you may already know or maybe you do not, but I am currently in my junior year of college going full-time to school and working full-time at Skyline Chili as a manager/shift-leader/server, putting in extra hours to raise funds.  God has really been giving me a heart for missions the past year or so in my life and has provided me with multiple opportunities to be involved with the mission field.  Take for example this past summer, I went to Alaska through NAMB Student Summer Missions Program where we ran a block party ministry, service projects, and camps, sharing the gospel anywhere and everywhere it was needed.  I am currently a member of the Jeffersontown Baptist Church and have been for about 9 years.

God has really been laying on my heart that it is not just my purpose in life to share the gospel, as it is all Christians, but should be my passion and joy to do so.  I am not sure if God will call me to be a missionary one day, but what I do know, is that He has given me that passion for serving in ministry and has blessed me with the gift of musical talents, to use them to share the gospel wherever I go and take joy in doing so. My focus is to honor and glorify God in all that I do, to follow His guidance, wherever He may lead me.  This is the reason I am writing this letter to you.

This summer I feel like I am being called to do missions for an entire month in South Africa, where more than 14 million children are orphaned because of AIDS.  These children need love, they need Christ, we all do and God is calling me to go share that with them.  Though He does not need me, it is He who is sending me and I have faith I will be there.  I will be with a mission team from my church who will depart June 6 to accomplish the Great Commission by going and sharing Jesus Christ to these orphans and poverty ridden children and families.  We will be doing sports evangelism with orphanages through YWAM (Youth With a Mission), door-to-door witnessing, and street evangelism during one of the greatest events in sports history, the World Cup.

This though requires money, which I'm sure you are probably saying to yourself, "Oh, here is the catch."  The cost of the trip is $3200, with most of that being due to airfare.  I plan to invest $900-$1,400 of my own funds, which means I will need to raise approximately $2,000 in order to go.  We are trying to have it all raised by May 6, a month before we leave, but please do not hesitate to help now.  I am looking for 2 people to sacrificially give $400, 4 people to sacrificially give $200, and 4 people to sacrificially give $100.  I beg of you to not think someone else will give this, but to do it yourself within your heart of hearts, for the love of these kids, myself, the community, and the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Every bit will help and it is all tax deductible if that makes a difference.  Checks can be made out to the Jeffersontown Baptist Church Youth Missions with my name in the "FOR" line.  Please do not hesitate and put this off until another time, but i ask that you to donate now so that you do not forget.  You can also do it directly and electronically at http://www.createafund.com/MasonProphater/JTownBaptistYouthMissionTripMason.  I know and understand that this is a significant sacrifice that I am asking of you, that this is a huge commitment, but that is why I am leaving myself most vulnerable and asking you to do the same.  This is also why I decided to go for a month in order to maximize your giving.  I assure you, your money will be used wisely; it will not be wasted.  When we all play our role in the body of Christ, it works.

Romans 10:15 says, "How then shall they go unless they are sent."  I ask you then to prayerfully considering being part of a sending me and my team with a gift toward the expense of this trip.  Together we can see many lives changed by the power of Jesus Christ, both theirs and your own.  Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and being in prayer.  I love you and God Bless.

Sincerely,

Mason Prophater