Support Letter

Hey Everyone!! Here is my support letter that I sent out to friends and family. I thought I would post it in case you haven't had a chance to read it!!

November, 2009

Dear Friends and Family-

Fourteen and a half years ago I wrote a letter similar to this as I planned to take a step to move to Chicago and work with Suburban Life Community Church (SLCC). I was excited to start off on an adventure working with people that I thought cared not only about the ministry that I was about to do but about me as a child of God. At the time I ended the letter with the phrase “expecting great things from God.” I had many hopes and dreams of what my time in Chicago would be but really I had no idea. Looking back now I can’t believe all that God has done, thankful that he gave me fourteen years in such a great place.

I have had the privilege of working with amazing students, watching a lot of them grow up from young 6th graders to adults who are working, married and even some with children. I love the friendships I have with each student and am amazed at how they have grown to be incredible men and women of God. I have also cherished the community at SLCC. They have taught me what it means to have a community of believers who walk with me through life. They, along with my family who have always loved and encouraged me, have given me the support I have needed in order to minister to those who God has put in my path. I feel incredibly blessed to have their support and encouragement.

While at SLCC I also have had the opportunity to work with other organizations and see how God is at work in the Chicago area and around the world. I was able to join with Youth with a Mission (YWAM) to help run an outdoor leadership program called Niko. I have volunteered at West Englewood Christian School and with Campus Life/Youth for Christ. I have worked as a facilitator and more recently as the Outdoor Education Coordinator at Camp Manitoqua. I have also traveled doing mission work with YWAM and other organizations in Chicago, New York, Louisiana, Oregon, Canada, Sweden, Latvia, Brazil, Costa Rica, and China. These are just a few of the things the Lord has called me to and each has been such a great experience for me.

The thing that I am most thankful for as I look at the past 14 years is the growth I have seen and felt in my own life. I am truly a different person and stronger in my faith than I was back then. I have learned what it means to live my life fully surrendered to the Lord, knowing and understanding that He is good and He is all that I’ll ever need. I have seen my love of travel increase over these years as has my desire to work with people no matter who they are or where they live. My view of God’s kingdom has expanded as I have met people from many different places and cultures. I now know that God’s kingdom is so much bigger than what I can see when I look out my window. I have learned to take risks and to step out in faith believing that God can and will do the impossible. I want to live a life that only makes sense if God exists! Those are just a few things that God has taught me. I could go on and on. I praise God for the story of His faithfulness in my life and am so grateful that He is the perfector of our faith!

I am starting another great adventure with the Lord. This year, at church, we have talked a lot about the question; “Where in the kingdom does God want you?” As I have thought and prayed about that question I think that God has more for me in my life and ministry. I don’t know exactly what that means but feel like the first step is to do a Discipleship Training School (DTS) with YWAM in Perth Australia starting in January.

YWAM has been such a huge part of my life for the last 14 years. The work that I have done with them has fit well with the person God has made me to be. I am excited to spend the next six months in the DTS growing and hopefully learning what God has in store for me. The first three months of the school is the lecture phase. This focuses on personal application of truth and responding to the character of God. I will be doing a Compassion focused DTS which will include some special hands on training. We will work in groups exploring different areas of need in society and researching and looking at ways to bring positive change to areas of need. We will also have opportunities to minister to people in need in the city of Perth.

The second three months is the outreach phase. This is the practical application of what we will learn in the lecture phase. Perth is located strategically on the doorstep of South East Asia. The outreach phase could take me to places like Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Pakistan, India, Malaysia, Vietnam, Nepal or China. The outreach destination will be decided during the lecture phase and I look forward to and am excited to see where God’s leading will take me.

There are a lot of expenses that need to be covered in order for me to be able to go to Perth in January. Below is a list of the expenses the school has said I need to cover in order to go plus my flight.

Overseas Heath Coverage- $226.80 Flight to Perth- $2000
Visa Application- $540 Course Fee- $2290
Resource Fee- $150 Board and Accommodation- $1380
Additional Costs (working with children check, internet use, train card, key, activity fee) - $125
Outreach phase- $5000

Total = $11,711.80 AUD (about $11,000 US)

Raising money in our current economy is difficult, maybe even crazy! I have been debating with myself often about making such a huge shift in the midst of all the uncertainties at the moment. After much prayer, I have come to the conclusion that it’s a God sized assignment and I need to be obedient to what I believe is the first step in what he is calling me to do. I need help in order to see this happen. That is why I am writing today. Would you prayerfully consider supporting me financially on this journey so that I can attend the Compassion DTS in Perth Australia? You can make a one time tax deductible donation by writing a check to Suburban Life Community Church and sending it back to me in the envelope provided. SLCC will send you a receipt for tax purposes.

I would also like to ask for your prayers! I have learned a lot about prayer and know that I need people praying for me. My heart for this experience is to get all that God would have for me. I believe your prayers will help that to be a reality. Please pray with me that God would release the finances for me to be able to go. Along with that please pray that God would give me the wisdom to know what to do with my condo during the six months I am gone.

Throughout this journey, I would be happy to keep you updated on how my time at the DTS is going. In order to do so, please email me your email address at Oomer@aol.com. My plan is to keep a blog as well. You can check it out at www.kathioom.blogspot.com.

Thank you so much for reading this and for considering supporting me on this journey. I don’t know what the next few years will be. My plan at the moment is to come back to Chicago after six months but I really have no idea what God wants me to do when the DTS is over. I am excited about that! I can’t wait to see what He has in store for me so once again I will sign off…

…expecting great things from God!

Kathi:)

PS. I haven't included an envelope on the blog so if you'd like to know how to send something to me, let me know your email address and I'll let you know!!