Hello dear friends and family,
I have recently been invited to travel with eight other students and three team leaders to the second least-developed country in the world: Burkina Faso, Africa. I find myself longing to learn from and serve the Burkinabe people in this country known for its extreme poverty and its high illiteracy percentage (25.3). As much as this trip is focused on the people in Africa, it will probably impact me more than anyone. You might be thinking that the money it will take to send me there and back could be spent in better ways to serve these people. However, I believe that this is an investment in the next sixty years of my life and ministry and trust that God will dramatically broaden my view of Him and the world through this experience.
My team is planning on going to Burkina Faso, Africa (located in the northwest) during this upcoming spring break. Entering a land that is dominated by men and women who are Muslim and others with indigenous beliefs, with only 10% Christian, there is a clear need for not only physical healing but also eternal salvation. In response to these needs the youth groups at Salem Alliance have come together to raise $8000 dollars to build a youth center/dorm in Burkina where African students can come learn. The Burkinabé people are willing to give everything to give their child a fighting chance by means of education; our youth groups are trying to match a piece of that sacrifice by helping build a youth center. When our team goes to Burkina, we will be working on the youth center as well as doing a Vacation Bible School.
Africa has occupied most of my thoughts recently. This passion, along with the call I feel to pastoral ministries (someone who will encourage people towards missions) means that I should have some experience myself with missions. I also know that this trip would open my eyes to many of the things I have otherwise been shielded from. Along with the trip itself, my means of getting to Africa will stretch my faith by my dependency upon the generosity of others. So far, committing to this trip has already stretched my faith drastically and I know over the next three months God will continue to mold me through the planning and prayers.
This trip is not going to be an inexpensive one by any means, but I know that through God, the support will come. The total cost of the trip will be around $3,000. This will include my ticket to get there, and get back (somewhat important) this will also include my food, transportation, and lodging while I am there. To help my raise my $1,000 (which is what I will personally pay) I went through all of November without buying gas, but instead, riding my bike or carpooling with friends and family. If you feel led, I encourage you to sacrifice, maybe not to that extreme, something that you value. I want to invite you be a real part of the trip, whether you would like to support financially or through prayer.
It is important to have people continually praying for our team and so i will be sending a card a bit later that have specific things that we will need prayer for. Otherwise, just pray for financial support, unity in the team, and the hearts of the people that I will be meeting over there. If you would like to support me financially please make a check payable to Salem Alliance Church. Send donations to: Salem Alliance Church, Attn: Susan White (Missions), 555 Gains St. NE, Salem OR 97301. Please include a note designating the funds to "Thomas Clapper, worldIMPACT—Burkina Faso." All donations will be tax deductable and will receive a tax deductible thank you letter.
Thank you so much for being a part of this trip. I am so excited to see what God has in store for my team and me. If you would like to follow along on my journey you can go to clapperman.blogspot.com and catch up on the latest happenings in my life. Thank you again, I look forward to letting you know how the trip went.
Living in His Love,
Thomas Clapper
