on snap

it's that time again...prayer letter time! ch-ch-ch-eck it out!

Friends and family,

If you know me and my brother, you know that we are pretty different. He’s almost a foot taller than me. He is inclined to be more introverted and I more extroverted. But as we’ve gotten older, I’ve noticed our similarities. We both enjoy exercising, sports and reading. And we both love celebrating holidays. And I don’t mean the waking-up-at-six-am-on-Christmas type of celebrating. I mean, celebrating holidays and sharing memories with our family.

My favorite memories have been helping around the kitchen with Mom, breaking the wishbone with Jonathan or watching Dad make his famous German Chocolate Cake (if you’re ever in Lexington around the holidays, let me know, you need a piece!)

So in the past years Jonathan and I have attempted to protect our holidays. I have to preface this with: we have never succeeded and never should. Usually about a week or so before Thanksgiving, Mom tells us that she has invited guests over for dinner. Jonathan and I may exchange looks, we both know what this means: our best behavior and clothing. What Jonathan and I have both overlooked is what Mom’s invitation represents. With love and her hospitality, she invites friends into our home to share a meal and build community. Guests make our conversations sweeter and deeper and our table fuller.

Hospitality is interruptible, inclusive and open to distractions. We see this type of hospitality throughout the Bible (Jesus at the home of Martha and Mary, Luke 10:38-41, Jesus staying at the home of Zacchaeus the tax collector, Luke 19:1-11. – I know there are countless more). I have a lot to learn. It’s only through the hospitality and invitation of Christ and His sacrifice that I am able to enter into relationship with Him.

You all have offered me such hospitality. You have allowed me to come into your email, mailboxes and lives and you’ve welcomed me well. So, as I prepare for this upcoming holiday season, I want to be truly hospitable.

So, in honor of Thanksgiving, I’d like to invite you to share in some of the things I am the most thankful for this year.

Personally
• Home sweet home. My apartment space is coming together and I love that it feels like home.
• Friendships are priceless. Both my friendships in and out of the office have developed and deepened. Spiritually. I’m continuing to learn how to surrender my life to Christ every day.
Vocationally
• Advocacy Coordinator. I love my job, I really do. My primary roles in the office are to work on the design of The Cry and other publications from the office, support both my department through strategic planning and the international community as they serve the poor around the world.
Financially
• Monthly Supporters. My number of monthly supporters has doubled in the past year. I currently have 20 people who support me financially each month. The monthly support that I receive each month has allowed my support account to move closer to being in the positive territory.
• -$1,092.00. This is where my support account was at the end of October, right after my salary was pulled. Like I said in my last prayer letter, my support account was -$4,071.93 at this time last year. Thank you for how you have generously responded to my financial needs.

I am thankful that the amount of monthly supporters has grown a lot in the past year. I would love that number to continue growing. If you’re not currently a monthly supporter, I would love it if you would prayerfully consider it. The monthly support that I receive helps my support account and makes reading my monthly support update a lot easier. Also, any year-end gifts you could send on my behalf would allow me to move towards having healthy support account that is able to withstand my salary, taxes, travel and other deductions.

Next May Marcia and I hope to visit Sierra Leone, West Africa, to visit our staff and friends there. Although that trip is not for another five months or so, I need to raise a significant amount of money to cover my travel costs. I plan that this trip will cost close to $3,000 (airfare, housing and food costs). I would love to have my support account healthy enough to cover this cost by May.

Thank you all for how you’ve supported me in these two years I’ve been with Word Made Flesh. I’ve felt incredible cared for and supported by you all. From your letters, phone calls and emails, you’ve welcomed me into your lives.

I hope you and your family have a beautiful holiday season, enjoying the gift of hospitality that Christ offers us each day, Merry Christmas,

Love,
Jara