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My Experience Fundraising & “My Lil’ Wedding Feast”

Posted on Thursday, December 5, 2024

If you were to ask me three months ago, I truly saw fundraising as a necessary evil. “I mean it’s what missionaries seem to do, so I guess it’s what I’ll do too”. And along with my presupposition about fundraising, I had underlying fears stepping into when seemed such a daunting task. Would I be a burden to others? Would I come across as inauthentic or disingenuous? Was I even worth the funds?

 

Sure these fears question my identity but more than that, they questioned the character of God. That realization brought me to my knees in repentance. I found myself echoing Peter’s words in John 6:68-69: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” Where else could I possibly turn? It is only in life with Jesus that my soul finds true solace. It is only with Jesus that I am made whole.

 

Since reorienting myself around a biblical understanding of fundraising and immersing myself in life-giving, God-fearing community,  I’ve come to see so much beauty in what I once dismissed as a “necessary evil.”

 

One of my long-walk-thoughts has led me to consider how fundraising could be compared to planning a wedding. (Disclaimer: I have never planned a wedding. My self-appointed expertise just comes from having seen enough people do it haha). Allow me to explain…

 

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The Planning Process

Just like a wedding involves choosing venues, inviting guests, and managing countless details, fundraising requires building a support network, sharing your mission, and inviting others to join you. Both can feel overwhelming, with moments of doubt and uncertainty about whether it will all come together.

 

Vulnerability and Trust

At a wedding, the couple shares their vows, and in fundraising, you share your mission. Both require vulnerability and faith that God will move hearts to support how he sees fit. Asking for this support—whether emotional, spiritual, or financial—takes humility, but it also creates space for others to join in something meaningful and glorifying to God.

 

The Sweetest Moment

The best part? Looking out and seeing all the people who said “yes.” At a wedding, it’s friends and family who show up to celebrate your new beginning. In fundraising, it’s those who believe in what the Lord is doing through this missions opportunity and want to help make it happen. In this way, it is not only a call to celebrate, but also a call to invest. The beauty is in the reminder that you’re not alone. The God who started this good work in you will carry it out to completion every time (Phil 1:6).

 

Shared Joy

Both weddings and fundraising are about more than just the goal—they’re about the community gathering in celebration. The challenges fade when you get to see how God brings together HIS people to accomplish HIS purposes. How beautiful is the body working together in unity!

 

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So to those who have supported me, thank you for coming to my wedding? HA. It sounds goofy when I say it like that. But honestly, I have been blessed beyond measure by those who have come alongside me throughout my life and wish to continue to do so in this next phase of life.

Raise a glass!!

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