I am sitting here watching the 2018 Billboard Music Awards, and in Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech for Best Female Artist, this is what she said:

"I want to thank all the female artists that paved the way for us to get to do what we do the way we get to do it. All the new female artists who are killing it out there right now, we are so inspired by you. Shout out to the future female artists who just picked up a guitar or learned how to play piano." 

Because here’s the truth: Women use their gifts when they see other women use their gifts. 

It was true in Taylor’s life, and it has certainly been true in my life. (Because Taylor Swift and I are pretty much the same.)

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Earlier this year, the Ethiopian government passed a law banning international adoption. It broke our heart because we know how full the orphanages are in Ethiopia. As an organization whose heartbeat is orphan prevention, we realize this new law has elevated the importance of what we do. Empower women with a skill and provide them with a job, which in turn gives them a way to provide for their own children and preserves the family.

With this change, we saw an opportunity to reimagine what kind of impact and influence our organization could have in our city. After all, the best way we can serve our community is to adapt to the needs in the community, right?

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Have you ever had the thought, “Why am I putting so much of my time and energy into this mission trip when only 7 students are going?”

Me too. 

So I spent the last several years figuring out a few different ways to maximize the investment in the mission trip experience. I wanted to find ways to get more students involved in the mission trip, even if they would not actually be traveling for the mission trip. 

Here are a few things that worked for me: 

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I love watching shows like American Idol, America's Got Talent & The Voice, because I love listening to the judges give feedback and respond to someone sharing their gift. I realized it’s making me a better leader.

You are probably wondering what in the world I am talking about…

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One degree of separation stands between hot water and boiling point.

One point can be the difference between winning and losing a competition.

One word can be the difference between a good or bad conversation.

One missed iceberg was all it took to sink the Titanic.

One degree closer to the sun and the earth would be too hot to sustain life.

For a number so small, the number one is actually really big.

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Have you ever wanted to go to Africa? Have you ever wanted to fully experience a different culture? Have you ever wanted to drink a cup of coffee in the country where it was first discovered? Do you have a desire to learn more about yourself, God, and the world?

Then this #117trip is for you.

We will be taking a team from around the country to the birthplace of coffee, and the only African country that was never colonized, making it one of the richest and most unique cultures on the planet.

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Imagine you have a bucket. Every time you try to fill the bucket, 85% of the water leaks out instantly, and you’re left with a measly 15%. I’m guessing that you probably won’t attempt to fill that bucket more than once or twice before you either fix the bucket or get a new one. What’s funny is that we wouldn’t think twice about fixing or replacing the leaking bucket, right?

But when it comes to teaching and learning, we tend to keep trying to fill our broken bucket instead of replacing it with one that actually works, one that actually holds the water we’re pouring into it.  

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The excitement is building as you're preparing for your mission trip… until you remember that one other thing on your to-do list: fundraising. Fundraising is one of the most daunting parts of preparing for a mission trip. Let’s be honest: Asking for money feels weird. It’s just not a comfortable thing to do.

So to help you help your students (and yourself!) raise the money you need for your mission trips this summer, I want to share just a few hacks I’ve learned along the way.

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I did an interview recently with Carry 117, the organization I work with in Ethiopia. I had a chance to talk about how and why I became interested in Ethiopia in the first place, what exactly my role entails with Carry 117, and what my motivation is behind it all. I also had a chance to share some of the things I have learned along the way.

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