Support Letter Text

First of all, I want you to know that I am writing you this letter because you have been a significant part of my life and of my personal development. After my first semester at Asbury College, I would like to share what God is teaching me and where He is leading me.

As some of you know, the road to Asbury was not as smooth as I had expected, and when a scholarship that I was counting on fell through, God provided another way. It was a humbling reminder of God’s mighty hand at work in my life. As I have learned to entrust my life to my Creator, I have begun to live with eyes focused upward instead of at myself.

During the first few weeks of class, I heard about various mission trips over spring break and the summer, but didn’t give them much thought because I was still adjusting to college life. I received a senior mentor named Elisabeth Key who met with me every Thursday morning to read the book of Romans and talk about my transition into college life. About a month ago, I began asking her about mission trips where I could use both my Spanish and film gifts. Since she is involved with WGM (World Gospel Mission), she recommended I look there. It was a complete answer to prayer to find out that Nathan Waggoner, head of WGM at Asbury was co-leading a trip to Argentina over spring break and needed someone to document their work and make a video for the ministry there. After meeting with Nathan, I felt that this was exactly where God wanted me to be – using both of my interests for His glory!

Our team is made up of about ten Asbury Freshman, Sophomores, and Juniors. One of which, Joel Archer, grew up in Mendoza, where his parents are still serving today. The trip will last the duration of spring break – from March 13-22. My team will be working in Mendoza, Argentina working on construction projects for AMAD (translated from Spanish: Association in Mendoza of the Activities of the Disabled. The acronym also means “love”), a vocational school for children with special needs. Specifically, we will be putting in a pool for aqua-therapy.

I am eager to see how the Lord brings our group, the AMAD ministry, and Joel’s parents who are still serving in Mendoza together for the single purpose of drawing the lost to Him for His glory. An opportunity to serve like this, of course, has its costs. Each of us need to raise $2000 to cover the costs of travel, lodging, food, and building supplies. I am already planning on working more hours at Starbucks, and invite you to join my team in financially supporting our trip to Mendoza, Argentina. Enclosed you will find WGM’s donor support form with instructions for how to send in your support. I know that wallets are tight, especially after the Christmas season and weak economy, so if you are unable to support us financially, I would also invite you to support us with your prayers. Specifically, I would ask that you pray that those working at AMAD would persevere and that the Lord would renew their strength every day. I have learned this past year to not underestimate the power of prayer. If God is with us, orchestrating this trip, He will answer our prayers in ways that we never thought possible.

I am so thankful for your presence in my life and cannot begin to describe the blessings that Asbury College has brought me - many of which came in ways that I had never expected. So I pray that God would bless you in unexpected ways as well in this New Year.

Sincerely,

Elisa Platillero
elisa.platillero@asbury.edu
http://www.asburywgm.org