The day I arrived home from The World Race was very confusing for me because I expected to be nothing but excited when I stepped off the plane in Dallas. I was excited to see my loved ones but at the same time I immediately felt a void that I had never experienced before. I prayed about it and even tried to fill the void but it is still there. The void is "community."
This past week I had the opportunity to spend a few days with my World Race teammates and for a few short days the void left... But as the "goodbyes" came, the void slowly came back. When the final goodbye came at the airport I literally found myself in tears until sometime after the plane took off, and they have made a couple of appearances since. I do not like to admit that I am a needy person, but I am telling you that I NEED community. I need to be around people that are after the same things as me and understand me in a way that others can't. I believe that God has made a special community for everyone of us, it is just our job to find it and I have found mine.
I will be moving to Georgia sometime in the beginning of March to do a 6 month apprenticeship with Adventures in Missions, which is the organization that sends out The World Race. I will be working with people that are getting ready to go on The World Race, encouraging them and telling them about my life changing experience this past year. I will be surrounded by a community that loves me, people that have the same desires as me, and people that will be pouring into me in the way that God intended it. I am so excited that God has opened this door because I am excited to further my walk with Him, encourage others in their walk with Him and continue to learn what it means to really bring God's Kingdom to Earth. It is all about a journey with Him and completing the destiny that He has made for us, He just so graciously gives us other people to walk alongside us.
My apprenticeship with AIM is support raised, which means I have to raise $9,000 before the end of the 6 months. I am currently at about $1600 and must have $3000 before I can even make the move to Georgia. So again I ask you to please pray about supporting me financially for the next season of my life that God is calling me into. This past year was the most amazing year of my life, He has transformed me into a totally different person and I am wrecked for His Kingdom. It was only possible because you were obedient to His voice when He asked you to support me. Thank you!
If you feel like He is leading you to support me for the AIM apprenticeship, you can continue to follow me through my World Race blog http://karafrate.theworldrace.org and on the left hand side of the screen there is a link that says "support me." Once you have clicked on that link you will see the options to support me, and all donations made there will go directly into my account.
As always prayers are accepted, Please pray for me as transition is never easy.
Thank you again for your continued support!
Kara Frate
As I watch the news broadcasts from Haiti and hear the
people of America respond I continually hearthese comments among many others crossing the lips ofthe people I am surrounded by....
"Why would God allow this?"
"Turn the channel it is too much for
me"
"Maybe God is punishing them"
"What can we do to help?"
"How will Haiti ever come out of this?"
To all of these questions I do not have
an answer, but I do know this...
Exactly 11 months ago I was entering
into my 2nd month on The World Race in the country of Haiti.My team was staying in an orphanage called
Canaan, not too far out of Port Au Prince.Although my team and I were blessed beyond measure if you were to ask me
what my least favorite country was on the race, "Haiti" would be at the top of
my list.From being surrounded by great
people and being treated like a queen, there was really no explanation for the
feelings I had towards this country and quite frankly it wasn't fair.I found myself asking God "Why do I feel this
way?" but I never felt like I got an answer until now....
The moment I heard there had been an
earthquake in Haiti my mind immediately started flooding with memories from my
time spent there, and the memories have not stopped.I have memories of precious children that I
loved dearly, I have memories of walking into a low funded smelly hospital and
basically having to walk around puddles of blood so that I could pray over some
sick person who was covered in flies,the first thing I noticed upon arrival were the trucks covered in
witchcraft symbols, I remember watching out my window at the people with their
candles lit selling goods amidst the night life and chaos of Port Au Prince and
being so happy I was not in the back of the truck.
As I reminisce the reasons for my
feelings become so obvious to me.As
Americans we have good health systems, safety, money, churches on every
cornerand much more.As Haitians, they do not have any of the
above.... Talk about being uncomfortable...I was stepping into a sea of uncomfortableness and I did not know how to
handle it so I shut down.Now 11 months
later as I look at a country I never wanted to enter into again, My heart
breaks for them and I can't help but want to be there.People the reality is that God did not call
us to be comfortable.As a matter of
fact everything He ask me to do is very uncomfortable, but that is what you are
called to by being a follower of Christ!It is time for the church to rise up and claim their inheritance..If you shut down, the enemy wins!.People are going to be hard to love, but LOVE
THEM ANYWAY!He may call you to a
foreign land where the spiritual climate is wack, suck it up... You may live in
the Bible belt, but that's not the rest of the world.THIS WORLD NEEDS JESUS, BOTTOM LINE!!So lets get off our butts and go do something
about it instead of judging and instead of being scared of the unknown.God set YOU apart before you were born for a
specific purpose....What would the
world look like if we all found ourpurpose?
I am not God and I do not claim to have
all of the answers but did anyone ever stop to think that maybe, just maybe
stuff like this happens to wake up the church? Not Haiti.....
THIS IS A BLOG MY TEAMMATE LIZ FROBA POSTED TODAY REGARDING THE TRAGEDY IN HAITI.. AS YOU ALL KNWO WE WERE THERE IN FEB, SO THIS IS HARD FOR US... PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR THIS COUNTRY...
If you have followed my blog you know i have a heart Haiti and have spent a significant amount of time there. What you may have not known is I am planning to return in 6 weeks and now hope to return sooner. Despite the tragedies that have occurred in the last 24 hours I have every intention of still going at the end of February and if I can come up with the money to get there and put a team together I will go sooner. Here is an email you will probably be receiving if I have your email, but just in case I knew this blog would hit a lot of people. Please pray about helping. Please pray for this country and these people. Please pray for God to move in a mighty way in the midst of this tragedy and for people to turn to Him. God is in control, I believe that...and He will be glorified in this mess. Contact me with any questions via the email me link on the left. Read how you can help below.
Hi Friends & Family,
If you are in my address book, you are receiving this email. If you would like to help, I will give you a few ways you can as well as update you on my current situation. I am sure by now you have heard of the tragedy that took place yesterday in Haiti. The capital Port-au-Prince where approximately 2,000,000 people live has been destroyed. It is truly heartbreaking, whether you have spent time in the country or not. Some of you received an email a couple weeks sharing about an upcoming trip I am taking to Haiti in February. This trip is still scheduled and if I can get there earlier to help then I will do so. As long as a plane will land I have every intent of going. I am currently unemployed and in in transit so whatever I can do to help this country and people I love, I will. Unfortunately, being unemployed limits my ability to help financially so that is where I need you to help. I am sending this email to 700 people. If everyone gave $10, that would be $7000 towards relief efforts. Let's be honest..$10 is one meal at Panera, I'm broke and I can afford that. I think the pictures all over the web and facebook will give you the motivation to do so. (Click here to see the one on my facebook: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3835952&l=8ea943f420&id=502501431) There are two ways you can go about helping. Keep reading.
You can send the funds to me at: Liz Froba 2066 Weddington Lakes Dr Weddington, NC 28104. You can make the checks out to me or if you want a tax receipt to Canaan Orphanage. Canaan is a 501(c)3 organization run by my friend Chris Hlavacek. You can also give through the Canaan Orphanage webiste: http://www.canaanorphanage.org - this is set up through paypal. The money will be funneled to where it is needed and use it to get help down there along with food and medical supplies.
I will continue to send updates via my world race blog, my new blog: lizfroba.blogspot.org, and facebook...I still don't understand Twitter yet.
The reports from Canaan are good. They are safe. There were 3 kids that I know of who were in Port that they have been unable to get in contact with. All cells in Haiti are down. Pastor Henry has also had no contact with his family, who all lives in Port. This morning Pastor Henry and Elsie went in to Port to try to find them. Please pray for Pascal, Stepenson and Yolnide...as well as many former Canaanites and their families who live in PAP. I have also received updates from Dony St. Germain and the orphanage connected with Christ Covenant. They are pretty far from Port and reports are good. Some damage, but not devestating.
This country needs are help. Even $5 makes a difference. Thank you for reading this. God is in control and He will help His people.
Peace-Liz
PS - If you live in the Charlotte area, please keep reading: Two needs: Going to try and collect extra supplies to take down in Feb. If you have medical supplies or clothes you would like to donate, please contact me via email. I will be back in Charlotte on Feb 2nd. Also, this is a request outside of Haiti. I am really in need of a truck or suburban to move stuff to NJ. The rental trucks are outrageously priced for my current financial situation. If you can help or know someone that can, please let me know. Looking to move stuff in Feb or early March. Can give a honda accord in exchange for a truck. THANKS!
11 months ago I found myself searching to find who God was. I wanted to know Him and I told Him
I would do "anything" to get there. That "anything" word is a very bold word to pray....
I soon found myself boarding a plane for The Dominican Republic scared out of my mind but with the mindset of
"Missions, what a great way to find Him. Its bound to happen." The truth is it didn't take me long to find Him. God doesnt hide from us but
we can't see Him until we truly want to see Him. I didn't find God because I was doing a "good christian" thing, I found God because I finally
came to a place where I had a longing to find God and I knew that I needed Him.
He can be found in many forms...
It was in my lowest of lows this year that I found Him in the peace and the comfort that washed over me.
It was in my 5 amazing sisters who lavished His love on me.
It was in the childrens faces of many nations.
It was in His word.
It was in the beauty of His creation.
It was in the way He provided for us and the faithfulness He proved.
It was in His protection over our all girls team.
It was in the unity and love in our team that could only be formed by Him.
It was even in the way He worked in our families at home.
It was in the moments that I felt His presence and love so thick that I couldn't stand.
It was in the tears of joy and the tears of stretching.
These are just a few to begin with... I could never explain to you the many ways that I experienced and found God this year.. Honestly, I don't even know how to explain to you what all happened in the physical and in the spiritual this year. The only thing I know to tell you is that when I left in Jan I left to find Him and that is exactly what happened, and in the process I found myself. I learned what it truly looks like to be a follower of Jesus and what it looks like to totally devote your life to Him. I was forced to seek answers in His word and in that I builta foundation on Him. Although I am still the same person, with the same weird quirks and personality.. I am forever changed and I have a whole new outlook on who God is. I got Him out of His box and noticed that He is really big. I am more alive than I have ever been in my life. I am walking in His freedom and love and it is the most amazing thing I have ever experienced.
The truth is God has already found everyone of us, he is waiting for you to respond. When you finally decide you want to find Him, there is no telling the adventure that lies ahead in the revealing process. For me it started with The World Race. For some people it may be in some way not as obvious,but everyones "God Adventure" is unique because He designed it just for you. Who knows what He has in mind for you. Dare to take the chance and pray the word "anything."
THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALL OF MY SUPPORTERS FOR EVEN MAKING MY "GOD ADVENTURE" POSSIBLE. HE WILL HONOR YOUR OBEDIENCE.
End of Blog.. but please read below...
Like I said, My journey "began" with The World Race. The next step I plan on taking is in Gainesville, GA doing a 6 month apprenticeship with Adventures in Missions working with The World Race department. I will be doing a few different things with one of them being getting people excited about The World Race by telling them how it impacted my life and in the process still figuring out where I fit. This does mean I am back in the support raising world and will need to raise $9000. I will need to raise $3000 before I leave for Georgia so that determines how soon I will start with the earliest being Jan 1st, 2010. My support account stands at $1356 which is awesome but I still do not have enough to start the apprenticeship.
Please pray about supporting me financially for the next step of my journey.... I can continue to be supported through my World Race blog by just clicking the "support me" link on the left hand side of the screen.
As most of you should know my last month of the race looked different. There were only 4 members of team BLING together this month including Blair, Liz, Shannon and Myself. Kristen and Ashley were in Berlin, Germany working with the "burn" ministry which is a worship ministry. The 4 of us traveled to Poland, Germany, and The Czech Republic. Although we were a part all 6 of us had an amazing month. Once again my teammate Shannon made a video from our month.. There is a little bit of Kristen and Ashley's ministry in the video but I will try to post their own personal video asap. Please enjoy : )
I arrive back in The States on Monday and I cannot wait to reunite with all of you that I love so much. With that said I need you to know that things may look a little different than you are expecting. Remember, I am leaving a family that I have spent 11 months along side and I am sad. I have been broken to the core this year and the people that I went through it with will not be around. This will be a tough issue for me. There may be moments when I break down in tears for no apparent reason.. I may not be able to express to you what happened this year because I don't know what happened this year.. I am going to need time to process. Just know that I LOVE ALL OF YOU and I have missed you so much.. I can't wait to be able to share everything with you, just as soon as I figure it out. See you soon!
As I reflect back over the past 11 months I see a girl fighting not to come on this trip. I see a team and a squad fighting for me to stay on this trip. Through out the year I have found myself fighting to believe and fighting for my faith to be strengthened. There have been times where I've found myself at the lowest of lows fighting to see the littlest glimpse of His face. There have also been times that I have found myself on my knees fighting for my team, my squad and people at home, for their faith and for their hearts. As I have watched my team and I this year I have seen all of us fight through the stretching with tears and with laughter. Now as we prepare to go home I see people fight to stay engaged for the last leg of our trip, I see other people fighting for them. I see myself fighting through the tears and heartache that comes with "transition." I am fighting to receive all of the closure I need from this year, so that I will be able to begin the next season of my life. Through all of the fight I have never had to fight alone. This year I have learned a lot of things and among those things I have learned that it's always a fight, or at least it should be. You are either fighting to be closer to Him or you are fighting for someone else. The biggest quirk about being in the family of God is that you never have to fight alone. The Lord knows it's a battle, but He doesn't leave you hanging. He gives you people to fight "with" you, and He gives you people to fight "for." Through all of the fight this year I have watched Him stretch me into the woman He called me to be. He gets the glory. He is the fight initiator and the over comer. Just like a physical fight, it hurts sometimes. But being in the fight with God is the greatest thing you could ever partake in. It's full of ups and downs, tears and laughter and lots of stretching and with each battle you can rejoice because we already know who over comes and with each fight you get one step closer to Him.
Well... Here it is.. The month I never thought would come, Month 11...
Of course the questions have started being asked with the main one being "What's next?" So many people have asked me this question, so I thought I would write a blog to answer the entire audience at once.
First let me just start with " I ask myself & God this question more then you will ever know." As of right now I only know that my next step is to go home and to love on my family and friends for a while. The thing that scares me is that I don't know how long that "while" will be. I know that God has big plans for me and is going to require more of me, and I know that with every transition comes heartache and stretching. So when I look at that side of it I find myself asking "Can I do this again?"
The truth is.. I can't do this alone. As a matter of fact I can't even do this with a little bit of me. It has to be all Him. But in order for
Him to be able to bring me into a new season I have to be willing to get out of the way. Of course hard things come with transition, but there is a positive side as well and the positive side are the blessings that God bestows on us our of our obedience. It's finding heaven on earth, while bringing heaven to earth. So here is my answer for every new season from here on out.. As scary as it may be...
" I am letting go of the reins and letting God take contol, He will bring me into the "next" step whether it hurts or not I will choose to look at the Kingdom side of things and rejoice when I am uncomfortable because I will know I am one step closer to being fit for the service.
"No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the Kingdom of God."
Luke 9:62
BLING @ the beginning of this year..... MONTH 1...
While you were dodging Ghouls and Goblins this is what I was doing...
I woke up at 8am, stumbled into the kitchen and Blair told me to go back to bed because I am sick and she wanted me to rest. It didn't take much convincing me (surprise surprise) I turned right back around and slept until 11:15. After a quick shower and a chocolate sandwich for lunch we left for the Polish airport around 12:15. Once we arrived at the airport I checked my luggage, bought some Haribo gummy bears and boarded a hot pink airplane 1 hour later. In what seemed like 15 minutes the pilot said "prepare for landing", I am still convinced it was only a 15 min flight but anyway... As soon as we entered Germany The Lord was showing off outside the airplane windows with His gorgeous snow capped mountains. I was in Awe. We landed in Memmingen, Germany and got in a taxi with Mrs. Jeff Gordon to the train station and from there took a train to Munich. We arrived in Munich and immediately began to search for our hostel, we walked in a circle around the city and after coughing up a lung we ended up taking the tram in front of the "train station", which took us straight to our hostel. My roommates include Liz, Blair, Shannon, a German lady that does not speak english and a German man that does not speak english. The language barrier doesn't seem to be a problem though because the girl was still able to communicate to Shannon "Get your light out of my face" and the man only wakes up when he needs a swig of his beer. I just had cheeto puffs and chocolate for dinner, now with my knife and Bible at my bedside I think I will go to sleep and pray I don't get bed bugs...
--- We did stay in a Hostel our first night in Munich, but we have been in houses with very nice people since.. We will be in Munich through Wednesday and we will head to a little town called LAM on Thursday... I will keep you posted on stuff that actually matters in the near future... Thanks for keeping up with me.. : )
As I said before this last month is going to look different for many reasons. The first reason being that there was an amazing opportunity for prophetic worship with an organization in Berlin, Germany. This caused H-SQUAD to form a 9th team, which included 2 of my teammates Kristen and Ashley. They are both very gifted in worship and bringing light to the darkness, my selfishness misses them so much but I am very excited for their opportunity this month. The 4 members of Team BLING that are still together prayed about where we felt God leading us this last month and we felt like we were supposed to travel to many countries telling people about our year and The World Race, and building possible world race contacts for future racers. Our travel will look like this... Poland, Germany, Czech Republic, Austria (for final debrief). We are currently in Poland, it has been an awesome 4 days. I LOVE this place, the food, the people and everything else. We have met some really amazing people that are bringing Gods Kingdom to Poland and we will fly to Germany tomorrow. I am very excited about sharing my experience from this month with you through my blogs, so I will be posting some in the near future. Thank you for following my journey this year.
Please continue to pray for my team and I, including my two teammates in Berlin as we close up our last month of The Race.
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This past week I had the opportunity to spend a few days with my World Race teammates and for a few short days the void left... But as the "goodbyes" came, the void slowly came back. When the final goodbye came at the airport I literally found myself in tears until sometime after the plane took off, and they have made a couple of appearances since. I do not like to admit that I am a needy person, but I am telling you that I NEED community. I need to be around people that are after the same things as me and understand me in a way that others can't. I believe that God has made a special community for everyone of us, it is just our job to find it and I have found mine.
If you have followed my blog you know i have a heart Haiti and have spent a significant amount of time there. What you may have not known is I am planning to return in 6 weeks and now hope to return sooner. Despite the tragedies that have occurred in the last 24 hours I have every intention of still going at the end of February and if I can come up with the money to get there and put a team together I will go sooner. Here is an email you will probably be receiving if I have your email, but just in case I knew this blog would hit a lot of people. Please pray about helping. Please pray for this country and these people. Please pray for God to move in a mighty way in the midst of this tragedy and for people to turn to Him. God is in control, I believe that...and He will be glorified in this mess. Contact me with any questions via the email me link on the left. Read how you can help below.
update you on my current situation. I am sure by now you have heard of the tragedy that took place yesterday in 
to get in contact with. All cells in Haiti are down. Pastor Henry has also had no contact with his family, who all lives in Port. This morning Pastor Henry and Elsie went in to Port to try to find them. Please pray for Pascal, Stepenson and Yolnide...as well as many former 
