Hi Friends and Prayer Warriors
Those of you receiving our monthly newsletters will be aware of the $12,000 shortfall in our support account for the year. Since support-raising is the least favorite part of our ministry with AIM, Athol has expanded our support-raising efforts by signing up for the Six Gap Century Bicycle Race on the 28th of September. Quite frankly, I think he’s nuts, but he’s willing to go the extra 100 miles and climb 10,700 feet to earn your once off gift or pledge/mile towards our shortfall amount! The Six Gap Century is one of the most grueling routes through the mountains surrounding Dahlonega and North Georgia.
Because of the busy summer and being in South Africa for most of July, his training is a little behind schedule. However, he is training hard in the 90 plus degree heat in order to gain your support. I have included the link to the Six Gap Century website, and invite you to visit the website to view the route he will be riding. For those unable to support his efforts financially, we’d really treasure your prayers for Athol’s training and for the race itself. (http://www.cyclenorthgeorgia.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=51&Itemid=35).
We have found that people are less willing to support our ministry since we are based in Gainesville and not out on the field. However, Athol’s position as Director of Project Management means that he oversees the set-up of all 42 of the AIM locations around the world, and has a staff of 20 fulltime workers reporting to him. His responsibilities include overseeing the budget and Project Leader dispersements for over 162 mission trips every year. In addition to this, he personally leads several mission trips every year. His role also involves frequent travel in order to set up new locations and maintain ministry partnerships and relationships in our established locations. Though the bulk of the year is spent in an office setting, his ministry with AIM impacts thousands – those on the mission field in each of our locations, as well as the thousands of short-team missionaries that participate in AIM trips each year.
Thank you for taking the time to read this letter, and for your continued support of our ministry. Your prayer support is just as important to us as financial support, and we love and appreciate every one of you. We serve a Faithful and Mighty God – as a result, our fund-raising target is $12,000! I have attached a pledge form to this letter. If you would like to participate in this fund-raising effort, please complete the form and return it to us as soon as possible. If you are unable to fill out the form, we will accept email or telephonic pledges. Either reply to this email or call Athol on (404)317-6097 with your pledge. As well as pledging you prayer support, you have the opportunity to give a once-off monitory gift, or pledge a certain amount per mile completed.
Blessings!
Athol, Debbie, Christie and Joshua Barnes
