Dear Friends and Family,

I never quite know how to start these letters...

In a month (June 16^th), I will be leaving to begin the World Race.  In a month, I will have to say goodbye to the people that I love... again.  Sometimes I am cut to the core as I realize the brutal reality of the life God is beckoning me to.  It's hard.  I feel like it should get easier, considering this leaving thing is becoming a regular occurrence in my life, but the fact is, it's just not.  Sometimes I think it gets harder. My heart gets more and more spread out; I experience more brokenness and darkness than I will ever know how to express. I can't help but ask at times, is it worth it? Why do I go?

I have walked through, and sat in, hell with people.

I have seen souls and self-images destroyed by the thoughtless comments of others.

I have seen the ache of loneliness eat away at people's humanity.

I have felt the animosity of apathy.

I have seen the effects seething racism and its dark infectious grasp.

I have seen the destructive consequences of hatred.

I have held the naked.

I have lived among the forgotten.

I have seen children dying of starvation, while my belly is full of abundance.

I have stared into the cold, weary, and hopeless eyes of unfathomable and inescapable poverty.

I have had my life threatened and been caught in the brutality of violence.

I have held young boys who were too high to move, as they were stepped over by crowds who didn't care.

I have exchanged hopeless glances with girls who were driven away to sell their bodies and have their innocence stolen.

I have seen diseases eat away at those made in the image of God.
I have sat with the dying; both those who are physically dying and those whose spirit was dying.

I have experienced the deaths of over 11 beautiful individuals and close friends.

I have sat through, and partaken in, the wailing that comes from deep sorrow.

I have lingered in the despair of the brokenhearted.

And I am weary and scared. I feel like my heart has been so broken; I wonder how much more it can take. But then I remember a quote from Mother Teresa: I have found a paradox: if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love. 

It all comes back to love. I know that I serve a God of redemption, and my God will restore - He is restoring - both my broken heart and the brokenness of this world.

And...it is worth it. It's worth it because, in the darkest of places, I've seen the most light. I've been allowed to experienced hope, freedom, love, grace and peace in ways I never could have imagined. I've seen Him work in places where others would say He couldn't possibly be.

I have seen love abound and break down barriers.

I have experienced Jesus in the most unexpected places.

I have seen the power of pursuit.

I have heard hymns of praise joyfully sung by those who could be viewed as crushed.

I have been healed by the laughter of orphans.

I have watched as once apathetic hearts were stirred towards zealous action.

I have rejoiced with people who, having spent years in bondage, were set free for good.

I have seen people healed, both physically and spiritually.

I have experienced endless grace, and have been allowed to share that grace with others.

I have seen the redemption that is available to the oppressed... and to the oppressor.

I have been a part of amazing moments, when those who have been unloved realize, for the first time, how very loved they truly are.

I have learned that love break down barriers; and have seen proof that love is stronger than hatred.

I have been allowed the privilege of watching as broken lives, and a broken world, are slowly, piece by piece, put back together again.

I have felt loneliness eased when a small, dark hand reached up to grasp my white hand.

I have seen truth dawn in the darkest of places.

I have seen His kingdom come.

I have been reminded that life is more powerful than the grave, ALWAYS,

that mercy triumphs over judgment, ALWAYS,

hope is brighter than despair, ALWAYS,

that love overcomes hatred, ALWAYS,

and that grass can truly pierce through concrete.

It's worth it. Though I am small, He is not. Though I grow weak and weary, He does not. So, as I once again prepare to go, I anxiously anticipate the Kingdom come.  I wait in aching expectation to see light flood the darkness, hope abound for the hopeless; to see love, straight from the Holy Spirit, consume the world.

So here I am: raw, broken... full of hope. My eyes have seen the beauty of what God can do, and that is worth it.  It is real, this living hope, freedom is possible. I have seen it.

I desperately ask that you would please be praying for me, my team, and the people we will meet. Please pray that our hearts would be rooted in Him and that we would be a team that is unified and devoted to following the Spirit. Please pray for our finances -  that all of our funding would be in our accounts by the time we leave, so our minds can be fully focused. Pray that our hearts would be stirred to love everyone we encounter and that we would miss no opportunity to love with the love of Christ.

Thank you for taking the time to read my rant. You are all such an encouragement in my life. I wish I had words to convey the immense blessing that each of you are.

Grace & Peace,

Sydney Sample

Oops... I almost forgot. A HUGE "thanks" to all of you who have so graciously supported me. I hate the whole money part, but... so far, I have raised $9039.00 of the $14,300.00 needed. I am still in need of  $5261.00. If you could also pray for the financial aspect of this journey God has me on that would be awesome. If you are interested in supporting me (awkward!) please go to: sydneysample.myadventures.org for information on how to do so.

Dear Friends and Family,

Brokenness. I feel like that is the word that describes what God has been doing in me for the past year.  Since being home from South Africa and Swaziland, I once again find myself wrecked.  I have seen the brokenness of this world; I have sat in the midst of immense heartache and pain; I have experienced the chasm between light and dark, despair and hope, death and life.

I have been broken and I don't think my heart will ever recover.

And at the same time, I have seen the hope of Jesus come alive; I have seen how His love changes people. I have experienced the power of the love of Christ - a love that transcends all language barriers and cultural differences. I have seen that His love never fails. With each experience, I feel as though I plunge deeper into the heart of Jesus and it has left me forever changed.

My prayer has been that God would continually lead me where He wants me and that He would put His heart within me. I didn't know how beautiful, and painful, that ache would be.  I also had no idea how dangerous that prayer was or what He would dare me to do next...

I honestly thought that the next phase of my life would be more "normal," that God would have me stationary for a while. However, after a lot of prayer (and arguing with Him) and through very clear confirmation, God made it painfully obvious that He has other plans in mind.

So... this summer, June 2010, I will be leaving on an 11-month journey called The World Race.

The World Race is a ministry of Adventures in Missions (the organization I've served with this past year). During the World Race, we will travel to 11 different countries in 11 months for the purpose of bringing the love and the hope of Christ to the nations. Along with a team of around 40, I will be traveling to the following countries:

Ireland, Ukraine, Romania, Israel, Egypt, Kenya

Uganda, Explore Africa, Thailand, Cambodia, Explore Asia

We will spend one month in each country.  We will be living among the people and will be involved in a variety of different ministries including: pub ministry in Ireland, working with the prostitutes of Thailand, loving the orphans of Kenya and Uganda, living with gypsies in Romania, and being open to any other challenges or opportunities that the Lord puts before us.

Honestly, I'm scared. I feel as though I have seen so much pain already and I wonder how much more my heart can take. I know that God will show us the power and beauty of His love, but also there is raw reality of poverty, slavery and sickness, loneliness and heartache. This world is broken, but I know that God is putting it back together. He is daring me, once more, to go; to help bring at least a little bit of His Kingdom to those broken, forgotten places of the world.

Sometimes I feel so small and inadequate, but I was recently reminded of the radical love that I have seen and experienced - and reminded that this love is too great not to share with the rest of the world. I have seen hope come alive in the darkest of places, I have seen the beauty of the love of Christ take root in hardened hearts, I have seen God change people. So yes, I am small... but His love is not.

So, as I wonder if my heart can handle any more, God quietly assures me that He has it all in His hands. He assures me that His love never fails and that it will not fail to sustain my broken heart. So, because His love is better than life, I will trust Him and I will follow. I am scared and unsure, but it is an honor to obey.

I have been so humbled by the prayer support I've received this last year.  Knowing that I have a support system that intercedes on my behalf and on behalf of the nations has brought me more encouragement than you know. I cannot tell you all the ways I've felt the strength of prayer; I have seen barriers broken as God's people cry out. I know that it is only through prayer that this trip is possible. I have seen how crucial it is to seek the Lord for every step of the journey.  I am sincerely asking nothing more than for you to join me in crying out to the Father on behalf of the poor, the oppressed, the voiceless, the orphan and the widow. I am asking you to pray for my team and our ministry, that we would be God's hands and feet and love the unloved; that God would give us His heart and His vision. I ask for prayers that God would provide all that is needed and that, above all, my heart and the hearts of our team would be solely focused on Jesus and bringing His love to others.

I want to thank you so much for allowing me to share what God has been doing in my life.  I look forward to all that God is going to do, for He never ceases to surprise me. I long to follow after the heart of Christ and to see the redemption He offers to all who are broken. I ache for His Kingdom to come on earth as it is in Heaven. So... once again I say, "Here I am, send me!" and God takes me seriously. I have got to be more careful about what I pray...

Grace & Peace,

Sydney Sample

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Now, I hope you hear my heart when I say that, above all, I desperately want and need your prayers. However, the unfortunate part of missions is that it costs money. Here is the part where I get really uncomfortable... The total cost for this trip is $14,300. I know that God can do all things but, to be honest, this amount seems insurmountable to me. I trust the Lord and He clearly said that He would provide, but I also believe that He is calling me to be responsible. In order to gain funds for the World Race, I am currently working one job and actively looking for a second.  I am also in the process of planning different ways to raise money including a rummage sale, selling my car, etc.  In addition to praying for my trip, I also ask that you would join me in prayer over finances.

I want you all to know how very much I appreciate the time that you have taken to read this letter. I would never want to view any relationships as a way to "raise support". I hope you hear my heart when I say that, above all else, I desire your prayers.  If you would like to talk to me, to ask questions or hear how God has worked in this past year, or to hear more about the Race, please feel free to contact me at 501-944-9278; blabaholic@swbell.net, or through facebook.

Thank you so much for your time... you are a blessing!

Yesterday we had children from several of the care points we work at come to our base to work on an art project. The compound was covered with children that I had never seen before. Immediately there was one child that caught my eye. Only about three years old, he was wearing a tattered shirt, had no pants and was dowsed in dirt. Many of the children laughed at him because he was covered in his own filth; having no bladder control, every time he stood he would wet himself. He was just a baby but was old enough to be hurt by the laughter. I was standing behind him as we were getting organized for the art project and I watched as another little boy, also about three, held his hand and sat with him. I saw this little boy reach out in ways that, not only the other children wouldn't, but that many of us wouldn't. As I watched this three year old reach out to the untouched, unsought-out, filthy and beautiful little boy I was convicted. I saw Jesus. Our arms were made to embrace, to love, to touch and to reach out to those that are shunned. Had I forgotten? I knew what I was called to do. I took the beautiful little boy by the hand and brought him inside. I got to bathe him and clothe him, it was a beautiful and holy moment. We wrapped him up in an oversized towel and gave him a new shirt that fully covered him. Reaching out to the untouched, restoring dignity, seeing a little boy who holds the hand of his unclothed, untouched peer... this is love and this is Christ. I don't believe that boy saw the nakedness of his friend, I think that he saw a beautiful, beloved child of God. He had Christ's eyes. May we all see as that little boy, may we reach out to the unclothed and unloved and show them the immense love and acceptance of Christ.