I Raise 100% of My Funds

While I was in the United States this summer, I realized that there is some confusion among some of my supporters about how their financial gifts are used to support me here in Romania.

Some Nazarene missionaries receive a salary and benefits (such as a place to live) from the Church. There are some Nazarene Mission Corps missionaries who serve in places where the Church of the Nazarene provides for their meals and housing because they live on a college campus. This is not my situation here in Romania. I need to raise 100% of my funds.

Although I say, “I need to raise 100% of my funds,” someone will ask, “But the Church pays for your plane ticket home, right?” No. I have to raise money for a plane ticket. “But the Church pays for your gas money to speak at churches, right?” No. I have to spend part of the money I raise to do fund-raising. I even have to pay to attend missionary retreats.

None of my funding comes directly from the Church of the Nazarene’s global mission budget, meaning I need to raise 100% of my funds. Some of my normal expenses include food and housing, insurance, language classes, and transportation within Romania. My trip to the US this summer had added expenses, such as my trans-Atlantic flight, money for gas (and car repairs when the car broke down) while in the US, and buying supplies to bring back to Romania (like a smoke detector). All of those expenses are ones that I have had to raise.

In addition to these expenses (which I raise funds for), I need to use my own money to pay for personal items, such as clothing, shoes, books, music, or movies. I also need to have enough in savings to pay for college loans. Since I don’t receive a salary, I am not able to regularly make contributions to retirement savings.

As I begin my second consecutive year of service in Romania, I want to thank the generous donors who have given and those who give on a monthly basis to help with my expenses. For information about how you can give to support my financial needs, click here. Every gift makes a difference, and no gift is too small.

I want to mention that although I do not receive any direct funding from the Church of the Nazarene, I indirectly receive some of the benefits of being part of the Church of the Nazarene, such as collaboration with those who work at the Eurasia Regional Office and the Global Ministry Center.