make love your aim.

Make love your aim.

1 Corinthians 14:1, NJB

My first "assignment" for YL CR was to read Henri J.M. Nouwen's, A Spirituality of Fundraising.  Nouwen has some great insights and lots of wisdom when it comes to raising financial support.  Fundraising is more that just raising money.  In fact, if we're only raising money we've missed the point.  It is so much more than hitting a number in a bank account.  Fundraising is deeply relational and is Kingdom building work.  It allows others to join in the ministry and share in its vision.  And I'm so excited about that -- I'm so excited that others (aka YOU!) get an opportunity to experience what the Lord is doing through Young Life International Schools in Costa Rica!

"From the perspective of the gospel, fundraising is not a response to a crisis.  Fundraising is, first and foremost, a form of ministry.  It is a way of announcing our vision and inviting other people into our mission (16)."

...

"Even a seemingly small act of generosity can grow into something far beyond what we could ever ask or imagine (see Eph. 3:20):  the creation of a community of love in this world
 and beyond this world; because wherever love grows, it is stronger than death (1 Cor. 13:8) (24-25)."