New Fundraising Goal

Below is a version of the letter e-mail to Harvest May 10, 2010, explaining the increased fundraising goal for Una Gran Cosecha.

Dear Harvest,

A few weeks ago, the Una Gran Cosecha team announced what we thought was an ambitious goal: to raise $10,000 from the Harvest family. We prayed that God would move Harvest to respond to this need, and He has answered that prayer.

Many in our community and our “extended family” have come alongside us and contributed a total of $8,931 so far. Praise God!

We could make a final push for the last $1,069 and just relax for the next two months. But we believe a better response to God’s provision thus far is to raise our expectations. That is why we’re increasing our group fundraising goal to $15,000.

The original goal, along with our personal fundraising efforts, would fully fund the trip. You might be curious why we’d add another $5,000 to that goal and plan for a surplus. We believe the Spirit is moving us to deliver a substantial cash gift from Harvest to the church we’ll be working with.

Direct financial support for our brothers and sisters in the Caribbean could make a lasting impact in the resource-starved community.

But, it also means we have more work to do. We need to raise more than $6,000 between now and July 15 in order to fully fund the trip and take a $5,000 gift with us.

If you haven’t had a chance to give yet – if it’s slipped your mind or you weren’t sure you’d be able to help – now is a great time to answer the call. Do not be tempted to think that others will step forward to meet this new challenge. Others already have stepped forward and helped bring us to this point. Now we need you.

If you have already given to Una Gran Cosecha, thank you for being part of this. Your generosity has blessed and encouraged us. If you feel led to increase your gift in response to this new challenge, we won’t try to stop you!

Please help us meet this new challenge with a gift today. Checks (payable to McLean Presbyterian Church with “Harvest – Missions” in the memo line) can be handed to any team member at Harvest, or mailed to Janice Faulker at MPC, 1020 Balls Hill Road, McLean, Va., 22101. (Please note this procedural change of checks being made payable to MPC, not East-West Ministries.)

Una Gran Cosecha is meant to involve far more than the 11 Harvesters traveling to the Caribbean. It is a Harvest trip, and as such we desire for all of Harvest to be involved. In fact, we need all of Harvest to be involved. With that said, we understand that not everyone is in a position to join as a financial partner. Everyone can join us as a prayer partner. Please make sure to pick up one of our new prayer cards at Harvest next week and post it on your fridge as a reminder to be praying for us and for the people we’ll meet on the trip.

Thanks again for joining with us in Una Gran Cosecha. We’re excited to see what God has in store for us, and for you

Sincerely,

Chris, Andrew, Nathan, Ian, James, Anthony, Richard, Elizabeth, Carole, Lindsay, Katie