YWAM SST Phase 3 Funds

 Hello everyone, my name is Molly Haecker, and I am raising funds to attend Youth With A Mission 's (YWAM) third and final phase of the their SST program. I will be spending three weeks on learning what it is to be a missionary, identify my personal call to missons, and determine what steps I need to take to further in my relationship with God, as well as how to use my skills to do good for the Kingdom of God and the people around me.
 Now, I never really WAS as passionate for the Lord as I am now. Like a good amount of Christains out there, I didn't start out as a faithful, eager daughter of God. In fact, I was quite the opposite.

 My freshman year of highschool, if I had to say it lightly without exaggeration, was probably the worst year of my life. I won't go into the details, but the things I did, what I indentified myself with, and the general state of mind I was in. I was not stable. In fact, in April of 2016, I ran away from home and I spent a good two or three hours at a friend's house until I was coaxed into coming back up to my old highschool. I spent another hour to two hours being asked questions by the police, and from that alone, my mom decided to find an outlet for me to go to over the summer.

 At that point in time, there wasn't a question if I'll do band again the next summer because, frankly, it just wasn't going to happen. All trust was stripped from me from my mom, and I can recall my bedroom door being unhinged so my mom wouldn't have to wonder if I was doing something suspicious or not.

 My mom reached out to my uncle, Nathan Fair (whom of which currently works with the Agriculture Department of YWAM), and signed me up to what I thought was just another Christian summer camp that would try to get me see differently. Was I in for the ride of my life.

 In late June, I arrived to SST Phase 1, the first one they had over the course of the summer, and I did what any rebelling child would do so that they could just go home. I played church. It wasn't really until Wednesday of that week did I get confronted by the director of SST, and soon to be my friend, Wes Chapman. I can't really recall what the conversation we had before he told me something that would set me on a path of a completely different direction than the road I was headed down. He was about to leave me when he said.

"If you need to hang your fleece out to test God, then do it."

That night, taking Wes's words seriously, I challenged God that if He really was real, and He really wanted to be there for me, that I'd see a fawn at some point during my time at SST.

 The rest of the week at the YWAM Tyler base went by smoothly... Until Saturday.

 I was pulled aside from the rest of the group of fifteen kids by the SST leadership staff as well as my uncle. They proceeded to tell me that they believed God wanted more time with me, and how I was not ready to go on this outreach just yet. Next thing I knew, I was offered the next go-round of Phase 1 SST (which, then was two weeks away) for FREE. Knowing A. I can't really refuse something that they're going out of their way to fund; and B. To really take extra time away from my mom; I said yes.
 
 In those two weeks in waiting, I spent quality time with my aunt, learned that my mom got two job offers in a matter of thirty-six hours in Tyler, TX, and we in fact sold our home in Keller, TX, in a week. It was like I was getting a clean slate, learning I could do band again once more (I'm still a proud trombone player even now!)... It was all really breath-taking. I didn't realize it then, but me staying at YWAM those extra weeks allowed everything to settle into place. 


 Soon, after those anxious two weeks of waiting, this Phase 1 turned out WAY different than the first time around. I remember crying as I let all my pain, emotions, and thoughts spill to God and the leadership team. And this Phase 1 turned out to be the one I should've gone to... because there not only did I find my footing on becoming stable, I also found my church, youth group, and a friend I now attend my highschool with. Who knew it would all work out!

 Oh, and God didn't forget about the fawn. Exactly four weeks from the day I tested Him, my fellow campers and I were on a bus to the lake, when I saw twin fauns and their mother standing all together super close to the bus. I promise you if we stopped the bus, they would've gotten on. I broke down in TEARS that day, and from that day forward, I decided that I was going to start living my life for God.


 Fast forward a summer, SST Phase 2 was a whole different experience. And as a young Christian, I started really understanding the reasons as to why I did some of the things I did my freshman year, and even years prior. I decided that it would be wise of me to start my recovery and start healing from all my hurts and my pains that I had been suffering from for so, so many years. I've been repairing my relationship with my mom, and I've been taking steps as to become more confident in myself.

 It's a journey, but I'm becoming stable again.

 I now spend my time healing, seeking advice, and now put my efforts into going to this summer's final phase of SST for me. My years of highschool have been made a lot more easier for me to manage with a mindset of going to SST and church, finding a community that can worship and serve the Lord.

 And now I, I want to extend that same forgiveness, and love, and so many other things God has given me to others. To show them that they are not alone, and what they're going through doesn't have to be solely on themselves. I believe by going to SST Phase 3 this summer, I will be able to take steps in finding where I am to go in this life to not only serve God, but to serve others. One person can change the hearts of hundreds if not thousands... Jesus did it! So even if I don't lead someone to Christ, it isn't in vain from the kindness that God radiates in me that will leave a lasting impression on them. If I don't reap what seed someone might've of sown, at the very least I'm planting the seeds for someone else to harvest.

 Now, here comes the funding information everyone needs after my novel of personal experience with this program and inspiration to go again this year.

 I need $2500 just to go on this trip ALONE, but there is a deadline I must also add: 

 -I need to have raised at LEAST $1200 Thursday, May 18th, 2018 as a down payment. The other $1300 MUST be present at registration (aka July 8th, 2018).

 At the very least, spreading this campaign wherever you can would help LOADS.. I need all the help I can get with this fundraising, and on my part I'm doing everything I can as well to pursue this trip. So even if you can't donate, post it on Facebook! Tweet it on Twitter! Do whatever it takes to get the word out.

 I want to thank everyone in advance for helping out, your efforts are not in vain, and I wish you the best of blessings in each and every one of your lives.

 May God light your path, and may He guide you through trails and tribulations, and may you recieve blessings throughout this wonderful life we all live.

 If you need more information on what SST or YWAM is, then please go to sst.org/ or https://ywamtyler.org for clarification!

 Again, thank you so, so much. Every word spoken and every cent spend is a mountain of help and support.

 Best of blessings to all of you,
-Molly Haecker