Africa Support Letter of Request - Christie Apon

It is crazy to think that I am already almost finished with my high school years! They sure have flown by, and it’s been one of the best times of my life. God willing, I will graduate from The Kings Academy in May 2011. I am anticipating graduation with excitement, as I will be able to enter the next season of life. With graduation, comes the hard decision of what I will do next year. Almost two years ago, God started laying something on my heart other than college...A Global Year to South Africa.


One night a leader in my church told us about an opportunity called “Gap Year.” This is when you take a year off from school before you go to college and go to a different country in order to saturate yourself in the Word, submerge yourself in a new culture, and learn a different language. When I first heard about this, I was stoked with the idea and was ready to sign up right then and there. I came home and told my mom about it, but didn’t give any more thought to it since I was too young. However, throughout the years I kept talking to people about Gap Year getting excited for my senior year because I knew this is what God was calling me to do.

We will be staying at the Limpopo Province, which is situated at the northeast corner of South Africa. It shares a border with Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Limpopo has a beautiful landscape, great wildlife species, many tourism opportunities and a fascinating cultural heritage. The climate is pleasant for most of the year with sunshine year-round!

Some details about the trip are as follows. The dates are from September 2011 to June 2012. My team will be partnering with Build the Nations (www.buildthenations.org), which is a Christian organization whose focus is to advance the Christian faith in Africa. While there, I will be involved in outreach, taking Bible and language classes, and also living with the locals on the weekends to learn more about their culture. Whenever I think of this opportunity, I completely light up! I know that it would be the coolest opportunity to be able to spend a year away from all the distractions of this world growing closer to the Lord.

The reason that I have sent this letter to you is to ask that you would consider supporting me. The cost of the trip is approximately $10,000. I know that this is a ton of money - money that I certainly don’t have - but I also know that “My God shall supply all my needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 4:19. The money is due in May, 2011. If the Lord does not open the door in Africa, any money given will go towards our Romania mission trip. I am fully trusting God to provide for this, and am excited to watch His plan unfold. Thank you for joining me in prayer and for considering this opportunity to help me with what God has put on my heart!  If you would like to support gap year, please facebook a private message to Christie Apon and I will give you the specific details.

May God bless you,  Christie Apon