Dear friends,

Thank you so much for your prayers and for being part of my fundraising journey this spring semester. God has been incredibly faithful, continually reminding me that He has a purposeful and beautiful plan for my life. Seeing His provision has encouraged me to trust Him more deeply and surrender to His will.

I would love to invite you to be part of this next step as I respond to God’s calling. I have always had a passion for sports, but it wasn’t until high school that I realized how God used sports as a way to reach my heart. Through my football (soccer) coach, I experienced what it meant to be ministered to, and that moment planted a desire in me to use sports as a tool for ministry. For a long time, I never connected that calling with becoming a full-time missionary—it felt like the calling was too big for me.

However, during this past semester, God has been gently and clearly leading me to see that He is calling me not just into part-time missions, but into full-time ministry in a cross-cultural context. Through prayer, study, and encouragement from others, this calling has been consistently confirmed. Although I have only participated in one short-term mission trip to Southeast Asia through Taylor University, that experience sparked a deeper desire to engage with different cultures and pursue more mission opportunities.

As I prepare to enter my senior year as an Intercultural Studies major with a minor in Sport Management, I am seeking to complete my practicum this summer. God has opened an incredible opportunity for me to serve in Cambodia through a sports ministry organization (https://bicworldwide.org/) founded by the same football (soccer) coach who had such a significant impact on my spiritual journey. During this time, I will be involved in leadership, logistics, and mentorship, using sports as a platform to build relationships and share the gospel. The program is expected to begin in mid-July and continue through the rest of the month. I plan to stay on campus for the remainder of the summer to work and help cover part of the expenses.

I would truly appreciate your partnership in this journey—through prayer, encouragement, and, if you feel led, financial support. Most importantly, I ask that you continue to pray that I would trust God fully as He leads me step by step.

Thank you again for your love, support, and for walking alongside me in what God is doing.

With gratitude,

Jill Wenjie Xie