For starters...

I have 986543 things to tell you and 46757867938490374872 things on my to do list. But I didn't want to keep you hanging TOO long and wanted to share with you what is going to be happening this summer. It's currently past 2am and I'm kind of tired, as it's been a looooong week, so the background info won't be an abundant amount, but hopefully enough.

I'm going to India (under the assumption I can raise enough funds) over the summer. Here's basically how it came about:

1. I toyed around with the idea of going on a mission trip to Germany, because I sincerely miss my friend Lisa, who studied abroad from Germany at NAU and I got to know her for the last couple of months of her stay.
2. I thought about going to the Passion conference, that main one happened at the start of the new year. 
3. I thought about going on a mission trip over Spring Break. 

So obviously India wasn't part of ANY of those plans. All I really know for sure was that I wanted to spend as much "free time" as I could serving God by serving others. And I didn't want to go to Germany just to visit Lisa (though that's not a bad idea...), but to ALSO serve Germany. I decided not to go to the Passion conference, because I knew I couldn't afford summer or spring break if I did that. I got more information on specific Spring Break trips I wanted to go on, but many of them weren't happening over my week of spring break. After lots of searching, researching, rationalizing, etc I found this India trip and applied to it. (This was like a...three month process or something before I decided to actually apply). I applied, I interviewed, I got accepted. I then realized I should probably tell my parents=) That was a fun conversation....note to self: Parents want to keep their daughters safe and really love them.

Anyways. They are more or less on board. And I get to hang out with my family all of spring break. And one of the girls I went to South Africa with. Yeah, she is going to India too. How awesome is that? 

Here is my support letter that I just finished. Check it out...

Less than a year ago, I had a pretty narrow view of what God could do and how big and powerful He really was. Despite the fact that I have been a Christ follower since the age of nine, I saw God as the god of America, and not the i am or the Creator of the Universe as He so claimed to be. Within a year God has been proving to me time and time again that He truly is the God of this world.

As many of you know, in July, 2010 I went to South Africa and was able to do what 2 Timothy 2:2 commands us to do: “…Teach these great truths to trustworthy people who are able to pass them on to others.” With 14 other people from North America, I traveled to the free state province of South Africa and immersed myself in relationship evangelism. I offer a heartfelt thank you to the many people who supported me with prayer and financial support for this life-changing event.

This coming summer, God has asked me to “GO” once more. However, this time it is not to South Africa, but rather to India, Goa. And it is not for two weeks, but rather for two months, from June 3, 20110-August 2, 2011. This trip to India, Goa is a Real Life trip with Adventures in Missions (www.adventures.org).

For these two months, I will help provide basic nutrition to women and children, teach English, visit slum communities, lead women in daily devotions, participate in children’s programs, and come along side those have escaped the sex trafficking industry. I will have the opportunity to express how great and vast the love of Christ is to women and children who are in bondage of the sex trafficking industry.

I am currently in my sixth semester at Northern Arizona University and ever since my second semester, I have written a plethora of papers about the sex trafficking industry. I have written research papers and argumentative papers, and have done research on the correlation of pornography usage and knowledge about the sex trafficking industry for my social research methods class (SOC 355W). For each paper and project, I have done extensive research on the topic and have become equipped with knowledge about the sex trafficking industry. In India, this industry thrives. I believe that throughout these past five semesters, God has been equipping me with profound knowledge on the industry and stirred my heart to serve those specifically in the grips of the sex trafficking industry.

As I prepare for this trip, I would like to ask for you to partner with me in prayer.  Your prayers will give me the strength and courage to do what God is asking of me. They will offer opportunities for doors to open to allow me to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ’s love and compassion.

In addition to prayer, there is another significant way in which you can be part of this and will be a contribution to God’s Kingdom and is one that I ask you to prayerfully consider, as it is through financial support. This two-month trip to India, Goa is approximately $4,200. That figure applies to my international transportation and the majority of my expenses while in India. In addition to that, I must also raise enough money to cover the required immunizations and my domestic airfare to/from Chattanooga, TN, where I will meet the rest of my team and have a weeklong training session before departing to India. I am estimating those costs to bring my total to about $4,900.  

I have enclosed a response card, which invites you to share in this ministry. If, after prayer, you feel led to financially support this endeavor, please make checks payable to Adventures In Missions and return the response card with your donation to

Adventures In Missions

PO Box 534470

Atlanta, GA 30353-4470

The response card will provide AIM with the information necessary to send you a receipt for your donation.  Please send all donations by March 8, 2011.

Adventures In Missions is registered with the Internal Revenue Service as a 501 (c) (3) non- profit organization.  Donors will receive receipts for their gifts with the understanding that the disbursement of those gifts lies completely at the discretion of Adventures In Missions and that the gifts are non-refundable and non-transferable, per IRS regulations.  Gifts may be tax deductible; please consult a tax advisor.

There are so many adjectives to describe how I am feeling, yet hardly any of them see adequate enough. Words like afraid and excited come to mind. You may follow me on my blog at http://www.dearworld-ily.blogspot.com. Attached, I have enclosed specific bible verses to be of encouragement.

In His Service,

-Ashley Coulter

Bible Verses (In order by books)

Leviticus 25:35

”If one of your countrymen becomes poor and is unable to support himself among you, help him as you would an alien or a temporary resident, so he can continue to live among you.

Deuteronomy 15:10

Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.

Luke 6:38

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

Romans 12:8

If it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

Hebrews 6:10

God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.

1 Peter 5:7

Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.