SUPPORT LETTER MAIN COMPONENTS

LETTER OUTLINE
A support letter is one of the most important ways to raise money for a short term trip. It is an
opportunity to share with friends and family your desire to serve Christ in Uganda as well as
invite them to sponsor your trip. This handout is a helpful tool to get you started. Use the
sample letters to get you started as we go over the specific parts of a support letter.
WHY?

INVITATION

Describe the opportunity youve been

presented with to go to Uganda, and share
why you desire to go where God is sending
you. Why are you going to Uganda?
SHARE YOUR HEART.

Ask people to partner in the work God is

doing in Uganda. Invite them to:
Pray share personal prayer requests for
yourself and the team.
Give - state your individual trip cost and
needs as a team. Include on-line option:
hitc.onthecity.org/give
SHARE YOUR NEEDS.

WHAT?
Express the needs in Uganda and what you
will be doing to minister to those needs
through work projects and evangelism.
SHARE YOUR ACTION.

WHO?
Give a brief overview of who Juna Amagara
is through our vision and mission found at
www.amagara.org. SHARE OUR WORK.

WHEN?
Include when youre going, with specific
trip dates and support deadlines in the letter,
not necessarily in the same sentence.
SHARE YOUR ITINERARY.

HOW?
Give clear details how and where they can
send financial support. Your team leader
will give you more information.
SHARE THE DETAILS.

CONTACT INFORMATION
Make yourself very accessible to those who
might want to contact you with questions, or
express their desire to support you. This
information can be at the top or bottom of
the letter as long as it is prominent.
SHARE YOURSELF.

Your letters should be one page, with normal margins and readable font. Too much information will overload
your reader, not enough will leave them wanting, so sketch a simple but detailed outline of your letter using
these main component questions. Write a draft that you can revise and have others edit for you. Ask team
members for advice and creative ideas. People love pictures and multimedia.

PRAYER CARD
Supporters can display these and be reminded to pray for you and the team. Get creative! Include
your picture, prayer requests and general itinerary.
RETURN ENVELOPE
Include a self-addressed envelope for your supporter to return donations (pre-stamped if possible).
Make out and send check to: Hope in the City and in memo: Uganda ST Trip.
Attn: Accounting
4407 Monterey Oaks Blvd
Building 1, Suite 120
Austin, TX 78749
Personalize your letter and use your creativity by adapting this layout to your style. As you raise
support, pray that God will bring individuals and churches to join your trip. He will provide all that
you need. We have seen Him do it in amazing ways. Stand on His Rock.

SAMPLE SUPPORT LETTERS

Dear ____________________,
The Lord has given me an amazing opportunity to go to Uganda this summer. I lived
in Nigeria as a kid and I fell in love with it, sparking a passion for missions. Throughout
high school I was involved in a lot of missionary work in Mexico and Inner City trips. Now
that I am at Trinity College and looking ahead to the future of my life, I desire to seek what
God wants me to do for Him.
God has given me a vision for what lies ahead. It is an amazing story and I would
love to send it to you. I urge you to ask for the detailed account of Gods calling to this
summer mission trip. I look to Paul and Barnabas in Acts 13 and parallel my own experience
with theirs. I am asking you to be like the church of Antioch, to come together as a church
family of the disciples of Christ and pray for me, place hands on me and send me off.
The leader of the missions team, Ben Tumuheirwe, is an Ugandan Pastor and has
been attending courses at the Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He has many contacts
throughout all of Uganda. We will be ministering at churches, schools and refugee camps.
The full itinerary is also enclosed for further reference of the ministry opportunities.
I ask for prayer, as Paul did to his churches. Colossians 4:2-4, Devote yourselves to
prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our
message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of ChristPray that I may proclaim it clearly,
as I should. Please devote yourselves to pray for this mission. God will be doing amazing
things through your prayers.
The plane ticket in itself costs $____________. In total I need to raise $___________
for the trip. Again I look to scriptures as Paul thanks the Philippians for their gifts. Not that
I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your accountThey are
a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. You have the ability to be a
partner in Gods work. Whether by prayer or financial offerings to the Lord, please partner
with us today. I thank you for advancing the Gospel in Uganda.
Your Brother and Disciple of Christ,
Matt Kehn

Uganda 2004
Dear Friend,
It is almost unbelievable, but somehow true that I will be
graduating from Moody Bible Institute in less than 2 months! I
will be graduating with a general degree in Education, with
classes emphasizing ministry to children and families.
God has provided an awesome
opportunity to exercise some of what
Ive learned here at Moody, and the
spiritual gifts He has given me, in a
setting He has always given me a heart
for, immediately following graduation. I
have been slow in letting you know about
this because it was not until recently that
the plans started to solidify.
So, I am finally returning to Uganda four
years after my first trip there in 2000!
On June 9th we will leave from
Chicago and arrive in Uganda on the 11th.
The first few days will be spent
fellowshipping at churches in Jinja and
Kampala (in the East). We will then
travel West to Mbarara for the rest of our
time in Uganda. We will be serving with
an organization there called Scripture
Union (much like Youth for Christ)
through
evangelism,
compassion
ministries and outreach.
Our theme verse for the trip is 2
Corinthians 6:2, For he says, In the
time of my favor I heard you, and in the
day of salvation I helped you. I tell you,

The team leaves at the end of

June, but Im staying behind! There is a
room for me at a childrens home
called Juna Amagara, which will be my
home through July 30th! The home was
opened in February and there are
already 14 kids living there. If you
want to find out more about the
Amagara home or see pictures there is
a website at www.amagara.org.
When we pray it is God who
receives the glory, so I would love for
you to pray whenever you think of me,
I am also asking for at least ten people
to commit to praying with and for me
every day this summer.
Please pray:
*For unity on the team and
opportunities for each person to
discover and use their spiritual gifts.
*That I will be stretched and God will
work through my inadequacies to show
His sufficiency.
*That I will be able to build trusting
relationships with the children at Juna
Amagara, share the Word, and Christ in
me would be evident to them through
my love and my life.
*For my safety as I travel Northwest to
visit my sponsor child (Sarah) in June.

*That our financial needs would be cared for quickly and in ways that only God can be
given credit. The cost for my trip is $_____. If you wish to give financial support you
can write a check to our sending church (on the return envelope) and indicate Uganda
2004 and my name on the memo line. You will receive a tax-deductible receipt shortly.
This is a short-term trip; however, I covet your prayers as I ask God for guidance
in considering this as a full time option sometime in my future. I thank you so much for
the constant support you have given me in the past and now as I seek Gods direction
for my life. I count you as one of my many blessings.
All His, Crystal Michelle Marsh