Hi Everyone,

I wanted to say thank you for the support that I have been shown in fundraising and for the encouraging words of affirmation as I have shared about this upcoming mission trip. To be honest, I had some worries when I thought about actually having to raise this amount of money but God clearly provided. I have been so blessed to have so many unexpected people give to my trip out of their love for Jesus. God has made it so clear to me that he wants me to go and serve him.

About a couple weeks ago, I went through the process of checking out of the Naval Academy so that I would be able to leave for a year. The process went very smoothly and I had no snags. I trust that God has his hand over all of this. 

I cannot wait for this mission trip to start. I leave for Gainesville, Georgia on August 27th where I will be for a couple of weeks training and growing closer to my squad mates and the Lord. The countries I will be going to are Cambodia, Thailand, South Africa, and Guatemala. As I prepare to leave, it has been and will be a lot of shopping for all the things that I will need. I will be living out of a hiking backpack for 9 months so you can imagine the stress of trying to get all the things you need in that small amount of space. A little fact about me, I always like to be prepared with all the gadgets, tools, or clothing so it is going to be a challenge for me. One thing I have been discovering and learning more about is the idea of suffering for Christ. God calls us to share in Christ’s suffering so that we may rejoice in his glory. (1 Peter 4:13) As I reflect on this idea and packing, I want to make sure that I am not packing in a way just to maximize my comfort, neglecting the fact that serving the Lord is not about me being comfortable. 

Please continue to pray for me that I would be a faithful servant to the King and that he would be glorified in all that I do.

I seek to glorify God by enjoying who He is and pointing others to Him in every aspect of my life.

Feel free to contact me: 443-601-5935 or nathaniel.w.harding@gmail.com