HARTMAN'S MISSION

‘Small-town girl' intends to make a difference on a global level

In about a month, Rachel Hartman is going to take a big step in her Christian faith. She's not afraid to step out of her comfort zone.

With a sense of urgency from God and a little encouragement from fellow Jordan area native Kyle Crimi, she's going on the World Race, an 11-month-long missions trip outside of the country.

With a team of fellow 20-somethings, Hartman will visit 11 different countries during the missions trip, doing any number of services for people with needs. That might mean doing construction projects, paving sidewalks, fixing church buildings, or showing love to prostitutes.

"It's all about giving," Hartman said of her Christianity, "and it's all about loving."

wonder why

She's wondering why God is calling her, she said.

Hartman shakes her head when she thinks about herself being in the missions field. The 27-year-old was born and raised in Sand Creek Township, graduated from Jordan High School in 2000, and went to the University of Minnesota to study interior design.

"Far off from the mission field," Hartman said. "Just bizarre."

She's an athletic "girly girl," she said, not an outdoors person. She'd never been to REI, never been camping, and didn't even own a sleeping bag or a backpack before she decided to join the World Race. She's never been on a mission trip – or on a plane or out of the country, for that matter – and she isn't looking forward to the possibility of not being able to shower for a day or even a week. For the next year, fake nails are out of the picture. She won't have the comfort of those eight pillows on her bed. Her head won't be muddied with decided which of her 60 pair of shoes to wear. She's bringing one pair of jeans, cute Crocs, and T-shirts.

"If I can do this, anyone can do this, because I'm one of the extremes – opposite," Hartman said. "For some reason, God's got me going here."

She expects to grow and self discover during the missions trip.

"A lot of my teammates, they can't wait to see my get broken," Hartman said.

She'll have a lot of support in the missions field, too. She's traveling with a squad of 54 self-proclaimed World Racers, split into teams of seven or eight, all sent to the same country for month-long stays. Then, it's off to the next country. The tentative intinerary includes the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Mozambique, Bosnia, Romania, Cambodia, Swasiland, and Malawi.

So where does Hartman want to go?

"Nowhere," she said. "I don't."

But she feels a need to go, a calling.

Friendly suggestion

Crimi was new in his faith and looking for new friends and a new start in life. He returned earlier this year from an 11-month-long missions trip with the World Race and got married to a fellow World Racer earlier this month in Texas.

"He did it, and I said, ‘Good for you, not for me.' I've said that about everything mission trip – going dirty, icky places, not for me," Hartman said.

One day, after Crimi got home, he and Hartman were chatting via the Facebook Web site and he suggested that she go on the World Race.

For some reason, Hartman couldn't stop thinking about going. Eventually, she gave in and applied.

Hartman grew up in a home with a Christian foundation. She's been actively pursuing faith in God, she said, and "falling all the time."

She wants to get stronger.

heading out

Hartman leaves the country Jan. 4. After the holidays, she leaves Minnesota for Miami, where she will join up with her team.

When her friends heard that she was heading out for a year, some of them suggested a two- or three-month missions trip first.

But Hartman decided to step outside the box, she said. "We box everything. We box our lives. We box our church. We box our friends. And I'm not saying I don't, but I'm breaking out of it. ... It's not by my own will."

Hartman said the timing was right for her to go.

She's a single woman who lives at her parent's home, and she has no debt, job, or medical issues. She does interior design work on the side.

Now that her vaccinations are taken care of, "I could go tomorrow," Hartman said. "Who doesn't have the responsibilities that I don't have?"

a little help

Raising money to fund the trip has been hard work, Hartman said. She's never fund raised before.

She's been sending out letters asking for money, and she and her family have held successful bake and garage sales for the missions trip.

The minimum amount she needs is $13,800. She has less than $10,000 to go.

"The more the merrier, because the more we have, the more we can bless people," Hartman said.

In support of the missions trip, two fund-raiser beer bashes are scheduled for the coming weeks.

She could contribute all of her money to the trip, but she said it'll be better if she has the support of a core group of people at home.

"It's not as meaningful to do it myself," Hartman said.

You can read about her on a blog at rachelhartman.theworldrace.org. She's hoping that donors, friends, readers of her blog will be impacted by the missions trip and that she can "report back God's greatness," she said.

She could also use a little help with prayers from home, too, she said. She'll be "praying my butt off when I get there."

Mathias Baden is the editor of the Jordan Independent. He can be reached at editor@jordannews.com.           

Have fun & help out

As Rachel Hartman plans to serve people in 11 countries during an 11-month-long missions trip, she is seeking support from fellow Jordan area residents. She wants you to have a stake in her journey.

Fund-raisers for Hartman's missions trip are scheduled for:

+ 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 28, at Brewers of Jordan Bar and Grill, 350 Eldorado Drive.

+ 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. beer bash and 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. bean bag tournament Friday, Dec. 5, at Turtle's Bar & Grill, 132 E. First Ave. in Shakopee.

Also, money can be sent to Hartman's home, 20043 Sand Creek Drive, Jordan, MN 55352.

Read her blogs 

Hartman said she intends to write a blog about her travels and how a small-town woman can make a difference on a global level.

+ To read her blog, go to rachelhartman.theworldrace.org.