I can’t believe my World Race is OVER!
From October 2, 2010 to August 31, 2011 I was on the World Race. I traveled to:
1 – Guatemala
2 – El Salvador
3 – Panama/Costa Rica
4 – Philippines
5 – Thailand
6 – Malaysia
7 – Cambodia
8 – Kenya
9 – Uganda
10 – Tanzania
11 – India
I was on the one only all women’s team for the S Squad, Team WoW, featuring:
Prior to the race my life verse was:
Mark 10:45: “Even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and give His life as ransom for many”
and
1 Corinthians 16:14: “Let all that you do be done in love“
But post-race, my new life verses are:
Galatians 2:10: “Their only suggestion was that we keep on helping the poor, which I have always been eager to do”
and
Acts 20:24: “But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus-the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God”
Please feel free to leave any questions or comments, especially if you have any questions about my faith, I would love to speak with you!
(Also, if this is your first time here, please read “First Time Visitor? PLEASE READ” under General Posts – thanks!)
Guatemala – October 2010
This was a great first month of the Race. We worked with Casa Verde ministries which just happens to be two green houses for missionaries in Puerto Barrios, Guatemala. The ministry is headed by an American named Paul and his now wife, then fiance, Hilda. We engaged in a variety of ministry opportunities including visiting a local orphanage, preaching and sharing testimonies at local churches, delivering clothing from Pastor Willie’s home to those in need in Guatemala, picking up garbage, putting on kid’s shows, and loving the locals. Plus, we were able to play a lot of futbol with guys from the ministry! I was on Team Hineni this month (Brooks Elliott, Michael Leutwyler, Dawn Gorczynski, Ashley Peterson, Emily Toles and Annalisa Vasiliauskas) and we worked with Team Brady (Greg Houghton, Becca Fujimoto, Cara Parker, Brandi Jo Magee, Keryn Senn and Nikki Medders) and our Squad Leaders (Tim Fizzell, Abby Barnett, and Lauren Williamson).
El Salvador – November 2010
Loved this month! We worked with a great godly man named Oscar and his new wife, Jacqueline, and our awesome translator Carlos. We went to the local Teen Challenge and shared our testimonies and sermons with the men there. We also went all over the country from San Salvador (where we mainly stayed) to Santa Ana (where with stayed with Alberto’s family), to San Vicente and San Miguel. In each of these areas we put on skits, shared the gospel, played futbol and loved the people. Team Hineni was alone this month (Brooks Elliott, Michael Leutwyler, Dawn Gorczynski, Ashley Peterson, Emily Toles and Annalisa Vasiliauskas).
Panama/Costa Rica – December 2010
We were blessed to stay with Pastor Jose Moran, his family, and two other teams in one house with one bathroom this month! Pastor Jose lives in Guabito, Panama which is right near the border of Costa Rica. He was beginning a church and we went several times doing door-to-door to spread the news about the church and invite people to come. Two times this month, we packed up and spent about a week with two different pastors, one was in Sixaola, Costa Rica (right on the other side of the border) and the other was on a banana farm in Changinola, Panama (very close to Guabito). When we were with these two other pastors we did door-to-door evangelism, skits, and sermons – some totally in Spanish, which was fun with our rusty skills. I was still on Team Hineni this month (Brooks Elliott, Michael Leutwyler, Dawn Gorczynski, Ashley Peterson, Emily Toles and Annalisa Vasiliauskas)and we also shared the house with Team Crash of Love (Dustin and Tracy Suttle, Julie Wivholm, Shaun Frederickson, Erica Kaufman, Jessica Keown, and Stephani Smeltzer) and Team Pneuma (Josh and Bre Rene, Jessica Flowers, Matt Williams, Rachel Duff-Banks, Krystle Wilcox, and Jacinda Koziara) and our Squad Leaders (Abby Barnett and Tim Fizzell).
Philippines – January 2011
This month we spent in Rizol, Philippines which is near the capital of Manila. We stayed at Kids International Ministries with Jeff Long and his family. God has blessed this ministry and we were able to have a “sampler” of ministry experiences, if you will. I primarily engaged in the feeding program which partnered with Kids Against Hunger (a feeding organization based in Minnesota) where we cooked food and brought it to poor neighborhoods as well as providing basic medical treatment. I also visited a local women’s prison to share my testimony and do a Bible study. Finally, I visited a ministry in Manila called Samaritan which worked with women helping them to transition out of prostitution. I was able to stay there for two weekends and do outreach as well as engage in Bible studies with the women. Blessed month! Our teams were changed and we formed Team WoW (Mary Magoni, Tracy Horne, Angela Bringham, Rebecca Weaver, and Cara Parker) and we were with Team Refresh (Mac Mitchell, Angie Blatner, Alana Lusted, Phil Khamoua, Haile Hendricks, and Angela Grit) and our Squad Leaders (Abby Barnett, Lauren Williamson, Tim Fizzell, Scotty Barron, and Shannon Ahola).
Thailand – February 2011
In Thailand we stayed in our tents down a dirt path from a ministry called Remember Nhu which was a girl’s home set up in “family units” with house parents that became a home for girls that were at high risk from getting sex-trafficked in Chiang Mai, Thailand. During the day, when the girls were at school, we would engage in manual labor – building a chicken coup and a pig pen, and when the girls would return we would eat dinner with them, then dance and play games until bedtime. I was on Team WoW (Mary Magoni, Tracy Horne, Angela Bringham, Rebecca Weaver, and Cara Parker) and we worked with Team Rush (Brooks Elliott, Michael Leutwyler, Dawn Gorcyznski, Chelsea Angel, and Angela Aston).
Malaysia – March 2011
We stayed in Penang this month and it might be my favorite city of the Race. We were working with another team and would trade off what we did each week. Our first and third weeks we went to the Adventist Hospital and raised money for heart patients, and this is the hospital where we met our good friend Cat. The opposite weeks we would go to the Kawan Center which was for the homeless in Penang to come and get breakfast and lunch and have a place to shower and wash their clothing. On Wednesday evenings we engaged in “street church” where we would go out and share the gospel. I loved this month with Team WoW (Mary Magoni, Tracy Horne, Angela Bringham, Rebecca Weaver, and Cara Parker and Team En Gedi (Greg Houghton, Paul Bell, Becca Fujimoto, Brandi Jo Magee, Keryn Senn, and Sarah Anderson) and our Squad Leader (Shannon Ahola).
Cambodia – April 2011
Oh, Cambodia. God broke my heart for this country and I hope to return. We worked with a wonderful German woman named Ingrid at her ministry called Kaleb e.V. for street boys. During the day we would stay at the family unit and teach English to the children living there. Then at night we would go to the night shelter and stay with the boys who would sleep there at night but spend their days on the streets. After visiting the Killing Fields and getting a glimpse of the terror this country experienced less than forty years ago, my heart was broken and I want to return to bring hope and the love of Christ to the Khmer people. I was blessed to share this month with Team WoW (Mary Magoni, Tracy Horne, Angela Bringham, Rebecca Weaver, and Cara Parker).
Kenya – May 2011
Two Words: Pastor Moses! This man, a bishop who presides over more than 100 New Life churches in Kenya, welcomed us into our home and our life. We were able to have a variety of ministry experiences this month including going to a school that just opened for disadvantaged children and being able to teach there, doing door-to-door evangelism, preaching and teaching, visiting a women’s prison (where I was able to share my testimony), going to the slums to hand out food, and spending time getting to know local pastors. This was a great month and we were blessed with our new leader but we kept our team name, so I spent with month with Team WoW – new and improved (Christina Palmer, Mary Magoni, Cara Parker, Angela Bringham, Tracy Horne, and Rebecca Weaver).
Uganda – June 2011
I never thought I would love Uganda as much as I do. This month our contact was a great godly man whom most of the children I have seen call “Daddy” named Pastor Joseph. We were able to teach at his school, Champions, for the first ten days and I fell in love with those Ugandan children. Our first Saturday here, we had a play date where I was able to be goofy with the children and let them steal my heart. We also engaged in door-to-door evangelism and I was able to preach at Pastor Lawrence’s Christ Ambassador Church – I highly respect this man! The second half of the month we are working with Pastor Sarah and are visiting the elderly in the church, praying for the sick in the hospital, and visiting a home for disabled children. I am on Team WoW (Christina Palmer, Mary Magoni, Angela Bringham, Rebecca Weaver, Cara Parker, and Tracy Horne) and we also worked with Team GTS (Dex Meeks, Phil Khamoua, Becca Fujimoto, Keryn Senn, Sarah Anderson, and Brandi Jo Magee) as well as our Squad Leader (Shannon Ahola).
Tanzania – July 2011
We are staying in Morogoro, Tanzania and doing much of the same type of ministry that we have been up to for the rest of Africa: door to door evangelism, preaching, Bible studies and the like. For two weeks we were tenting in three different villages – the true African experience. I get to share this blessed month with Team WoW (Christina Palmer, Mary Magoni, Angela Bringham, Tracy Horne, Rebecca Weaver, and Cara Parker) as well as The Rodeo (Allen Boehm, Greg Houghton, Christie Plummer, Alex Wilson, Ginger Larson, Amanda Long, and Cassie Schott).
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India – August 2011
We spent the month in Bangalore at the YWAM base. We met people from all over Asia and all over the world. The month was filled with much time of reflection which was nice to start considering the re-entry that was about to take place. We had a variety of ministry opportunities but I was most blessed to be able to go to the slums and love on some children. India isa place in need of the gospel of Jesus Christ and I am praying that more and more missionaries will rise up to spread the Good News. I was blessed to be with the lovely ladies of Team WoW (Christina Palmer, Mary Magoni, Rebecca Weaver, Angela Bringham, Cara Parker, and Tracy Horne) and the ladies, and guys, of Team Frontline (Mac Mitchell, Paul Bell, Alana Lusted, Angie Blattner, Nikki Medders, Haile Hendricks, and Angela Grit).
