Any person can google The World Race and see an incredible trip in front of their eyes. 11 countries, 11 months, dream landscapes, unexplainable healings, crazy adventure, and a beautiful year all for Jesus.
Yes, The World Race is all of these things. However, behind all of those breathtaking photos and heart-wrenching stories is another reality- real life. And just like real life, 99% of the moments don’t make it on social media.
I was looking at Facebook the other day, marveling at all of the beautiful posts from my squad mates. Something began to stir inside of me, and I felt led to give you a deeper picture of what the race looks like, aside from social media.
In the Dominican Republic you saw adorable faces of children at Bible camp, laughing and learning about Jesus. There were photos of the beautiful people in the community we had the pleasure of meeting and loving on, and marvelous mountain views. You saw the excitement on our faces as we began the first month of the race.
What you didn’t see were the times we all had upset stomachs from the food. We had to run up 40 stairs in the middle of the night just to reach the bathroom. There were 3 toilets between 25 girls. The water also would randomly turn off, so in the midst of our struggles we were unable to flush the toilets for hours at a time. You didn’t see the children acting out because of the struggles they were facing at home. The anger they took out on us to get the attention they desperately craved.
In Haiti you saw more pictures of sweet children, adorable goats, and the best sunset worship nights. However, the majority of the month was spent in the blazing sun using a machete to chop away dead grass inch by inch. Or scrubbing questionable spots off of walls, to then spend hours painting, day after day. And as adorable as the children were, you didn’t get a true picture of the sores on their bodies, the living conditions they face, and the little ones who wore nothing but a tattered t-shirt running towards you, begging to be held.
You’ve seen beautiful waterfall adventure days, but what you didn’t know is that at the foot of that waterfall were women practicing voodoo. Dark spiritual forces surrounding us, and God chose us to intercede in that moment so His light could shine brighter.
You saw adorable Panamanian children. Their homes nestled so beautifully in nature, and their clothes handmade with colorful and intricate detail. In reality we saw homes with multiple wives living with one husband. There was intense oppression that hit you as soon as you entered the tarp they considered a home. They used pieces of bamboo as their bed, and a river filled with dirt and cow manure was their drinking source.
South Africa we actually looked normal, and had the blessing of a more comfortable month. But you didn’t see the conditions of the slums we visited to do food drops, or the tears of so many women we met who shared situations I can’t begin to imagine. There was deep pain in their eyes as they spoke of abuse, addiction, and fears they face on the streets daily. You didn’t see the tiny premature babies in hospitals with rough conditions, or the lifeless baby they rolled by us on a cart. You didn’t feel the bones on the man with tuberculosis, so weak he could barely stand. Yet everyday he opens his home to children to help them with homework and encourage them to stay in school.
You saw our lengthy travel day to get to Lesotho. What you didn’t see was the knife fight we saw at one of the bus stops. Again, God chose us to be there to intercede in that moment.
This month is crazy beautiful and the ministry is a blessing beyond words. The village people are so welcoming, and invite us with ease into their daily lives. But you don’t smell the stench of our outhouse shared by two teams, a ministry, and an entire preschool. You don’t feel the freezing temperatures we try to escape in our tents at night. And you don’t understand the frustration of praying over a child who has been sick for a year, or an elderly man who can’t move his arm, and God doesn’t heal them in that moment.
You see lovely photos of living in community and friends who are now family. But you may not realize we are around people we have only known since October 24/7… and introverted time is a scarce luxury.
The life we’re living is uncomfortable, smelly, sweaty, and rarely quiet. It is filled with tears, unimaginable poverty, and lifestyles way behind advancements in America. It is not always easy, and as time goes on the unfamiliarity can be anything but appealing. The sad situations seem to increase in number, the uncomfortable living seems to be less exciting, and you feel yourself being challenged on a greater level than ever before.
Then Jesus whispers your name. He slowly begins to remind you of the person you were when you started the race. It becomes obvious that every tear shed and every tough situation He created for a purpose to break you down, only to rebuild you stronger than before. It is mind-blowing how He crosses your path with another person in another country, leads you to share your struggles with them, only to realize they are going through the exact same thing. God used you to give them hope and change their perspective at the perfect time, in the most unexpected way. You realize every lie He is slowly peeling away from you, replacing it with His powerful truth. Through it all you can’t help but smile, knowing that in His perfect way every single moment has purpose. And as much as He’s using you to change people’s lives, He’s changing your life in so many ways too.
In a sense the race is all of the things you see on social media, but on a more truthful level it goes SO much deeper than that. It is not always easy, and it is not always beautiful, but every single moment is worth it.
