I started writing this blog post with, “Why I am going on the World Race: Gap Year.” Nothing, no words. I kept staring at the title and finally switched my prompt: “Why am I going on the World Race: Gap Year?” This fit much better because it is a question that has been running through the back of my mind for the last couple months. Needless to say, since I put down my deposit, that question is now barreling through my mind.
The core reason of my going on this trip is to follow God’s call on my life. He created me from a young age with a thirst for adventure, a compassionate heart for the hurting, and a rooted love for different cultures and countries. At the age of twelve I used to daydream about a future life as a missionary and the many adventures I would experience with that “career.”
As time went on, I turned my focus to college and graduating quickly in order to start my career as quickly as possible. My schedule had me graduating two years after high school and I wanted to be able to get through school and pay off student loans as quickly as possible. While I had not lost my passion for foreign places and missions, I had decided that those dreams would happen later because it was not practical to pursue them with the current track that I was on. After I was a nurse for a couple years and gained experience I could do medical missions or something along that track.
In the spring of my senior year of high school, I was doing homework one weekend when I had a meltdown. While these were not always that uncommon, this one was different. The thought “gap year” forcefully entered my mind. I reminded myself that I was on the fast track to graduating early from college but the thought wouldn’t leave. I decided to entertain this idea and search the web for a couple minutes. Quickly, more words came into my mind, “World Race,” it was a program I had heard about back in middle school. I remembered that the program was for young adults, a minimum age of 21, but decided to look it up anyways. As I looked at the site, an image popped up advertising their new gap year program for 18-22 year olds.
That was the beginning of a two-month journey that ultimately led me to signing up for World Race: Gap Year. Through conversations with my mentor, family members, and other prominent adults in my life, God steadily pushed me nearer and nearer to World Race. Through much prayer and seeking God’s will, I finally had a deep set knowledge that this was the right decision and I have committed to leaving in September.
With all that said, I am excited for this trip. I experience nerves, but in the same moment I have a deep peace in my soul that this is right. Plus, sometimes I get a big, stupid grin on my face when I think about the upcoming months because I am so stinking giddy for what lies ahead!
