1. I learned that community is different, way harder, and way better than I thought it would be. When you establish friendships where people love you through the good and the ugly, strangers become family. They love you through it all. You learn how to fight for difficult people, and you learn that people are worth fighting for. Friendships are worth fighting for.
2. I learned that I will try any food. Anything. Grubs, tarantulas, beetles, scorpions, jellyfish…food around the world is weird and delicious.
3. I learned that prayer is a vital, powerful, and an important tool the Lord has given us to change the world. Sounds cliche, but it’s truth. I have stopped believing things are impossible. Anything is possible. I just have to ask and pray. I have seen my life and the lives of those around me changed and transformed because of prayer. What is prayer? You talk to God. So simple and beautiful.
4. I learned that I am not invincible. I always judged people who pooped their pants because of being sick. It’s pretty common on the race. I will never judge again because I pooped my pants twice. In one month. The worst.
5. I learned how to open a jar of spam. Not as easy as it looks.
6.I learned how to communicate better.
7.I learned that I am capable of a lot more than I thought I was.
8. I learned that I really love teaching. I taught a lot of English on the race, and I love it. Not English necessarily; English is a hard language to teach. But being that it involves kids and helping them learn. Oh my goodness, it is so much fun. Thailand is still one of my favorite months because of the teaching aspect.
9. I learned that healing’s and miracles happen when we step out in boldness and pray for the sick. A woman healed of deafness out of one ear, an 80 year old man whose hearing was healed, a woman with a headache of 13 years healed, a far sighted woman who couldn’t read the Bible because she couldn’t afford glasses. And she was healed and could read the Bible. God is good!
10. I learned that despite poverty, darkness, Illness, and all these terrible things…God is good. And He is sovereign.
11.I learned that walking through a red light district will break your heart.
12. I learned that people all around the world are so kind and are so wonderful.
13. I learned that people from all around the world are mean and seem terrible.
14. I learned there are a lot of movies I had never seen. That my family likes John Wayne and Lucille ball, while other families like…different movies haha. I saw some really interesting movies while on the race with my teams. Some I really hated and some I liked.
15. I learned that God is faithful to my heart. He healed and is healing my brokenness. He cares even about the little things that make us sad, and He wants to shower us with His love and have relationship with us. I know it sounds cliche, but when God hits you with revelation, there are not a lot of words to describe the tangible things He does in us.
16. I learned that I love squad leading. I love being a missionary.
17. I learned that it is possible for me to stop drinking.
18. I learned that it is possible to find solid friendships with guys and girls. The Lord has really used the men here to bring healing to my heart. Even in simple ways. My dear brother and friend, Kevin, who I am also squad leading with has been such an instrument from the Lord in my life, and the Lord has used him to bring healing to my heart. The other day Kevin asked me, “Ari, how much do you love me?” I became defensive…I don’t know why, I think it’s because I thought he was going to ask me to do him a favor and was trying to be manipulative. I should have known better, but I was reacting out of emotion to a simple question. And I said, ” Why?…” and he said, “Because I bought you a cigar! And I wanted to see how much you love me before I told you that.” I don’t know why but that really spoke to me. It really touched my heart. Then three of the guys washed our feet in Swaziland, prayed over us, and blessed us. It broke my heart; it was so beautiful and so kind. Or even another guy friend I made while squad leading- one time he looked me dead in the eyes and told me he was sorry for something he said that hurt me. This stuff shouldn’t be a big deal and writing it down, it doesn’t sound like a big deal, but there was a lot of pain involved in areas with relationships and friendships. I’m sure it’s that way for a lot of people. So these guys have been really healing for me as well as for several other women here. I have so many stories and not enough room for telling them all.
19. Dance parties. I learned that I love dance parties.
20. I learned that I’m an introvert.
21. I learned that I really love coffee…like a lot
22. I learned that you can get a parasite by walking around barefoot.
23. I learned that I’m a lot stronger than I thought I was.
24. I learned that I am beautiful because I am made in His image. I learned how to embrace being beautiful rather than be ashamed of it. That being a woman is a gift and one given by Him.
25. I learned that my God is so big and so strong. He is kind and faithful, and He loves me. He deserves all the glory for the past year and a half of my life and I wouldn’t have it any other way. He brought me here, and He is taking me home to America. And it has been a crazy, wonderful, really hard journey. I’m so grateful. God is good.
I have learned so much on the race, God has brought me through highs and lows. I am so grateful for this journey, and all of you who have partnered with me in it.
Blessings to all of you.
-Ariana
