Dear parents of month 11 racers,
We are coming home in less than two weeks. As we prepare our hearts, here are some things us world racers have come up with that we want to share with you as you anxiously await our arrival. Keep in mind not ALL of this will apply to every racer, but let this be a helpful reminder of ways you can love us in this time of transition.
Treat us like adults– We've been forced into the world of many cultures and ways of life the last 11 months and have had no choice but to grow up and become an adult. We WANT to be treated like adults. Try not to "baby" us. Yes, we've been gone for almost a year and you want to spoil us and do everything for us "because you haven't been able to for so long." (Ha, I can hear it now!) but please remember that if you constantly try to give us "to do" lists and manage our days like parents tend to do…. We might get slightly frustrated 😉 let us walk the road of adulthood. We've been growing in it for a whole year now. Let us put it into practice.
Give us grace– Just because we've been on an 11 month mission trip and grown in crazy ways, doesn't mean we are perfect and all our faults and tendencies have gone away. I can promise you that we have grown, but we might not be this perfect picture that you have imagined for when we come home. We will fail. We will frustrate you. We will test your patience. Please don't expect us to have solved all of our problems. We still have problems, I can assure you of that. Instead, know that we have the skills and the FAITH to continue to walk in our brokenness, and we're working on it.
Be proud, but not TOO proud– We know that you are proud of us, and we love that. As parents of a World Racer you've watched our journey with a close eye and felt all of our joy and all of our pain. You might be so proud that we've made it through, that you want to tell every waiter or waitress or sales clerk that we just came home from an 11 month mission trip. Naturally, you'll want everyone to know! Please don't open up the door for every person we encounter to ask us open ended questions about the last intense and intimate year of our lives. We are still processing. We'll tell strangers and sales clerks when we feel led.
Don't ask us the question "what's next?" – You might be eager for us to jump back into life and move onto the next season of our lives. We are too! But remember that for us, it's still a bit scary right now. Give us a little bit of time before you ask us "what's next?" Let us breathe and process, and then we can talk about what's next. We won't live off your food and your free housing forever, we promise. But the greatest gift you can give us right now is to let us eat your food and free rent for a little bit. (How long? Depends on the racer ;)) we realize we need to move on, and we will! Just be careful how and when you approach the question, "what's next?"
Be excited– Be excited with us. God has radically moved in our lives this past year, and we want to share it with you as our heart allows. Be excited for what God lays on our hearts, and trust that we have the wisdom and the foundation of Christ to make the decisions that we do. We want your guidance, we always do. But, God will be counseled first when making decisions, and then we'll probably come to you.
We love you and cherish you as our parents. Although on different sides of the world, you've walked this road with us. You may have grown and changed along with us while we were away, so let's work together in making GOD the glorified one and the focus of us coming home. That right there is worth it all! After all, HE has gotten you through this year without us and HE has gotten us through this year without you! Let's give HIM all the glory.
Love,
Your Racer.
