Adventures WorldRace SethBarnes Sponsorship Giving

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This is probably the world's longest blog, but if you are going to start it, you have to finish it…

I heard about the World Race over four years ago.

I heard about Destiny Rescue a year and a half ago.
I never could have guessed how the Lord would work to intertwine these two into the most perfect weekend.

The Race was my plan for the first few years of college.
I started a coin jar savings in preparation to go on the Race after graduating from college.
But after falling in love with Idaho and a boy, I had decided that the Race was for someone else as I wanted to just continue the life I had begun for myself in Idaho.

But the Lord had a much different plan for me…

In October 2011, my Aunt Janice, the one who led me to Christ as a seven year old kid, who flew from Idaho to Texas just for the weekend to watch a dance recital or football game, who housed and fed me throughout college, went on a life changing mission trip to Chiang Rai, Thailand.

She came home brokenhearted for the girls she had met. She oozed with empathy for the girls that had been saved from sex-trafficing girls. She fell in love with the girls, Thailand, and the organization she worked with, Destiny Rescue. She began dreaming about the next time she would get to go and she wanted me to accompany her. I have always loved travel and it sounded like a cool organization, so I said maybe after I graduate from college.

But honestly, my heart was so hard and distant from the Lord, the stories she shared went in one ear and out the other. My thoughts of accompanying her on a trip were purely for my benefit and enjoyment.
I felt bad for the girls, but my heart didn't break. 

Little did I know, this was the start of the door opening to missions in my life…

Fast forward to April 2012, despite all my plans, dreams and desires for a life in Idaho, I find myself applying for the World Race. 

I shared with my teammates the other night, I didn't even apply or come on the World Race out of obedience; my heart was searching for anyway out, anyway I could restore my original plan and just continue the life I had made for myself.

But, after five months on the Race, my heart has completely changed.

I learned that the Lord's love is unending, unconditional, underserved and unlimited. He loves us relentlessly. He loves us the most right now, no matter what is going on in your life. He is always waiting on us. He always has our best in mind and has set incredible plans for us. 

Heading into Thailand, my aunt was overjoyed that I would get a glimpse of the country that stole her heart, but little did either of us know that I would get to see more than just the same country…

Thailand is a very long, tall country; our teams are up to 27 hours apart.
Upon arriving in Mae Ai, Thailand where we have been living for the past month, I quickly realized that Chiang Rai (where my aunt had gone) was at most only 2 hours away.

The wheels in my head began to turn as the hopes in my heart grew…
Destiny Rescue houses teams constantly so we had somewhere to stay, our neighbor had a truck so we could get there, and we had a need for adventure.

I messaged my aunt with the vague idea of coming to visit and stay at Destiny Rescue the next weekend and she went into travel agent mode. Within minutes we had a travel request submitted, a loose plan thought out and a point of contact living in Thailand.

Through the next few days the Lord worked out every single detail.
The team houses for Destiny Rescue for filled, so my aunt began looking into hotels.
A facebook request for help by my aunt and mom and my team had been fully sponsored to stay in the hotel in Chaing Rai and all ride elephants!

I couldn't even keep up with all the blessings that were overflowing from my inbox.

My aunt was giddy with excitement to hear about my teams experience, but as I loaded the back of the truck, I was overwhelmed with the Lord's plans. Just over a year before, I heard and ignored the stories of Destiny Rescue, and now here I was, living in Thailand, on the World Race, taking a weekend trip to visit the place that had changed my aunt's life.

Upon arriving in Chiang Rai, we met Tina, head of the hairdressing school at Destiny Rescue. Tina originally connected with Destiny Rescue on the same trip my aunt went on. (talk about divine appointment)
We all went to put our bags in our rooms squealing with excitement as we saw not only did we each have our own bed and westernized toilet, but we also had a hot shower and bath tub! We went over the weekends schedule with Tina then we were off to ride elephants. 

As we boarded the Thai long boats headed to elephant island, I sat in disbelief that I was exactly where my aunt had been back in 2011. I hadn't even heard her mention elephant riding back then; probably another story that went in one ear and out the other as I was so self absorbed in my life and my plans.
 
After the ride of a lifetime, we were in route to Destiny cafe; a project by Destiny Rescue that employs girls who have been saved. As I walked in I was overwhelmed because my aunt hadn't even seen the cafe open for business yet. It was still under construction the last time she had seen it. How could it be possible that I get to be here before her? We placed our order and gawked at the beauty of the cafe. As the girls began attending to our table, bringing us our coffees, desserts, and tasty lunch, my heart began breaking. The realization of where I was began setting in. All the stories that I had heard half heartedly began flooding back. I couldn't even look the girls in the eyes. My heart ached for them. I began wondering which girls my aunt knew; were any of the girls ones from the stories? So many questions raced through my mind as I distractedly tried to enjoy my bacon burger.
 
We headed back to the hotel to get ready for the evening and took the first of many HOT showers for the weekend. We hit the night market which had some awesome shopping and then arrived back at Destiny cafe for a family style Thai feast. We were joined by Corey who does all things writing for Destiny Rescue. My intellectual/social media mind wanted to interview him, but I was eo distracted. Again the girls had prepared us some of there favorite dishes and waited on us. Again the stories I had long forgotten flooded my thoughts. After realizing last month how much I enjoy hanging out with high school and college girls, my heart broke even more. Some of these girls were my sisters age; they were the age i love and connect so easily with, but these girls had been through so much.
Why Lord? These are your beautiful daughters?

Skip forward to Sunday morning, we are all dressed and ready for church. Tina comes by to pick us up and we are on our way. 

I slowly walked into the church as I saw a room filled to capacity with girls leading worship in Thai on stage with English translation. I was directed to a seat with headphones and instructed that the sermon would be translated. I made it through about one song before it all became too much. 
 
I just had to sit down.
 
I got out my journal and just started talking to the Lord. He brought me here at this time with my team of girls to see these Thai girls .His plans were blowing my mind and all I could do was repent for the harden heart I once had.
I sat in the chair knowing my aunt had sat in those same chairs, she had seen these same faces. 
I only remembered two stories from her trip:
1. They sang God of this City at church
2. The girl from room 503 
My aunt was at her hotel when she saw a drunken older white man bring in a young Thai girl with a Hello Kitty backpack. The Thai girl headed to the front desk to check in and shout across the lobby, "hey mista, wats your room numbs?" The man responded, "Room 503." My aunt's heart broke as this little girl sold her body. My aunt didn't know what to do, but her heart broke. The next morning she saw the older white man leaving the hotel alone, and her heart broke even more. My aunt had told this story countless times, but it never affected me. 
 
Until now. 
 
Sitting in church in Thailand, my heart broke. I began crying and praying for the little girl with the Hello Kitty backpack that i had neglected the year before. 
It hurt my heart to think back to how hard my heart had been. But I just prayed for her all the more. I praised the Lord for her life, for my life, for His plans, for His love.

The church service concluded and we off to finish out weekend in Chiang Rai with some more authentic Thai food, coffee, and shopping. Before the day was over we were able to visit the Destiny Rescue property and get ourselves some sweet Destin Rescue swag. As Tina gave us the tour, she began crying as she talked about the girls and the role she plays in the lives. Her passion overflowed from her, and I felt like I was beginning to truly understand what she was talking about. At the end of the day as Tina dropped us back off at the hotel to head home, she encouraged us to figure out what our passion is and then do it passionately. 

The weekend was simply incredible. 

I kept saying the whole weekend that visiting Destiny Rescue was bringing things full circle for me. The Lord walked me through the door He opened a year and a half before, but I walked thought it a different person. I walked through it broken hearted for the girls, excited to share this experience virtually with my aunt, and a woman of the Lord who stands strongly in her identity and is able to share the love of the Father with others.

Only through His plan would He send me around the world on the World Race, place me in a tiny rice field filled village in Thailand, just hours from Destiny Rescue and send me on an all expenses visit to it.

I am so thankful that He is breaking my heart for what breaks His.

And Aunt Janice, thank you for who you are.
Thank you for introducing me to the lover of my soul as a seven year old.
Thank you for loving me as your own child.
Thank you for fighting for me.
Thank you for letting me be me; for letting me paint my room bright teal and always getting the fun shaped macaroni and cheese because it really does taste better.
Thank you for fighting for these beautiful loved Thai girls, daughters of the King.
Thank you for all your love, support and encouragement.
Thank you for helping plan the most perfect weekend trip of the World Race.
Thank you for being a human example of the relentless love of the Father.
I love you.