People said that the eleven months on the World Race is kind of like a pressure cooker. You’re taken all around the world, live in less than desirable conditions, and are pushed to pursue Jesus more than you ever thought you could. You live with people who are completely different than you, yet you’re expected to love and serve them. You’re asked to do ministry that is WAY out of your comfort zone (…..hello, preaching). And by the end of the year, you’ve learned lessons that would normally take years. Here are some of the things I’ve learned…both serious and, well, real.
1. Introverts can survive, and even thrive, on the Race.
On that good ol’ Myers Briggs test, I received proof that while people are great, I prefer to recharge by myself. I always knew this about myself- after spending a day meeting new people, having small talk, and/or participating in group projects, I’d come home absolutely exhausted. I need my time to sit alone, listen to some music, read, work out… pretty much do anything as long as I was by myself. I’d become a person again. Then enters the well-known World Race Community. The people we eat with, sleep beside, work alongside, sit around a table and talk about feelings with, the people we breathe on 24/7. I had a hard time finding that balance for a while, going from one extreme of trying to be an extrovert to keep up with my team, to the other extreme of running off on my own whenever I got the chance. About halfway through the year, it was like a lightbulb turned on in my brain. I don’t have to do this in my own strength. God will give me the energy, the patience, the endurance to pour into the people around me. HE is the one to refuel me, not my beloved time alone. Yes, I still need to have my quiet time to remain fully human, but I know that I can make it through much more time surrounded by people when I surrender that time to God.
1a. Tiger Balm is KEY- use it on bug bites, achy muscles, and rub it around your nose when going into the occasional squatty that smells like death.
2. Vulnerability= Strength
I don’t know how or why every person on this planet has been convinced that vulnerability is a sign of weakness. That’s crap. Being able to sit in front of a group of your peers, look them in the eyes, and say, “This is how I’ve been feeling, and I need help” is one of the most courageous things anyone can do. You’re owning your needs, advocating for yourself, loving yourself. And if you don’t love yourself enough to do that, how in the world do you expect to be able to love someone else fully?
2a. Butt sweat is real. When you live in 85% humidity and the temperature is in the 100s every day, you find out that sweat has the ability to pour out of every pore of your body. Fun!
Wear dark shorts.
3. Comparison is a wench.
Comparison will destroy a relationship. It will kill your self worth. And it won’t allow you to accept your Father’s love. Satan is constantly trying to tear you away from people who push you toward Jesus, and making you feel like you’re not as good as the person next to you is the easiest way for him. I didn’t realize how often I compared myself to others until I was on the Race and had to face it head on. I had such a crappy self-image, I didn’t want anyone to know who Caitlin really is, what I’m feeling, what I’m thinking, because I didn’t think it was good enough for the rest of the group. Throughout the year, our good Father pointed out how He made me unique, and why we are all playing a specific part for the Kingdom. Rather than wondering why I didn’t have the awesome gifts the girl next to me had, I praised God for letting us work together. Combining our gifts is twice as powerful.
3a. Travel days are the best and the worst. Personally, I LOVED travel days because it meant seeing everyone else on the squad, zoning out listening to music and staring out a window, and exploring a new city if there’s an LDW or Debrief! However, traveling can also be the worst. Eating crappy food (if any food at all) and getting no sleep can take a toll on your body and mind. Your iPod, a book, Dramamine, Airborne (or Emergen-C), eye mask, pillow, and LOTS of water are absolutely necessary.
Also. If someone tells you it will take 3 hours, expect it to take anywhere from 5-12 hours.
4. PRAY BOLD PRAYERS
Okay, our God is bigger than the entire universe, He is as intricate as the smallest atom, and He is Love. Why do we slap Him in the face by praying these “Umm, if you have time, would you please, maybe, possibly, heal my buddy? And if not, that’s cool, it’s in your timing and your plan and I trust you.” prayers? Are we really trusting Him when we pray like that? Do we trust that He actually will take care of us? In Ethiopia, our squad reached the final fundraising deadline. Everyone needed to have all of their funds in by the end of the month to stay on the Race. The catch- we were 3 hours from the nearest wifi spot. That meant no contacting supporters, no blowing up everyone’s Facebook asking for more support, nothing. Our squad had a 24 hour fast and prayer burn, everyone praying for the funds to come in, praying with full and complete trust that our Father would provide. That evening after our fast ended, we received a phone call saying a significant donation had been made to our squad as a whole!
God wants us to pray big things because it’s showing Him that we TRUST Him! So, pray for your next project to be fully funded, pray for those free plane tickets to go pray over the land, pray for complete healing. Our God is big, guys.
4a. Safety standards don’t really exist in other countries. Climb through a waterfall if you don’t know how to swim? Sled down a volcano on a piece of plywood? Ride on a boda boda that may or may not have working brakes? Go to a cafe that may possibly be hosting a mafia meeting? Hang on to the back of a song tau with only one arm because the other is in a cast? These are all normal days. Just say a prayer and go for it!
These are just a few of the many, many nuggets I learned this year! If you want to hear about other things God, my teammates, and other people we met taught me, let me know- we can grab coffee and chat. And hey, maybe you can shed some of your wisdom on me. Although I’ve learned a lot this year, I know that there’s always much more to dive into!
