11 questions. 11 answers.
it’s that simple
When I tell people I am going on the World Race, I get a lot of questions as well as many different responses. In case I was not able to answer all of your questions in person, hopefully this will help!
What is the World Race?
The World Race is an eleven month long missions trip to eleven different countries. Want to know even more? Click “What is the Race?” on the left.
Who is in charge of this thing?
The World Race is a program of Adventures in Missions, a missions organization based in Gainesville, Georgia. Adventures in Missions partners with short-term missions, churches, missionaries and organizations around the world. They focus on sending in to teams to serve in the work that is needed to each specific country in their local communities.
So, why in the world are you doing this?
I am doing the World Race because it is what the Lord has called me to do this upcoming year. I am trusting in His vision for me, because I know His plans for me are better than any I could ever fathom. It is going to be the journey of a lifetime, in which I am going to learn so much about myself, but even more so about trusting the Lord.
Who are you going to be traveling the world with?
I will be traveling with a team of around 40-50 wonderful young adults. This large group of people is called my squad. Upon arrival in each country, we will be split up into teams of around 8-10 people each. Each team will be doing different ministry work throughout the month. I will be doing life with these wonderful people for 11 months, and I couldn’t be more excited.
Where all will you be going?
The list of 11 countries I will be going to does nothing apart filling my heart with so much joy! I will be going to: Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, The Philippines, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
What are you going to do in each country?
It’s a mystery! What I do each month will vary based on the ministries my team is sent to, and ultimately I won’t know until I get there. Typical World Race activities include teaching English, loving on orphans, volunteering in hospitals, doing construction work, befriending girls who have been trafficked into slavery, doing door-to-door evangelism, or using our own talents in fields like writing or videography to aid the ministry. In every location, we’ll be working with “the least of these,” the impoverished and neglected populations where the need is deepest. I’m going to build relationships, love people with Christ’s love and share the Gospel.
Let’s be real here, what will you eat and where will you sleep?
Once I leave for the World Race, I will be carrying my clothes, sleeping bag and other necessities all on my back. “That’s crazy, how are you going to fit everything you need into one big backpack?!” That is the response I usually get from people on this question. Oddly enough, I couldn’t be more excited. In all reality, we really don’t need that much on a day-to-day basis. Accommodations will vary month by month: sometimes I might be in a church basement or a ministry contact’s spare room, and other months I might be tent camping in a mango grove. My team will have a small food budget, but the way it’s spent will also vary. We may be cooking for ourselves, buying meals at local markets, or eating with our ministry contacts.
When do you leave for the World Race?
My launch date is set for September 4, 2015. The date may vary a little, but I will definitely be leaving in the beginning of September for the World Race!
How much does this all cost, and who’s paying? Additionally, how can I get involved?
I’ll be real with you, it is quite the pretty penny to go on the World Race. But it also also worth every single cent. For my journey, I have to fundraise $16,267. “Wow!!!” That covers all expenses of the program, including training, travel between countries, food, lodging, administrative costs and insurance. These funds are fully support raised; a number of generous donors are joining me in this ministry to send me around the world. If you would prayerfully like to support me financially, you can click the “$ Support me! $” link on the left to make an online donation. Or, click “Contact me!” and send me an email if you’d like to donate by check.
Do you have any specific prayer requests from now until you leave for the Race?
Oh my goodness, YES! Pray for continuous trust in the Lord. Although that may sound like the easiest thing to do, sometimes it gets hard-that’s just the truth. Pray for my squad that I will be going on the World Race with-for their hearts and trust in saying “yes” to the Lord’s calling. Also pray that we become a family, a body of believers that are so deeply rooted in Christ! Pray for as little worry as possible. It is so easy to worry about every tiny detail in life. But in Philippians 4, we are told not to worry about anything, but instead, pray about everything.
How awesome! This sounds like the best year long vacation I could imagine. I hope you have the best time!
Thanks! But thinking of the World Race as a vacation, though a common misconception, misses the heart of this ministry. I’m not going on the Race to postpone starting a career after I graduate this upcoming May, to escape from “real life,” because I love to travel or because I think it’ll be easy and simple. In absolute honesty, I hope and expect it will be one of the most challenging years of my life. Ultimately I’m going because the Lord has called me to do this, and I want to follow Him wherever He leads me. I pray that God uses this year to break me and mold me more to the image of His Son. I anticipate growing in my faith in ways unfathomable. It won’t always be easy or fun, and there may be times when all I want is to quit. I will be stretched and challenged physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually, but I pray for perseverance and that I return transformed, ready to radically pursue the Lord wherever He would call me next.
This isn’t a vacation: it’s life.
Jesus has invited me to go on this crazy adventure, and I’m saying yes.
