All the Questions
So, as I am getting prepared to come back to the good ol United States of America, I wanted to write a blog of the questions I have a feeling will be asked of me multiple times and by everybody and their brother.
What was your favorite country?
This question has already been asked to me so many times, and it’s hard to wrap up in one question because with each country comes different cultures, different ministries, different foods, so I’m going to split this question up into multiple questions.
What was your favorite food country?
Definitely Thailand. Yum. Whether it was eating at differnt pastor’s homes where we were working, traveling to the village, or eating in different restaurants where we were in Fang, the food was delicious. I have this theory that to be Thai, you have to be a phenomenal cook. Also, my favorite dish had an extremely interesting name, make sure to ask me about that one in person.
What was your favorite ministry country?
This is also an extremely hard question, but I had the amazing privilege of being part of a trekking ministry at the end of my time in Nepal. For four days, we trekked through the Himalayas and hiked down into villages and shared the Gospel with people who had never heard the name of Jesus…EVER. That to me is what the World Race is about, what our lives should be about, sharing the Good News with people.
What was the most interesting/different culture?
No doubt about it, India. From having my ankles and armpits covered to eating with only my right hand and making sure to go nowhere near people’s left hands, it was an interesting month. The honking, the smells, but also the tradition these people have is incredible. A lot of people on my squad experienced a lot of darkness in this country, but my team had the privilege of serving in the villages and areas where God was so clearly there and was moving in those places.
What was the hardest part of your year?
Seeing the hard, the poverty, the sadness, and feeling like there is absolutely nothing I can do. The Lord spoke to me a lot through this reminding me He had me there for a purpose, whether it was to pray for a person, hug someone, or just shoot a smile in someone’s direction. Also, community is hard. At home, I live in a community, but we each have our own jobs and other sets of friends. Here, you live with, work with, eat with, sleep next to the exact same people every single day for 11 months. Obviously, the best of you and the worst of you comes out, but the most glorious part of the whole experience is truly loving those around you and being shown the Gospel through grace when you are having a bad day, but the people around you love you through it.
What is the coolest adventure you went on?
Traveling the world lead to so many awesome adventures, but the most exciting would probably have to be rafting the Nile River. I have been white water rafting before, but nothing that has ever compared to this. The bar was set high Month 1 of the Race, and there were some close seconds like bungee jumping and Phi Phi Islands, but the Nile River will have to take the win in this category.
What country or region surprised you the most?
I didn’t expect to fall in love with Central America the way I have the last three months. This is a region I had overlooked in many ways, probably because it was closer to home and so it seemed less exotic. However, I have come to absolutely adore every country I have been to and want to come back as soon as possible. The people are so kind and loving, there is so much tradition and culture, plus they speak in Spanish, which at least I know a little bit of…sometimes.
What is your coolest “God-moving” story?
I have a story from India, but it is way too precious for me to share via the Internet, so I encourage you to ask me this question in real life. This story shows God moving in huge ways and also is a testament to the ways He has worked in my life over the last 11 months.
What is the biggest way you have grown in the last year?
Oh, I cannot count the ways I have grown, the lessons I have learned, and how my view of God has been so incredibly shaped this past year. With that said, if I have to answer the question, the answer would definitely be the intimacy I have with the Lord now and how I am able to hear His voice and know it is Him. I have confidence in hearing God’s voice whether He is speaking to me while I’m walking down the road, or I am praying asking Him for an answer. He speaks to all of us, we just have to learn to stop and listen more often.
If you could rewind 11 months, would you choose to do it again?
Yes, Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. I cannot explain how much this past year has changed me, shaped me, and molded me into who I truly am called to be as a daughter of the King. This year was not an easy year of traveling the world always having fun. There was plenty of that in my year, but there was also sadness, too many tears to count, hard conversations to be had, and people to love who are quite honestly hard to love. My friend messaged me a few months asking me about my trip, he posed the question: “Okay, I know there are lots of good things, but there have to be bad things as well?” The answer is yes, but when I look back over the past 11 months, the good done in my life, done around the world, and in the people around me completely overshadows any bad or hard times I have had.
My advice to anyone thinking about the World Race is that if you even have 1 single thought about doing it, just do it. It is totally worth it in every arena, and I promise you will never regret coming on this trip.
I know these are only a few questions, but I hope this gives you a very brief overview. If you have other questions, feel free to message them to me, and I can possibly put another one of these together, or ask me in person.
I will be home in 2 and a half weeks, so expect all the questions coming your way as well. I cannot wait to hear how God has moved in your lives over the past 11 months! Once again, thank you all for you continued support over these last 11 months. Thank you for the prayers, and please continue covering me in prayer as I travel home, spend time with family and friends, but also am re entering back onto the Race in October. Please pray about financially supporting me as well, as I will need to raise $6500 to go out and serve the Lord again for Round 2…I’m excited!!
