To whom it may concern,
I went back and forth in writing this with the risk of looking naïve or pompous, but here it is :
We have two weeks left on the race, which means we are about to enter back into the States. Many people have concerns about re-entry and some even have horror stories from past racers.
“How am I going to be surrounded by people who won’t understand what I have been through the past 11 months?”�
“How am I going be around people who are spending more the $2.00 a day on food?
“How am I supposed to respond when people ask what our favorite month was. Do they not know it is a loaded question?”
“And we are coming home to Black Friday…I literally just served food to starving and abused children in Africa, but lets all trample each other in greed?”
Again, I haven’t returned home from the Race yet, so in some ways I am naïve. I also don’t want to overlook people’s legit concerns with my bitter pride. BUT, what I will let you in on is what my parent’s told me.
“Hil, over the course of 11 months, you learned that your life is not about you. You learned to serve others and to put people before yourself. Going home is no different.”�
It is easy for so many of us to place ourselves into the Victim’s Circle and wonder how other people are going to serve us best. But here are my thoughts:
I’m thinking that it’s okay to be concerned with the transition home, but we should be more concerned with how can we serve and bless people back in America once we get home.
I think it is better to think:
How can I best use what I have learned in the Race, back at home? How can I be an example of how to live in state of gratefulness and frugality without judging people that don’t? How can I outpour love and grace, the same way Jesus has poured it out on me?
So again, I haven’t transitioned home, but I think this might be helpful advice. A lot of our circumstances at home will be the same as when we left, except this time, we will be different, and that’s a really good thing.
As I transition, all I ask is for people to show me grace, but I promise to show it in return. And I am going to try my hardest to never lose the lesson that this life is not about me. It’s about serving God and serving His people.
See yah in 2 weeks America.
