It's hard to believe that I've been gone for 5 and 1/2 months. The race is officially past it's half way mark! 11 months in 11 countries is now only left with 5 months in 5 countries!
Even a year ago at this time, I would've never imagined myself taking a whole year traveling around the world doing things like picking lice from orphans' heads, my own head and teammates' heads, scooping rocks at a construction site of a human trafficking safe house, teaching kindergarteners, and many other impossible tasks that the old me wouldn't have been able to do.
During the last few months, so much has happened that even now as I look in the mirror I could hardly recognize the person staring back at me, a dark complexioned and makeupless face, hair in a side braid, and a mouth that's half open ready to speak about all the things I've seen and experienced, and all that God has me "humbled" in "brokenness", whether physically, mentally or spiritually.
At the same time, much has also happened on your side of the globe, some of you are now new moms and dads(congrats Cindy,&Kijoon, Connie&Dean), brand spankin' newly engaged(Jimmy & Grace), enjoying your first year of marriage(Peter & Missie), just found out your pregnant (Alin & Lori), and all your birthdays (Grandpa, mom, dad, Grandma) and other events. By going on the race, I realized that I am missing out on many of your milestone moments, and for that I am sad. But please understand that this is a sacrifice I knew I needed to make this year.
God did amazing things for me each month, here's a few bullets:
Month 1: Guatemala
• Got rid of my crutches, change into a boot for my broken ankle and donated crutches to the hospital.
• Met Unsung Heroes from all over Guatemala who have devoted their lives and everything they have to Christ and sharing His love with everyone they meet.
• Starting to lead a team of 7 people (Team Firestarters) and learned that the hardest part of this race is going to be living in an intentional community and do ministry 24/7 with people I barely know.
• Learned that my relationship with Christ > My World Race > My Team (as my ministry) > My actual ministry (Unsung Heros)
Firestarters Team with Seth Barnes, our Unsung Heros contact and founder of World Race.
Meeting and praying for Orlando, a blind pastor who gives all he has for his little barrio (village).
See a video of month 1 here.
See a video of Unsung Heroes here.
Month 2: Honduras
• Worked with Open Door Ministries, orphanages and safe homes for boys and girls.
• Got rid of my boot and began walking normally, and JUMPED for the first time while on the beach in Costa Rica.
• Wished for the first time that Honduras could let me adopt a baby, would've taken home Jona or Josue.
• Did our 2nd ATL (ask the Lord) with the team and God led us to meet and befriend a Chinese couple.
• Favorite dish #1 on the race: Baliadas (a stuffed tortilla made by a roadside vendor).
• Learned that team leading is hardest when people don't want to do one-on-ones or do feedback with each other, but realized that the most important part of leading a team is my relationship with Christ.
• Experienced a life threatening situation with a teammate but healed from it through lots of prayer (thank you supporters!) and learned new meanings of God's protection through rereading Psalm 91 over and over.
Saying goodbye with the girls and the house mom, Delmis.
Hitchhiking on our ATL day with team and our squad leader, KK.
See a video of month 2 here.
Month 3: Nicaragua
• LABYRINTH….enough said!!!
• Released my team leader role so I could learn that the race is more than just about leading.
• Learned the true meaning of quiet time, getting up at 6am and meditating on His Word and not having an iPhone this month.
• Lived in a beautiful cabin in the Young Life camp and enjoyed fireside chats with my team
• Learned to plant coffee and do all kinds of manual labor like rebarb
• Saw teamwork examplified by the amazing Young Life staff in Nicaragua: "Uno, Dos, Tres, Akipo!"
Machete away weeds in the coffee field.
See a video of month 3 here.
Month 4: Philippines
• Learned to adjust to a new all girls team with 5 girls (2 from my previous team)
• Learned to fight roaches in my sleep, lived in the poor squatters village with a host family
• Adopted a kittie on the race
• Used bucket showers for the first timeand learned boxing at the gym!
• Broke down emotionally with team after teammate gave up my kittie and learned the start of my vulnerability lesson
Our hosts Momma Thelma, Brother Nilo and their family.
Month 5: Thailand
• Realized vulnerability was a daily thing with my team
• Stayed in my one-man tent for the first time on the race all month long and survived
• Favorite dish on the race #2: Pak a' Pow (minced pork in red chilis)
• Confessed to team that I have lice and got almost the entire team to shun me for hiding this truth from them.
• Asked God "what am I doing on the race" especially when I felt so alienated by everyone
• Learned to endure my hardest month on the race by savoring the good things during the months: sweet girls, lanterns, playing cards with Bud, good talks with squadmates, visiting the bars and reaching out to the prostitutes
• Got FULLY FUNDED for the race, raised all $15,500 for the trip (Praise the Lord!)
The boys at the sex trafficking safe house waving me goodbye after church on sunday.
Month 5 1/2: Malaysia
• Learned that the hardest month on the race (Month 5) may be followed by the best month on the race (by God's grace!)
• Got to spend the whole month with some of my favorite girls in the squad – Team Shekinah (I Love you Jen!)
• Learned to worship in different ways everyday so far (a 31 days of worship challenge given to me by a girl on G Squad)
• Had my two favorite nights on the race both during this month: a night with G Squad, and a night at Pen-Hop (Penang House of Prayer)
• Celebrated my birthday ATL style
Snapping a picture with my Chinese boys, 6 year old Wei Zong (back), and 5 year olds Kok Chung (left) and Guong Zhi in my Mandarin language class.
All this took place in the last 5 1/2 months! God's been giving me a word everyday for the last few months, yesterday's word happened to be "Growth". Lord, I want to grow in my relationship with you and grow in a way that's measurable but unimaginable (because it came from you) for the next 5 1/2 months!
Pleae keep running this race with me by reading and praying that God has no limits for what He's going to be doing in the months to come!
