A while back, I asked what questions you all had about my World Race! Thank you for all the great questions!
What do you expect to be some of your biggest challenges to “reacclimatizing” to life back home? And how can your family and friends best help you?
Was this past year more like your experience on your World Race Exposure trip to Tanzania or less like your experience on the exposure trip? (not so much in the sense of physical environment not but spiritual, emotional and physical challenges)?
Was your World Race Exposure trip to Tanzania a realistic preview of the World Race?
Our month in Tanzania a couple years ago was definitely a realistic preview of the World Race, its culture, and ministry. I loved getting to experience the amazing community the Race offers again. Tanzania also gave me a chance to see what its like to come along side a ministry, rather than to just take over and pretend we know what’s best for the community. I was reminded of this several times on the Race. I was in Tanzania when D Squad was in month 6 of the Race. This gave me a realistic preview of the challenges racers go through at that point in the Race (support raising, homesickness, etc.), which helped me prepare for those times better and help my teammates through that time as well!
What were your prayers while in Cambodia?
Cambodia was a month where I was continuously in awe of the things that He was doing around me and in me. That month was one of my favorite ministry months because we were teaching English, one of my favorite things to do! Our hosts that month were a lot of fun and we had a lot of solid times as a team. Also, I got to go on several amazing runs through some of the most beautiful areas I’ve ever seen!
With that being said, a lot of my prayers involved the words “thank you” and I learned a lot about how God will continue to provide for the things I need and desired throughout the rest of the Race, which he definitely did!
Who was your favorite treasurer teammate from your introduction to the world race in Tanzania/ your favorite squad leader from a sister squad. Did you ever ride a bus as bad as that one in Tanzania?
Amanda Fackler! 🙂
No. I am grateful for our logistics leaders, Jonathan and Lindsay, as they hooked us up with some pretty great busses throughout the Race!
Did any of the drug dealers you met in Cape Town come to accept Jesus?
Conversations we had with them were more focused on building relationships with them and gaining an understanding of what each other believe. I really enjoyed hearing their perspective on life! They welcomed our offer to pray with them, but none of them said they were ready for a relationship with Christ. We are really grateful we had the opportunity to initiate a relationship with them. Our host for that month is continuing to follow up with them.
What do you think was the overall theme of what God was saying over the past 11 months?
Trust. He has taught me so much about holding everything with open hands and being open to where he is leading me. Reflecting back at the times I had no idea what was going on, I still remember him reminding me of his faithfulness. And in each of those situations he was faithful!
Will Sarah’s Covenant Homes be able to let you know how “Ezra” is doing??
I’ve been able to check in from time to time online and plan to continue to do so in the future!
Did your weight change? You look like you lost weight. Was it hard to adapt to eating different foods? What American foods do you crave the most?
Yes, myself and several other guys on the squad lost some weight. We had a pretty active lifestyle on the Race since we walked everywhere and do manual labor often. Our diets were also different from our diets at home. Nepal and India were definitely the hardest months food wise for me, as they used a lot of spices my stomach didn’t like! Otherwise, it wasn’t much of an adjustment from month to month. I actually didn’t crave American food as much as I thought I would, but there were several times in Asia that a good cheeseburger sounded amazing.
How did “worship music” differ among the various cultures and how different were they from ours here? What was your favorite?
The music sounded different in each country. It was always in the local language and several times it was sang a capella or with minimal instruments, especially in Asia. However, some countries like Romania, Moldova, Botswana, and Guatemala had churches that played more recent songs you’d hear on the radio, just in their language. My favorite is a church we went to in Moldova that played many familiar songs in Romanian and Russian!
You have served as a missionary on 4 continents in 11 months. What is similar about all the continents, and what is different about each continent (other than the obvious)?
Each continent had its share of similarities and differences! First of all, there were incredible men and women of Christ in each of the places we visited. In some countries, especially in Asia, Christians were definitely the minority. Another similarity is that there were people in need each place we lived. Sometimes the need was food, other times quality housing was an issue.
Differences could definitely be seen between different cultures. We experienced African culture, where people wore bright colors and were open to talking to us, even if we just met! In Eastern Europe, people tended to keep to themselves more, so conversation was a little more difficult to initiate.
I remember you packing your pack(s) the night before you left for the WR…is there one thing you wished you had that either didn’t fit (that you left behind), or didn’t think of taking? And, is there one thing that you took with you that you ended up not needing the past 11 months??
There were several times that an iPhone would have been nice to have as it is a compact way to have a camera, internet access, etc. instead of a laptop and a big camera. I have said several times that I would have left my sleeping bag at home. Any month that has been cold enough to use it blankets were provided by our host. Any other month, my sleeping bag liner would have been just fine.
What was the most unexpected challenge The Lord used to help you grow?
The most unexpected challenge I faced was definitely breaking my arm in Moldova and the healing process that ensued for the rest of the Race. I experienced a level of dependency on my team that I have never experienced before. Needing help with simple tasks such as making my breakfast or carrying my pack was frustrating on multiple occasions. Once my cast was removed, I could barely move my arm and it was still pretty sore. My team prayed over my arm every night for the last month of the Race. My team and I learned a lot about prayer and trusting in God’s timing, healing, and provision during this time.
List the types of transportation you have used.
Airplane
Bus
Taxi
Boat
Bicycle
Walking
Train
Elephant (just for fun)
Tuk Tuk
Sketchy cargo truck in Botswana
Street Trolley in Moldova
Horse Cart in Romania
Pickup truck
What are you going to tell people when they ask if they should go on the race?
When people ask about doing the Race I’d be more than happy to share about my experience and answer questions they may have. The decision is ultimately between them and the Lord, of course. I am glad I did the Race and it was an incredible experience!
Which ministry month was your most challenging?
Month 8 in Romania was a challenging month for me. Culturally, the switch from Botswana to Romania was hard for me. In Botswana, people would generally great me with a smile and were open to small talk. The following month in Romania, my greetings were often met by blank stares. It was also difficult seeing people living in oppression resulting from their communist history. Ministry was a struggle each day, but eventually God used many of the things I was struggling with culturally to break my heart for the people there and love them through the challenges I was facing.
List some of the people you will remember the most & why.
Our Month 1 host in Nepal, Samuel, was great! He was about our age, so we related to him really well. He led us to different homes throughout the week and we had so much fun hiking with him! He showed us a waterfall, introduced us to momo (one of the best foods EVER), and often goofed around with my team at dinner.
In Swaziland I met a man named Mr. Dave. Mr. Dave is one of those guys who has done everything. From building ships to sailing them, working in a diamond mine, and traveling all over Africa, this man definitely had stories to tell! We visited with him throughout the month, shared several laughs, and even celebrated his birthday with him!
Ezra is a seven years old and lives in India. He lives in Sarah’s Covenant Homes, an orphanage for children with disabilities. I had the pleasure of spending every afternoon with him that month. He loved singing and dancing! One of my favorite days of the Race was taking him to the beach and laughing him as the waves washed over us! At the end of the day, I said one of the hardest goodbyes ever when saying goodbye before leaving for Thailand.
If you had a chance to go back for just one more month to any country you have been to, who do you think needs you the most, and which would you chose to go to. Why?
I loved my month in Nepal and it is a country in serious need of help right now. I met so many awesome people in Nepal and would love to see them again someday!
I‘m wondering about the food & how you liked it. Any favorite recipes & will we be able to sample them at a “McNamee” reunion in the future?
I got to eat so many great foods over the last 11 months! My favorite is definitely momo, a Nepali dish. I also enjoyed Thai, Swazi, and Central American food! Maybe I’ll bring something next time I come!
How many times did you clip your fingernails?
More times than I clipped my toenails.
What’s your favorite salad dressing?
Ranch.
(The last two questions are brought to you courtesy of my teammate and brother, Joe Stickle. Check out the exciting things he is doing here!)
How have you grown in your faith by this experience?
This experience taught me a lot about trust. Trusting He had great plans for each month. Trusting in His leading as we talked to people or took on new or unfamiliar ministry opportunities. Trusting that even when things were hard, He is a good God.
This trust certainly wasn’t easy, but through it there was a lot of growth.
What will you do with the graced experience God has put inside you?
This experience taught me a lot and I experienced a lot of growth. Now I have two options, leave the things I learned as a memory, or I can continue walking in the things that I have experienced over the last year. Although the first option is easier and more comfortable, the second option is the one I’m choosing.
What has been the best part in this experience?
While on the Race I experienced incredible community for 11 months. It was great spending each day with people focused on growing and pursing Christ, leading and encouraging me to do the same thing. God used these friends to encourage me and call me higher so many times throughout the 11 months.
Thank you for all your questions! A blog about my post-race plans is coming soon!
