Merry Christmas everyone! I hope that you have a blessed season and are remembering what we celebrate on this special day.
The house is filled with the smells of cinnamon, apple pie, pumpkin cookies and much more. It’s been a long day of cooking for Christmas day (which is in a day). It almost feels like home, yet it is not home. It is currently 94 F with about 66% humidity-great for baking! This Christmas is quite different than the ones I’ve celebrated the last 24 years of my life. No, I will not be bundled up in my pjs and sitting under a blanket while I unwrap presents and eat good food with my family. This Christmas I am celebrating it at a dam, in Thailand with about 90 people, where we will be having a bbq, games and good fellowship.
This time last year I never imagined that I would be in Thailand, or travelling the world for 11 months for that matter! I was working at a biofuels research site, had a boyfriend and everything seemed great. My community was amazing at home; it was probably the best year of my life and although I felt God tugging at my heart to go and do something completely outside the box, I didn’t think this would be it. Yes, I did tell my friend Adrienne week after week that I wanted to travel the world for a year and experience many different cultures and just love people-but I had things in my life that I didn’t think I could leave. A week after Christmas I was at a campus crusade conference and again, God tugged at my heart. He said “go” and I replied “I don’t know God! How can I leave now! Too many things are tying me down.” Needless to say I checked off the box on a mission’s postcard saying I’d commit a year of my life to God after college (of course I’d been done with college for two years at that point)-of course I did this with a lot of hesitation and at first I only checked the 3 month commitment. A week later all the things except my great community came to an end, and I found the World Race. God sure does a sense of humour, eh?
As most of you know, I have spent the last four months travelling around SE Asia (Philippines, Cambodia, Malaysia and Thailand). It has been an extremely long four months filled with struggles of various kinds. I still do not know what I have learned, but I am sure at some point I will. It is strange to think that in 1 ½ weeks I will be going to Africa (Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania area…of course, these probably will change). I never thought I would be going back to Africa after my initial visit in 2002 to Botswana. I loved Africa and its people then, but this time a new slew of problems will be coming my way; emotional, physical, and spiritual. It is summer there, so I am not looking forward to the weather at all. But, I have spent the last 4 months in heat so this should be no problem, right? And I have been told that India is hotter (which is where I will be in April) so I have something to look forward to!
I have seven months left; I am about a third of the way through the race. It seems like such a long time, but I’ve been told it will fly by. I am still trying to enjoy every minute no matter how I am feeling-this has proven to be hard. I am relying on God for endurance to get me past my fatigue and other health issues-and God wanted me on this race so he will provide that endurance.
I have walked with people of every walk of life-the poor and needy, the prostitutes, the well off, the spiritually hungry. It has been interesting learning from them, loving them, and just being their friend. Sometimes you have to take a step back and say “these are God’s children, they are his beloved and he wants them” to refocus your thinking on what the purpose of this year is…it’s not always an easy thing (especially this month as I see 50+ year olds with 20 year old Thai girls. But, that is what God would do-love them; and so, with the grace of God and his strength that is what I will do.
I have picked up random habits along the way, and I am sure I will be picking up even more. Here is just a few:
– I eat peanut butter by the spoonful. It’s mine, my own my precioussss.
– I horde things such as equal, creamer and napkins/tp.
– I speak often in broken English (especially in the countries where no English is spoken).
– I am getting used to hopping on a plane and being in a new country with new people monthly.
– I am spelling things the British way again 😀
That is about it for now! Remember you can read my blogs at: www.kathleenschmidt.theworldrace.org (of course, some of you are reading this on my blog so you can omit this last part from your reading if you wish).
Have a merry Christmas-spend it with your friends and family celebrating the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ. Think of me as you are watching the snow fall outside your window (or melt as the case may be), give up a prayer for us, and be thankful for all that you have.
