March 2012..
As graduation was approaching my sister mentioned the Race as a program I should look into. Although thinking it was an amazing program, I didn’t think it was right for me. So I put the idea in the back of my mind as something to possibly share with others…
Fast forward to Spring 2014..
Many pieces of the puzzle fell together quite rapidly…
A friend recommended I read “Insanity of God” not too long ago. This book is filled with stories of those living out their faith in lands where practicing Christianity is a crime. My heart ached for what they had to endure, yet I was also encouraged to hear to what lengths these believers would go to as I was reading their stories. I began to develop a sense of wonder of how people in other countries love and worship the same God, yet in a extremely different environment than my comfort in the United States.
Around the same time I was also reading ‘Radical’ with a dear friend. As we were studying each chapter, we were asking ourselves ‘How can we live Radical this week?’ I was struggling with answering the question within the confines of living in the United States from what passions and understandings had been placed on my heart. As I had been exposed to the stories in remote villages around the world, and as I was contemplating my day to day life; I could not answer the question honestly without praying about going abroad.
As I prayed about this question, the World Race came to mind. It began consuming my thoughts. I read blogs from the website and was filled with great joy and hope as Racers shared their experiences. One day I searched for hours on the website. I don’t cry often, but that day as I watched one of the videos posted on the website the tears came. I knew that this wasn’t just some cool program I was looking at, but that I needed to seriously consider this Race as something that would become part of my life. Every night as I was trying to go to bed, I had one question on my mind, ‘why not?‘ I had to take this tug on my heart seriously. I had to pay attention to the stories of other Racers and consider how their stories could become my reality. I had to consider taking a step of living ‘Radically,’ and what plan God had for me in doing so. The concerns or worries I had were only matters of this world, nothing that couldn’t be worker our nor anything God wasn’t too big too handle. I couldn’t let those excuses become reasons for holding me back.
As I began mentioning to family and friends that I was even considering applying, I received great encouragement, support and prayers through this process. It wasn’t long before my application was complete. I had never felt such peace as when I did when I pushed ‘submit.’
Accepted…
After going through the application process, which felt longer than it actually was… I was accepted!!!
I made the calls to those who had been praying with me in the process. The support continued! I was with the Swanson’s for the weekend. They quickly helped me think of the Race as my new reality as they shared advice from their experience living in Ghana. After hearing ‘accepted,’ it didn’t feel so radical. I am incredibly humbled that I get to experience life of the poor, meek and overlooked. I feel privileged that I have the opportunity to see how God is at work around the world. I am in awe that this program was mentioned a few years ago, to now be becoming my story.
The World Race is a different race for every person. As I have read blogs, talked to alumni and learned more about this program; I see how this journey is an individual journey. For some racers, the outdoor living is completely new, for others fundraising takes a great toll, some have never experienced foreign countries and others God has brought extreme healing on their pasts. Whatever the circumstance, God creates and provides the exact experience that each Racer needs. So, with that, I don’t exactly know what it will be like to experience God at work in these remote villages. I don’t know how I will answer the question ‘Why did you go on the World Race?’ I do (think I) know that for now, I have come to the WorldRace to be exposed to other believers around the world, to see God’s beauty in their faces and His work and to gain a greater appreciation for the life I have had in the United States. I’m anticipating my understanding of my role in this world will be greatly impacted. I’m excited to continue revealing why the Race has become a part of my story.
