SNAPSHOTS: brief encounters

I'm excited to share two brief stories of some women with whom my interactions were brief but have now become a part of my World Race story.

#1:  My role on staff at Windy Gap with Young Life affords me to work with a large number of volunteers from all walks of life, backgrounds, ages, and beliefs.  Looking forward to the personalities and characters that will pass through our department (Food Service) has become one of my favorite parts of my job.  This particular season at work is very unique in the sense that we have many groups and many people passing through Windy Gap at what seems like breakneck speed.  This rapid pace has me and my co-workers training new volunteers on the same jobs every few days.  Last week, I found a few moments to share with a couple of the volunteers I was working with about my decision to take on the World Race.  I told them about the countries I was going to, why I decided to go and leave my job at Windy Gap, and I told them about he fundraising.  Several hours later, when the time had come for them to leave, one of them handed me a check towards my trip.  I was so thankful.  I was also moved.  This woman had only spent a few hours in my presence and we had not exchanged that many words outside of me basically telling her what to do.  But what I hope what she saw in our brief time together and the sharing of my story was Jesus.  I hope that she saw the heart of God in my life and that was what compelled her to involve herself in that manner.  So Allison, if you're reading this, thank you for your investment.  You did not invest in me, Katie Hunt.  You invested in the advancement of the Gospel.  Thanks for setting an example and choosing to put your money into something that the Lord would be pleased for your heart to follow.

#2:  Shortly after accepting my spot on the World Race I realized my passport had expired.  Which was bittersweet.  The bitter part being the $110 (!) it was going to cost to replace it.  And the sweet part being that the photo was in need of replacing since the moment it was taken in the spring of 2002 (yikes).  The "I just raced over here after 7th period/gee, I hope there's nothing in my braces" look needed to go.  Yes, I was 16.  But we were all there once, fortunately.

So last week, I raced over to CVS get my photo taken and hopefully squeeze into the line at the post office just before closing time.  As I was waiting for the photos to print, a fellow customer struck up a conversation with me, asking me why I was renewing my passport and such.  So I was able to tell her all about my upcoming adventures with the World Race.  Never did I think I would receive such joy from a stranger about something that he or she was not going to be given any benefits.  She asked me questions and was very curious about what I was doing and where I was going.  I could tell that she was genuinely excited for me to have this experience.  I walked away feeling encouraged by this woman and loved by Jesus and all she did was ask me a few questions.

Neither of these encounters might seem to really hold much significance on the surface, but they did to me.  When I decided to join the World Race, I was very nervous that I was not someone who could compel someone to involve others in what I was doing.  I am not persuasive.  Not a word has come out of my mouth that could be construed as smooth.  Thankfully I have been reminded that I am but an instrument.  I am simply a vessel that is traveling on this journey.  I am not asking people to partner with what I am doing, but I am asking them to partner in what I believe GOD IS DOING through my life.  So these brief moments reminded me of this and just humbled me as I knew that this was God's way of letting me know that I am loved by Him and He is well pleased.  Who would have thought He could do so much with so little?

And on another note… does anyone know if they happen to send your old passport back to you?  I assume not?  As glad as I was to replace the photo I was sad to say goodbye to my [first] Chinese visa and a few other stamps.  Flipping through the pages was always like a walk down [international travel] memory lane… I mean a short one.  But still.