11 countries + 11 months
In the process of planning for life post-graduation, a lot of questions come up. I ended up asking questions like:
“What do I want to do with my life?” and “What do I actually care about?”
I found that I deeply care about people and the human spirit. I want to help people feel loved and whole – but also to realize what is truly of value in life. So I decided that I was going to do this through the avenue of the World Race.
I’m going into this trip recognizing that it will be a huge challenge (because let’s be honest, our American bubble provides a pretty limited world view), but also a huge growing/character-building experience. So you could say that my reasons for choosing this trip are a healthy combination of both selfishness and selflessness.
So I Go…But Why?
So here’s a little insight into why exactly I would commit to something like the World Race:
“From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” – Luke 12:48b (NIV)
A wise friend and discipler once quoted this verse to me. These words weighed heavily on me as at the time I had been dealing with feelings of guilt for being spared the plight that so many people have gone through. It seemed that every person’s story contained deeply embedded hurt and emotional pain. My story however, is relatively void of any great pain or tribulation – my parents have blessed me with a life of great innocence and joy.
Yet, instead of feeling guilt for receiving such a blessed life, I have the opportunity to use these blessings for something greater. I have been given much and it is my responsibility to give much, to bring the fragrance of life – Jesus – to those who have not been blessed in the same ways that I have.
“But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.” – 2 Corinthians 2:14-17 (ESV)
– Laura 🙂
