To explain how I ended up applying for the World Race we are going to have to back up a few years to where it all began, in March of 2010.
I was going on a mission trip with my church and it was my first time out of the country. I was feeling excited, nervous and most of all curious to experience another culture. One night in our devotions we were looking at Joshua 10 and discussing how Joshua, during a battle, had the faith to pray for the sun to stand still. God heard his prayer and stopped the sun and the moon for at least a full day, so Joshua could have time to defeat the kings.
And I started to think about what my "Sun stand still prayer" would be.
While all of this is rambling through my mind, my group and I are in a room in an orphanage in Mexico City, and I am sitting there asking for God to give me the opportunity to go beyond my plans and to jump outside my comfort zone. At the time I wasn't sure what it would be. I just wanted God to give me a goal that I could ONLY complete with Him.
The next day we are all talking with the Mayora of the Orphanage and she is telling us that they are in need of a volunteer or extra help around with the kids. The orphanage was very short staffed and just needed an extra set of hands. This was literally the next day, and I felt this pulling at my heart. I felt God whispering, "go for it".
It wasn't as easy as it sounds, I tried to fight it and pretend that it wasn't for me. But God placed specific people in my life that wouldn't let me fight; people that push me to follow Him. So long story short I ended up in Mexico City at the Salvation Army Orphanage for 4 months only a mere year later. Those kids changed my life! I realized while I was there that I was meant to be with kids like them, all over the world. It was there I developed my dream to open up an orphanage of my own. Or to be working long term somewhere in the world loving kids that don't know what its like to be loved and cared for.
I get back from Mexico City and God had the next step already laid out. Which was to go to the YWAM base in El Salvador for 6 months, there I was continuing to work towards this goal of His. I spent part of this time as an intern helping with the children in orphanages, working with the homeless, building relationships with the prostitutes, and teaching bible lessons to at risk children. But potentially the biggest challenge yet was completing DTS (Discipleship Training School), as school was never my strong suit. Through all the challenges, I believe God put me through them to help me grow in ways that I wouldn't be able to at home in the states.
Now I'm back in the homeland and God has laid the World Race on my heart. At first I wasn't so sure about it and started the fighting and pretending it wasn't for me all over again. But God lead me to understand that this would be a huge leap of faith. I can not begin to think about doing the World Race without Him. Every step of this race will be me learning to trust God more, me learning to jump more in faith, and God chiseling away the parts of me that are not Him.
What I hope to get from the Race is a clear view of where I should go next. I believe God will show me the right people group and culture that He can start an orphanage in. In the end I have no idea if this will happen, but at least that's the plan for now!
So Excited to begin this race!!!
