It’s been a minute since I’ve written. If I’m being honest, it’s because my mind is so exhausted that I feel like I’ve lost all energy to be creative. These last few months have been rough, but have brought so much growth as well. Here are some highlights from the first month of my favorite region- NICARAGUA.
1. On the race, we have the most amazing hosts. This month our host’s name is Hellen and she has been working at Cicrin for the past 27 years. One night she decided to tell our group of the history of Cicrin. When she was 23 years old, God called her out of her comfort zone in Costa Rica to an abandoned property in Nicaragua. This property used to house young boys who were in training for the military. When she arrived, she could sense the darkness, but that didn’t stop her from dedicating what she thought would be 1 month of her time to the beginning stages of this ministry. She worked with American missionaries from the States to reconstruct the property and turn it into a children’s home. One day the Americans that she was working with told her that they would be heading to the States for 15 days. She was nervous to be by herself during the time they would be gone, but they reassured her that they would be back. 27 years later, she has not heard from them.
Since then Cicrin has had so many success stories of children coming out of poverty or abandonment and thriving here. They receive edfucation and discipleship, most move on to University and continue to dream and chase their dreams.
My favorite part of Hellen’s story is that she teaches them about forgiveness. She encourages these children to love and pray for their parents, despite the horrific past they may have. When Hellen spoke of the Americans leaving and never returning, she laughed, pure joy leaking from her smile. It’s obvious that this woman knows a great deal of forgiveness. I’m so glad that her story of forgiveness encourages others to do the same.
2. Despite these past two months taking a toll on me mentally and emotionally, I can’t recall a season of life where I’ve experienced more laughter. This is what true joy feels like. For a while I had to choose it, but now it just flows. It’s a peaceful place to be.
3. One of my favorite memories from this month is the day HB, Devante, Héctor and I all decided to go on an ice cream hunt. It was in the middle of the day and there were only a few Tuk shops (mini, walk-up convenient stores) near our location, which we frequent for snacks. So off we went on the 20-minute walk to our favorite Tuk shop and on our way back we met a boy named Ariel. He told us about himself and his family and we told him why we’re here. He was a Christian, but wanted us to come to his house to pray for his family. As we were talking with him, we met another man who joined our conversation for a few minutes. He knew we were racers, and asked for us to pray for him and his family. About 30 minutes into our conversation with Ariel, he pointed us to a house that he thought sold ice cream. Upon arrival, Evellyn introduced herself and invited us to sit and chat. We met her and her two sons, she gifted HB and I with earrings, and she told us a bit of her story. She is so kind, and we have since then continued to build a relationship with her.
Three new friends all because of an unsuccessful ice cream hunt. I’m all about it.
4. I’m so grateful for family. They keep me sane. My dad and I have the same brain when it comes to adventure. My brother is the most thoughtful person I know. But let me brag about my mom for a moment.
This woman had to say goodbye to her father on January 19. During this time she was sending ME daily encouragements and telling ME what an amazing woman of God I am. Is this a joke? She’s incredible.
Since then she continues to encourage me and give me her wisdom. We FaceTime and laugh at each other’s ridiculousness. I am so blessed not only to know her, but the fact that my title for her is “mom,” I’m so grateful.
Because I know you’re reading, you always are, I love you mom!
5. I’m in month 7. Which means I’m past the halfway mark. That’s WEIRD. I remember a year ago dreaming of what country I would be in and thinking, “Nicaragua, I’ll be almost done!” WHAT?! It’s come and gone so quickly.
Something that comes up a lot in conversation as of recent is post race plans. This is such a daunting thought. I have no clue what the rest of my life looks like. I think the greatest thing the race has taught me thus far is how to be present. I don’t need to think 5 steps ahead; I just need to think about the responsibilities God places before me. He doesn’t expect me to know what I’ll be doing when I’m 40, but He does expect me to love well now. He doesn’t expect me to worry about what my financial situation will look like in 20 years, but He does expect me to steward my money well now. What a relief that I don’t always have to know the next steps
6. “Home, let me come home. Home is whenever I’m with you.” –Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes
H O M E
Home is such a weird thought on the race. Right now, home is my bunk bed in the girls dorm at Cicrin. Sometimes home has a mattress and sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes there are real showers, and sometimes there’s a bucket.
On the race, I have 3 communities I actively pour into. Home, home and home. Translation: Cicrin, J-squad and Omaha. It’s weird. And hard. But when God is the source of the love that I’m pouring out from, it just works. And it works well.
7. I’ve been working out every morning. Since Thailand. That’s what number 7 is dedicated to. Let’s celebrate. *Insert party emoji*
My girl HB has a friend who created a workout plan. Her name is Ally Slaughter. I have renamed her plan “The Slaughterhouse.” Some days we do 300 squats in supersets and it’s insane. Ally just really wants my butt to look good apparently.
But this month is all about healthy routine, and it feels so good.
8. On month 7 of the race there’s this thing called “PVT” (Parent Vision Trip) which is an opportunity for parents of World Racers to come and do ministry with them for a week. My parents are not attending the trip but all of my team member’s parents are. It’s been a little rough at times to hear their conversations of excitement as they talk about seeing their parents, hugging their parents, doing ministry with their parents, etc.
There’s a group of about 15 members from my squad whose parents are also not attending PVT, so we will be working together and doing ministry elsewhere as a group. Recently the ministry who was planning to host us during the week of PVT backed out.
We joke that we are officially homeless and parentless.
But in all reality, this situation is teaching me a lot of compassion in ways that I might not experience otherwise. I’m so grateful for my communit(ies) but what if I didn’t have that support to rely on? God has blessed me big and it only makes sense to take that and pour it out. I can’t hoard the goodness.
9. Speaking of goodness, let me give you another example of how God loves to bless His children.
Los Angeles. J-squad had a 12 hour layover in LA on our way from Thailand to Nicaragua. As you can imagine, our entire squad began hyperventilating when we discovered that our feet would touch American soil (tiles) for 12 hours after 6 months. All of a sudden dreams of Taco Bell and Chic-fil-A became all too real. Excitement filled the air. Except for me. I was not looking forward to the layover. I didn’t want to be in America. I had already gone through too much mental stress in Thailand and the thought of adding more to the pile from the homeland sounded terrifying.
We hopped off our plane and began singing the national anthem like lunatics. We walked through customs and I could literally feel the American-culture-stress in the air as those working in customs yelled at each other and barked at us as if we hadn’t ever gone through international customs like it was our living for the past 6 months. Bruh, I know what I’m doing.
We crossed the border, grabbed our packs and headed for the gate. The closer we got, I could hear the chants of the protesters.
You’ve. Got. To. Be. Kidding. Me.
This is my “welcome almost home.”
In that moment I thought, “I’m never coming back.”
Some of us went to In & Out, some headed to the beach and some (me) found a corner to sit and sulk in. I texted my best friend Ang in San Diego to see if she had any downtime in the next 12 hours, turns out she had been planning on it the whole time.
She drove the 2 hours to come hug me and buy me dinner. She didn’t come alone, she brought my other bestie Jos with her. We laughed, we cried. We met Allen Stone (GO BUY HIS MUSIC) he’s a beautiful specimen with an even more beautiful voice and soul. His dad is doing missions in Africa. Basically perfect.
I also got on the news. The news casters of LA were broadcasting the riots and protesters and I just happen to be in the middle of it. America caught me in my best — overalls and 4 day travel hair, scrolling angrily through my phone, bitter because I just wanted to be in Central America—was caught on television. I don’t think I’ve laughed harder in my life.
Needless to say, what started out as an awful return, turned into a beautiful, hilarious transition.
10. My team, team Rooted, is known for being ridiculous. Amy and I come up with some crazy ideas and we laugh a lot. One night we were far from tired and decided to come up with crazy questions to walk around and randomly ask our fellow squad mates. We came across Josh and Amy dropped this bomb “what are your thoughts on Trump.”
Why, you ask? Because team Rooted.
About 45 minutes into our deep political discussion we started talking about the Bible. I really wish I could remember how this transitioned, but I have literally no clue. Welcome to the World Race though, where it all goes back to the Bible.
Josh took us to Hebrews 11:32 “And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prohets…”
Josh said that when he read that verse he was really confused. Hebrews 11 talks about all the greats who walked by faith. Abraham, Jacob, Moses. GREATS. But then in verse 32 it references what I would call “randoms” for lack of a better term. Here’s why:
Gideon means LIGHT. Barak means DESCENDED. Samson was STRETCHED OUT. Jephthah had to SACRIFICE THE FIRST BORN. David was a KING. Samuel was a PRIEST. And the prophets spread the news of the SECOND COMING.
When you put it all together it is the gospel.
The Light descended and was stretched out and sacrificed as the First Born.
Mic drop. Thanks Josh. That’s the best political debate I’ve ever had. In the final words of Josh: Jesus TRUMPS all. Puns, gotta love em.
11. On the race there’s so much jargon that we have accumulated, it’s hilarious. I imagine myself going back home and using all these terms with my friends and no one will have a clue what I’m talking about. Aye. But one thing we talk about often is our “there/here path.” A there/here path is basically a goal or dream of someone that you want to become and the steps it takes to getting there. Here’s mine “Stay faithful in believing in His promises and choose joy.”
All common themes in this walk I have the pleasure of calling life. He promises me so much but it’s hard to choose to believe. But whenever I doubt them, I lose my joy. Because I can’t have joy if I don’t trust Him. He gives me everything I need and everything that I truly want because He knows me way better than I know myself. He’s all powerful, so why do I doubt? He does what He says; it’s on every page of His Word. It’s written all over the pages of this life too.
“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him Who called us by His own glory and goodness.”
2 Peter 1:3
Love always,
Linds
