Adventures WorldRace SethBarnes Sponsorship Giving

| by archiveworldraceblogs

We are now on Day 8 of a 14 day technology fast (obviously posting blogs is excluded from the ban!).  I am amazed at how much I, and my teammates, have grown over the past week without iPods, facebook, email, movies, etc.  Actually, I am amazed we are actually surviving! 

I didn’t realize how we were letting techonology hinder our team’s progress to true community.  And I am just now realizing how great an opportunity this is to truly live unconcealed and with mirrors showing who we really are and then growing more like Christ.   I think that before the race I had lived at such a surface level with most of those around me and only allowed a select few – that I chose – into my personal bubble.  For the most part, if something bothered me I just retreated until I was fine with life again.  And then I would get away with bad attitudes or lacking grace, because no one saw it or called me out.

But on the World Race, we are put into communities that we can’t escape from! Our budget doesn’t allow spacious living, but rather, often we are living on top of each other in stressful situations. Thus, our best and worst sides are exposed.  And since I can’t escape my team, I am forced to process why I am annoyed or angry, learn to handle things better and with honesty, and become more humble, patient, gracious, etc….more Christ-like through the process.

It isn’t always fun – actually, often it is painful – but the moments of break through and the relationships formed make it more than bearable. I can’t imagine going around the world like this without strong community.

 
And in places like Turkey, this community is even more important. We are currently in Istanbul, one of the largest cities in Europe.  Turkey also happens to be the least Christian nation statistically. There are fewer Christians (including m issionaries) here, per capita, than any other place. There are entire people groups here that are unreached and unengaged, meaning that not only have they not heard the Gospel message, but there isn’t even a plan in place by missionaries to bring the Hope of Christ into that place. And, beyond that, we don’t even know who lives in some of these neighborhoods. That is where my team comes in!
 
    

One of our tasks this month is ethnography, which is a qualitative research method which seeks to facilitate individuals and groups to tell their story in their words….basically, ask a lot of open ended questions and talk very little.  We get to walk around, initiate conversations, listen to people tell stories about where they are from, etc and then send those notes to a Christian organization that is here doing long term work.  From our notes, they can determine the felt needs in a neighborhood, as well as the spiritual needs.

I am really enjoying this month for many reasons. First, I studied ethnography in college and really enjoy being able to use what I have learned for the Kingdom. Second, I feel like there is so much value in listening to people’s stories and praying for them (and sharing about the Gospel or giving Bibles when the opportunity arises). Thirdly, the region is so dark that the little bit of light that we bring makes a big difference.

So please continue to pray for our team… for unity, health in spite of the cold and rainy weather, and that doors to share with people would be opened.