The 100th

(The people in Cote d’Ivoire speak French. I do not.)

 

Today is April 20 which means we’ve been on this adventure for 100 days! Can you believe it? I can’t. In celebration, here are 100 things I’ve learned on the race so far. Thank you for sticking with me as we enter the dog days of this thing. Here’s to the next 100!

 

1. Leave your expectations at home. Seriously.
2. Bring a wifi hotspot
3. Capsule wardrobes are your friend 
4. Baby wipes.
5. When you’re weak, the enemy WILL attack
6. It is possible to hear God’s voice
7. If you get a parasite in Africa (twice), it will be okay
8. Why did you bring a camera?
9. Speak truth over yourself every day
10. You can still buy things you need in almost every country
11. Bring a lifestraw
12. Always go with your instinct 
13. If you wouldn’t use it in real life, don’t bring it on the race
14. Don’t bring a glass french press
15. You do have to cover your tattoos in Africa
16. Head buffs are lifesavers
17. Don’t bring a water bottle with a straw on the outside
18. Bring less clothes than you think you need
19. Except underwear. Bring more than you think you need. 
20. You don’t magically become closer to God on the race
21. Don’t mail your journals home. The postal system isn’t as reliable as you’d think
22. Ask people to write you letters before you go so you can open them when you’re homesick
23. Ask permission before you take photos
24. Blogging is more difficult than you think
25. No, you cannot buy malaria meds in Africa. Bring them. Or spray and pray.
26. Remember to laugh
27. The race is more like normal life than you’d think
28. Your body will change. Embrace it
29. It’s ok not to be ok
30. Download movies and share them. Your squamates will love you.
31. You will have more downtime than you think
32. Buy a kindle. Physical books take up precious space
33. Download postagram 
34. Sometimes you have to walk a few miles with everything you brought. Rethink those jeans.
35. Get a postcard in each country and write a ministry summary 
36. Journal. You’ll regret it if you don’t
37. Every day things on the race are not normal to people back home, share everything
38. Don’t be scared of constructive feedback
39. Everyone says they won’t be the person distracted by their phone. It will happen to you. Have grace with yourself, then put your phone down
40. Be vulnerable
41. Being on the race doesn’t mean running from your problems at home. They will follow you and you will have to deal with them
42. God is measuring the growing size of his kingdom, not the size of your waist
43. 24/7 community is simultaneously the best and worst thing
44. When you come to the end of yourself, keep going
45. You can do immeasurably more than you ever thought or imagined
46. PEANUT BUTTER
47. Pastors globally will expect you to have a sermon prepared on the spot
48. Make a fool of yourself 
49. Preventable risk. Preventable risk. Preventable risk.
50. There are movie theaters in English
51. Share. Nothing you have is your own
52. Your teammates will drive you crazy. Pray about it
53. Just because things aren’t going well doesn’t mean you are doing something wrong
54. Be okay with sitting in the mess
55. Make sure piercings are surgical grade steel before getting them on the race
56. If you’re bathroom shy you’re going to get over it really fast
57. “I really need to take a shower…” “I have some baby wipes you can use!” -Real conversation
58. God will never leave you
59. The best place to experience heartbreak is on the race with a squad who shows you God’s love relentlessly.
60. Write letters
61. It’s okay to not meet your financial deadline as long as you’re putting forth an effort. Don’t spend time worrying about it
62. You’re going to get some weird tan lines
63. Many hosts don’t understand allergies. Pray about it. 
64. Don’t be stubborn. Go to the doctor.
65. Stop worrying about your extra weight and eat the delicious pastry. 
66. Embrace whatever it is your hair is doing
67. You are more selfish than you ever imagined
68. You are more loved than you ever imagined
69. Love is not a feeling. Love is an action. Love is choosing people even when you’ve never been so angry at someone in your life. 
70. Have patience. If you aren’t coming on the race with any, it will be acquired. Have fun.
71. You will want to go home. That’s okay. Don’t.
72. Read up on culture shock before leaving
73. God doesn’t need you to do this, but he’s chosen you 
74. Keep extra food in your bag to give away
75. Waking up and thanking God for something will change your day
76. Worship like it’s just you and the Lord
77. The Holy Spirit is alive and real 
78. Honor the dress code. It’s not about you. 
79. God will always provide 
80. Stay present
81. Pens are like gold
82. You will smile and nod when people are talking to you even though you have no idea what they are saying (more than you’d like to admit)
83. All of your hosts will think you are an English teacher
84. Your schedule will change last minute. Go with it. 
85. Prepare yourself to work through baggage you didn’t know you had
86. There’s a lot of rushing to get places, then waiting for hours once you arrive. This makes for excellent nap time
87. Recognizing the song being sung at church and being able to sing along in English is refreshing for the soul
88. It’s difficult to find a balance between staying fully present and loving people back home well, but it’s possible. Don’t give up
89. Alone time is earplugs and closing your eyes in a room full of 60 people
90. North American Netflix is not universal. Countries have different movies available, for better or for worse
91. Rice is universal. Prepare yourself.
92. You will become comfortable sleeping in a variety of places; a tent, extreme heat, extreme cold, airports, bus stations, on a pile of backpacks, buses, planes, tile floors, cement floors, on the side of the road…
93. Flushing toilet paper is weird.
94. Cold showers
95. Bucket showers
96. You are exactly where you’re supposed to be
97. People, as a general rule, are the best
98. The way we do things in America is not always ‘right’ 
99. ‘Trump’ translates into all languages and you will be asked your opinion in every country 
100. This is the best year of your life so far, but it won’t be the best year of your life
     

 

I love you. Jesus loves you more. Keep your head up and your coffee cup full