This question has been asked a lot lately. Let me start by saying what I will not be doing:
- actually running a race (though that sounds fun too)
- trying out for a reality TV show (this is real life)
- vacationing (I will be working 6 days a week)
May 17-May 24th I will be at Training Camp. Adventures in Missions says, “Whether you have never left your hometown or you are an experienced traveler, The World Race will be a brand new journey. Training Camp is a time to help you become prepared. You can’t possibly imagine what “prepared” means until you have a taste of the experience. The World Race staff will recreate Life on The Race as much as possible in order for you tobe as prepared as you can be.”
July 1st, 2014 I will meet up with my squad (40-60 people) again for another week of training and preparation. From there we will take off to Colombia. Once we get to Colombia we will break out into our team of seven. Once in our team of seven we will head to a city, village, countryside or wherever the organization we are working with is located.
I really do not know what I will be doing each month, but know I will need Romans 12:12 “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer.”
A past racer (thank you Rachel Martin!) shared with me her monthly jobs to give me an idea of what type of work I will be doing. So here is a little glimpse of what my year might look like (I will have a different country route.)
1. Philippines-originally worked in Tondo and Navotas working with dump kids doing kids programming, got moved because of a typhoon to Manila to work with KIM (worked in an orphanage) to get moved again to Children’s Garden-worked with at risk boys who were housed in this ministry.
2. China-worked in Xiahe teaching English to police officers
3. South Africa-worked with a church originally-things fell through and then went to Fish Hoek to work in a special needs school.
4. Mozambique-Beacon of Hope, did physical work the whole month
5. Swaziland-worked with the AIM base there, went into hospitals and prayed for kids, women… also went to a home like Hospice.
6. ROMANIA-worked with Hope Church, I taught English, did kids clubs with gypsy children, administration work for the pastors.
7. Bulgaria-taught English in the schools, kids clubs
8. Croatia-physical labor, taught English in the schools, kids clubs with gypsy children, computer ministry
9. Guatemala-Joy Filled Homes-worked and lived in a special needs home. (I got a parasite this month, so I didn’t do a whole lot.)
10. Honduras-Zion’s Gate-our whole squad was here…various ministries-taught English, physical labor, testimonies, another racer and I went to a family’s home every week and really invested in their lives.
11. Nicaragua-NewSong-taught in Wednesday night youth class, dance class, kids clubs
I have realized that Romans 12 is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. Now I know why! It is my training manual for the World Race. The title of the chapter in my New Living Translation Bible is “A Living Sacrifice to God.” This chapter is about love and how to love, Godly character, thoughtfulness, dealing with enemies, and spiritual gifts. Every morning at GHS we say the pledge, during my World Race I am going to say this every morning as my pledge. Feel free to join me in this prayer/pledge every morning. Romans chapter 12 sums up what I will be doing next year and hopefully for years to come: being a messenger of God in this world.
