Hey all! It’s Jess. I don’t really have to think a whole lot about why we chose the World Race. The answer is simple for me… to LOVE. So many people in the world, including the United States need to know the unconditional love Poppa has to offer. I have talked to some of my family members about us going on this new adventure and some of them ask if we are crazy. Well family the truth is we are crazy =). Going to eleven different countries for eleven months is going to not only be life changing for people we touch, but for us as well. Living out of a backpack for eleven months, sleeping in a tent for eleven months, even maybe wearing the same clothes for a few weeks at a time. Are we crazy? Heck yes we are crazy! There are too many reasons to explain why the World Race.
… To be the salt in the pepper (and no I’m not just talking about color. lol), to be the light in the darkness, to love the unreached, to be able to go on an amazing adventure. I mean come on eleven countries in eleven months… HECK YES! I feel my heart has pulled me closer and closer to this because I so badly want my eyes to be open to everything Poppa has to offer.
I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I am. The ‘unknown’ everyone is talking about is super exciting to me because not a lot of people can say they built a home in Thailand or got to raise someone from the dead in Costa Rica… yes I did just say RAISE THE DEAD. It sounds scary at first because that means I have to see a dead person, but hey I’m open I’m excited and I’m ready! I know too many people who have given up their dreams because they were told they couldn’t do something. In this case Nate and I are accomplishing one of our dreams. Since I was a little girl, while all my friends were building houses for their Barbie’s, my Barbie slept in her car. She was always on the road experiencing new things, she was free. I too have always wanted to be free. Free to LOVE and free to dream whatever I want to dream. I have always wanted to travel and experience new cultures and meet new people and learn new things. Poppa has always been with me in this dream. He’s like that dad who says “Alright daughter, when are we leaving.”
SO WHY THE WORLD RACE YOU ASK?
Simply to LOVE.
It’s Nate’s Turn!!!!
Why?
Why NOT?!
God’s Eyes!! This is where it all started for me! Now I’m not literally talking about Poppa’s eyes, I’m talking about 3rd grade, when I was just a seedling of a boy, in art class, a dream arose! We were working on a project called God’s Eye’s where you take two popsicle sticks, make and X, and wrap a few different colors around it, making it look like an eye!
Well, my friend and I decided we were going to make a butt load of them, sell for a quarter each, and save up tons of money to travel the world. And if I remember right, we were going to do part of it in a hot air balloon! I remember my silly little sister saying, you’ll never do that!! But now she is so excited to actually see Jess and I’s dream unfolding before our eyes!!
This is where the dream started!!
You might be thinking, how do you go from popsicle sticks and yarn to 11 countries in 11 months?
Great Question!!
In my 3rd year of college(2009) as a music major, I started attending Southwestern College(now Arizona Christian University) and heard about from an alumni who’s dad was one of my professor’s. When I first heard about this crazy adventure, I said to myself,
“Ima Do It!!”
As the last few years have gone by, Jess and I have talked about it, dreamed about it, but had been previously pursuing other dreams! Such as working with kids and youth. We had looked into going on the race in 2013, but we didn’t fit the marriage requirements, and so now that brings us to here…
6 months away from our launch date to our first country…
GUATEMALA!!!
But still Nate, why the World Race?
For a few reasons:
1: Community
I remember the time I did spend at ACU and the community of believers I was surrounded with, extremely helped me to open up to who I am today! I had friends pull me out of my dorm because I was so afraid to talk to girls and meet people! Living in community can offer such a safe place of love where even if we don’t see eye to eye, I’m going to be patient and still be your friend!
Iron Sharpens Iron
Living in a tight knit group of 6-8 people, we will fo sho be more like a family, and that just appeals to me! It’s something I feel the body lacks in, especially in our modern day “Churchianity.” I truly believe we can all learn from each other and our stories! And what better way to do so then living with strangers for 11 months!
2: Experience
Honestly, the experience of traveling the world with a purpose of loving others just cuts straight to my heart!! To experience Daddy in a way that we may never experience here in the states! Now…I’m not saying that we can’t experience Dad and His love and presence here in America like we can overseas. I believe we have an open heaven above us right now and we can experience His love and grace anywhere, anytime!
But America is so blind to much of what goes on in other countries such as dead people hanging from buildings, villages with witch-doctors, and the epidemic of AIDS. “The grounds for a great miracle are impossibility.” –Angus Buchon In America, we have easy access to doctors, medicine, pills, and poverty isn’t as big of an issue. In other countries, there’s a lot more grounds for great miracles! A lot more impossible situations that are openly exposed!
I’m personally STOKED to experience God’s presence and the supernatural in 11 countries! I’m not a glory-bubble-demon-behind-every-corner-chasin-holy-rollin-charismatic!
Just a dude, with ½ “ gauges, who loves Jesus and wants to see Him for who He is, in every bit of His creation, with ALL of His beloved kids whom He’s purchased through His incarnation, death, and resurrection!!
3: LOVE
Honsetly, no matter where we are in life and on earth, we can make a difference. We can love someone! We can help heal a broken heart by showing someone the love of the Father! And that’s what it comes down to for me! For us!
To love those who are hurting! The orphans! The prostitutes! The abandoned! The ones who think they are without hope! To show people who Dad is! Not just in other countries, but here in America! To be able to write and connect to others hearts around the globe! To give them a glimpse of what we see! To give you a glimpse of what we will be experiencing! To help awaken people to the power of Jesus across the globe!
Truthfully, it’s LOVE that dominates this heart! LOVE is who will change people! LOVE is who will dominate the countries we go to! And we want to share in this divine dance of LOVE and union!!
Thinking about me as a kid, trying to sell God’s Eyes, I remember my silly little sister saying, you’ll never be able to do that!! Haha. But now she is so excited to actually see Jess and I’s dream unfolding before our eyes!!
We want to see the world through Dad’s eyes, and give people vision to see themselves how Dad actually sees and relates to them!!
So…..Why The World Race?
WHY NOT?!
