Featured Friday: Don’t Go On The World Race!

It is possible that the World Race has become romanticized. As racers share stories of adventure, travel and incredible God moments… it is easy to sit at home wishing you were living this life as well. I know, because I was there once myself. Sitting at my desk (when I was supposed to be working) reading blog after blog… sound familiar? 

I am going to be honest, this race isn't for everyone. Thus, I am going to give you a few reasons why you should reconsider going on The World Race.

1) Don't sign up for The World Race if you like being clean and smelling nice. You may go an entire month with only one quick bath in a muddy creek.

 But God will give you a new picture of what it means to be beautiful.

2) Don't sign up for The World Race if you love wearing fluffy dry clothes. In addition to smelling bad, you will probably go the entire year without a clothes dryer. In fact, sometimes a rusty fence, outside, in the middle of winter is your only option. 

But God will show you step-by-step what it means to sacrifice your comfort.

3) Don't sign up for The World Race if you plan on calling a tow-truck at the first sign of car trouble. When you are in the middle of the African bush, you just have to get out and push. 

But God will teach you to depend on him, not on a list of numbers to call when a problem arises. 

4) Don't sign up for The World Race if you are adamant about wearing your seat-belt. Our philosophy is: if you squeeze people in tight enough, no one is going anywhere. Our record is 22 people in a pickup truck, 10 people in a 5 person car, and 8 on a 4 person trike in the Philippines (although this one may have flipped).

But God will show you his divine protection and you will depend on prayer more than ever before.

5) Don't sign up for The World Race if you hate snakes, spiders, mosquitos, and other strange bugs. They will soon be your housemates and chances are your bug net won't keep them off you at night. 

But God will supply laughter as your team spends 30 minutes trying to find the softball sized spider that fell into a pile of backpacks.

6) Don't sign up for The World race if you like drinking clean water. Our food budget is small and when bottled water is to expensive the only option is to haul buckets of water in and purify it yourself. We do our best, but sometimes a water-borne bacteria sneaks through and you end up puking 7 times on your travel day. 

But God will show you love and care, as numerous squadmates rally around you to provide juice, baby wipes, and clean buckets.

7) Don't sign up for The World Race if you depend on clean bathrooms. I wish I could count how many times I have had to step over poop and plug my nose, while trying to balance myself in a squatty-potty.

But God will give you compassion for the people who live in garbage dumps and the children who walk barefoot through sewage daily on their way to school.

8) Don't sign up for The World Race if you would be embarrassed by a friend picking something out of your teeth. When you go months at a time without looking in a mirror, you grow to depend on your teammates' honesty (and sometimes their teeth picking services). 

But God will give you the courage to open up to a group of strangers that become your family.

9) Don't sign up for The World Race if it is your dream to be a fashion icon. Numerous times I have seen a cute guy checking me out, before realizing that he was actually staring at my socks with sandals or my coat over a sweater over a dress, with jeans and snow boots combination. 

But God will teach you that you don't need a man to romance you, because there is a Divine romance already at work.

10) Don't sign up for The World Race if you always want a hospital nearby. When the local clinic fails you, the next best option is to pull out a book called "Where there is no doctor." 

But you will find dependence on prayer, and you will see the healing power of God over things you used to depend on medication for. 

11) Don't sign up for The World Race if you need a bed to sleep. This year I have slept on the floors of gas stations, with homeless people in Poland, numerous airports, and in every form of transportation possible. 

But God will give you rest and you will be grateful that you typically have a bed to call your own. 

12) Don't sign up for The World Race if you hate living in community and love your independence. For the past 8 months, I haven't even gone to the bathroom in a restaurant by myself. You will be with your team 24/7 and an iPod/eye-mask combination only gives a temporary sense of being alone. 

But God will push you in these moments, he will challenge you through your teammates and they will call you into greatness. 

13) Don't sign up for The World Race If you are comfortable with who you are, because I can promise that this experience will change you. The journey is not easy, but if you are willing… God will take you on an adventure of love, service, abandonment, and surrender. YOU will never be the same.