It’s hard to believe I’ve been off the field for 2 weeks now. Some days I feel like a zombie walking around in a strange land. Other days home feels so normal that I questions whether the race was a dream or not! Transition is definitely a challenge, and something that lots of grace to walk through. I do miss the field so much and my heart longs to be back out there; however, I am thankful for where God has me and what He has in store next for my life. I will keep you posted on what’s next. J
Since being back, so many people have lots of questions for me! Which I totally love and appreciate so many people being so interested in my life over the past year. Nevertheless, there are lots of people I haven’t been able to see or talk to yet, so I thought I would write some of these answers down for those of you who might be wondering.
What was your favorite country? (Most popular question)
This one is a tough one because I loved many countries for different reasons. But if I had to pick, I would say that Thailand was my favorite country! The people, culture, food, scenery – all of it. I for sure fell in love with that place and will be going back! I literally ate my weight in Pad Thai, and do not regret it! It’s a beautiful place full of beautiful people.
What was the worst thing you ate?
I think I would have to say the worst thing I ate on the race was the cockroach. Although, second place would go to some of the “meat” we ate in Nepal. There really are no words to describe that one.
What country had the best food?
I am sure not everyone on my squad would agree, but I would say India had the best food. Our contact cooked for my team and it was really delicious. There were some days the curry was so hot it would literally burn your mouth. But overall, the food was really amazing. Plus I loved eating with my hands. BUT Pad Thai was my favorite food over all. I freaking love that stuff!
What country was the prettiest?
This is another tough question because I saw many beautiful places. I think it would be a tie between Thailand and Nepal. With Mount Everest and the Himalayas, those are hard to beat. However, the beaches in Thailand took my breath away. The world is beautiful and if you get the chance you should see as much of it as you can!
What was the scariest place?
Prior to leaving on the race, many people cautioned me to be careful cause the world is a scary place. But I can honestly say, I only felt scared on place on the entire race. The world isn’t nearly as frightening as we sometimes paint it to be due to our limited mindset. Johannesburg, South Africa was a little bit of a scary place. They have lots of crime there and we had armed guards on our grounds. There were some nights that felt scary there. Other than that, I have felt more scared places in the USA than anywhere I was in the world.
What did you miss the most? (Don’t judge me)
REAL COFFEE!!!! I know my family and friends will slap me for not saying them, but that is a chance I am willing to take. I could sleep on the ground, in a hut, in the mud, but give me some REAL, freshly brewed, not instant coffee and I am HAPPY!
What was the hardest thing to see on the race?
There were many really heart wrenching things to see in the world. Three of the main ones that come to mind were the “untouchables” in India, the girls trapped in the bars in Thailand and the people who lived in Smokey Mountain in the Philippines. Some of the poorest people in the entire world; it was hard to see them and not really be able to do anything, except give them love. Meeting those girls, slaves to the sex trafficking industry was beyond difficult to see. Words really cannot express it. We should be SO overly thankful for what we have and never complain again. My heart was broken and convicted at the same time.
What was your favorite moment on the race?
Ok, this is nearly impossible to pick one. However, one that still brings me to tears took place in India. We had the opportunity to go to a village for the “untouchables”, which are the poorest and lowest of the people of India. We brought Bibles and I, with one of my teammates, was able to share the gospel with them. Over 10 people gave their life to Christ that night. Truly, this is what we were all made to do – bring souls into His kingdom.
What was your worst travel day?
Honestly, the travel to get back to the USA was really rough. However, there were a few others that might come close to topping it. I think the train ride from Thailand to Laos was the WORST. We were on a night train, which was plastic seats and windows that wouldn’t shut, so we were freezing. They loaded the train until the seats were filled, then let more people in to sit on the floor. There were dogs and chickens on this thing, and the guy next to me brought his birds in a cage. A lady walked through the whole train screaming “Sa-wat-dee Kah” (which is hello in Thai) at 2am with fish on sticks. The sound and smell would make you wanna jump off the train. It was ROUGH.
What was the main thing God taught you on the race?
It would take dozens of blogs to really sum up EVERYTHING God did, but one of the main things God did in my heart on the race was made me WHOLE. I left a broken person, with many wounds from the past and unforgiveness in my heart. God set me free from my past and completely healed my heart! I am a new person and that alone was worth every difficulty I faced. I could never go back now. I am so thankful for all God did in my heart and I am sure I will be writing about it forever.
What’s next?
This is the most common question everyone has been asking me! Welp, I would like to tell you, but I don’t even know yet! God has laid lots of things on my heart and I am praying about which opportunities He is leading me to take. So we will have to wait and see. Stay tuned 🙂
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Thank you again for your support, encouragement and prayers throughout this journey! I thank God for each of you! If you have any other questions you would like to know, please feel free to message me anytime!
May God fill your heart with joy and peace today in all that He is.
Don’t be afraid today to step out of your box and share that with others.
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