So… here is my official "first blog"…..the first of many of course. And it is a very important blog which covers the questions I get asked the most when people find out about this trip…."Why the WR and how did you hear about it?" I don't actually have a great answer to share… I guess I am just at a point in my life right now where I want to do something crazy for Jesus, and well…this is pretty crazy.
I have always had this desire to do "missions" for a while. I didn't quite expect to do such a long and extreme trip, I actually started looking up mission organizations back in December 2010 and was thinking, "okay, where can I get involved for a month or two." It was through sharing with a good friend one day this desire to put school and other things on hold for a while and take the time to actually do a missions trip that I've always dreamt of doing, that I heard about the WR. My friend actually said this exact line, "Yeah, I'd love to do The World Race one day," I said, "what's that?" He said, "it's a missions trip where you travel to 11 countries in 11 months, it's pretty amazing." And I kid you not, that exact night I went home, got on my computer and googled The World Race, and ended up sitting for 3 hours reading blogs and by the end of the night I was ready to apply.
And now here I am, 1 month before training camp, and 3 months before launch, and I still have the same joy and excitement I had the day I found out I was accepted. It's a God thing, I cannot explain it any other way. God just gave me an inner peace, and although so far it has had it's challenges, I sit here today feeling renewed in my strength and ready to persevere in this journey before me.
So to answer this big question…."Why the WR?" Well truthfully, I just feel the call and am choosing to be obedient. I am young, healthy, and not majorly committed and I realize chances like this do not come around often. God placed this opportunity before me and gave me the assurance that if I follow and obey, He will lead the way. And so that is what I am trying to do.
There are of course other reasons why I want to do the WR, life altering reasons, like how much I will grow in Christ throughout the 11 months and how that will change my entire life and faith forever, the beauty of seeing such diverse cultures from all over the world and seeing Jesus in each unique place and person, the amazing experience and how it will expand my view of the world and it will open my eyes to the reality of life outside my well-off country, the possibility that I will truly be able to see how blessed I am and finally stop taking so much for granted and learn to give more, the stories I will be able to share with others when I return, the people I will meet, and the beauty of leaving my comfort, and everything I know, only having my faith to rely on and knowing that it is enough, Jesus is truly enough.
There are so many reaons why I am doing the WR, I am just honoured to serve and be a part of this experience all over the world.
For His Kingdom.
