Wow. Time flies. I can’t believe the last time I wrote a blog was in Thailand and since then I have lived in Cambodia, Swaziland and now Botswana.
So much has happened.
I hated leaving Thailand… It is truly the most beautiful place I have ever been. I loved our ministry. I loved getting to know the girls on my team more and more from the nightly chats in our bunks, filled with belly laughs and even some tears, while oscillating fans blew while we lounged in sarongs, fighting the heat.
See what I mean?
Month 8 I taught college students English in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. I fell in love with every single one of them. They were the most joyful group. Most came from very poor villages, or provinces as they call them, with barely anything to their name. They lived off just a few dollars a day and ate rationed rice three meals a day. My heart broke leaving them. I told them when they graduate and get a job, all they need to do is to save money for a plane ticket to the US and I would love to host them in my home for a visit whenever they wanted. They were thrilled. I am now friends with each of them on Facebook and get sweet little messages and comments from each of them frequently. Disclaimer: They may have an extra special place in my heart because when I told them I was 27 they all gasped and responded with, “You look so young, teach-a!” “Such young face and body for 27!” God bless each of them. Tremendously.
We found out our students had never seen a movie at a cinema before. At 20 something years old. Too expensive they said. Movies in Asia are only 3 dollars. It broke our hearts because they loved American movies but have never experienced something we had our whole lives. On one of our last days we treated them to a movie, in 3D, with popcorn and Coca-Cola, thanks to one of my teammate’s moms who paid for it.
I also witnessed one of the worst moments in my life in Cambodia. I felt a spiritual attack like never before when I want prayer walking through the Red Light District one night with a group of girls from my squad. We were getting ready to leave our hostel to just pray for the women and girls who are used every day for someone else’s pleasure, who are owned by a brothel or pimp, who have sex to profit others, or do this as the only way to make money in a poor country.
We decided to get in a circle and pray before we headed out. Almost instantly I was hit with a wave of nausea. I felt light headed and woozy. I tried to shake it but it became stronger and stronger until my knees started buckling in the middle of the prayer and I started going down. I couldn’t speak. I was about to pass out. The girls felt a pull in the circle, opened their eyes from prayer and said I was white as a ghost, and looked as if I had no idea what was going on. They grabbed me up, walked me inside and sat me down in the nearest chair. Each of them put their hands on me and started praying. I immediately felt like myself again, like it had never happened. It was so foreign and baffling. I have learned it was an attack of the enemy, the devil. I know this sounds strange and even crazy, because I would think the same thing if it had not happened to me. In the Bible we are reminded in Ephesians 6:10-12: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”
I believe with all my heart that the devil did not want me to see what I was about to see in the Red Light District. He did not want me to see the truth. The evil. Because he knew I would fight to stop it. I would be an advocate for the women, for the men, for the brokenness. I would fight the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places, which is the hearts of God’s people, on all sides of this sick, billion dollar industry known as sex trafficking.
But God is bigger than the devil and his schemes. Trying to get me to pass out in order to scare me would never work. I went knowing I have angel armies all around me. I have the power of the Word of God.
“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm” (Ephesians 6:13).
And I stood firm. I stood right back up and walked through the Red Light District…
“Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication” (Ephesians 6:14-18).
I walked through that Red Light District full of darkness from the evil one, without fear, because I knew the girls I was with and myself, we were light in that dark place. We have the light of Jesus- of love, redemption, renewal, grace, mercy, forgiveness, peace, and so much more with us. While the devil condemns, lies, corrupts, misuses, guilts and shames, Jesus loves. We were there not to point fingers, not to shame, but to show love, to pray for each and every person and pray against the evil of the enemy, to proclaim freedom to those in bondage and wage war against the enemy who keeps these people shackled by their sexual addiction or misery or sadness and every other thing these people avoid by turning to this act to numb the pain. It was the most upsetting yet righteous-anger-inducing time of my life. I saw what the devil didn’t want me to see… a lot of white, Western men filling the bars and streets buying the local women for 20-30 dollars for an hour of their time. I was disgusted, sick to my stomach, sad and angry all at the same time. For the men and the women because both were deceived. Both were looking for peace, or contentment, or relief, or whatever, in something that would only torment their souls more. The devil took one of the most beautiful things God has ever given us, sex, and he corrupted it. I was heartbroken.
“To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak” (Ephesians 6:18-20).
So here I am, declaring boldly what I saw and what I believe, the mystery of the gospel, the attack of the enemy, the armor of God, and knowing in my heart light always wins. I will not forget what I saw, felt and experienced that day. I will never stop advocating for the broken people involved in this mess, the destruction of souls. I will fight for the women, for the men, for all to have freedom from the darkness and redemption found in Jesus that brings peace, contentment, joy, and a full and abundant life.
We went through team changes at the end of month 8 in Cambodia and I had to “say goodbye” to two girls who have been daily on this journey with me since the beginning, Casey and Tina. We spent every waking and sleeping hour together for 8 months. Letting them go to another team and knowing I would only see them on travel days between the remaining countries and at final debrief in South Africa at the end of month 11 seemed too hard to bear. They had been right beside me through all the ups and down of the Race… heartbreaks from the past that still haunted me, finding my worth in Jesus and not people pleasing or trying to be perfect, loving me through irritable days when I was over the Race, laughing and crying together, having so much fun no matter where we were or what we were doing, sharing the love of good food, movies and music, being each others’ biggest fans, and growing each other just by being ourselves.
Me and Tina on Thanksgiving in Japan
Casey and Me in Peru after getting hair wraps.
My journey with these two has been pivotal in my race and filled with memories that will last a lifetime. Letting them go was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. I felt like I couldn’t keep going without their support, but God gently reminded me that He was there all along, that it was His hand I was holding, it was He who put them in my life and it was He that was continuously working all things for my good moving forward, with my new team, and new girls, friendships, memories and growth. All I needed to do is trust Him and show up with a soft heart and willing and teachable spirit.
Saying Goodbye to my team was hard too. They were the best. We loved each other so well. We always had so much fun. We pushed each other. We prayed for each other. We were friends, not just teammates. We could genuinely be 100% ourselves without fear of judgement or rejection. We weren’t afraid to fail because we knew we would pick each other up and dust each other off and could laugh whatever it was away.
Then more change happened. Continent change. Africa. Swaziland.This was bittersweet. I got to see my mama for 5 days through PVT- Parent Vision Trip. This is the only time the World Race allows any visitors on the field, and they only allow parents to come serve with us and see what a typical week looks like on the race. It was such a great time to reunite with my mom, for her to see the growth and change in me in a tangible way, and for us to work alongside each other in God’s name. More change, hellos and then goodbyes again= bitter. Seeing my mama, even for a short 5 days, and feeling her love up close again= oh so sweet.
Minutes after seeing each other for the first time in 8 months. Full of emotion.
She was, of course, a natural with the kids. They loved her.
After PVT I worked in agriculture, hoeing, planting and harvesting hundreds of spinach, green peppers, onions and lettuce at different care points in Manzini, Swazi. Our organization, Adventures in Missions, feed over 6,000 children a day throughout 34 care points in Manzini. I loved working in the fields each day, knowing I was making a difference in the lives of the sweet children and community around me.
Now I am in Botswana. Month 10. With 6 weeks left of this incredible, life changing journey. We are looking for new ministries to partner with to send future World Race teams here in the Capital city, Gaborone. We are researching online and organically through meeting people, going to churches and asking the locals where there is a need for people to come and serve here.
Thank you all for your continued support and love. It has been an incredible ride. I can’t believe it is almost over. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers, to finish this race strong.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2
All my love,
Whitney
