It’s been over 172 days since I have been home. I left 172 days ago to go on a trip called the World Race. The World Race is a nine month journey that would take me to Guatemala, Malaysia and Botswana to spread the gospel, or as some people like to call it a missions trip. The word missions is a very broad term. When you tell someone you are going on a missions trip they instantly think of feeding starving orphans, preaching to unreached indigenous groups, or helping the homeless. And to be quite honest I thought the same thing too. Nevertheless, the word missions is associated with doing good works, wether it’s in your own country or across seas.
Well if you asked me 172 days ago if I was going on a missions trip I would have told you yes, but if you were to ask me that same question now I would give you a different answer. The World Race is not a missions trip. It’s not a trip where all you do everyday is save lives, perform miracles, or do these wonderful works for people. This trip is not about how many great things you can do in one day. And it’s not about what you can do for others. The World Race is much more than that. The World Race is a journey you are choosing take with God. This trip is about walking with God each and everyday. It’s that simple, its a choice you make then He lets everything else fall into place. Once we start to walk with God all day everyday then “mission work” becomes a natural affect. Please don’t get me wrong, we do have ministry, we do share the gospel, and yes we do help other people but it’s not in a way that most people would think. It’s not these jaw-dropping great acts of works, most of the time we don’t even get to see the fruits of our labor. Ministry on the Race is about partnering with the great things that God is already doing in that country. Ministry may not be these great works everyone thinks they are but that does not mean they aren’t beneficial.
So yes I’ve been gone for 172 days, and no I haven’t performed any miracles, nor have I saved anyones life. Honestly the only great thing I’ve done since leaving America is making it this far on the Race. I am not on this grand mission trip, I am just walking with God in a different country.
From malaysia, all my love
Ashlyn
P.S. only 98 more days until I return to America!
