“I used to be afraid of failing at something that really mattered to me, but now I’m more afraid of succeeding at things that don’t matter.” -Bob Goff
It’s been close to 6 months since I have been back home and WOW; God has been GOOD. This journey has thought me that I am passionate about serving on the mission field, on an international level and connecting people with others/what they need. Bob Goff’s book Love Does became one of my favorite reads on the race and his lifestyle reflects Christ. The quote above is something that I needed to consider during my transition to the States and challenged me when I was making choices.
I have listed some questions to update you on what’s happened since I left the Race and what God is currently doing in my life.
What’s next?
On the Race they taught us the World Race was just the beginning of our journey with God not the highlight of our life. It truly has been the case coming back home. I have been able to partner my first host from the Race, in India, to connect with Christian Brigades; a former non-profit I served before going on the Race. I have seen how God has brought what I was doing prior to the Race and what I did on the Race full circle. I will be going to India this upcoming January 2019 on a Medical Brigade to serve 1,000 patients during the week we are there. Please keep me in your prayers as I am still fundraising for my flight on this trip. I only need 25 people to partner with me for $30 to be fully funded. Christian Brigades has been amazing and has helped me on covering the other fees for my trip for volunteering with them (that’s $1,300!!). Again, God is good. 🙂 I will list the link below if you would like to donate for my round trip air flight to India.
https://cb-drives.funraise.org/fundraiser/jacklyn-jimenez
What have I been doing?
I was seeking a Christian non-profit job after coming back home from the Race but kept receiving job offers for Property Management positions. After two-weeks of arriving home I took a temporary job with my former employer and decided to keep searching for my dream job. They were flexible with my schedule and knew where my heart was at. After 3 months of waiting on the “ideal” job that I had been interviewed for, I hit a dead end. I decided to give up after my first rejection and stay in Property Management. But GOD!
The day after I decided to stay I received a call from Habitat for Humanity. If you are not familiar with them; Habitat for Humanity is a Christian non-profit that helps low-income homeowners build strength, stability and self-reliance through shelter. They reached out to me and asked if I was interested in working for them. I am excited to announce that I am now working for them as the Program Coordinator for their Home Repair program.
Check out our work on Instagram: @habitat_venturacounty
Also, I have been serving my local church in the decor ministry assisting our team in event planning and coordinating stage designs.
Check us out on Instagram: @oxnardrevivalcenter
What was the highlight of the Race?
The Race taught me my worth and highlighted my passion in serving others. There isn’t one particular moment that became my favorite but a bunch of little moments of working with my teams and squad to bring the gospel to the world. I have listed below my favorite ministry, month and location and hope you enjoy hearing some of the many stories I would love to share.
Favorite ministry: My favorite ministry had to be in Nepal when we rescued women from sex-trafficking. We would go into cabin restaurants were women were on the menu and invite them out for coffee on their time off. If they accepted then we would present a way out and shared the gospel. We gave them new hope through Jesus and let them know their true value.
Favorite month: My favorite month had to be in India where we were able to preach the gospel on a daily, in different villages. Hundreds of people would gather around us as we preached in the street and heard the gospel for the first time. We lived in an orphanage with 25 children and shared 1 room for our team of 7. It was the best!
Favorite location: My favorite location had to be Da Nang, Vietnam. We were there during the month of December and the holidays made me miss home. Da Nang was a beach city and the beach was two blocks away from our flat. God brought us joy during a hard month and made it feel like home away from home.
It’s been a beautiful, hard and a crazy transition coming back home but it’s been worth it! Would I do the Race again, Yes! Was it hard? Absolutely.
However, God never left me and ebenezer; God has helped me make it here. Thank you for all your love, financial support and prayers. I couldn’t do this journey without you.
As always, if you ever have questions, please ask!! It helps me process and remember the year I lived. It’s a good feeling to share and it’s a reminder to not forget all I have learned. If you would like to donate for my upcoming trip you can do so on the link above or through the apps below. Thanks & God bless.
Venmo: Jacqueline-Jimenez-17
CashApp: $jklynjmnz
Paypal: [email protected]
