Life is crazy. God’s plan is crazy. If you would’ve told me a couple years ago that I would abandon my earthly comforts and go serve the “least of these” in 11 developing countries after graduation, I would’ve said … can you guess it … THAT’S CRAZY.
I vividly remember watching a 10-minute World Race video during my first mission trip and thinking woah that is so cool, but living out of a backpack, eating foreign foods, and sleeping in a tent for 11 months is something I could NEVER do in a million, bazillion years.
Well… one of my favorite things about Christ is how He surprises you. He surprises you when you least expect it. And through His grace and love, He instills passions in you that you never even knew you had. After spending two summers on mission trips to Ethiopia and Namibia, the Lord opened my eyes to the brokenness of our world and reminded me of His redemptive love. And through both trips, He instilled a deep passion in my heart to care for the “least of these”, the unlovable, the impoverished, and the vulnerable in developing nations. It was this God-given passion that led me to apply to the World Race.
Now, some of you reading might be asking yourselves – what exactly is the World Race? Don’t be mistaken, I am not going to be on the TV show the “Amazing Race”. So, here’s the Spark Notes version on what the World Race IS:
The World Race is an 11-month Christian mission trip and intensive discipleship program to 11 countries around the world. During the World Race, participants will serve in partnership with churches and ministries in local communities to preach the Gospel, plant churches, work in orphanages, minister to women and children trapped in human trafficking, and ultimately bring restorative hope of the Father’s love to many tribes and nations.
I’m walking into the World Race knowing it will not be an easy journey, and that raising financial support will be a challenge. Like most other mission organizations, World Race participants are required to fundraise support. To leave fully funded in October 2017, I need to raise $18,017. This money will cover all my field expenses for the 11 months of the trip. There are a few ways you can contribute, the first through prayer. Prayer is so powerful — Matthew 19:26 says, “with man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Second, is prayerfully consider donating financially. I can’t express how much I would appreciate any amount big or small. If you feel called to give financially, you can donate through the link above.
And so here I am, not equipped, but called to go. To go preach the Good News, to go love the forgotten and impoverished, to go serve alongside men and women striving after the Lord. But I don’t go alone. My loving Savior will walk right next to me – every step of the uncomfortable way. And as we walk, I’ll be learning how to live less for MY kingdom and learning to live exclusively and freely to glorify HIS KINGDOM. So World Race, ready or not, here we go.
