Y’all I have finally gotten out of my writing funk and so the time has come! You asked some questions and I’ve got some answers so here we go:
How has the World Race changed your perspective on life?
There are a lot of things before the race that I got worried, stressed, or frustrated about that I now look at and laugh at the thought of ever letting those things have that much hold over my life. I know now that not everything can be absolutely perfect and that there are things in this world (My relationship with the Lord, others, others salvation, etc.) that matter so much more.
What is one thing you wish you took with you and one thing you wish you hadn’t?
One thing I wish I had taken with me was a really good power bank with a multi charging cable (like 4 chargers on one cord) shout out to my girl Janele for having one this year. She saved my life on many travel days. One thing I wish I hadn’t taken with me was my big pack. Crazy I know, but I wish I would have taken a 40 L pack instead of 60 L because I did not need a bag that big.
How does this experience change how you view/act in God’s world?
I think now I pay more attention to the people around me and am more open to talking to others. I am also able to see others with love a lot easier then I think I use to.
What surprised you the most?
How many people around the world speak english. Especially in Africa. I was also surprised at the amount of people who really didn’t have much, but almost all of them had cell phones.
What impacted you the most?
When we were in Thailand we lived in a home for girls ranging from 5-18 years old. One of our last nights there they prayed over and washed our feet. I was so overwhelmed by the amount of love they had for us and that it could only come from the Father. I cried the entire time.
What excited you the most?
I would have to say there are a lot of things that were super exciting but some of the first things that came to mind were feeding/ bathing elephants in Thailand, and going on the most AMAZING safari in Zimbabwe and seeing lions.
What was the biggest lessons you learned?
The biggest lessons I learned were how to love, trust, and forgive. Loving others is what we are called to do, and I learned a lot about how to love those who are difficult and those that are seen as unlovable.
How did the various cultures differ to each other?
Wow what a tough question. Each country, sometimes even each city or village, has their own unique way of life. So to keep this question short I’ll just give a few things I observed of how they are the same and how they are different: Almost all cultures we went to value relationships more then time management. With that being said, many times people would be late to pick us up, or we would be late to something because we were spending time talking and drinking coffee or tea. No one was ever mad we were late because that is just how their cultures work. I would say that there are a lot of differences in style. Some places dressed to look nice, but other places dressed for the practicality of the outfit and what they were doing that day and they didn’t care if they matched. Also some cultures do not have gender differences when it comes to clothes. So seeing men wear what we would call “women’s style or color” of shoes or shirt wasn’t uncommon.
What is something you would have done differently?
There are a few times that I can think of that I would have pushed myself out of my comfort zone a little more. Never let the fear of man keep you from doing what the Lord has asked you to do!
What is an experience that really showed a unique difference in a particular culture?
This is a silly example but it still makes me laugh: When we were on one of the trains between Thailand and Malaysia a lot of people were laying on the floor and seats during the night. At one point a man was getting up to go to the bathroom and saw that someone on our squad was on the floor where he needed to go. He was looking around because he didn’t know what to do. Another one of my squamates saw him and motioned that it was okay to step over our friend. In the Asian culture stepping over people is a big NO because the bottoms of your feet are considered unclean aka keep the soles of your feet down!
What is the one thing you wish you knew before the race that you know now after doing the race?
One big thing that I continue to talk about a lot is love. I often forget that we can show love in many ways that to us may seem like nothing, but to others may make their day. I think I wish I would have known the authority I have in the name of love, so that I would have felt more comfortable to give it freely instead of fearing what others would think when I gave it.
