When I first told a handful of friends that I would be leaving the country for an 11 month mission trip called The World Race, the first question I was asked was, “what made you decide to do that?”. Before I answer that question, let me answer the question that always followed: “what is the world race?”.
The World Race is an 11 month mission trip, with each month being spent in a different country. My route will take me through North Africa, Eastern Asia, and South America. Each country will be a new mission, and my team will be staying with and working with local contacts and ministries. Some of the big picture focus is working against trafficking, supporting orphans and people who live in poverty, and above all spreading the hope and love that is found in Jesus. I’m going to keep this description short and sweet, but please read more about the world race and adventures in missions *here*!
Back to the original question- what in the world made me decide to put school on hold and leave the country for almost a year?
I remember the moment so clearly. I was 7 hours in to a 11 hour layover in Doha, waiting to board for my 17 hour flight back to Raleigh, North Carolina. Painfully alone and unable to sleep, eat, or do more than sip water (shoutout to the flu for that!), I curled up next to an Apple kiosk, the only place that my phone charger would *slowly* charge my phone. As I laid there, head propped up on my carry-on, wrapped in a blanket that still smelled like Kathmandu dust, my fever-delirious brain had one, solidified thought.
“When I land in RDU, I will never get on a plane again.”
From my phone dangling next to me, the sweet sound of “All Sons and Daughters” sang the words “I could just sit in your presence Lord.” That sounded nice. In fact, I said to God then, “that’s what I’m going to do, I’ll go home and sit in your presence and that will just be so nice. Then I’ll get back into school and start my life plan again. Yup, that will be perfect.” Then the chorus began with the words, “but You have called me higher, You have called me deeper, and I’ll go where you will lead me Lord.” Uh oh. I decided to switch over to Taylor Swift and attempt sleep again.
What I didn’t realize then, was that the seed of restlessness had been planted in my heart, and soon I wouldn’t be able to ignore it. After I arrived home from Nepal, I started right away back into my routine. Work, work, and more work. I’ve always been able to work hard, so I was confused when I felt myself being burned out. Logically, I told myself that I needed to keep working so I could save up money, start grad school, and get the job that I really wanted. But try as I might, my work drive was gone, and the longing to go was becoming stronger.
That didn’t make any sense to me. I had just gotten back from a trip, shouldn’t my travel bug be satisfied now? Besides, I was working 40-60 hour weeks at three different jobs, I didn’t have time to think of going anywhere, although the desire was undeniable.
Then I quit one job… and another. I couldn’t give any reasonable explanation other than I was burned out. And I had no explanation for why that was either. Suddenly my evenings opened up and I was able to spend more time in church and with my small groups, and more time talking with God. The World Race had been an idea in the back of my mind for many years, with two siblings being alumni. But I had always put it out of my mind because I never thought I would be able to handle all the traveling, have the time, or have the funding.
Last month, God gave me such a clear direction that this was what He needed me to do this year. That I needed to put my plans on hold, stop trying to figure everything out myself, and rely on Him for EVERYTHING that I needed. I realized that my miserable trip back from Nepal had given me the understanding that I was capable of much more than I thought. So out of curiosity I browsed the Adventures in Missions website, scrolled through routes for 2019, stopped scrolling at route two, asked God if this was it, heard the undeniable yes, and as they say, the rest is history.
Which brings me to now. Still not fully conscious that I will ACTUALLY be doing this in only 6 short months. In front of me is what feels like a mountain of fundraising, and a packing list that doesn’t seem like it could possibly fit in one trekking pack and one day pack. All I’m thinking now is it’s a good thing this is the will of a miracle working God who moves mountains and makes the impossible possible. Where He calls, He provides.
“He has sent me to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives, and release prisoners from the darkness.” -Isaiah 61:1
