Since I was 15 years old, I have been scouting every World Race that has been posted. Knowing that one day I would have to pick a route, I was always intrigued by every country and route that was posted.
Fast forward to October 2018….
I had finished up nursing school and started my career, and I knew that I would be going on the Race in 2019, but there were SO. MANY. ROUTES and timeframes to choose from. I started to pray about which route to choose, and the Lord began to speak. Here’s how I chose my route:
In August 2018, I went to a Mission’s Conference hosted by a group of missionaries called Far-Flung Tin Can. As soon as I walked through the doors for registration, they gave us a sticker that said “Here I Am Lord, Send Me” and we each wrote in our names. After putting my name on my sticker, I was instructed to take it to a map hanging on the wall. The volunteers at registration joked, “Be careful where you put your sticker because He might just send you there!” I want my sticker to be put on Haiti because that was always a dream ministry country for me. However, with no room on Haiti left, I put my sticker on Peru. Sure enough, during the conference, the Lord began to speak to me about Peru and I was burdened for that country.
Post-conference, I went back to look at the routes and sure enough, Peru was on every one that I had looked at. The following Sunday, I prayed before church that Jesus would make it obvious which route to choose. During the sermon, my Pastor had talking about his trip to Vietnam, then towards the end of the service, he began to speak about how the Lord was moving in Argentina…knowing both of those countries were on routes I had looked at, I peeked at my phone and sure enough……they were on the same route as Peru.
But wait, it gets better. Post-sermon, while fellowshipping, I stopped my Pastor and jokingly said, “PB, I need help picking a World Race route, can you throw out any more countries on your heart?” He also jokingly threw out, “Zimbabwe.” What do you know? It was on the same route as Peru, Vietnam, and Argentina.
It was then, a service from youth camp in 2015 came back to my memory. I was preparing for my first trip to Swaziland and Mozambique. While serving, I met another volunteer that had been a missionary in Malawi. Throughout the week, she encouraged me, prayed for me, and told me things to expect on the mission field. But during a Wednesday service, she found me in altar call and handed me a necklace in the shape of Africa, with a heart where Malawi was. It was a “pass the torch” moment, and she released me to follow in her footsteps to carry the Gospel to Africa. What a marking moment for me! And wait, you guessed it. It was also on the same route as Peru, Vietnam, Argentina, and Zimbabwe. ,
On top of all of this, I have a “World Race Dream Route” written in a note on my phone….in this note I have Thailand, Cambodia, Zambia. Sure enough, those are also all on the same route as Peru, Vietnam, Argentina, Zimbabwe, and Malawi.
Last, but not least, I sent possible routes to my friend, Anna, that I lived with and served under in Swaziland on my 2 trips to Africa. She was currently in Asia with her husband, and they had just visited Laos. She told me Laos was an Asian version of Swaziland. I LOVE Swaziland, so why not visit it’s Asian twin? Good thing Laos was on the route that also had Peru, Vietnam, Argentina, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Thailand, Cambodia, and Zambia.
All of that to say, the Lord has a plan and He is in the details. In August, I leave for a route that He has made so clearly to me, which the best squamates to serve with!
P.S. Training Camp is 3 weeks and I can’t wait to meet my squad (Squad X)!
P.P.S. $5,820 until I am FULLY FUNDED!
So grateful for the support shown to me thus far!
Much love,
AC
