Welcome to the first post of my World Race journey! Right now, I am sitting on a plane (a typical occurrence in my life), headed to North Carolina to enjoy a long weekend in the mountains with my extended family. As I reflect about the past couple weeks- between being accepted to the Race, telling my mom that I wasn’t getting a job right after graduation, and trying to stay focused on school in the midst of this excitement- I am amazed by the tender providence of God.
About three years ago, one of my high school friends told me she was going on this mission trip called the World Race. A budding traveler, my interested was immediately piqued. I pored over every word of her blog, followed every World Racer’s Instagram I could find, and vowed to go on it as soon as I got the chance. For a long time, going on the World Race was almost an obsession. I wanted to travel so badly, and what would be a better way than in the name of Jesus, evangelizing in ELEVEN countries? Eventually, I realized that the reasons I wanted to go were extremely selfish and the World Race was a borderline idol in my life. So, I started praying: “God, take this obsession away from me. If you want me to go, tell me. I want the principle reason I go to be serving you, and secondarily travel, not the other way around. If you don’t want me to go, tell me. I will serve you however you call me.”
Finally, last February, I got my answer. Sitting in the Westin Convention Center in Pittsburgh, at the CCO Jubilee Conference with my church’s college ministry group, a video about missionaries in India began to play. I watched it rather passively, then ~BOOM~ out of nowhere, I was struck with a memory. As a kid, I often had trouble falling asleep and would make up plays to help pass the time. One involved me at a new school, meeting all the kids. For some reason which I don’t recall, I had to wear a head covering to fit into the culture there. I was still normal white-girl Alexa, but assimilating in a place much different than what I knew. While that memory played in my head, I heard God say “See? This is what I want you to do. Go to a place where you are different, where you are uncomfortable, where you have to fit in, and spread my Name.” I asked Him if He meant the World Race, and in an almost chuckle, He responded “Yes, daughter”. Overwhelmed, I just sat down and cried. People thought something was wrong, but no– everything was right.
Over six months later, as I prepared to apply to the Race, I was again faced with a decision for which I need God’s help. I had to decide my Route, and to be honest, I could think of advantages and disadvantages for each one. Through multiple weeks of prayer, God reminded me of the video about India and revealed to me the verse “Come over to Macedonia and help us” (Acts 16:9). So I chose Route 2 and haven’t looked back!
This 11-month mission trip to 11 countries is an incredible chance to serve the “least of these” while loving and interacting with people from many different cultures and backgrounds. I will be leaving in August of 2018, carrying only what I can fit into my 65L backpack. My squad will be traveling to Haiti, the Dominican Republic, South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, India, Nepal, Romania, Albania, Bulgaria, and Serbia.
With reckless abandon, and expectant faith in the Creator of the Universe, I sacrifice the comfort of a full-time job straight out of college and give this 11 months fully to my Father. As He cares for me, so I will care for the people of this world and show them Jesus.
Please join me on this journey and subscribe to my blog if you’d like to follow along on this adventure God has called me to!
Fully known and fully loved,
Alexa
