At training camp we were constantly told "Don't have expectations!" Just to drive that point home, on the last day, we go a ROUTE CHANGE!!!
When the new route was announced, our squad went into an uproar of excitement. I laugh thinking about Daniel's (our logistics leader) face at how excited we were about the changes.
So with out further ado… Our new route is:
South Africa, Swaziland, India, Nepal, Vietnam, THAILAND, Cambodia, Ireland, Romania, TURKEY, and ALBANIA.
Three of our countries were changed; we are no longer going to Mozambique, Malaysia, and Ukraine.
Of our new countries, I am looking forward to Thailand the most. The country is made up of less than 10% Christians. It is estimated that there are nearly two million people there that are forced into and then stuck in prostitution, and it is one of the most popular places for sex tourism. Approximately 600,000 people in this country live with HIV/AIDS.
In July, God started putting Thailand on my heart. It wasn't on our route, and I knew that God wasn't calling me to change routes, so I just kept putting it in the back of my mind. I wouldn't let myself think about it because I didn't want to be disappointed that we weren't going to Thailand. Little did I know, God has a different plan up His sleeve. Once we were told our route change, I was beaming. We are now going to THAILAND!!! I started opening up my heart, and now I can't stop thinking about sitting in a bar surrounded by sin and bringing the love of Jesus to the women trapped in prostitution.
Luke 7:47-48 – "Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven – for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little." And he said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."
1 Peter 4:8 – "Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins."
1 John 4:7-8 "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love."
I am very excited about this route change, however, I'm trying really hard for NO EXPECTATIONS. Our route could change again, many more times.
In other exciting news… if routes stay the same for January, Autumn's (mentioned in a previous blog as the person that told me about the World Race) squad will overlap with mine in South Africa!!! We might be able to see each other!
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God Bless!