Hey everyone! After a couple days of collecting questions for my Q&A blog, here are my answers to your questions! It’s crazy that in this blog I get to reflect on the entirety of the race, of my life the past nine months! I’ve learned so many things and I’m excited to apply them into the next season of my life, so without further a do here’s my answers!
Which ministry has had the most impact on you, and why?
This is such a hard question for me to answer, because every ministry I’ve worked with (there’s been 8) has helped me see a new perspective on something, taught me something new, and changed me in some way. So with that said I’m going to pick two, but I promise they go hand in hand. Wipe Every Tear and Children’s Garden. I haven’t talked about Wipe Every Tear with you guys, but it was the ministry I worked with when my parents came out and worked alongside me for a week. Wipe Every Tear rescues women from sex trafficking; ministry with them looked like going into bars where women danced on stage and calling them off to buy them a drink and talk about Wipe Every Tear. WET provides a home where they can live for free, and free college so they can get a job, so they don’t have to earn their money by dancing in bars, a daily allowance so they can save their money to provide for their families, and even child care if they have children. The craziest part about these women is that the majority of them were promised jobs by people in the city(at supermarkets, maid work, window washing, etc.) but got to the city and were handed a bikini and were told to put it on and dance. These women were taken out of their will to dance into front of men in order to get bought for the night. Going into the bars was hard, but it taught me about completely confidence in the Lord and about walking in boldness. I was working in a red light district, I wasn’t safe, but I felt protected, and I knew I needed to show my sisters the light. Wipe Every Tear already has so many girls in their care, they’re graduating from college, loving Jesus, and they are safe and so loved. The lies in their minds are becoming defeated. I got close with some of the girls in their care, and they are the real reason I fell in love with this ministry. The concept of safe houses made me feel alive. Seeing how the Lord provides so much redemption and grace amazes me. Seeing these women after going through turmoil find joy and revival, made me want to rejoice and celebrate. It taught me to celebrate always in life. It was one of the best weeks of my life. And then after that week ended I ended up at Children’s Garden; an orphanage and safe home for former street boys and orphans. Again I instantly fell in love with the concept of safe homes, and creating a family environment out of them. But the biggest thing Children’s Garden helped me learn was to look at people as who they are now. Not at their past, but at who they are in their plan right now. It helped me fall in love with the 15 boys I live with. I’ve loved ministry sites, but these two ministry’s helped realize what it feels like to have a heart for a ministry. (They both also helped me realize this passion I have for social work….wink wink nudge nudge.)
What country had the best food? What was your favorite food?
This question is also hard to answer.(I feel like I’m going to say that at the beginning of every answer.) But not because all the food was good, it wasn’t. It’s because in Botswana and South Africa we cooked for ourselves so we had a lot of American meals. But also in South Africa my ministry host cooked dinner and dessert here and there and let me tell you it was always so dang good. Lots of stews, homemade bread, the best desserts. So good, definitely some of my favorite meals were made by her.
What do you want waiting for you at the airport when you get home?
Just the people who love me! (:
What are you going to miss about being on the race?
I’m going to miss a lot, but I am also full of so much optimism about this new season of my life and walk with the Lord. I will truly miss being in such an intimate God loving community, being surrounded by other people who are always pushing to become closer to the Lord makes it pretty easy for me too. Because I know I’m not going to be invested in a community just like this at home. I’m really going to miss living in a house with only girls, it makes life that much easier. I’m going miss lifestyle that it’s encouraged to rest and take a sabbath and to spend time with the Lord before doing anything else. Because in the states a spirit of busyness is plagued over everyone, and making room for intentional time with the Lord will be that much harder.
What do you want to eat first when you get home?
A HUGE LEAFY GREEN FILLED WITH A TON OF VEGGIES SALAD (some ice burg, romaine, lots of spinach, lots of peppers, lots cucumbers, anything dark and green, and some croutons of course, some cheese, and chicken wouldn’t be a bad thing either.) and throw some raspberries on the side for an appetizer and hmmm steak, mashed potatoes or cheesey potatoes, and corn on the cob. (Just as many fresh veggies and fruits as possible.) And desserts hmm, chocolate moose sounds pretty dang good, and ice cream cake. #cravings —Also Culver’s asap!!!
What country did you enjoy the most?
Toss up between Haiti and the Philippines.
What places would you like to revisit in the future?
Again, Haiti and the Philippines.
Would you like to do more world travel after completing your education?
I of course want to travel for the rest of my life. There’s so many cultures to learn about and see up close, and that’s so exciting. I want to travel to do ministry (not full time I hope, unless I’m called to it,) but also traveling for adventure and leisure will for sure be happening. There’s just so much to see, and it’s so much fun!
Would you consider living or studying abroad?
I have thought about this question a lot, and after spending a year abroad while still in school it’s not my first choice, but if I get an international internship I wouldn’t mind it. I am really excited to get in and out of college to pursue a career I love as fast as possible. Especially knowing there’s something I’m really passionate about. I for sure don’t feel drawn or called to living aboard full time or for an extended period of time, I do feel called to the U.S. though, which is also very exciting. There’s a lot of ministry to be done in the states and I’m excited to be a part of that.
Which country/ministry was the most challenging?
Ministry was never challenging because it was necessarily physically exhausting, but mentally yes. Botswana was the hardest country for me in that way. I was walking through a lot of brokenness during the two months spent there, which was really hard and mentally tolling, but it really brought a lot of healing afterwards. Also we worked with a ministry host whose vision was a lot different than my teams was, and his vision was not always communicated very well. So it was hard in that way, but again it taught myself and The rest of my team a lot of perspective on situations like that.
What was the most exciting thing that happened on the race?
I literally don’t even know, probably one of the hardest questions I was asked. (Thanks a lot mom.) But overall so many exciting things happened, just as they do in normal life. Not everyday was exciting, some days were just sub-par, some days honestly sucked, but some days truly were exciting. Like weekend trips to other countries (Botswana-Zambia to visit Victoria Falls.) Tubing down a random river in South Africa. Getting to see my parents after seven months and doing ministry with them! A Christmas Eve and Christmas Day that will forever go down in the books. Talent show night at Children’s Garden. Those are just some of the exciting things that happened, but not even close to all of them.
What is your biggest regret?
Someone asked me one time “what are some of your regrets in life?” And I sat in it for a minute, and realized I really don’t like the feeling of regret. So I decided in that moment I don’t want to regret things, there may be things I wish I would have pursued or pursued deeper, but solely regretting things I don’t think is healthy for me. Unless, I purposely go out of the way to sin against the father. But I believe everything that is done is meant to happen.
How will you incorporate everything you have learned into your everyday life back in the states?
I’ve learned so much! But I’m so excited to share it and be used as a vessel in the states. There’s a main theme of everything I learned though, and it’s quite simply being a disciple of Jesus Christ. Incorporating that into my life simply means imitating Jesus’ actions and characteristics just as followers we are told to. Sharing the Simple Gospel. Love others, serve others, teach others. And of course then there’s goals of mine, finding a close knit church community, get involved in that, inspire others. I simply just want to be filled so much with Jesus that it’s outwardly noticeable, I want people to look at me even if we don’t speak and say whatever she has I want it too. I want to led people to Christ.
How has your work with other changed your faith/relationship with God?
Now this is a hard question, I could go off an so many different tangents. But I’ll try to summarize this as best as possible. Working with so many different people of different cultures, ages, backgrounds, genders, has given me such an appreciation for man-kind and the creativity the Lord has. Everyone I met has a different appearance than me, a different story than me, but we all we’re created by the same God and that brought us together. Working with other people presenting the Gospel to them, simply hanging out with them, loving them, helping them with their laundry, baking with them, worshiping with them, doing so many normal things with people has brought me so much closer to the Lord. I’ve met so many people who have so much less materialistically, but more faith than I’ve ever seen, people inspire me. The people I’ve met have set fires in my soul, have made me think more radically and bold and courageously. I am so close with God, closer than I’ve ever been in my entire life; my faith grows more everyday. I used to know and believe in God, I knew Jesus was the savior, but I still went through a life not pursuing, not showing Jesus to people. Now I live a life for Jesus, I live a life wanting to give out life to other people. As men of God we are used as vessels and people became vessels for me. As much as I’d like think I encouraged people, sometimes I truly think the people I met encouraged me far more.
How has your definition of a Christian changed?
Like I said previously I used to know and believe in God, and I knew Jesus was savior, but I just went through life not doing anything about that knowledge. Decisions I made were not glorifying. Just going to youth group and church didn’t make me a Christian. I was practicing a religion. Being a Christian is living a life for God. Being a Christian is about following Him, listening to Him, loving others, serving others, being Jesus for others. While showering Him with thanksgiving. Being a Christian is simply all about love. God is love, and if you know Him you have that love and you get to go share that love.
Biggest advice for future racers?
Have no expectations. You will be pleasantly surprised about life, life will look a lot better than it potentially is in that moment if you don’t expect anything. It will get crazy, it will get hard, but it will be so good, it will be so fun. It’s normal life for all you future racers pretty soon, think about it. How do you want to live normal life at home? Glorifying or not? I hope glorifying, so do exactly that. Live every single day glorifying to the Lord. Be bold and courageous. And simply just have fun, living a life for Jesus is so fun- I can promise you that.
Thanks everyone for all the questions I hope you enjoy my answers! And also always feel free to ask me questions! I would love to answer them! Ps. I’ll be back home pretty soon here, so if you are dying to ask me questions I’d be more than happy to meet up with you when I get home as well! Thank you all so much!
