WOW, I’m exactly halfway through the World Race!
While reflecting on these first five and a half months, I’ve realized a lot has happened!
Starting in Guatemala my first time, Wild Fires, helped build a soccer turf field in only 16 days. It’s been exciting to see the school post so many photos on Facebook of the field being used today.
In Nicaragua, we lived and served on a remote island at a children’s protective home where we befriended 18 kids. (Here is where I enjoyed several games of soccer with the boys!) For one week my team was tasked solely with praying for the kids, staff, volunteers, the school and their community as well as against spiritual warfare that has plagued their campus since the 1970s. After, my team was responsible for kitchen cleanup and grounds work where we swept, mopped, raked leaves and picked up tree branches and sticks.
The following month in Panama, my team, worked with a missionary from India helping to reach the 15k Indian population in Panama City. Our host taught us about Hinduism and took us to our first Hindi temple where we got to spend time praying the Hindus would come to know and turn to the one true God. We preached our first messages, put together and performed a handful of children’s programs, led house visits and prayer nights and created an entire Christmas program which included songs, a nativity drama, parts of our testimonies and a gospel message. We left the month with many new friendships!
Then in Lesotho, my team fell in love with 28 kids living at an orphanage. We bathed and dressed the youngest four children each day, washed dishes for the housemoms, walked the children to school and spent the afternoon and early evening playing, dancing and loving them. Thanks to our friends and family we were able to raise money to give each kid, staff and future kids their very own bible and one and only personal possessions.
After Lesotho we had team changes!
With our new teams we headed to Swaziland. My team worked with the Adventures in Missions (AIM) base and was broken up into three different ministries roles: preschool CarePoints helpers, media and maintenance. Those of us in the CarePoints helped the teachers prepare work for class and played outside with 45 four-year-olds.
Currently in South Africa, our team became camp leaders helping facilitate games, activities, group discussions and lead bible devotions, lessons and worship.
Along the way I’ve learned a lot about living in a Christ-centered community. Almost everyday our team gets together for team time where we give each other affirming and constructive feedback. I’ve learned how to respond (without defensiveness and explanation) as well as how to properly give feedback. While it’s not always easy or comfortable, this has been an amazing practice that I’m thankful to have for the future as well. Through community, I’ve also seen what it looks like to intentionally pursue and love someone well by seeing them (knowing when they are okay or when they need a pick me up), checking in on them and verbally processing what’s going on in their life. As an ISTJ (Meyers Brigg Personality that stands for introvert, sensing, thinker and judge) I’m still learning how to do this better!
One of the greatest gifts of the World Race has been growing in my identity in Christ. It has made a significant impact in my confidence and being my true self not caring about what others think, which has led to freedom. Knowing my identity has also allowed me to be able to defend myself against the enemy and the dark principalities of this world. When the Father of Lies whispers things that aren’t true about me, I‘ve been able to replace the lies with truth by using scripture as a weapon.
In addition to learning and growing in community, my identity and relationship with Christ, I’ve met some pretty amazing people and learned an incredible amount about several new countries, cultures, food, currencies, and languages (Spanish, SiSwati, Sesotho, Hindi/Malayalam, Africans, Zulu).
Plus, I’ve had some awesome adventures too! During these last 6 months, I hiked a volcano and roasted marshmallows at the top, spent a day and a half in a small cottage on a beautiful lake overlooking a volcano, sled 44 mph down a volcano, swam in a natural spring pool, zip lined, visited the Panama Canal and Smithsonian nature center, hiked to the highest single point waterfall drop in Africa, went on a safari, boogie boarded in the Indian Ocean on a beach known for surfing, and I may or may not be surfing and bungee jumping off the highest bridge in Africa in a couple days! (Please pray for me haha)
So while the world Race is a “crazy,” unique experience, it’s been surprisingly normal. We work, we eat, we go to the store, we hang out, we clean, and we sleep. And despite being thousands of miles from America these last 3 months, being in Africa feels a lot like home. Now granted I’ve been living in countries where they speak English as a second language and in cities (aka not the African bush), but still I have not felt physically far from home or that I’m in a foreign place…it’s just normal life over here!
I did not expect the time to fly bye as fast as it has and in just a couple weeks, I’ll be on a plane headed for Southeast Asia where I’ll be the remainder of the Race!!
I want to thank you all for being a part of my journey thus far and supporting me and praying for me. It means more than you know.
Based on what previous world racers say, it’s around this time that they start to experience the most growth and walk in their true identity with boldness. So I know these next 5 months in Southeast Asia are going to be even more amazing and fruitful.
So thank you again, and I hope that you will continue to walk along side of me this next half of the world race!
