The World Race is 11 months for a reason. 11 months is a LONG time. It’s longer than a semester in school or even a pregnancy. 11 countries in 11 months sounds glorious and wonderful on the front end. But the truth is, 11 months is longer than just about anyone actually wants to be gone from home and subject to having their routines disrupted over and over. Adventures In Missions does this on purpose (they freely admit it).
The reason for making this journey so long is so that each racer has the opportunity to feel the true difficulty of it. The opportunity to fully come to the end of themselves and their own strength. A person can put up with just about anything for 3-6 months. Even 8 or 9 months wouldn’t be terrible. But something about being here in month 8 and knowing you still have another 3 months left is just plain EXHAUSTING!
Here I am in month 8 and I’m about to admit to feeling something I’ve never felt before: HOMESICK.
I’ve truly never felt homesickness before. No matter how far away from my home I traveled or chose to live for a season. I’ve just never felt it. I love my family. Home for me is generally defined by wherever they are but I don’t mind a little time away from them either (lol).
And here’s another confession: I’m tired.
There it is. Now you know. I’m tired of the World Race. All I want right now is a week or two at home: My own bed (Oh how I miss it!). Food I know and love (preferably cooked by my mom). Reliable wifi (we take it for granted too much in the US!) Privacy (no random people wandering in because I am actually sleeping in their church and they have just as much right to be there as I do). No more forced community when all I want is to be alone. Air conditioning (I’m so tired of sweating!!!) And my dog, Annabelle (I can’t say why I specifically miss my dog so much, but I do).
I don’t really want the Race to be over. I just wish I could have a break, a little vacation (as silly as that sounds). I know God still has a lot to teach me on this journey. And there’s not a doubt in my mind that I will finish strong, because He is the one who gives me strength. But I’m at a place where I’m forced to realize just how completely it will be HIS strength that gets me through. Because I don’t, honestly, know how much I have left.
It’s times like this when I am thankful for the promise that God’s grace is enough to get me through (2 Corinthians 12:9). He is the one who gives me the strength I need (Philippians 4:13). And since God is the one who started me on this journey, I know He will also be the one to finish it! (Philippians 1:6)
