If you haven’t figured it out yet, I’m home stateside.
The World Race for second generation T squad ended on May 30th with an early morning arrival in Seattle. That was nearly eight weeks ago. Since then, I have stayed pretty busy with traveling up and down the east coast. I have spent time with all of my sisters, and just recently saw one set of grandparents, my sister-in-law, her husband and my niece.
I’ve got some pretty big news for what is happening next in my life and how God has led and provided through it all, But first, I want to give you the numbers from my race.
So here they are, my 11 months of global living in counts and figures.
Travel Days: These counts are only for long distance travel days and does not take into account local transportation.
Airports: 17 airports
[Amsterdam, Istanbul, Dubai, New Delhi, Doha x2 are the ones that we had layovers in]
Countries I stepped foot in: 18* (17 of them were new to me)
[The Netherlands, Romania, Moldova, Transnistria, Ukraine, Republic of Ireland, United Kingdom, India, Nepal, South Africa, Swaziland, Thailand, Burma, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and China]
*the count includes Transnistria and Hong Kong. You can decide if you want to count them as separate entities.
Estimated time spent in movement to the next place: 575.75 hours or close to 24 days.
I kept track of the time we spent in transit. I started from the time we left a ministry site or hostel in route to a bus ride or airport and ended the count when we arrived at a final resting point. It is not the actual time spent on buses or trains, as it also includes times like camping in a hospital lobby en route to Swaziland with a sick squad mate.
Longest travel experience: Cape Town, South Africa to Johannesburg and then to Bangkok, Thailand via Doha, Qatar.
Airplane Rides: 15
Bus Rides: 15
Train Rides: 5
Car Rides: 3
Nights Slept in the Airport: 3
Living:
Months with Squatty Potties: 4,Moldova/Transnistria, India, Nepal, Malaysia. (Other countries had squatties, but these months were the ones when our living arrangements had them)
Number of different Squatties used: 35
Most disgusting bathroom situation: This may not count, but the City Target in Seattle the day we arrived back stateside. Foul.
Beds: 54 [That’s right, that is the number of times I changed places where my head slept. Most of those were on my sleeping pad. I only count a bed change when I actually changed locations and had to deflate/reinflate my sleeping pad]
Number of months using my sleeping pad: 9
Meals Served with Rice: 165, give or take 10 occasions
Warm Showers: 99 [Praise the Lamb, we as a squad are probably not an accurate picture of the probability of having hot water available. Cush life]
Outdoor Showers: 15
Bucket Showers: 32
Months I Hand washed Clothes: 3 [India, Nepal and Thailand. *sometimes we did send our clothes out to be cleaned in Nepal]
Number of Times I Ate Fish: 4
Number of Times I Was Sick: 3 [2 sinus infections and one stomach virus in N. Ireland]
Number of Times I Saw God Heal Something Before My Eyes: 4
Sunrises: 17
Favorite Months:
No particular order… except for Thailand… That’s #1 fo’sho’
Thailand – Month 8 – Ministry, Location, Food, Worship, People… It has it all!
Transnistria –Month 2 – Ministry, People… such a good month looking back on it.
China – Month 11 – Loved seeing my squad, traveling, ministry and life in China
Swaziland – Heck of a way to celebrate Christmas and ring in the New Year. Can’t beat a gorgeous setting with 65 cuties and my entire T squad family {Missed you Guille and Kara}.
The year was incredible. I preached and taught, which are things I never thought I would do. I saw God move in so many unbelievable ways and now have the faith that He can and will do more than what I have previously seen. I have learned more about who I am as a daughter, a co-heir and a follower. I served alongside 52 people that blow me away with the ways they offer grace and love and are willing to step out in the truth of who He is and who they are meant to be. I met people all over the world that I may never see again in this life, but have impacted my life and others for the Kingdom. I rode an elephant, jumped off of bridges and stadiums, and hiked in the Himalayas. I worshipped God in subways, hostels, and the mountains in China. I made friends by smiling and playing charades and kicking a soccer ball. I have spoken up and given hard words and I have humbly received them as well.
I refuse to forget the lessons of this year. I am forever grateful for them and to God.
I stand firm in the knowledge of who He is. Who I am because of the One that came and ransomed me. And all of this, the growth and love and life as one pursued… it’s just going to continue.
