Adventures WorldRace SethBarnes Sponsorship Giving

| by archiveworldraceblogs

(This blog=from my squad leader Tricia Wegman, but it's hilariously true and gives you some insight into our Rwandan month)

This past week there has been several days that I have found myself saying that I wish I could bottle up one day or a week of the World Race and let someone from home experience it. So many days are profoundly ridiculous and amazing at the same time…and it is hard to adequately describe it. Let me point out the highlights of the last week to illustrate.

1. I arrived to stay with Laura's team at the pastor's house. I was immediately given the nickname of "Yera" which means "Holy" and was given to me because I am the "leaders of leaders" and should be more "holy" than others. The pastor and those at the house proceed to break into song about me and holiness. ridiculous.

2. Same day. I'm getting situated in the room and there is a bucket in the corner with a sarong hanging up by it. I'm told it is the bathroom bucket. I didn't doubt it for one minute. Gross, but it's the World Race and you are perpetually gross. I proceed to use the bucket while the girls are just hanging out in the room. Uncomfortable, but it's the World Race and you are perpetually uncomfortable. Later, walking to our roofless church, I stop in my tracks when I see an outhouse with a toilet in it. Those bums. I had to clean that nasty bucket from our room.

 

3. For every lunch and dinner the last week I've eaten French fries, beans, rice, and baked bananas. For breakfast- an egg on a hotdog bun and bananas.

4. Fell down the hill our house is on.

5. At night two of us preach and we dance for hours with people. Praying for healing and asking God for ridiculous things doesn't even faze us anymore.

6. We went to a random graduation party. Sat for hours as people talked and then initiated a dance party that even got a nun dropping it like it was hot.

7. Fell down the hill our house is on.

8. We went to an African wedding and sat in a traditional hut, eating cow stomach and boiled milk straight from the udder for lunch.

 

9. Dinner was better, so we had renewed strength to initiate yet another dance party at the wedding.

10. Did I tell you that the pastor's wife tried to fit me in her traditional dress for the wedding?  Here's how it worked out.
 

11. We went door to door- one girl found restoration. The next house we drank unpurified water and held a baby that peed on me. The next house a man received salvation. all in a day's work.

 

12. Fell down the hill our house is on.

13. We went out for Valentine's Day. The guys totally spoiled us and it was amazing. On the way home we passed the actual "Hotel Rwanda" so we stopped in to rub our feet on carpet (oh how we miss carpet) and use their running water and toilets with seats on them.

14. Had a four hour feedback session where we each talked through how to call one another to greatness and challenge and honor one another.

15. Went looking for the only Mexican restaurant in Rwanda to celebrate JD's birthday yesterday. Found it after an hour of trudging. It was closed. We begged. They made us food. We jumped on their trampoline and played with their bunnies while we waited for our food to get finished.

16. Ran with Amber to the airport to get JD a coffee for his birthday. Got a motorbike on the way back and spilled the coffee all over me. Fail.  

17. Got a cake with Sarah for JD's birthday. It was sat on, squished, dropped, sat in traffic for an hour but finally made it back with only minor damage.

18. Amber delivered another alcoholic from addiction and tried to save a witch doctor.

19. Showered in a bucket.

20. Waited to hear from the God of the universe on how to make decisions for the squad.

21. Heard from God.

22. Fell down the hill our house is on.

23…and I laughed.

And please observe how I dress to do all of these things now. Albin- I hope you feel good about your girlfriend in this outfit. Hanging out on the side of mountains with little children and a goat. Insert  World Race cheer and a fist pump.