This video and blog is a month late, but I had other things I wanted to post before this one. This video and blog is the last one for Team Emunah, all the other ones from here on out will be with my new team, Seven Wonders. There will be so many more videos to come about our journey so stay tuned!
Team Emunah will always have a special place in my heart. Not just because we started the Race together and struggled with all the new things, but because we grew so close together. I have 5 new sisters now because of this team and I will always love them.
Here are the remaining questions that we did not have a chance to answer on the video.
Explain the spin globe and heart box at the beginning of your videos.
Yes! I’m sorry Mrs. Lownes, I have been wanting to answer this question for you for a long time! So that box is actually not mine. It belongs to my best friend, Jenny, who is actually on the squad. Jenny’s sister gave it to her one year, and it is a prayer box. Any huge prayer that Jenny has prayed or any answered prayer she writes on a heart and puts into the box. I thought it was adorable and wanted to include it with the globe. The three rustic nails in front of it are also pretty special to me. I wrote a blog about them a long time ago when I found them, you can read it here if you would like! They are a reminder to me that I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but He lives in me and that the life I now get to live is all because of His love and sacrifice for us. (Galatians 2:20)
How are the new teams going to be picked?
The leadership team prays for months and God puts us together
Does Alyssa take more naps than anyone else?
Hahaha. I guess I would have to say yes, but Shelby has her beat for being able to fall asleep anywhere. Literally, anywhere.
Is there one special day or project that you as a team felt closer to God?
For me I think it was doing prayer walks down walking street in Pattaya, Thailand. Seeing all the crap that goes on there was so incredibly sickening. We all grasped that we might be some of the very few people that go there and bring Light, so we took that pretty seriously.
What was something you thought was going to turn on a certain way, but turned out to be better or worse?
Praying down walking street. It was both better and worse. We went out at a time that was supposed to be the worst time to go, which is about 4AM. So we all prayed pretty heavily that our eyes would be open yet guarded. For me, when we went down that street at 4AM it wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be, it was much less busy than previous times what we had gone like at 9PM or 12AM. It was worse because you realize that all the people have gone home with someone and that is why the street is almost empty. I talked about that night in a video here.
How do y’all believe this trip will decide what you do in your future?
For me I know that the Lord has called me into ministry. This trip is refining me in so many ways! I am learning my true, unwavering, solid identity in Christ. I am also learning so much more about God. I don’t have Him in a small compact box anymore. I still have so much more to learn and grow in though, so I feel like the Race is showing me how much I love being discipled. I am most likely going to pursue some other discipleship program after the Race.
Who have you had the largest impact on?
Shoot, this one is tough. If you are talking measurably, I would say the Chinese tourists in Pattaya, Thailand. We passed out over 5,000 Bibles to them in 3 weeks. It wasn’t a forceful thing at all, it wasn’t like we laid 5,000 Bibles in seats and hoped that they would keep it. No. Over 5,000 Chinese took the Bibles willingly out of our hands. Relationally, I would say everyone. We have made SO MANY new friends because of the Race, and this is only Month 6! God puts people in our paths every single day and we make an impact on them whether it is just through a smile, having a short conversation, or actually leading them to Christ.
What is the most eye opening moment you have had while on your trip?
Thailand opened my eyes the most so far. Pattaya is the sex tourism capital of the world. You can’t go there and not be impacted. It was the most eye opening from the amount of girls on the sidewalks looking for work, or girls who are clearly drugged, up in little glass cages dancing trying to get people to come into their club. But it was also the most eye opening because we worked with probably 5 different organizations there. They all helped each other. So much so that the first week I had a hard time distinguishing who actually was under what organization because you would see them all the time at the other ones. I loved that those organizations were working together to bring Light, freedom, and redemption to Pattaya. They weren’t trying to be the most successful, the largest, or best organization. They were doing work for Christ, and Christ alone.
What type of persecution of Christians have you seen on your travels? Have you faced any persecution?
When we handed out Bibles on the pier in Pattaya, Thailand we saw and faced persecution. Some Chinese tourists would run to us to get their hands on the Bible, other people wouldn’t touch it with a 10 foot pole. We realized that it is because in some areas of China, Christianity is extremely persecuted. Our last few days handing out Bibles, China passed a law that forbid the selling of Bibles online. Before, most Chinese would get their Bibles through places like Amazon. When we found out about this it really opened our eyes to how important passing out Bibles to them were. Some Chinese would take a Bible and quickly put in in their bag. Others would read it for 10 minutes then give it back to us because they didn’t want to risk taking it home. Some of the Chinese tour guides would stand next to us and prevent anyone in their group from taking a Bible. All of this is a form of persecution.
We faced persecution mainly from some of the Russians tourists who would mock us, laugh at us when we told them that Jesus loved them, or would act like they want a Bible then start laughing when we tried to give it to them.
What’s the most fun thing that you have done as a team? What is the scariest?
The most fun thing for me was Khmer New Year in Cambodia! For a few days they have a country wide water fight in the street and also throw baby powder at you. We got to Cambodia just in time to experience this with the Cambodians, and it was a blast. I also made a video about it, you can watch it here.
The scariest thing for me was in the Philippines. There was some intense spiritual warfare happening that got real quickly. It took me a few days to use the authority that we have in Christ, but once I did, it was smooth sailing.
What do you miss most about home in America?
Queso. My family. Whataburger. Chicfila.
What do you like about each other?
What I like about…
Candace: her bubbly and extroverted personally. She has never met a stranger and I LOVE that about her.
Caley: her sick dance moves
Alyssa: her weird noises. She says things like YEET!
AJ: her gingerness
Shelby: her southern drawl, Caley has it too, but with Shelby I almost need a translator sometimes
What have you learned from each other?
What I have learned from…
Candace: social skills
Caley: peace and joy
Alyssa: leadership
AJ: prayer
Shelby: wisdom
Who has made the greatest impact on your team?
We have all made an impact. No one has been greater or less because in the end we are all less than Christ. He is so much greater than us and it doesn’t matter what we have done as individuals because it isn’t about us. We have all had our moments of strength and weaknesses and it is in those moments where we have learned from each other. I wouldn’t have grown the way I have without Emunah encouraging me to step out and speak up.
Thank you all so much for sending in questions. I am so sorry it took so long to get them answered so thank you for your patience. Thank you for following our journey and praying for us.
Love,
A
Here is the video where we all answered some of your questions!
