Is the World Race a Worthwhile Venture? 
Perspective of a parent (Kathy Vincent) who visited month 8.

In July 2014, my husband Jim, son Kyle and I said goodbye to our 22 year old daughter Amberly as she began her trek on the World Race. She would visit on 11 countries on her World Race route: Bulgaria, Albania, Moldova, Romania, India, Nepal, South Africa, Swaziland, Botswana, Mongolia & China. She prepared for about a year; praying, fund raising, gathering gear, packing and repacking. Racers pack everything they will need (including their tent, sleeping bag, etc) in order to transport everything from country to country.

Eight months after Amberly left for the World Race, I had the opportunity to be a participant in the Parent’s Vision Trip (PVT) and fly to Swaziland, Africa. In my mind, I was going to see my daughter and that was my focus.

February 27th 2015 marked the day that myself and 21 other parents from across the US and Brazil arrived in Manzini, Swaziland. Our accommodations were just a few minutes drive from where our racers were and for the next four days we were able to spend about 11 hours each day with them. Adventures in Missions gave us the opportunity to not only shadow, but participate in ministry opportunities with our young adult children.

My first day of ministry with Amberly was at Zekehele Care Point (ZCP) located in the city. I helped in the classroom and at recess. ZCP is a two room preschool with about forty four and five year olds that Amberly worked at for two weeks prior to my arrival. The classroom was sparse with extremely limited resources but I found the children very well behaved, respectful, helpful and the teacher was kind and effective. I saw these little ones stack tables, chairs and sweep the floor. One boy went to find the mop after he spilled his drink. Remember, these are preschoolers! It is a challenge for many to pay the mandatory school fees in order to attend school as so many also struggle to put food on the table.

Women volunteer at the care points and help with the feeding program. I watched them cook a fortified rice casserole in huge pot over an open fire. Once school is out students are served this in containers they brought from home; some eat it there and others carry it home. We later learned that these volunteers are taught to sew and their wares are sold through a business called Timbali Crafts. This provides income, helps them pay school fees, and teaches them to be self sufficient.

Learn more at www.timbalicrafts.org

I went home after the first day, thankful for the day, but my heart was still hardened and I found myself prideful, thinking there are people in the US that have many hardships and struggle to put food on the table and make ends meet.

My second day of ministry was at a rural school which was a different feel than the city site. Wanting to experience as much as I could, I volunteered to help feed. The large cauldron of food appeared to be cream of wheat. We ladled the piping hot food into plastic bowls which the students promptly ate with their fingers. Students rinsed their own bowls under the spigot and stacked their bowl for the next day. No soap, just water. We fed approximately 50 students that day.

Today was also my opportunity to participate in the home visit. We walked directly from the school a short way down a dirt path to a home where a woman, her 6 grandchildren and her son lived. We visited with the family under a tree in the yard. We brought a bucket of food and supplies for them and the woman shared her story through our translator. She had six children but five died, leaving her to care for her grandchildren. When we arrived she had a one year old in her arms, a two year old was there unclothed and there were four others ranging up to the age of early teens. The woman talked about her faith and how even through the difficult times she has praised God knowing that  has a plan for her. She indicated a deep concern for the welfare of her grandchildren since she wasn’t in the best of health herself. We all prayed over the family and I left with a heavy heart. God was definitely working on my heart after day two. It occurred to me that unlike in the US where there are things like social services and welfare, there is no safety net here in Swaziland. Statistics show that Swaziland has the fourth lowest life expectancy in the world, 26% of adults are HIV infected and orphans make up 20% of the population.

My final day of ministry was back to the city school. Today God showed me what breaks His heart through two little girls. The first grabbed my hand as we walked out to recess. She was limping and so we took a seat on a half buried tire and she sat quietly on my lap. As we sat there she pulled up her legging to reveal an oozing, bloody sore which she began to poke. I looked over to my daughter a distance away and I saw her concern and as she saw what was going on. I felt conflicted between caution and shame. Given this realization of what I could be dealing with I got up with the little girl and we continued on with recess. Shortly thereafter I joined Amberly and the second girl at the slide. This little one realized I was Amberly’s mother and I explained that I came to work with Amberly for a few days and then would travel back to the US. She asked me if Amberly had a father and I indicated he was at our house in the US. She beamed and said “Amberly has father!” Through these young girls God spoke to me about the pain and suffering that is VERY REAL in Swaziland. I was aware Swaziland that the highest that HIV aids rate in the world and also learned the night prior that it’s known at the “fatherless country”. To read that statement and experience how it affects real people, little people, are two very different things! The little girls’ excitement that Amberly had a father literally broke my heart.

The day wasn’t over and that afternoon I chose to go to the hospital. Pictures were not an option but many images will forever be etched in my mind. We spent our time in the children’s ward no individual rooms and an unsterilized environment. Many parents looked exhausted as they sat next to their children. You could see the relief on the parents faces as the racers entertained the kids: chatting, playing games, coloring, patty cake, etc. and kids grinned at all the attention. One of the parents brought his ukelele and even the infants calmed right down at the soothing sound.

2 Corinthians 9:7 says, “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” 

Giving encompasses finances as well as time and talents for the kingdom. Those that choose to go on the World Race give 11 months of their lives, some of their own money, comforts they have come to enjoy and instead live in extremely close contact with their teams 24/7. Some quit their jobs, sold their belongings, have left loved ones while experiencing lack of communication due to unpredictable wifi. Each racer has put their plans on hold. They do this with joy as they feel called to serve and they are obedient to that call.

On the race there are slow times, waiting around for what is next, sometimes switching gears completely on a moments notice. If you ask a racer, I am confident they would tell you how they were called to serve, share or preach right on the spot. I saw this happen  and also witnessed several times of very focused, spirit driven prayer that touched my heart with authenticity. Racers seize the moment and both challenge and support one another. Service is a two way street as the racers are blessed by the experience while they serve the least of these. I believe the experience changes their thinking and reinforces their values.

I’m reading Christian Caregiving a Way of Life by Kenneth C. Haugk, with the entire deacon team at my church. Chapter 2 is titled “God as the Curegiver.” In Corinthians 3:6&7 the apostle Paul wrote, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who gives the growth.” As a farmer’s responsibility rests with preparing a crop for harvest, so the Christian Caregivers responsibility is to “plant” and “water”. God then provides the growth. In other words, Christians are responsible for care; God is responsible for cure. I see the World Racers as caregivers, each of them acting as God’s hands and feet, planting seeds and watering those seeds in each country with each person they serve. Other racers come after them and continue to plant and water… pray and share God’s holy word. God takes all of this and growth comes through Him!

I went on this trip thinking I was going to have a reunion with my daughter, and came home with so much more than I can put into words.

The Parent Vision Trip was an incredible glimpse of the World Race and such a blessing for parents and racers.