I've been pretty nonexistent here on my blog the past three months. I haven't known how to communicate some of the big lessons God has been teaching me; and being in two closed countries, I've had to be very careful about what goes on the internet.
But I'm here now to break the silence! Since here on the Race, we love the number 11, here is 11 bits (with pictures!) of my experience over the past three months!
1) I cried leaving Laos. In three short weeks, I made some of my favorite friendships on the Race with the college students we met. As our bus started it's engine and the wheels began to turn, I lost it and sobbed. I didn't want to leave them, and even to this day I still miss them. If God opened the door for me to go back there, I'd happily walk through it.
2) The child inside me finally came out in Laos as well. I ran around and played with the little kids we taught English to. In our moments of free time, I was always off with the kids, acting like a goof and making them laugh. I laughed, giggled, and snorted more that month than any other. I wasn't afraid to be myself; there was just something in the air of that country.
3) Cambodia, spiritual warfare struck me hard. I'm sad to say in a lot of ways, I allowed myself to be defeated by it. I surrendered myself to the lies and I took a step backwards from where I'd come in Laos. [BUT I'm breaking those chains and lies now!….That story is for another blog, though.]
4) My teammates grew IMMENSELY in their relationships with God in Cambodia. They entered into greater intimacy with Him and grew in their maturity as women of God. At the time, it made my experience harder to go through because they were moving forward and I felt I was moving back. But looking back now, it was a beautiful thing to witness their growth and it reminded me that God was there.
5) Cambodian babies are possibly the most adorable things! Especially the little ones we watched. Laos babies are cute too. And now I'm discovering Filipino ones are as well. Basically all Asian babies are ridiculously adorable. I'm gonna need a bigger backpack…
6) Malaysia. I realized I'm good at teaching English! And it also complete drains me of all my energy. As much as I enjoy it in the moment, I'm always exhausted afterwards. For all those introverts like me, it's about the equivalent of having to make small talk at a party for four hours. So I'm not so sure if I would ever want to teach a long-term thing, but maybe I could figure out the social aspect of it another time.
7) My teammate Raquel took a short whirlwind trip to Singapore one weekend! Border-hopping was a bucket list item for me on the Race, and Singapore was one country I really wanted to go to. I didn't have the money to go but my wonderful teammates helped make it happen by sponsoring me as an early birthday present! It was so awesome!
8) At the end of Malaysia I was prophesied over 3 times in 4 days. Messages God wanted me to get about His love for me, His care for my family, and what my future would be. In two of them, I was told they saw me serving in India in the future. I'm down for that!
(One of the Indian-Malay kids we taught English on weekend last month.)
9) I want to live my life serving in missions overseas, most especially in Asia. If there was any hint of doubt before I got here, it's gone now! Shoot, I might even marry myself one of those men; some of them can be rather attractive. Especially this next one, he stole my heart right away. 😉
(I might this little guy in a local Chinese restaurant in Malaysia. My squadmate, Kim,
who speaks Mandarin asked if I could hold him for me.)
10) This month in the Philippines, my team and I are serving as the Unsung Heroes team. This means we are spending the month searching and looking for new ministries to the World Race to potentially work with. It's going to be a crazy month of asking God to show up in big ways, and networking our booties off. Here's to being bold and making friends!
11) My team nominated me to be the team leader for our Unsung Hero month. I'm honored that these amazing girls are so willing to follow me. And I feel blessed to lead them into the unknown of this month. The Philippines is going to be a big month of growth for myself and my teammates. If you think of us throughout the month, shoot up a prayer please!
I couldn't begin to tell you everything, but I wanted to give you a small window to look into my life to try to catch you up.
God has been spurring some crazy growth in me as well these past three months, I'm going to save that for another blog or two, though. So keep an eye out because there is most certainly more to come!
Love you all!
