So, why the World Race?
I get this question a lot. To understand my reason, you first have to understand that I am a Christian and I believe God not only created me and you, but that He still desires relationship with us. He didn’t set the world spinning and then sit back to watch; just like a good Father, He is still active in our day-to-day lives and communicates with us constantly. So when I answer the above question with “God told me to”, you know where I’m coming from.
I’ve always been interested in other countries and cultures, but Japan stole my heart when I was in middle school. At first it was anime, then it was the language, history, and culture, and finally it was the people. I can’t tell you why it was Japan and not another country specifically, but I think God had plans for me there from the beginning. I studied abroad in Osaka in university, and after I graduated I moved to Akita, Japan and taught English for three years. I can’t sum up those three years here in one little blog post, but know that Akita is my second home and my heart is firmly planted in Japan. I came back to the States for several reasons, but I knew from the moment I decided to leave that I would only be here for one year. I’ve never really liked or followed “the status quo” (thanks Switchfoot!) and I knew I wasn’t ready to settle down with a desk job. I wanted to make a difference in the world, and there were some humanitarian issues, like human trafficking and the sex trade, that wouldn’t let my conscience rest until I had done something, however small, to stop them. I didn’t know where I was going how I was going to do it, but I knew God was leading me somewhere!
An acquaintance friend of mine (how we met is another God story that led me to the Race) kept posting on Facebook about something called the World Race that she had signed up for, her route, and how she needed to raise money for it. I was curious so I looked it up, and man, did it sound amazing! Their tag line on the front page caught me immediately:
“Have you ever wondered if there’s something more out there? If there’s more to life than empty traditions, routines, and working 9-5 everyday to achieve the impossibility of the American dream? It’s because there is. There is a generation of radicals whose heartbeat is to see a changed world. It’s a generation that’s dissatisfied with the status quo and is actively rising to the challenge of seeing the world transformed through tangible expressions of God’s love. World Racers are seeing lives changed in nations all over the world.”
Travel to 11 countries in 11 months while working with a team of like-minded Christians and going as the hands and feet of Jesus by serving those in need? It sounded like every mission trip I’d ever dreamed of and more. There was just one problem:
Japan wasn’t on their list of countries.
So I closed the window and said, “God, I can’t do that. Japan isn’t on the list, and you’ve called me to Japan. I’ll keep looking.”
Well, God wasn’t done with me yet. A few weeks later I saw a post from World Race about “new September 2014 routes coming soon!” and then later, “New routes released tomorrow!” I’d been praying a lot about God leading the way and I just had this feeling, so I woke up early the next day and checked the new routes as soon as they were posted.
There, in big, bright red letters, were the words, “NEW! All-Asia route!” and JAPAN was one of the countries. For the first time EVER, the World Race had created a route of only Asian countries (did I mention my university degree was in International Studies, East Asia concentration?) and they were starting ministry in Japan, my other home. I cried, because I do that, and started filling out my application. God not only told me to go and gave me the open door, He also pointed big neon signs at it so I wouldn’t miss it. I don’t believe in coincidences, only in God working!
