"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go." – Dr. Seuss
Until a few weeks ago I knew exactly where I was going. I had a list of countries circling in my head. I had a group of people I knew I would be working with this next year. I was slowly building relationships with them. This was what God had planned for me, and I was a hundred and ten percent positive I was in the right place.
…then I received an email.
As harmless as that seems, it was an email from my mobilizer. The person who helps me get everything together before I leave the country. She was asking that some of us on our squad would seriously consider switching routes. Our Squad was pretty large so this made sense. There are 4 different groups leaving on the World Race in July. They all have their own routes. But where our squad had 70 members, some of the others had barely 40. But switching my squad? That seemed out of the question.
To be honest, I was comfortable where I was. And it wasn't just about the countries I would be visiting. It was about the people I knew I'd be with. The people that I had begun to build friendships with. For close to 8 months I had gotten to know them. I wasn't ready to give them up. Especially because this meant I would have to build relationships with a new group of people. And it was only a few weeks before training camp. I was uncomfortable with the idea of this.
Then I remembered a prayer I had prayed to God many times.
"God help me to never grow comfortable where I am. Continue to put me in uncomfortable situations so that I will have to trust you and you alone."
Well, here it was. UNCOMFORTABLE in all it's glory. Faced with the decision initially it was a flat out "no way!" But the more I prayed, talked to my family, and prayed some more, I realized something. God knew this was going to happen. No surprises there. He just wanted to see what my reaction would be and if I would take the challenge.
I made my decision. I will in fact be on a different route in July with a different group of people. But God has given me a peace about it. Many of the countries I will be visiting are the same, but there are a couple of European countries that I wasn't originally going to. Change is a good thing. It forces me to rely on God more than myself and those around me. It does hurt though.
S Squad, this last part is for you. I really enjoyed getting to know you all during the short time that I did. You all really brought me through many hard moments during this whole process of the World Race. I will be faithfully keeping up with all of your crazy endeavors and God moments as you travel the Globe. THANK YOU! And I cannot wait to meet you all at Training Camp anyway! I will always be an S Squad member at heart.
My new route is listed below…
Romania
The northern regions of Romania are home to the gypsy community. Though strangers in their homeland and forgotten by society, the gypsies are a strong and vibrant people who embrace the light of Christ in an inspirational way. Here, you will teach English, lead sports camps, live life with the gypsies, and more. It will be an exciting time of learning about a people group you may not have known even existed.
Ukraine
This Eastern European country is caught between its past oppression under the Soviet Union and the desire to be accepted by the West. People in the West tend to be more nationalistic than those in the East, where Russian is more commonly spoken. There’s a substantial orphan (social and full) population and human trafficking’s an issue here, too. Most people claim to belong to the Ukrainian Orthodox church, which is subdivided into three bodies. God’s desire is to bring hope, peace, authentic relationship with himself, and unity to this nation; you’ll find out how exactly you’ll participate in that!
Ireland
Ireland boasts a heritage of Christianity through Catholicism. Yet the lifeless display of faith reveals that this nation is farther from God than ever. Rampant alcoholism and suicide rates reveal a desperate need for hope. Through sports, children's outreach, street evangelism, pub ministry, and the relationships that just happen along the way, the World Race reintroduces a life-giving faith to this beautiful, historic culture.
India
With nearly a sixth of the world's population within its borders, India is a country bursting with people and culture. Home to a diverse array of beliefs from Hinduism to Islam, to a blend of folk religions and other faiths, it is a country of pluralism with twenty-nine languages spoken by over a million native speakers, multiple religions, cuisine, socio-economic classes, and political parties. India's struggles with poverty and crimes of human trafficking, forced prostitution, religious persecution, and more. You might work with local churches to encourage believers and most likely be challenged by their testimonies. Your presence'll bring hope and truth to those that society deems "untouchable."
Sri Lanka
Located on the famed Silk Road, Sri Lanka has been colonized or inhabited by the Sinhalese, Tamils, Moors, Dutch, Portuguese, and English. This diversity contributes to their rich history, but has also meant conflict for the Sri Lankan people. The Tamil Tigers and the government engaged in a brutal two-decade civil war, violating many people’s human rights. Buddhism in Sri Lanka date back to ancient times–it's said to be the place where Buddha's teachings were first recorded. A recent Gallup says Sri Lanka is the world's third most religious nation, but only a small minority of the people are Christians. The majority are locked in works-based customs, seeking to earn salvation. Come bring peace and the truth of a relationship with Christ to the people of this island nation.
Kenya
Who hasn't heard of Kenya in their lifetime? The Kenyan people are colorful, musical, artistic and hungry for the love of Christ. The Maasai bush, the Nairobi metropolis, and the Kibera slums comprise a country diverse yet unified in history. As a new era dawns in Kenya, so does the gospel of truth and faith. By meeting felt needs in the bush and the city, participants help bear lasting fruit with current ministry partnerships (ministries like evangelism, orphan care, and community development), and build foundations of future partnerships.
Uganda
Once a kingdom and British protectorate, for most of the later half of the 20th century, Uganda was under military rule, first under Idi Amin, the subject of the film The Last King of Scotland. Much of northern Uganda was also troubled by the Lord's Resistance Army, which heavily recruited child soldiers. Referred to as the Pearl of Africa, Uganda is diverse in topography and wildlife. You may find yourself in the north partnering with ministries that are bringing still-needed healing and reconciliation or in the south working with churches to evangelize and disciple the next generation of Kingdom workers.
Rwanda
Many who hear "Rwanda" immediately think, "genocide" – it was 16 years ago when 800,000 people were killed over the course of about three months. According to the U.S. State Department, Rwanda (once colonized by France) has the highest population density in sub-Saharan Africa; and like much of sub-Saharan Africa, this nation also is fighting hard against HIV/AIDS. This nation played a part of the genesis of this human rights organization and inspired this song; as you help bring healing to a country still recovering from this deep wound, God may birth a dream or vision in you…
Thailand
According to the CIA, the kingdom of Thailand, known as Siam until 1939, is the only country in the region not colonized by Europe. Their 2000 census showed that 94.6% of the population is Buddhist, 4.6% are Muslim, and 0.7% are Christian. Approximately 600,000 people live with HIV/AIDS in Thailand. With nearly two million people estimated to be forced into prostitution, it has become one of the most popular places for sex tourism. Change lives in the city-where you, like Jesus, might befriend prostitutes-or in the countryside-where you may serve youth, care for orphans, and encourage a remnant of believers.
Cambodia
Cambodia houses one of the Seven Wonders of the World, Angkor Wat, a Hindu temple and monastery built during the Khmer empire in the 12th century. It later became a Buddhist complex a century later, and today, just over 96% of Cambodia is Buddhist. Almost 30 years ago, 1.5 million Cambodians died at the hands of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge regime. Today, Cambodia is a source, transit point, and destination of human trafficking. Unfortunately, the government is struggling to stop it. The people of Cambodia are thirsty for the hope you can bring.
Malaysia
Enter a world entrenched in Islam. A people within the thriving metropolis of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysians still live in ignorance of the Good News of Jesus Christ. As you delve into this culture of works-based religion, strong self-discipline, and uncanny faith, you will have the unique opportunity to deliver hope and point the people to their Redeemer.
