Up until South Africa, it was hard leaving each country at the end of each month, but it wasn’t heart wrenching. I had made friendships, I had made connections, but I was always ready for the next step in this journey, I was excited for the opportunities the next country would bring, the new foods, culture and of course ministries. Moving on became the new ‘norm’ in my life.
But at the end of last month in Granada, Nicaragua I wasn’t ready to leave. I wasn’t excited for Guatemala. I wanted to stay in Nicaragua, go to the prison on a Thursday morning and play sports with the kids on a Saturday. That was what I was passionate about, they were who I was passionate about. If I had been offered the opportunity to stay, I probably would have taken it, because I fell hard for that country, God broke me for that country.
The funny thing is, Nicaragua was the country I was LEAST excited about on my route, the country I was totally bummed about having my birthday in, ironically I was meant to have my birthday in Guatemala but the countries got switched. There have been two times on my race where I have not really wanted to go to a country month four (China) and month eight (Nicaragua), yet they have been my favourite months, the months I grew the most, the months I took the most out of, the months I fell in love, the countries I really want to return to.
My biggest takeaway from this: don’t underestimate God, definitely do not put expectations on the plans he has for you.
The World Race is a roller coaster of emotions; highs and lows. It pushes you out of your comfort zone, it changes you more than you change the people you come into contact with. It helps you to re-evaluate your view on life. It isn’t always pretty, in fact it can be down right ugly at times. God takes you places; physically, spiritually, emotionally you don’t always want to go but places where he will use you and teach you.
I had tears rolling down my face as our bus pulled out of Granada. I stared out of the window, praying God would call me back there soon.
Then Guatemala happened.
We were in a mountain village called Santo Domingo Xenacoj, an hour away from Antigua partnering with Go! Ministries and we were going to be ministering alongside a Gap Year squad.
I was unmotivated and indifferent about being in Guatemala this month but God used that to teach me some lessons.
Guatemala ended up being a great month! A great ministry and one that will stay in my heart forever. God has a funny way of changing our hearts. I love his sense of humour and the way he gently nudges me when I have a bad attitude.
The lessons I learned:
God can use you after the race in the same way he was using you on the race, you just have to be willing. ?
He stirred up in my heart my love for Ghana again and showed me practical ways I can really develop the work I do there.
When you can’t communicate with language, you can still communicate with love. ?
Kids are infectious with joy and happiness and they just want to be loved. Love is something that can be freely given and love has no boundaries.
Despite your circumstances you are able to radiate Jesus and have joy. ?
Material worth is secondary to your worth in Christ. The widows in Xenacoj display this in the most wonderful way.
God doesn’t make mistakes, he puts people in your path at just the right time.?
Gap Year – I really didn’t want them to be at the same ministry location as us, I didn’t want to invest in them. Yet they are the best thing to have happened to me this month, I have some lifelong friendships from that squad.
God rewards perseverance and he will use you when you least expect.?
Sometimes travelling on the race can be tedious. One day I was close to trying to get in our host’s van for a ride home but preserved with the chicken bus and God gave me a divine appointment on the bus of someone I was able to minister to.
Spiritual warfare is a very real thing but I am a daughter of the King and He has me under His wings of protection.?
You can experience spiritual warfare in very different ways. One of the main ways I experience it comes at night when Satan attacks me in my sleep until I scream. It has happened a few times on the race – but he can’t touch me because I am God’s child.
This is just a snippet of the stories I wrote for our book, Blaze forth with hope, which will hopefully be published soon. Details will be posted on my blog as soon as the book is published.
