I have been living in El Salvador for about eight months now and I can say that my life is completely different than when I was on the World Race. Yes, I am still doing missions, but how I do missions now is very different. I took the time today to talk to a fellow World Race Alumni who has been living in Guatemala. We both agreed that there is a drastic difference between the World Race mission trip and missions full time.
- Ministry
Ministry on the race is always changing. Each month is something new and exciting. The ministry host has things planned for you to do whether it’s preaching, teaching, building, praying, or worshipping. Once you arrive at your new ministry site, they tell you what you will be doing for the rest of the month.
Missionary life is not as organized. Many times you don’t know what your ministry is or will look like. Sometimes you show up in a country and the ministry that you thought you would be doing, doesn’t happen. I have tried to start so many different types of ministries and I have failed a lot. Sometimes you have to accept that the ministry you want to do, can’t happen whether due to culture, time, or place. Also, a lot of times you don’t know your purpose in the country the first day you arrive and ministry isn’t handed to you like it is on the World Race. There is a lot of praying, failing, and seeking involved. When I don’t see my purpose anymore, I have to hold onto the truth that God has called me here.
- Finances
Everyone that has been on the World Race knows how difficult it is to raise $15,500. It is a faith-stretching experience. Many racers have their own stories of how God provided for them on the race. For some God provided quickly and for others they had to be more patient in waiting for him to provide.
Finances overseas look very different to me. On the race you were sent home if you didn’t raise all of the money. But what if the race is no longer a race and now it’s your life. If I don’t have the money raised, it means that I won’t have money to pay for food or bills. It is so much more real when it is my livelihood at stake. I have to rely on God more, but it also gives me an opportunity to see God’s faithfulness in my life. I am so blessed to be able to rely on God to provide for my every day needs.
- Community
Oh community. If you are on the World Race or have been on the World Race, you know that there is nothing like community. There is just something about growing and learning with other believers. It is so much easier to grow in Christ when you are surrounded by people that are hungry for God. Community was my favorite thing about the race and the biggest thing that I miss about the race.
Community is so different overseas. Many times when you move to a different country, you are either moving with your family or going solo. I moved overseas by myself. No team, no squad, no community. It is so much harder creating community in a foreign country. No one really talks about the loneliness involved in being a full-time missionary. But there is loneliness and an ache for community that cannot be filled. I surround myself by the locals and new friends, but I cannot cultivate the same community found on the race.
- Quitting
On the world race it is so much easier to quit. I had a handful of people go home early on my squad. Many of them just didn’t want to be on the race anymore and so they jumped on a plane and went home. The teams and squad were affected by their departure but we could move on.
You can’t just quit being a missionary. It isn’t that easy to quit when you have become deeply invested and rooted in the lives of those you are serving. It is a lot easier to leave when it is a one-month investment, but when it is a year or years, someone else will be deeply affected from your departure. So when things get tough, quitting is not an option.
- Temporary vs. Permanent
On the world race we are privileged to visit 11 countries in 11 months. However, we can only spend one month in each country. When I was on the race, I wanted so badly to plant my roots somewhere and start watering. I am privileged to spend more than one month here in El Salvador. I have an opportunity to learn the language, better understand the culture, and really invest in relationships. I am so happy that I now have the opportunity to water the ministry here and hopefully one day see the harvest.
Both the World Race and full time missions have their difficulties. Both have ups and downs and both stretch your faith. Both provide the opportunity to serve others and invest in the Kingdom of God. I am so privileged to have been on the World Race and now I am so privileged to serve God in El Salvador.
Life has different seasons and we need to enjoy the one that we are in, instead of reminiscing about the one we just left.
