My parents came to experience what the race is really like and while they didn’t get the full on race, I couldn’t let them get away without at least writing a blog. Here’s a little bit from my mom about her experience on the race.
My PVT (Parent Vision Trip) experience actually started when Brandi first told me about it. I was so excited to be able to see my racer after months of her not being home. Once the invitation came, the prayers for our green-light (that PVT was a go) were being said daily and then it came and all of our preparation started. I was tremendously excited to see my daughter but I was equally excited to visit Thailand and see her in her element. The night before we left I was so excited I couldn’t sleep so I wrote my daughter’s blessing (yes, I waited until the night before). I was able to pour into it most of what I was feeling.
I loved Thailand right from the beginning. I was a little worried about the language barrier but right from the beginning God was in control. We were blessed to have met another set of wonderful parents just off of our long flight and got to spend a bit of time with them during our layover. They and their friends were kind enough to give us a ride to our hotel. First worry solved and we got to enjoy the ride and learning a bit about Thailand.
We arrived at our hotel a little early and had to wait for the racers to get there. It was amazing to me that even walking to our room, we ran into friendly parent faces right from the beginning. We were all there for the same reasons. I have been blessed over the last 7 months to have been able to communicate with my daughter frequently but seeing her and wrapping my arms around here was the best feeling ever. The change in her was evident right from the beginning. She has always seemed older than her age but she had definitely grown and matured over the last 7 months. Her confidence was fantastic. Being able to sit in a chair across from my girl and have a one on one conversation with her face to face was the BEST!
Throughout the week we were able to get to know the other amazing racers and some of their parents. Even the racers that didn’t have parents there, made sure to spend a little time with us so we could get to know them also. The racers led our worship, told their stories and prayed with and for us. We got to work beside them while learning more about them. We had an amazing adventure day where we got to spend half of a day playing with the elephants, something that will never be forgotten.
I am a stand back and watch and listen kind of person. I spent the week really doing a lot of both. I am truly in awe of God’s work, well always, but especially in this case bringing 19 people from different parts of the United States together to travel for 11 months and make them a family. Not only a family but a well functioning one at that. They truly have each others back. It was amazing to watch and made my goodbye that much easier. I will be forever blessed by my time in Thailand with these amazing young adults and their parents and God’s presence over all of us. God is Good!
