I learned about the World Race over ramen in Nagoya, Japan.
I was having lunch with a fellow SAU alum, Japan semester abroad participant and photographer. Like me, he had loved his semester in Japan so much that he returned for a longer term. He was just starting his second round in Japan and I was preparing to return to the States in one month.
While catching up, he told me about his time on something called the World Race. He told me about the countries he visited and work he had done. He told me about the photos he took. He told me about the people he met and the people he traveled with.
He told me it had changed his life.
The more he talked, the more intrigued I was. When I returned to my apartment that night, I immediately looked up the World Race website.
Eleven countries in eleven months? Awesome.
Working alongside missionaries in each country? Incredible.
Living in community with other people my age who love travel and Jesus? Perfect.
Raising about $15,000 in support? Not on your life. And I closed the website right then and there.
But I couldn’t stop thinking about the World Race. And I began to wonder why I was fearless about traveling to eleven different counties but raising $15,000 scared the bejeezus out of me.
Then I realized that raising the money would be just as much a leap of faith as being on the Race itself.
And now, here I am. September 2011 World Racer. I’m preparing. I’m getting to know my fellow squad-mates. I’m reading blogs of current racers. I’m trying to figure out how in the world I will pack my entire life into a backpack while I’m traveling the world.
And I’m raising support. I’m constantly leaping in faith, stretching my hands to God in the air and struggling with my anxiousness when I land in the dirt.
But I believe God loves us when we leap, even if sometimes our leaps are small and tentative and especially when our leaps are strong and bounding.
And I believe my life will be changed because of this leap of faith. Truth be told, I’m looking forward to it.
