I'm going on the World Race. It's an 11 month, 11 different countries missions trip. It's through Adventures In Missions (AIM).
I've always loved going on missions trips. I've gone to Uganda twice on missions trips, as well as ones in the states. I've done World Changers up in New York where my team helped rebuild this families house and went 'door to door' talking with people about there faith and praying for them. I've participated in our Jerusalem Project that our church did which took place in Gloucester.
I've always had a heart for missions. I love people and love going to new places. I love everything about being on a missions trip (minus getting sick in a foreign country;) I love being in new places. I love being in a whole different culture with different customs. I like trying to fit in as much as I can so that way I try and respect their culture and in return hope to get their respect.
One of my favorite verses in the bible, and one that really led me to love missions, is Romans 10:14-15: 14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!
My theme verse for my trip, is Isaiah 1:17 17 Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.
To tie these two together, it is our job to share the love of Christ. It is our job as Christians to take care of one another. Some people are called to stay where they are and some are called to go elsewhere. We should be the light wherever we are. Our mission field is where we are day to day wether that be at the library, or on vacation in the Bahamas. I love traveling and being in new places. When I heard about the world race, I knew it was for me. I had to be 21 at some point on the race to join, but I wasn't close to 21 the first time I heard. But that didnt stop me from researching it and staying up super late watching the videos and reading other racers blogs. The idea of going to 11 different countries (at least) and it being a missions trip to where in the morning I could be speaking at a church, to working in the rice fields or playing with orphans by evening. If we all stayed in our comfort zones, and nobody traveled to places where there are no known Christians or missionaries, how are those people to find out about the good news? Now, that doesn't mean if you decide to stay here that you aren't as much help as those traveling. Because prayer is as much importance. The good thing about prayer, is that you can do it anywhere, anytime.
I grew up in church. Baptist (southern baptist to be exact). I did the church plays, the Wednesday and Sunday night groups. I had two parents that brought me and my siblings up in church. I always tried to do the right thing and be a 'good Christian'. I was baptized and continued to go to church. But I don't think I truly knew what it meant to be a true Christian. To truly believe and have 100% faith. The first time I think it really clicked, like I really understood what I was being told all my life, was at x-fuge in Ridgecrest, NC. That was middle school/early high school. Jump forward a few years. I still believed, but I went through a rough patch. And I became depressed. Not just sad for a day when something didnt go as planned, but even when things were great, like Christmas. I talked to my youth pastor and his wife many times. I just felt like I couldn't shake it. I felt numb inside. The thoughts of things I had said or did in my past would keep me up at night. I just wanted to feel something. Anything. Even if it was anger. Because that meant I would feel something. The one thing I loved when I went through all of that (happend for long periods of time more than once) was rain. I Love storms. When it would start to rain, I would walk outside in my yard and hold my hands out and feel the rain trickle down my hands. I could feel it. I felt the rain drops. And it felt awesome. Fastforward a little bit longer, and along came Passion Conference. Passion was for high school seniors and college age kids like myself. It was held in Atlanta, Georgia. There were the top speakers. Like Louie Giglio, Beth Moore, Francis Chan, David Platt, John Piper, and so on. We would fill up the Georgia Dome, College age kids just like me. It wasn't like the typical high school Christian conference where there were all of the clicks. We were put in the huge groups. They were our family groups. They were decided by the color of our wrist bands, we were broken down in our huge groups to smaller groups of 8 people. They became like family in the short 3 1/2 days we were there. When I went the first time, I was still going through the somewhat depressed stage. I was super excited, but only during the active time. We would have the most awesome worship time with Chris Tomlin, and the whole Passion worship team. And special times with Hillsong United, to David Crowder. something was missing though. I wanted to feel everything. Not just listen and sing. I would tell everything to my small family group and they prayed. i prayed. i longed to feel everything during this conference. Thankfully, one of the break away sessions I went to, had this one speaker, but I can't remember his name.. I sat there and listened. And it felt as is God was speaking through him directly to me. And what he spoke, hit right on the spot with my life story and current situation. And at the moment, there was a huge rush and I could finally feel. I prayed and let everything go. It was an awesome feeling. I went to our family group time and told my group and I finally broke down. I hate crying, but it was the best feeling ever to let go of all my doubts and worries and frustrations. I could finally feel all the built up emotions. I haven't been depressed like that since:) God truly brought me out of the valley. I still have my down days every now and then. But nothing like that. Because I have Joy. There's a big difference between happiness and joy. Happiness is temporary, while joy isn't just a state of temporary feeling.
I love having joy. I have joy, because I have Christ in me, and I want to share that with people. I'm willing to go to foreign countries and love on the people that their own people may reject. I will hold the little baby orphans in Africa. I'm willing to go to India and speak to the untouchable, im willing to go to Romania and try and share the love to the gypsies. I'm willing to go to Ukraine and play soccer with a thousand screaming kids. Im tired of my day to day job filled with drama. im tired of the normal '9-5 lifestyle'. I want to travel the world telling people that slavery is NOT ok. i want to travel the world and tell those little kids that people abandoned, that they are loved. I'm willing to let go, and let God.
~Brittany
