1) Give us space.
This year has been every synonym of ‘crazy’ you can think of. We are plunging back into culture and company that’s probably incredibly different from the ones we’ve been living in. We’re going to need time to think, and journal, and probably just stare into space for a while. Give us the time to do that, so we can dive back into our relationship from a healthy place.
2) Buy us our favorite foods.
For me, it’s Chik-fil-a and Lee’s Grilled Cheese. For my teammate Kristen, it’s In-n-Out Burger. Just buy it. Probably take us there straight from the airport. You will be loved.
3) Don’t be vague.
Don’t ask open-ended questions like, “So, tell me about Eastern Europe.” (You will get a one-word answer, like: vomit.) Ask us specific questions about our trip, and be prepared for a new story every single time. Get ready to hear about that one month that we really loved over and over again. And when we ask you questions about your year, don’t say, “It was good!” or “It was rough.” Tell us real stories about the time your boss drove you crazy, or you spit Sprite through your nose at the Christmas party and all of our friends saw. We want to hear what we really missed. In the spirit of this suggestion, here are a couple more:
4) Ask us questions about stories from our blogs or Facebook posts.
This one might just be me, but it feels good when people ask follow-up questions about the stuff I’ve posted. It makes me feel like you are connected to me and what I’m doing, and I know you’ve taken time out of your life to read about what’s going on in mine.
5) Ask us what we learned.
The Lord has taught us so much this year: about ourselves, about God’s heart, and about how we relate with others. Other topics of learning include: ethical missions, effective and healthy ministry, living in community (like, 24/7), and just how much time a human can actually spend on a bus. Some of the lessons were hard, but they were so worth it. And we want to share.
6) Catch us up on pop culture.
(Are memes still a thing? What about One Direction? Asking for a friend.)
7) Give us grace.
I am preaching at my home church literally 7 days after I get back into the U.S. I have no idea how I’m going to boil down an entire year into a 20-minute-max sermon (that’s only, like, the intro in Zambian church). Other Racers may never preach again after this year, but every single one of us is going to need time to sort through everything we’ve experienced. Give us grace if that process doesn’t look clean and simple all of the time. We’re different people than we were when we started this journey, and we might not fit right back into the space we left behind. Also, grace for when we talk your ear off, or get really excited over toilets we can flush toilet paper down. On that note:
8) Excuse the gross stories.
They’re real, they happened, and you might eventually hear about the time we were sick in a squatty potty (or The Night of a Thousand Vomits). Gird your loins.
9) Drive us around.
Driving in other countries is 100% more dangerous than driving in the U.S., so AIM doesn’t let Racers drive. We (probably) haven’t touched the wheel of a car in a year, and we might not have a car to come back to. Drive us to Target and let us wander around shell-shocked for a while.
10) Take us to do something extra American.
I’m talking baseball, apple pie, two-stepping, fountain Dr. Pepper, free public restrooms: everything. There are some things you just can’t get anywhere but the good ole’ U.S. of A.
11) Don’t judge; just listen.
Chances are, we have done something this year that will make you uncomfortable. It probably made us uncomfortable at the time (for me, it was the time someone asked me to pray a demon out of a woman in a Roma camp). Don’t launch into judgement: listen to us. Listen to how we grew through the experience. Help us work through it.
