It’s challenging to begin describe the incredible year I’ve had on the World Race. I left my heart in 13 (yes 13) different countries this year. There have been days where I loved living overseas and had indescribable joy being immersed in cultures so different from my own. There were days where I experienced the beauty of God through the special needs adults I worked with in Honduras, or children living with HIV AIDS at the orphanage in Thailand, or the children I taught English to in Cambodia and Vietnam or the precious preschoolers I worked with in Swaziland. I also had my fair share of I want to go home days where I was tired of sweating more than I ever thought possible in Asian countries or when I was served rice for the one hundredth time and would have given an arm and a leg for a fresh salad.
My World Race has been a year of abundance. I have seen God at work all around the world, my worldview has expanded, I have worshipped in multiple different languages, marveled at His creation around the world, and have a greater cross cultural awareness. I served alongside hosts who went above and beyond to make me feel comfortable at their living quarters and showed me radical hospitality that rocked my world. I have left my heart in 13 different countries this year and I am forever changed.
This year I learned how to walk in boldness. There were a number of times I had to come out of my comfort zone this year. There were many times this year where I had a long list of excuses of why I could not do things or how I thought my five other teammates can do it better than I can so why try. I have learned how to embrace the way God made me and celebrate the gifts He has given me in ministry. From sharing a devotional at a men’s softball league in Nicaragua to sharing my testimony multiple times in African churches to learning to boldly share about my faith in house visits it seems God was not interested in my excuses about why I could not contribute to Kingdom work in ministry.
I am equally as excited as I am sad that this incredible year is coming to an end. I am thankful for the many Missionary hosts who invested in my life and gave me honest insight and perspective about the people groups they have devoted their lives to. I am thankful for my 20 amazing squad mates who loved me on my best and worst days. I am thankful for friends back home who were cheering me on from America and friends who talked to me on FaceTime when I was on the verge of an emotional breakdown. I am thankful to my mom, my best friend and biggest cheerleader, for supporting my dream to pursue the World Race when she would have preferred I choose a dream a little closer to home. I am thankful to my financial supporters who made it possible for me to come on the World Race and for my many prayer warriors who prayed for me throughout the year.
This coming week is my last week of ministry in Johannesburg. Next week our squad has final debrief with our leadership team to celebrate the amazing work God has done this year. I will be flying home to Wisconsin on Sunday the 24th just in time for Thanksgiving.
Special request: Many of you have given very generously towards my World Race Missions Trip. I am reaching out to see if any of my donors would be interested in helping sponsor my final debrief in Cape town. The purpose of our final debrief is to celebrate the amazing work God has done this year and to effectively process our experience. I am reaching out to see if anyone would like to donate $10-30 to cover meals I eat out and adventures I do in the area on our off days. My Venmo is @Chelsea-Vaglica or you can mail a check to my parents house in Wisconsin. If you would like to mail a check and do not have my address send me a message and I can get it to you.
Our new friend Rose in South Africa. She had a stroke 5 years ago, but it has not stolen one ounce of her joy.
Children’s ministry in Johannesburg
