Well, here I am in my sixth month of the race. Where has the time gone? Let me just say I absolutely love the world race. It’s hard, it’s stretching, it’s demanding. It’s so worth it! I have enjoyed so many incredible moments, seen some beautiful places around the globe and am building unbreakable bonds with the people on my squad. There is something different about the relationships with my squad mates than I’ve ever had before. I am so thankful for all 42 of them. They are changing my life!
This month my team is based in Myanmar, otherwise known as Burma. This is the country that made me most nervous before I signed up for the race. A country known for its hostility toward Christianity. A country where the government is notorious for having burned down villages. A country completely closed to tourists until two years ago. The history behind Myanmar is fascinating and I am learning more about it each day.
My team doesn’t have a ministry contact this month. In fact, the World Race doesn’t have many contacts in Myanmar at all. We are the first squad to ever enter into this country. We are in a land of the unknown. Our ministry this month is to find Unsung Heroes. Unsung Heroes are missionaries throughout the world who aren’t typically recognized for the work they do. These men and women are dedicated to serving greatly impoverished areas and spreading the gospel. Our vision this month will be to connect and network with these Unsung Heroes.
Our plan is to do research and find churches or faith-based programs in and around Mandalay that are focused on building the Kingdom. The World Race is growing exponentially and would love to the have ability to send entire squads to this country. The only way to do this is by finding ministries whose beliefs line up with ours. They must have the same focus as we do and have the capacity to host teams.
This is the first time my team has had an “Unsung Heroes” month and we are all really excited. We are going to learn more about total dependence on God. With no place to stay and no one to call, we must have faith that the Lord will provide. As we’ve been exploring this country, I have noticed most people are very curious as to why we are here. Burmese people are extremely friendly and so very willing to help. It has been extremely easy to ask for help when we’ve needed it. I love that about this place.
Only 4% of the population of Myanmar is Christian. Pray for the people that we are going to reach and also pray for the unreached. Pray we will find ministries to connect with so they can help build the Kingdom here. Pray for our safety and pray ultimately for God to prepare the hearts of those we meet.
With love,
Cortney
