We were asked to compose a second blog that described why or how we felt led to mission work. More than once, that question has been posed to me in the form of "Why in the world would you want to live out of a backpack for 11 months?"
Explaining why you feel the Lord wants you to do something is always a bit difficult…but this is my best go at it.
Through my entire life, there have been certain things that I was really passionate about. I understood the Biblical principle that God grants everyone with certain gifts and also with certain desires that He will one day use for His glory and Kingdom.
Some of the things I knew to be true about me were:
1. I have always wanted to go to Africa. I can't tell you why or where that desire came from, but ever since I can remember I have wanted to go there. I have always loved African music, the animals there, learning about the people there, and the desire to go there has never really left me.
2. I have always been in love with Ireland. This may have come from the fact that our preacher at the Church I grew up in, in Puyallup, WA, was Irish and I loved his accent. Wherever it came from, it never left. I don't really have relatives from there, I know I'm like 1/8 Irish or something like that, but I've never had a really good explanation for why I wanted so badly to go.
3. I have always loved to hear people's stories. The Biography channel is one of my favorites, especially the shows where people tell about experiences they have had. More than once in my life, I have said, "It's too bad I can't make a living listening to people's stories…maybe I should have been a journalist." And then kind of laughed afterwards. But I was serious in a way…I just love to sit down with people and hear about where they come from, where they've been in life, what makes them the way they are.
4. I have always loved meeting people from around the world. I have several pen pals in various countries, and have always loved hearing their stories, learning about how life is different (but usually strikingly similar) for us both, and learning their language. Which brings me to my next point.
5. I love learning languages. I love learning in general, but I really love learning languges. The ability to communicate with various people in their language has always been a passion of mine. I don't speak anything fluently, other than English, but I can make my way around in Spanish and I know some Swahili. I continue to learn and grow my vocabulary all the time…but why do I love it so much?
6. I've always wanted to travel. I haven't been many places at all, but I have always wanted to. I know some people who hate to travel and would rather just stay where they are…what makes people different?
7. I have a lot of "talents" that I have no idea how I'll ever use. I make jewelry, I'm artistic, I'm very involved in music, I can make almost anything if I try hard enough, and I love projects…of any kind…I like having different projects to do.
These are the things that kept recurring to me as meaningful, but confusing. Would it ever make sense? How would I ever be able to use these things? And why do some people yearn for travel and meeting people of all different nations, and others yearn to help the homeless in their community, or reach out to the orphans in another state, or anything else? Where do these desires come from?
I was actually searching for work online and happened to search "African missions trip" just out of curiosity. And that's when I came across The World Race.
I was excited at the possibility of a Christian missions trip over so many countries. I was excited about the possibility beyond the standard 9-5 corporate job. I was interested in the possibility that maybe God could use me and all my desires and all my talents to reach people of all nations and truly fulfill the Great Commission in a very literal way.
I believe my "calling" for lack of a better term…the draw to missions work…was always there, in all the anomolies I couldn't quite place, in all the desires I never understood, in all the talents and abilites I never thought I could use…and when they all fell together, it made perfect sense.
Maybe this is what I was meant to do. Maybe this is what the Lord's plan is for my life.
Is this the reason that every time I see a documentary about someone somewhere in the world, living among the locals, helping them have the small but important things we take for granted here in the States…like clean water…or mosquito nets…or malaria medicine..I've had a sense of awe and a wish that I could do the same thing?
Ireland and 3 countries in Africa happen to be on this route.
In Asha Nepal, I have read blogs of some racers helping to create handicrafts that they sell to help support the women there.
I've read about racers painting orphanages.
I know that listening to people's stories is a huge part of the whole process of ministering to anyone, no matter where you are in the world.
And traveling…well….traveling is obviously a part of this, as well. 🙂
So, in short, I was led to missions work when everything I knew I loved and was good at and had a passion for but never thought I could use fell together and the jigsaw was complete. And it looks a lot like The World Race. 🙂
My expectations are few, but I will cover that in the third blog we are asked to compose, outlining our expectations for the race.
For now, I'll leave you with this explanation of why I'm doing this in the first place.
If you feel that our cause is worthwhile and that what we're doing in the World, bringing Christ to those who don't know him, going to "the least of these" and showing them God's grace and love, and adding to the number of those who we will spend eternity with in Heaven, then please prayerfully consider donating by clicking the "Support Me" tab to your left.
If you're on a mobile phone, it's just underneath this blog. 🙂
I greatly appreciate any and all donations. And, of course, the donation of prayer is most important, for without that none of us could do this.
Thanks so much for reading this far! Have a wonderful day, and God bless!
