Why is this trip THE trip I feel “called” to? Well, let me first start by saying that for me, it is not about being “called” because I believe that scripture points out that we are all called to serve the Lord. OUR calling as Christians is to bring the Lord’s Gospel to the lost, the poor, the abused and unspoken for, the rejected, the rejectors, etc. So with that, the question then becomes what or who is MY heart beating for? How did MY heartbeat and OUR calling as Christians lead me to respond through “The World Race?”
Since I was 11 years old (I am now 22), there was something about other nations, more specifically poverty stricken countries that tugged at my heart immensely. It became very clear to me quickly that not only is Godly redemption a necessity in the U.S. but it is vital in other countries as well. As my heart grew larger and larger for the theme of redemption to take place not only in my life and other peoples lives to take place, it grew also for overseas mission.
My senior year in high school, we were assigned a senior project that we had to complete a research paper and presentation on in order to graduate. I decided to do my project and research on “Restoration for abused women and children.” I had no idea what I was getting myself into at the time, but I did know that there was something inside of me longing to learn of the brokenness in the world and then see how God could restore it. So, I spent time in runaway homes and safe houses where women and children who have been extremely abused were living. I remember an interview I had with one woman who humbly told me her life story and how she had grown up being raped and beaten by her father and had wound up in romantic relationships very similar as she grew up. At a young age she got pregnant, not by choice, and chose to keep the baby. The father of the baby had a particular restraining order put on him because he was abusive and was only allowed to see the son with her permission and supervision. Well, for one reason or another, she left her son with the father for about 5 minutes to walk outside. As she came back in the house she found her son on the floor not breathing and turning completely blue from lack of oxygen. The dad had accidently dropped him somehow. Thankfully, they got the baby to the doctor soon enough to save his life. However, due to circumstance, the lady I was interviewing, the mom, had her son taken away from her for years because of what happened to him.
Now this story may seem to mean anything in writing, but at 17 years old, hearing this story, sitting in this woman’s house where this story took place, and looking into her eyes, broke my heart. My heart broke for the broken. My heart broke for the injustice in our world. My heart broke for generational bondage. My heart broke for the abused. My heart broke for the misunderstood and unspoken for. My heart broke for the choices people make because they simply aren’t informed. My heart broke for the people that don’t know what unconditional love looks like. My heart broke for those taken advantage of. My heart BROKE!!
So, I asked…”Lord, what do I do when my heart is breaking for others brokenness and I am not even yet redeemed?” The Lord gently spoke to me and said, “My daughter, it is through your brokenness that I will bring redemption. I have made your heart beat relentlessly for restoration and redemption. Now go and seek the faces of my people around the world and tell them about my redeeming love! Listen to them. Get to know them. Hear their stories and show them that there is a better life. Show them that there is a Father in Heaven who longs to show them unconditional love. Who longs to adore them. Who will love them no matter what they have done, no matter what they are doing and no matter what they will do. Go my child and communicate my love to the world!”
My heart beat uniquely. As I began to walk in my own passions, I realized that I longed to learn about communication. I began dreaming about eventually being able to spend time overseas, living life alongside the people who’s hearts and lives needed to be redeemed, help establish a sustainable way out of poverty or unhealthy environments, and show them about the power of God’s redemption. So, in 2005 I went to Africa and in 2006 I went to India and my heart exploded with passion and purpose!!! I just knew, that I knew, that I knew that I would be back overseas. I just had no idea how, when or where!
So I kept pursuing and connecting with ministries overseas waiting for the opportunity to arise and the door to open to get back overseas. During my senior year I began pursuing missions full force. I partnered with a mobilizing agency (that helped bring about a miracle in my life that may be blogged about later) that helped me to research ministries overseas. I remember in my initial interview they asked my why I felt called to go overseas. My answer was simple…”Why not?!” That wasn’t a cop-out answer. It was truth in my eyes. Why wouldn’t I leave the comfort of the U.S. and go live alongside another culture. I wanted to see God outside the box and minister to all of his people not just the people in the U.S. But, as I began to search my heart I realized that what God is creating me to be is a bridge-builder between the U.S. and other nations. To communicate His love to all tribes, tongues and nations.
I have been searching for an organization and ministry to partner with overseas for two years now. I knew I wanted an organization that sent me out in a team/community of people, I wanted an organization that believed in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, I wanted to be able to live alongside multiple people groups with different types of needs so that I could understand better the needs of those in other countries rather than just assuming. I wanted to be apart of something sustainable and a ministry that has opportunity for longer-term involvement. These are just a few things I was looking for! So, in a random email from a former racer that I didn’t even know…I found out The World Race! I looked it up immediately and my heart leaped! It had everything I was looking for and more!
This trip for me is just a launching pad into being the bridge-builder I feel God has created me to be. I don’t have all the answers I just merely have a few dots I am beginning to connect.
This is my heartbeat and some insight into the road I have traveled to get here! I am excited for how the Lord is guiding me and connecting the dots in my life! I know its a crazy long blog so thank you for reading it! You made it to the end!!! hahaha
