Hi Everyone,
Well, it would happen that circumstances have me in Nepal as I update you on my Month 11 in Swaziland with The World Race. It’s wild to reflect on the adventures and blessings that have flooded over me throughout the 11-month duration and I want to extend my gratitude to all of you for being a part of it! :0)
Thank you for following along. Thank you for your patience and grace in my delayed pace. Thank you for the ways you have supported me so beautifully. I am beyond blessed!
TWR 11.1: a collection of care point chores
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in our final month of service, team change was assigned to work with the adventures in missions base in swaziland, where we worked to garden, repaint, and facilitate activities at multiple care point locations across the surrounding manzini area. this episode highlights a few moments across several locations, and the commuting between them.
TWR 11.2: swazi cultural village visit
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our first adventure day in swaziland brought some of team change and some from our neighboring fusion squadmates to mantenga swazi cultural village for an authentic experience through music, dance, and a tour within community and nature reserve.
TWR 11.3: new paint for a swaziland care point
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one of the primary responsibilities of team change during our time serving with the adventures in missions site in swaziland was to repaint the care points surrounding manzini. these facilities serve as a place of care, education, and resource to children who are vulnerable or at-risk throughout the area. care points provide preschool classes, meals to all youth, afterschool programming, and a support network to empower and encourage the next generations.
by giving all of the care point locations a fresh, uniform paint layer, children can recognize the safe and loving environments from the outward appearance.
to learn more about these care points, visit: https://www.adventures.org/swaziland/
TWR 11.4: the adventure in commuting to adventure day
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each week, we have one “adventure day” to explore the culture, government, history, art, cuisine, music, architecture, etc… of the community in which our team with the world race is serving. as coffey and i headed to mbabane, the capital of swaziland, we ran into a series of obstacles that slowed us down [but only a little bit] in our progress!
TWR 11.5: busted for jaywalking in swaziland’s captial city
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our adventure day to swaziland’s capital held even more unexpected adventure when we were found in violation of the law for not using a crosswalk!
TWR 11.6: the world race day! [11.11]
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serving with a program upholding a motto of “11n11” [11 countries in 11 months], it seemed fitting to celebrate november 11th by acknowledging the significant meaning behind the date!
happy *the world race* day!
TWR 11.7: celebrations at final debrief
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to close our time with the world race, the fusion squad gathered in nelspruit, south africa for several days of a final debrief. the time was filled with lots of celebrations, including, as featured in this episode, a LiFT reunion and the birthdays of my teammie, makenzie, and my twin, sang!
TWR 11.8: sixth annual talent show
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my girl. teammate, alysse, has been hosting an “annual” talent show each month for the team of which she is a part during that particular time. regardless of the talents and gifts possessed by each squadmate, alysse has declared participation mandatory. ;0) we’ve all had an experience with this program, by now. so, it was only fitting that she’d host one last talent show for our entire squad during final debrief – an event that presented a variety of acts and entertainment to celebrate!
TWR 11.9: south african safari at kruger park [part 1/2]
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final defrief for fusion offered an adventure option to explore the african nature through a safari at kruger park in nelspruit!
this episode highlights the first half of our experience!
TWR 11.10: south african safari at kruger park [part 2/2]
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final defrief for fusion offered an adventure option to explore the african nature through a safari at kruger park in nelspruit!
this episode highlights the second half of our experience!
*this episode is dedicated to my former resident, former colleague, forever friend and sister in CHRiST, april vrtis, who was among one of the first to support me when i shared that i was seeking discernment in a call from GOD to serve with the world race. april’s enthusiasm for the opportunity and encouragement for me played a significant role in bringing confirmation to step forward in faith. she humbly donated anonymously, but i was able to recently verify my suspicions with her as being one of the first to contribute to my fundraising. so i can finally now recognize her caring and selfless heart. :0)
april, you were among the first to know when i considered the world race, among the first to know when i committed to the world race. though you are among the last for me to formally recognize, i hope you are aware of how much your support and excitement has meant to me from the very beginning!
TWR 11.11: the world race survival kit
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if you’re out there considering the call to spread the love and light of CHRiST all around the world, you may want to seek the advice of some of these world race veterans who survived!
TWR 11.12: behind the scenes of “the world race survival kit”
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video production always involves bloopers, goofiness, and entertainment. ;0)
TWR 11.13: final debrief highlights
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final debrief offered a time to reunite as a squad; to celebrate and reflect on what the LORD has accomplished throughout our year.
TWR 11.14: closure breakfast
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we couldn’t let the world race wrap up without one last event to be together to soak up the final memories we would build as a squad on our route. so, an informal, spontaneous “closure breakfast” was coordinated before our final travel day [to HOME!] began.
TWR 11.15: long lost footage from sneaky salvador
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my squad bro and co-storyteller, salvador, got ahold of my camera and took on a photojournalist role to investigate how much everyone loves him. ;0)
TWR 11.16: final travel day – to the airport
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our final travel day to HOME kick-started with a road trip to the johannesburg airport.
TWR 11.17: joburg airport arrival check-in chaos
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as we arrived to johannesburg airport, we had to navigate the chaos of checking in for our last set of flights to take us home!
this episode also features some flashbacks from throughout our journey!
TWR 11.18: first round of fusion farewells
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our squad goodbyes began as some of our leadership and squadmates had separate flights from the majority of us, to travel home on different patterns or to extend their international travel.
…probably one of the most heart-wrenching moments of the entire journey.
TWR 11.19: joburg departure and more goodbyes
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before the larger group of our squad boarded a plane to depart from johannesburg, we shared a few more farewells to our international participants and squadmates who would extend their travels.
TWR 11.20: final flight of the world race!
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our travel home continued through doha, qatar, with our FiNAL flight of the world race landing us in CHiCAGO, iLLiNOiS, USA!
TWR 11.21: reunited with family after 11 months away from home!
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after 11 months away, i finally reunited with my family at o’hare airport, one of my favorite places in the world!
TWR 11.22: headed home with my squadmates!
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some of my squadmates- alycia, chris, coffey, and darek – came home with me, since our final flight landed us in chicago! my dad, tooty [my dad’s wife], and i introduced them to some chicago cuisine favorites [DEEP DiSH PiZZA!] and a little taste of the izac home life. chris had an early flight home to texas the next morning, so we returned to o’hare before the sun even rose!
TWR 11.23: mini travel day : from my dad’s home to my mom’s place
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as alumni of the world race, we are accustomed to some lengthy and exhausting travel patters. on this particular day, however, the duration of travel was quick and smooth from one Chicago suburb to another, but it did require reacquainting with being back behind the wheel!
TWR 11.24: adventure day: CHiCAGO edition
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sticking with the world race culture and typical schedule, we needed to have an adventure day! being so close to the windy city, alycia, coffey, darek, and spent the evening exploring chicago’s famous sites and holiday stops, such as kriskindlemarket, millennium park, marshall field’s, and the skyline!
TWR 11.25: fusion family thanksgiving
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there is SO MUCH for which to be thankful this year, including sharing thanksgiving with some of my squadmates!
TWR 11.26: back to o’hare
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this time, we had to drop off alycia and, my squad bro, salvador, who joined up with us the previous night to catch a ride with the airport shuttle [my car].
TWR 11.27: the final round of fusion family farewells
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this final two goodbyes between my squadmates and me were with my first and second team leaders, coffey and darek – both of whom were incredible supports and friends throughout my journey. it was incredibly difficult to have my race come to an end as shared final hugs with my squad sis and squad bro before they set off for their road trip home to the pacific north west.
