This week I asked y’all to tell me your most wondered questions about my time on the field. So I have compiled a list of all of your questions ranging from “what’s your biggest take away so far?” to “what’s your middle name?” (thanks allyson) and I will be answering them all!
Q: What’s the most interesting thing you have eaten?
A: Okay, I’m going to account my entire world race experience so far, and I’m going to talk about something I ate at training camp. On the day of our fitness hike, which is a 2-mile hike wearing all of our gear in the Georgia heat, I was expecting a nice filling/energizing breakfast. what I have learned, never have expectations. We got blue rice, a “fossilized dinosaur egg”, a baguette, and crickets. I didn’t eat the egg, but I ate everything else. Crickets are kinda like peanuts; really salty with a bit of crunch. I also shoved a cliff bar down my throat so I wouldn’t pass out from lack of energy.
Q: What do you wish you packed and what are you glad you left behind?
A: I wish I had packed more makeup. I brought a very minimal amount with me, thinking I would never want to dress up. I definitely regret it. Also, I would have brought my flat iron with me.
I also wish I would have packed more art supplies. I am an artist, and for some reason, I couldn’t find the space to bring the 100000’s of pens I have (shocker when living out of a backpack, right?) I definitely should have brought more of my favorite drawing pens.
I brought my vans instead of my high top converse because I simply thought my converse would be too annoying to put on, and my vans were slip on’s. needless to say, I am having my mom bring my converse to PVT because I miss them so much.
Best advice, bring what makes you feel like you. don’t form to a world race standard. bring the things that you love (within reason) because on the race you learn that this is actually real life, and you are going to want to have the things with you that make you feel like yourself. Also, I regret not bringing enough socks, I bought two packs in my first country.
Q: Do you like Guatemalan coffee?
A: no. I don’t like coffee anywhere. but #blessed because I have saved a lot of money from not liking it!!
Q: What have you learned most about yourself on the world race so far?
A: I have learned that I am a big control person, and I like to be in charge of situations. I have also learned that’s not how this relationship works with God.
I don’t have to have all the information, I just have torts. I am learning how to be okay with that.
Q: how old are you?
A: twenty. thanks for participating allyson <3
Q: What’s your middle name?
A: according to my birth certificate, Nicole. According to allyson, Nicole Marie. Everyone’s middle name is M arie, did you know that?
Q: Favorite person on your team besides Jesus?
A: I literally cannot answer. my favorite person on my team is SJ Selina Allyson Madison. If I combine all of their names, that counts as a person? maybe?
They are all my favorite, I love these weirdos.
Q: Where’s the best sunrise/sunset thus far?
A: okay I will tell you my favorite memory of both.
for sunrises, I enjoyed my birthday sunrise. I woke up with SJ and Olivia in Ecuador on the day of my 20th birthday. We made tea/coffee and wrapped ourselves in our sleeping bags and went out to the top of the property. I remember it was cloudy, and we could hardly see the sunrise but I remember feeling so loved. We sat and had early morning conversation and early morning laughs. I was so filled up.
(most beautiful was my sunrise hike at Lake Atitlan at our midpoint debrief. The MOST beautiful.)
for sunsets, we were in Peru and we decided that we wanted to go to the beach for sunset. We got there and all ran into the water. It was our first time in the ocean in quite a while. The sun kissed the horizon line, and we all danced in the ocean until pink faded to deep, midnight blue. I felt at home, I felt so alive and so grateful for that exact moment. to be in the ocean in Peru with some of my favorite people, watching one of my favorite things.
Q: How did you decide to do the world race and what has been the hardest part so far?
A: I decided to sign up because God kept placing it in my life, and my friend and I signed up together. I decided to actually go out of pure obedience to what the Lord was calling me to for this season of my life. I was at my dream school when he called me, and no part of me wanted to leave the life I worked so hard to achieve. I decided He was worth it, and he allowed for everything to be put on hold for me. The offer of obedience was too good to pass up.
Hardest part? Just having my dream break of what ministry actually looks like. I say I went into the race without expectations, but sometimes we put unknown expectations on something. I thought ministry would look a lot different it has looked. It’s been truly the most challenging but beautiful reality check.
Q: Hi
A: Hello!
Q: Do you wish you paid more attention in Spanish class?
A: yes. absolutely. Even with that, I have still learned more in 5 months here than three years of Spanish classes ever taught me.
Q: What gives you rest?
A: Honestly, the answer to this looks different depending on the time of rest. Often, I find adventuring rather restful. Particularly slow adventuring, like walks around Antigua or trips to the beach in Peru. Other days, I NEED to stay at the base, plug in my headphones and watercolor the day away. God is really teaching me that rest can look very different, and it just varies based on the day.
Q: what is something God has taught you about His heart for the nations?
A: He just desires a relationship. So many people know about God, not a lot of people know about the story of Jesus and how he came and died for us to enter into a relationship with the Father. He has shown me that he wants His people to truly get it because He loves them so much. With this, this season of my life has been all about relational ministry. My biggest mission has been learning about people and loving them right where they are at. He has taught me that we are the connecting point to Him. Relationship with us leads to comfortability, and then out of being comfortable with each other, we get to share the love of God and invited people into that with us.
Q: What is a challenge I have faced and how did I overcome it?
A: a challenge I have faced and face every day is having confidence in the fact that I AM hearing the Lord’s voice. I used to doubt more often than not if I was truly hearing Him. I have learned that God speaks to people in many different ways. I overcame my struggle with thinking that I don’t hear the voice of God by just continuing to press into it until I know for sure I heard it. It took a lot of stepping out when people asked what I was hearing, and God almost always confirmed what He said with affirmation from other people or constant themes that revolved around what He said.
Q: can you describe someone/something that was beautiful and what made it/them beautiful?
A: Julio and Flor. They were our house guards in Peru and they stayed with us every night. Their hearts for us made them so beautiful. They loved so hard despite a very obvious language barrier. Love truly speaks all languages. They are two of the most beautiful people I have ever met.
Q: has one place stood out the most, where you felt completely covered by the presence of God?
A: The Guatemala Adventures in Missions base. The peace here is indescribable. However, God has truly shown me how He is ABUNDANTLY in every single place I have been so far.
Q: Something memorable from each country I have visited?
A: Ecuador- Helping decorate Mabe + Fabi’s new house. Actually getting to use my love of interior design to serve people well.
Peru- Dancing ministry + Thanksgiving dinner. Dancing ministry allowed us to build relationships with the youth group at the church we were serving at and I will DEFINITELY never forget dancing on the beaches of Peru. Also, we had the best American feast with our hosts.
Colombia (detour after our missed flight)- Honestly the whole day we spent in Colombia after missing our flight to Guatemala was so special. Swing sets, Christmas lights, and sunsets with incredible city views.
Guatemala- refer to the next question!
Q: most cherished memory so far?
A: This weekend one of our cooks from the base invited us over to her house to have lunch and hang out. She is of Mayan descent and wears the traditional Mayan traje every day to work. Traje’s are beautiful woven fabric consisting of a shirt, a skirt, and a belt. I have been DYING to try one on since we arrived in Guatemala and when we went over she let us try them on. She secured all of us in them exactly how they wear them and we got to spend the day in them. It was so special to be able to actually be apart of the culture and not just living surrounded by it.
Q: biggest thing I have learned/ biggest takeaway and how it will affect my return home?
A: Honestly, I don’t really know how to sum up everything I have learned into one biggest takeaway. And I still have a whole half of the race left, so I think that’s okay. Everything that I have experienced will absolutely change my life upon returning home.
Thanks to everyone who asked questions and to everyone who continues to support me and lift me up in prayer. We are half way through this thing! Wow!
