As I spent my Tuesday night awake and frustrated, I believe I learned a valuable lesson for myself.
My team and I went to bed just like any other night. I turned on the little fan that that our host family graciously let me borrow and laid my head on my pillow as usual. I was more tired than normal from a hard night the night before and it was hot. There is just no other way to describe it other than uncomfortable and miserable.
In the beginning (which is 8:00pm for us), I had my little fan going. I was certain that I would cool down and everything would be great. That wasn’t the case. Things continued on and they started going from bad to worse. I laid in the heat with sweat dripping off my body for 3 1/2 hours. I finally got so frustrated that I moved to the bench right outside of my tent. Of course being so hot, I ended up sticking to it and was even more uncomfortable than before.
I then decided to get my sleeping pad out of my tent and just sleep on the ground because there was a little wind blowing at that point. Once I got settled, a dani had to get up and go to the bathroom. When she walked back she brought a line of 3 little puppies with her that started making a lot of noise. By now I had been awake for the first 5 1/2 hours of my night.
I ended up chasing the puppies into the fields as they took off with dani’s shoe and retrieved it before they ripped it to shreds. When I came back Sang and Darek were up. It seems to have been a rough night for us all.
When I finally fell asleep the ants started attacking me and the geckos were right above my head having a seemingly interesting conversation throughout the night. I reckon those are just some perks to sleeping on the ground for the night. The point is… I slept 1 1/2 hours in a 36 hour time period. My body is made like an old lady in which I never stay up late so it was rather difficult for me. Either way… Now that you know all of the back story, I suppose I can get into the lesson God so generously taught me.
Around 12:30 or so there was this massive wind that came through. We felt like we were in a small hurricane or tornado. Things were flying everywhere and the tin metal side paneling to the kitchen was blowing and hitting the wall over and over again.
As I was laying there looking out over the fields I couldn’t help but be reminded of Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz. I felt like I was in the scene where the storm hits and takes her away from Kansas and into Munchkin Land. That’s actually what I have felt like these last two months as I have started the World Race. Like a tornado took me away from everything comfortable in my life and placed me in a situation that makes me rely completely on my faith.
Dorothy starts her journey out by being told to go to Oz to find out how she can get home. In order to get there she must follow the yellow brick road. Throughout her journey she meets others who are also searching for something and she sweetly encourages them to come with her so they can find what they are looking for too. During the journey she is taken through different trials, but she presses on. In the end she gets to go home and has more appreciation for her family and the life she has.
Isn’t that the same with a World Racer? We start our journey out by being told by God to “go” and follow Him. So we pick a route we are interested in, apply, get accepted, raise the money and then we go. Along our journey we start to develop relationships with others who are seeking what we as Christians have and we are taken through many trials, but we press into the good AND the bad knowing that God will pull us through it if we have faith. At the end of this journey we will go home and my prayer is that my life is forever changed in the way I see my family, friends and each person I encounter starting now and for the rest of my life.
I have been struggling with the different trials I have come in contact with the last two months. From being injured to having to deal with the constant heat. It’s been hard and I haven’t been able to be an active member during ministry as I would have wished. I realized Tuesday night that because I have been benched this month due to injuries and sickness, I haven’t taken the time to press into the opportunities God has presented me with. I was so frustrated with not being part of the manual labor team that I allowed myself to pass over the fact that kids came to the compound everyday that just wanted a smile or a hug and the cow herders came in daily to water their cows. We had the chance to just love them, but I didn’t press in.
So this is my declaration: months 3-11 will not go the same way. If I am benched from the main game, I will choose to serve those who are also on the bench or casually watching the game from the sidelines. I will love them as best as I can and I will not be frustrated or saddened by my situation. I will appreciate what chances God has given me and I will seek out the opportunities He has waiting for me.
I will have a heart for others the way Dorothy did for her friends and I will choose joy in any situation. I will thank The Lord for this season of my life and I will press into each ministry with an open heart and open mind.
So thank you God. Thank you for the lesson that was well deserved and needed more than I was aware of. I look forward to the things you have for me in the future and I can’t wait to love those I come in contact with the way you do!
To all my supporters, thank you for everything you guys have done. The financial giving and the daily prayers mean more to me than you will ever know and I can’t wait to come home and tell you about all the things I have learned and experienced. That time will be here soon enough, but for now I ask that you continue to pray for me and the things I am learning and doing on the World Race.
All my love,
Danielle Mills
