I’m coming home.
You’re probably wondering how I feel about this huge transition coming my way?
Well, think of a list of random emotions and the answer is yes, I feel that right now.
With tears in my eyes and a knot in my stomach, this season has come to an end.
I’ve completed the journey that was placed on my heart many years ago.
I’ve found the personal relationship with Jesus I’ve been on the brink of my entire life.
I’ve met my best friends; people I am very privileged to even know, but to call them my best friends? It’s an honor.
I’ve gained fresh perspective and have much clearer eyes to the world around me.
I know my faith and beliefs are truly mine, as they have been tested over and over again this year. In America Christians are sheep among sheep. My squad and I have been sheep among wolves and are walking away from this deeply rooted in Christ’s love for us.
As my final blog, here is a recap of this year backpacking around the world in Jesus’s name
Serbia:
Serbia was spent in a tiny village at a beautiful campground. We had the loveliest of hosts and this is still one of my very favorite months! We helped in the kitchen, cleaned dishes, served meals, cleaned the cabins, stained the buildings, spent time with sweet babas (grandmas) worshipped with the teenagers at camp, cut down and hauled many thorny branches, mowed the grass, and kept up with the bonfire we spent each night sitting around with our friends. We also ate way too much euro cream (nutella) ate apples from the tress, and had a sleepover with a baba who spoke absolutely no english!
Romania:
This was All Squad Month. 44 humans. 1 house. 2 toilets for the 38 ladies (one of them inside the shower) 2 showers of ICE COLD water. 1 kitchen with a stove that the burner went out if anyone took a shower, turned on water to wash dishes or flushed a toilet. My team and I walked beside a group who was church planting the next town over. We were privileged to experience the bare bones of a church plant; the house church on Sunday mornings, meeting and evangelizing in the park, setting a foundation of prayer of the city and the mission house we were living in. It was a tough month in many ways, but I learned a lot and my team and I ended up walking away stronger and better equipped in conflict resolution and having an unoffendable heart.
Bulgaria:
My favorite month! I had a blast all month and have nothing but wonderful memories in this beautiful country! We lived in a church attic and had wonderful hosts with four sweet kids. Ministry was filled with cooking classes with babas, teaching english in the local school, babysitting our hosts children, leading a Vacation Bible School, a Beauty for Ashes Women’s retreat, and organizing a American Culture Night for local teenagers and a Fall Festival for local children. I celebrated my 23rd birthday by having my pal Sav baptize me in the Black Sea at sunrise.
Macedonia:
I look back on this month and smile because it was filled with so much community. We had a very relaxed ministry schedule, but I experienced friendship and community this month in a way I’ve never experienced before then or since. I walked through hurts that month that should have rocked me, but I was so rooted in my identity that I didn’t waver. I am thankful for something difficult to walk through to force me to rely on my community and to learn to ask for counsel and help.
Zambia:
I had been waiting to go to Africa for a decade ya’ll! This was a dream and a prayer ten years in the making! We lived on a YWAM (Youth With A Mission) base and had an incredible month. We door to door evangelized, we preached (I even gave the message on Christmas Morning), we visited an orphanage, we hosted a Vacation Bible School, we partnered with several different churches and pastors, we visited Victoria Falls and I jumped off a bridge with my pal Emily, I celebrated Christmas with wool socks as stockings hung by an eno strap, and I got 300 bug bites one night when I slept with my leg out the window because it was too hot. Zambia rocked.
Botswana:
Oh man ya’ll, this month is THE World Race month. I literally lived in my tent in the African Bush. I loved it. Our hosts were some of the kindest and most genuine people I’ve ever met. Our days were filled with children’s ministry and relational evangelism. We split into small groups and found people to pour into the entire month. My group met One (pronounced O-knee) we worshipped with her and her son, and shared our stories along with scripture with her several times each week. There was a hippo in our backyard, cobras in the bushes, and the closest grocery store was a three hour drive by bumpy dirt road and a ferry away. I’ll forever be grateful for all the unique opportunities Botswana provided me.
Namibia:
Botswana was full of lots of donkeys and cows, but not many people. In Namibia my team and I partnered with a Mega Church (I know, talk about opposite experiences) Our first hour in Namibia I met more people than I did the entire month I was in Botswana. We were busy this month, the list of ministries we partnered with is a long one! Chinese Church, visiting an orphanage, volunteering in soup kitchens, preaching, door to door evangelizing, teaching in preschools, women’s ministry events, leading team building exercises, traveling to a campground where we experienced Romania all over again with Romanian hosts and playing with the village kids, did an improved prodigal son skit for a youth event, really the month was a blur of adrenaline! I saw the milky way so close it looked like I could reach out and pluck the stars from the sky, I laughed a lot when my whole team got diarrhea and we had to share our one toilet (reminded me of the movie bridesmaids) and I left Africa with the knowledge that I will be back 🙂
Malaysia:
If I’m being honest, I’ve never had an interest to travel to Asia before the Race. I really didn’t put much thought into this continent until I was literally standing inside the airport after arriving. Asia is vibrant, captivating, fast-paced, and my favorite continent! Who would have thought? In Malaysia we slept inside a Kindergarten where we also worked as teachers. Malaysia is a closed country, which means Christianity can’t be advertised in any capacity. In fact, previous World Racers at this same location didn’t have social media private enough and locals found their blogs. The blogs were printed and reported to government officials and my host and his family received death threats. We had to tread very lightly. Actions speaking louder than words was the theme of the month. We low-key spread the gospel by teaching character and morals in the classroom as well as teaching bible stories that had been edited to change names. We were sneaky truth-speakers! Those sweet refugee kiddos were hearing the word of God and I pray one day he reveals himself to them!
Thailand:
My oh my, I loved this month! This was our ATL (Ask the Lord) Month. Which means we were dropped off in Chiang Mai with no living situation arranged, no host, no set ministry, no tangible plans at all. We relied fully on hearing and discerning from the Lord to guide our steps each day that month. My biggest take away from Thailand is that you can live missionally-minded without being in full time ministry. Literally anywhere, at any point in time, with anyone, you can be Jesus with skin on. I focused on bar ministry to the local women trapped in the sex trade industry. I met my friend Iris at a strip club one of our first nights in the city. She recently left an abusive marriage and lost custody of both of her young daughters through the divorce. She was working to make money to send child support to them as well as to her mother and father who live in a remote village far away from Chiang Mai. We befriended her, held her story well, shared our stories with her, took her out to lunch, to the park, to the markets, to coffee shops, she was a real treat to spend time with. We introduced her to the coffee shop that employs women who make the decision to leave the sex-trade industry. As of yet, she is still working at the club, but I am hopeful she will take the initial step into a life of freedom and safety sometime in the future.
Cambodia:
Cambodia was hot. The hottest place I’ve ever been to. I’m sweating right now thinking back to it. We lived at a guesthouse on the outskirts of Siem Reap. (where Angkor Wat is located) Cambodia reminded me of Africa in so many ways; the red dirt, the poverty, the heat, the stray dogs, I had to remind myself where I was multiple times that month. Ministry was hospitality based, we served breakfast to the guests, made smoothies for the guests, cleaned the pool, and taught english to the staff. I throughly enjoyed teaching english to our sweet Cambodian friends. We also spent time speaking to women via our translator on the bridge and buying them dinner as well as speaking to women at the local bars. These women are so thirsty for someone to be truly interested in who they are as a human and not just as a physical body. They light up when all you do is ask “How was your day?” I have so many sweet memories in this country!
Vietnam:
Here we are Month 11! I am so proud to have partnered with The River this month! This organization teaches life skills such as leadership and team building, and lessons on initiative, compassion, and other qualities that build a strong character to very affluent children. They take the funding from this and teach english to local village children. They then integrate the two social classes several times a week. The girl who’s father is the head surgeon and the girl who picks through trash with her mother to sell? They’re friends thanks to this organization. Financial investment is a quick fix to poverty, but it isn’t necessarily sustainable. I’m fully on board with educating, empowering and equipping these young girls and boys, and dreaming big to end the cycle of poverty in their lives. Vietnam, you opened my eyes to the bigger picture, thank you.
As I pack and prepare for my flight home tomorrow morning, I want to end by announcing my post-race plans to you. I have accepted my first nursing job on the oncology (cancer) unit at Medical City Hospital in Dallas, Texas. I will be living with my sister and brother in law for a season (if you’re reading this Erin, get excited, baby sister is moving in!) My biggest prayer for my personal life post-race was finding community. Not only are my squad coaches in Dallas (who have offered up their pool to use anytime) but several of my closest race friends are starting their next season in Dallas too! World Race takes Dallas!
To my supporters, both financial as well as prayer warriors, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. My hands are shaking as I type this, I don’t have enough words to property articulate my gratitude. You equipped me to be a World Racer, and I hope I made you proud. With tears streaking down my cheeks, I can’t wait to hug you, thank you in person, and share just how good our Father is with you.
“My Beloved spoke to me and said, arise my darling, my beautiful one, come and follow me.”
Life is a gift, and the giver is good.
My heart,
Elizabeth
