“Is it the TV show?” “Where are you going?” “What if you get a disease?” “Are you scared?”
People have had so many questions for me about the World Race. They are all excited and curious about what I’m doing, why I’m doing it, and where I’ll be going along the way.
But she didn’t have any questions; She only had answers.
This four foot tall dreamer sat next to me with her homemade duct tape purse, and gave me all the advice her nine year old brain had to offer.
She wasn’t phased by my plan to travel to 11 different countries and live out of a backpack. She didn’t care that I wouldn’t speak the languages or get to see my family for 11 months. She was hard to impress-but I suppose if you have a plan of becoming the “Royal Dolphin Trainer” within the next five years, a year long mission trip really isn’t that wild sounding to you.
I began to pick her brain…here are some of the highlights
Me: Okay, so I have to raise about $13,000. Any ideas of how to do that?
Sophia: Oh you just need to make a lemonade stand. You make good money from those. You could also sell some fish, oh, oh, oh, AND my uncle works for Jeopardy so you could work for him for like a couple days. I bet you could get like $300. I’ll write him a letter and put in a good word for you.
Me: I’ll be living out of a backpack the whole time. What all do you think I should pack?
Sophia: Bandaids. You’ll need bandaids. I’d also bring a window, and a lightbulb, you really never know when you’re going to need a lightbulb.
Me: Do you think I’ll get homesick? What do you do when you get homesick at camp?
Sophia: I would probably just pack my family in a suitcase. But when I get homesick here I just look at this picture of all of us and think about how cute I am…
Me: How should I keep in contact with people back home?
Sophia: Oh easy. You just need to find some bird and hypnotize it and then get it to fly to your family and deliver your note…. oh but don’t forget to include directions on how to hypnotize the bird in the note!
Me: Do you have any tips on how to make friends?
Sophia: You just need to give them puppies. But it sounds like you’re too broke for that, so I guess you could give them fish. People always need fish. And try talking to them and finding things you both like. I’d also give them flowers, people will do anything for flowers.
Me: And after the World Race what should I do? I won’t have a college degree so do you have any suggestions?
Sophia: Hmmm… just go teach at some college. Teach college writing and how to paint horses. You seem like you’d be good at that.
Sophia had such a strong trust that it would all be okay. I might need a bandaid here and there, but nothing serious. I need $13,000 but she is sure a little lemonade stand will suffice.
I think Sophia is wiser than she realizes.
I’ll bring a window to make sure I’m always looking for God’s love in the world and for why he has brought me there.
I’ll bring a lightbulb because I’ll need it for when times get dark.
I’ll give what I can to people in need, whether a puppy, a fish, or maybe just a flower. I’ll make friends with people in the simplest ways-just by trying to connect with them.
No wonder time and time again Jesus encourages us to be childlike. Sophia just knows it’ll all be okay; It’ll all work out. I don’t need to worry about the fundraising beforehand, the challenges I’ll face along the way, or what will happen afterwards. God has it all planned.
…and if something doesn’t work out…I bet Sophia can hook me up with a gig as the Royal Horse Painter.
