My whole life of been afraid:
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Spiders
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Needles
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Hospitals
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Bugs
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Snakes
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Pain
Things I’ve experienced on the World Race:
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Spiders (a paralyzing fear of mine)
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Needles (big ones in my butt)
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Hospitals (with chickens running around)
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Bugs (you don’t even want to know)
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Snakes (luckily most have been dead, or I had a machete)
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Pain (in so many forms)
All of these were completely unintentional until I walked into a tattoo studio. Yes, I Emma Donahue, the girl who was afraid of needles, spiders and pain, walked into the tattoo studio on my own feet, sat down and got a tattoo.
Getting a tattoo has always been in the back of my mind, it may have been in the VERY back, in the file cabinet labeled Unlikely to Ever Happen, but it was there. Since The Race has begun that file cabinet had moved from the back to the front, but it was still labeled Unlikely to Ever Happen.
If you’ve been paying attention to my squad you may think getting a tattoo is a rite of passage, but I can assure you it is not. People just happen to be inspired by Jesus, the lessons he’s teaching us and the world. As of right now our squad has gotten at least 15 new tattoos, many of them being our first.
Back in month 5, Côte d’Ivoire, I became extremely claustrophobic during a village visit. I was surrounded by people, being touched to no end and I couldn’t take it anymore. I escaped to the outside of the hut to calm down. I started humming and it turned into Edelweiss from The Sound of Music. Then I was singing louder, Jesus had met me on a alpine mountain sitting amongst edelweiss flowers.
This has been the same place He has always taken me when he wants to talk. It is where I also go when I am seeking out Him. These moments have stuck with me, they’ve brought me comfort and peace. They also put a picture in my mind of a tattoo on a pale, freckled arm, that looked a lot like mine. I started sketching our rough designs, drawing them with sharpie on my arm and praying.
Is getting a tattoo really the right thing to do? Is this God telling me to get a tattoo or is it me?
I was also considering my future.
As a teacher, did I want a tattoo that could be visible? What would by parents and family think? Would I regret it in a week, month or 15 years?
All of it played down to no. I knew this wasn’t something I would get on my own; remember the fear of needles and pain. I had my answer.
The next step was to learn why Jesus had chosen edelweiss as the flower always present. I had seen them many times during family hikes in the alps, but beyond that I had no known connection or significance to them. After some research I had my answer. Edelweiss is the flower of bravery, it is noble and pure. The legend behind the flower is that suitors would climb high into the alps to bring a flower to their love as a sign of their devotion.
This flower also blooms beneath the snow, and lives in harsh climates; being recognized as a symbol of strength in Austria. Everything about edelweiss reminds me of Jesus. He is on a mission to romance each of us, to show our strength and beauty in his eyes. Because of Jesus I can weather any storm that comes my way.
This tattoo of a cross with edelweiss delicately draped onto is a reminder to me of my relationship with Jesus. How He sees me and how I am learning to see myself. I have no regrets about my decision because I know it was from God, He will lead me exactly where I am meant to go; it is all apart of His plan.
(India, March of 2018)
I am, BEAUTIFUL, STRONG and BRAVE.
Rescue Pink’s motto
