Oh the strange things that have become normal to us on this race and the crazy ways this adventure is changing our lives…. Walking to 711 to buy some snacks has become a normal use of time. A hot shower is a gift and a regular American style towel is a blessing. You never ever ever flush the toilet paper. “Clean” no longer exists and the fact that you’ve worn the same outfit four days in a row doesn’t matter, it just has to be “clean enough”. When your team walks into a room and someone says you smell good you all laugh and say it probably isn’t me. No one uses a hair brush. I had trouble sleeping last night because my bed was too soft- it was a real mattress instead of an inflatable piece of plastic. You eat overwhelming amounts of food you would never eat at home, like the 3 bags of chips I had yesterday, simply because they taste like America. You get so confused about where you are that you find yourself speaking Spanish to Thai people and asking your team what country you’re currently in. Praying over people and prophesying aren’t weird anymore. You find yourself about to get on a 23 hour bus ride, and when you get to your destination, you have no idea where you’re headed next. You become so used to community that you ask a boy to walk you to the bathroom because all the girls around you are asleep. Tangible gifts from God become a part of everyday life- like how the laptop I am currently typing on was freely given to me by a squad mate a few days ago.
We just finished our month five debrief and it really felt like recess. At the beginning of the race we were all a little foggy like we had just woken up. We weren’t sure what was going on, who we were, what to do with ourselves and we didn’t know any of the answers to any of the questions anyone was asking us. Then we all started gaining energy and getting comfortable and excited and pushing ourselves and diving into the work God had for us. Then we started getting worn out and sick and tired and cranky and antsy and fidgety and we just needed to run around and play for a little bit. That’s what this debrief was like.
We got to sleep in real beds, take hot showers with real towels, experience air conditioning, have the freedom to buy whatever we wanted to eat, have the extra money to buy some snacks or cokes, use our time to play with our friends we haven’t seen in weeks or just rest and be alone. This break has been awesome. I have learned a ton about manifesting the presence of God and prophesy and vulnerability and using my voice and speaking life over people and a little bit about a possible calling after the Race- but right now, instead of talking about it, I’m going to try and go live it. I am so ready to get back out there.
The only information we have for next month is the name of the pastor we are working for. We don’t know where we will stay, what city we will be in, if we will sleep in tents, chicken coups or houses or if we will have internet or running water but I can’t wait to get started.
We are almost at the half way point, and that scares the mess out of me and makes me want to cry because this is the greatest most joyous and most challenging thing I have ever done and I don’t want it to end. So I’m getting away from this computer and I’m going to go live this Race.
It's been real Thailand.
Malaysia, all I know about you is what I learned from Zoolander.
Month 6 here we go!
