Parent Vision Trip is a time we are allowed to invite our parents to the field to join us for one week. It’s something I have been looking forward to and praying for since I left in January. Each time we received an email regarding PVT I got more and more excited and couldn’t wait till the day came to finally see my mom and dad again.
Leading up to PVT, we had a week of debrief in Baku, Azerbaijan. By this time, my parents had already arrived in Georgia. We were finally in the same time zone! I just wanted to jump on a plane and go see them! The fact that my parents were having the time of their lives touring the countryside and meeting other World Race parents made things a little easier, but I still couldn’t wait to be with them!
We finally arrived in Georgia on a Saturday afternoon, but we couldn’t see our parents yet. We had prep work still to do for PVT and we needed to spend some quality time with our new teams as the rest of the parents’ flights arrived. It was so strange knowing we were in the same city and not seeing them! I kept looking for them EV-ER-Y-WHERE.
On Sunday afternoon, we walked to our parents’ apartments and were reunited with them. Of course there were tears! I swear, I didn’t think my mom was actually going to let me go. 🙂 It was so strange seeing my parents again, and not being on U.S. soil when I saw them! They were with me…on the World Race! The entire first day I just kept blinking and shaking my head and thinking “they’re actually here with me!”
The days were filled with worship, ministry, and sessions and stories of how God has been moving this year. We ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner together and still it didn’t seem like enough time.
The last day was our free day together and we went with our beloved tour guide, George, on a tour of eastern Georgia. We saw dump trucks full of grapes, basins of wine which I believe to be like the ones in John 2:6, and endless rolling hills full of vineyards. At one point in the car, it hit me that I was not with any of my squad friends anymore. I had to remind myself that I was still on the World Race and that I had to get on a bus the next day and go to Turkey. It was the strangest feeling, and even though I was with my amazing parents again, I got a short glimpse of what life will be like after December 1st without the friends that have now become family.
Probably my most favorite part of the week was seeing all my new friends meet my parents. I had tried to tell everyone how great they are, but I guess you just have to meet them to really know. They are kind, caring, loving, genuine, selfless, awesome people and they do it all so effortlessly. They have loved and supported me through every high and low of my life – even when it meant they wouldn’t see me for 11 months! I’ve learned this year how rare it is to have such a good relationship with both parents and I never want to take a single moment with them for granted.
Dear Mom and Dad,
You. Are. AMAZING! Thank you for flying halfway around the world to spend 5 short days with me. Thank you for paying for my food even when I was given a bigger budget. Thank you for paying for my friends’ food and always inviting one more person. Thank you for all the miles you walked to do ministry with me. Thank you for living with roommates you had just met the day before. Thank you for showing me how to love others and for loving me unconditionally. Thank you for every single lesson you’ve taught me and for everything you allowed me to learn the hard way because you knew it would build my character. Thank you for all the hugs, all the laughter, and all the time. I can’t imagine doing this race without your support and love. I’ll see you in 70 days.
