Things I’ll Always Remember
- Praying with the woman who had just lost her baby in the morning in Guatemala
- Feeling like God was telling me to have our squad sing “Greater Things Have Yet to Come” in Pattaya, Thailand and then finding out that that song was made especially for Pattaya, Thailand
- Sharing the Gospel with 7 women in Nepal who had never heard about Jesus
- Sharing the Gospel with the Buddhist monk in Thailand
- Hearing the contact from Nepal and the contact from Malawi’s testimony of Jesus
- The man who was taking my trash from the dumpster in Honduras
- Auldridge’s sister in Zambia who passed away from AIDS the week after we met her
- The stars in Africa
Things I Saw God Do:
- Provide finances
- Provide a fiance for my brother
- Heal teammate relationships
- Have my computer with countless problems work all Race
- Heal my back
- Protect me through dangerous circumstances
- Keep me healthy- no mono, lice, scabies, or malaria
- Allow me to talk to my mom on mother’s day and my sister on her graduation day when the internet was very unreliable
- Have people pray to receive Christ in Malawi
Coolest Unique Experiences:
1. Rode an elephant in Thailand
- Went to a lantern festival in Thailand
- Saw the Taj Majal in India
- Climbed the Himalayan Mountains in Nepal
- Went to a wedding in Zambia
- Went to a beautiful beach with mountains in Vietnam
- Got to ride on mopeds in the streets of Thailand and the village of Cambodia
- Got to hold a monkey in Guatemala
- Get hair braided African-style
- Have a dry paint throwing party in Nepal
- Go to the beautiful and majestic Victoria Falls in Zambia
Ministries That I had the Honor to Do Through Christ:
Construction on a new church, taught Bible lessons to a school and to orphans, painted an orphanage, painted a house and added rocks to a ministry site, did hair/nails and played soccer in a slum, took care of kids with CP and took care of babies of women who have been sexually abused so that they could go to school, shared the Gospel in area where kidney disease was high, helped in a free medical clinic, planted crops to help fund an orphanage
Did feedings, tutored kids, prayed with families in poverty, brought food to some in poverty, led worship/Bible study nights, brought kids in poverty to mall and dinner, helped in a birthing clinic, did bar ministry, promoted a big Christian event, shared Gospel with a monk, taught English, led devotions/Bible studies, visited and encouraged different ministries
Did beach ministry, took care of kid with special needs, shared Gospel with people in Himalayan mountains
Gave 2 people Bibles, prayed with a woman for her baby in a coffee shop, prayed to Christ at a Buddhist temple, gave out Gospel tracts in Hong Kong and Nepal, encouraged people with HIV at an HIV support group, consoled a family who lost someone due to HIV, led devotionals for staff at a ministry, shared Jesus to schools and villages in a Muslim area, helped staff workers with shoveling, gave 12 outfits of clothing to kids with ripped and dirty clothing
Gave finances to get Bibles for a ministry, gave finances to help fund some of a woman’s education
World Race Superlatives
Weirdest thing I ate: A cricket
Scariest Moment: Bus riding on mountain cliffs in Nepal
Most fun day: Elephant riding and bamboo river rafting day
Favorite Modes of Transportation: Mopeds and Bicycle Taxis
Favorite Snacks: Zesty Cheese crosscut fries from Jollybee in the Philippines, Vanilla Chocolate Oat Cookies from Zambia, and the chocolate frapeccino from Himalaya Java in Nepal
Favorite Quotes: “Hey! It’s me! Do you remember me from the internet?” which was said by a random man to me in Nicaragua. “Month 12!” in reference to being able to date in month 12 “See ya at Searchlight!” when pretending to stay in one of the countries and seeing them again at the World Race reunion called Searchlight
Favorite Body Language: Grabbing the hand and putting it to your forehead to show respect in the Philippines
Favorite Book of the Bible that I read on the Race: Proverbs
Favorite Cultural Clothing Item: Thai pants
Most Interesting Culture Overall: India
Most Fun Country: Thailand
Best Deal: 6 dollar massages for 1 hour in Thailand
Top 6 Countries: Nicaragua, The Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, Nepal, Malawi
Top 3 Countries: Nepal, Cambodia, Malawi
Top 2 Countries: Nepal and Cambodia
Best Country Overall: Cambodia
Personal Growth:
Knowing and feeling more that my words, feelings, questions, thoughts, and ideas have worth.Feeling more humbled by God. Feeling more confidence as I put less responsibility on myself and more on God. Remembering to look to Christ instead of at what others are doing
Things I Learned:
The church of Christ is many members, but one body. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. God is faithful, communication is key, serving God is a choice no matter where you are.
Video of Some Highlights
One of my squadmates made a video of our year- you can check it out here:
