I'm doing this because I love Jesus and I love people. In Matthew 28:19-20 Jesus says, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” It also says in Mark 16:16, "He said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.'" I think the World Race reflects the sentiment of “all the nations” and “Go into all the world”. Sharing Christ around the world as well as addressing the physical needs of poor and needy people while getting rid of some of my comforts/conveniences sounds very Biblical to me (meaning that it sounds like what Jesus was telling us to do in the Bible).
I think that everything that has happened in my life has led me up into this moment and that God has a plan and that He has good works for me to do. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” And it says in Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” I’ve prayed about the World Race and feel that this is where the Lord is leading me.
I actually heard about the World Race from Google-ing “Year long mission trips” about a little less than a year ago. I’d never heard of it before or known anyone who had done it, but since then many of my friends have told me that they know someone who did it. I’ve done some mission trips and traveling before, so having those experiences helped me and made it easier for me to decide to do this. The longest official mission trip I’ve done though was 10 days (in San Diego and Nicaragua), and the longest I’ve been out of the country is 2 and a half months while student-teaching in Europe. So 11 months seems pretty long to me, but I already know that it’ll go by fast.
I feel that now is a great time to do this because I’m just getting done with school (I'm taking some grad courses and finishing a minor this year), and I haven’t started a career yet. I feel that once I start a career, it will be a lot harder for me to quit my job. I’m also young, healthy, and single, and later on I may be married and have children which would also make it harder for me to do something like this.
I decided to do the World Race under Adventures in Missions because of the beliefs it upholds and the way it's set-up. It sounds like Christ and His Word are the center of this organization. It sounds like this trip is doing “holistic” ministry meaning that we’ll preach the gospel verbally and minister to the spiritual needs of the people as well as try to meet some of the physical, emotional, and mental needs of the people. 1 John 3:17-18="If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” I think that it’s so exciting to go to 11 countries in 11 months. I love cultures/languages/traveling. I don't know of any other organizations that offer a trip like this. I also feel that this trip is set up in a way where I will definitely be challenged spiritually, emotionally, and physically. I’m so excited to rely on and see God in new ways and get to know Him better and grow and change. It seems to be set up in a way that I will lose some of my comforts and conveniences and things that I think I “need” in America and live among poor and needy people that I easily forget. 1 Timothy 6:17-19 “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.” I like that this organization seems to not reduce or deny the Holy Spirit, but believes in the powers of healing and miracles through the Holy Spirit. I feel that I haven’t and organizations I’ve been with haven’t embraced the Holy Spirit a lot, so I’m excited to see Him move! I like other things about the organization such as the website and that we can blog and that we go with a big group on the trip.
Why I want to do the July route in particular is because it has 3 Spanish-speaking countries, and I really like the Spanish language and the Spanish/Latino culture. I’m getting a minor in Spanish right now, and I think it’ll be good because then I can hopefully use my Spanish skills in those countries to share Christ as well as learn the language more. I also picked this route because then I’ll be getting back early enough to hopefully find a teaching job for the fall. Whereas if I came back later, it’d be a lot harder since the year would be just beginning.
I really like the name/title the "World Race" because as shown above, Jesus talks about going to the world, and there's also Scripture using the illustration of a "race". It says in Hebrews 12:1-2,"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." It also says in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified."
