Are you thinking about doing the World Race? Already accepted and waiting for training camp? Just over all curious about what it really looks like? After six months on the Race I can definitely say that I had a very different set of expectations than what the Race has actually been and I’d like to give you a behind the scenes look at the Race.
Well I guess it’s a little easier to start with some things not to expect:
Don’t expect hot showers or showers that don’t come out of a bucket(showering everyday is probably out too). While given the choice, I definitely prefer a hot bucket shower over a cold regular shower any day! But really you never really know what the shower situation will be it’s part of the adventure!
Don’t expect the WiFi to work. Assuming you actually found some in the bush or maybe in that coffee shop in town, the signal will be sketch and if you get more than one or two people on it the whole thing will decide to crash.
Don’t expect to use your tent every month. So far on the Race I have used it once and it was actually used inside the house to protect from Mosquitos (Seriously it was a swarm!). But some of my other squadmates have used their tents for the entire month in some countries so you should definitely bring it anyways.
And at that don’t expect every month to be a “Bush”month. Many of the contacts are in cities and towns some are not it’s just luck of the draw that month as to who gets the beach and who gets the bush.
Don’t expect alone time EVER! The only way you can really get it is if you are sick and can’t do ministry (assuming no one else is sick). But then you will very likely be puking into a squatty potty, (one of the most miserable experiences of my life) and unable to enjoy it. Bring your headphones and a good book for when you need to get away.
Even though you have ZERO alone time, don’t expect to be best friends with everyone on the first day of the Race. No one knows each other in the beginning. Great friendships will happen just not over night. Just because you are on the Race doesn’t mean you don’t have to put the work in to get a great friendship.
Don’t expect your Race to look like anyone else’s. In my first 6 months on the race this is the order of what my months have looked like: 2 all squad months, one Unsung Heroes month, Manistry month, a “normal” contact month, and now I am in my second UH month with my new team. Even within my squad the Race has looked different there are many people who haven’t done UH at all yet and had contacts during the months I didn’t.
So what can you expect?
Expect that if you ask God to show up he will. He has come through in situations where we were absolutely screwed if he didn’t and he has come through softly in everyday moments.
Expect that God is going to shatter what you thought he was capable of and show you more.
Expect growth to happen when you spend time with God and buying into your new community.
Expect that this Race will be hard but well worth it when you are holding that child or seeing that man come to Christ or telling that woman she is beautiful and loved.
Expect to be changed by seeing God’s kingdom on earth.
At the end of the day you can’t have many expectations of the Race because every day is going to be different. Different than the day before, than other teams experience, than what you had planned. Don’t come into God’s calling with expectations of what it will look like. Just show up with anticipation that he will move.
