Our
countdown is nearing the end. Tomorrow morning, we’ll leave Romania and head
back to America. I can’t believe it’s over…but there are certain things I’ll never forget about it…the most important being this group of people…
This
has been one of the most amazing, yet trying, years of my entire life. Please
read this excerpt from Ryan’s blog that perfectly explains the race…
Imagine that you had a crazy
dream, and you stepped out in faith to follow it.
Imagine that you have left all
your comforts in life, and now choose to live uncomfortably.
Imagine leaving all your family
and friends to live with 40 strangers.
Imagine a life of abandonment.
Imagine living simple.
Imagine grieving a death from
5,000 miles away.
Imagine your name has changed to
“Mzungu.”
Imagine going days without
showering.
Imagine that your friends are now
strangers, and strangers are your closest friends.
Imagine living with the homeless,
broken, hurt, lost, orphaned, and sick for an entire year.
Imagine celebrating every holiday
for a year without your friends and family.
Imagine that the world no longer
revolves around you!
Imagine that you start to care
more about other people than yourself.
Imagine facing all your biggest
fears head on!
Imagine living everyday as though
it were your last.
Imagine waking up at 7:00 am is
“Sleeping in.”
Imagine totally relying on God for
all of your needs.
Imagine being supported
financially by strangers from all around the world you have never met.
Imagine preaching everyday to
people that don’t even speak English.
Imagine praying for people who
just stole from you.
Imagine everything you owned
fitting into one backpack.
Imagine that you only had 1 pair
of pants, 3 pairs of shorts, 6 shirts, and 6 pairs of underwear for an
entire year.
Imagine being afraid of heights
and bungee jumping.
Imagine a life with no fast food
or drive-thru’s.
Imagine a spiritual calling on
your life that seems impossible, but with God it becomes reality.
Imagine being in an African
hospital sick, and being able to say, “It’s just malaria, I’ll be
fine.”
Imagine no dating for one year!
Imagine living everyday as a new
adventure.
Imagine not being hugged or
touched for a year by your family and friends.
Imagine praying for miracles, and
seeing God move!
Imagine sharing your complete
testimony with people, and seeing it change their lives.
Imagine learning to walk in
FREEDOM.
Imagine losing yourself, only to
find who you truly are.
Imagine trying to help the world,
although it seems to always be against you.
Imagine being misunderstood for a
year.
Imagine learning parts of 11 new
languages.
Imagine seeing an elephant walk
down the street as you eat, and it doesn’t even phase you.
Imagine living in the jungle.
Imagine eating things that would
make most Americans’ stomachs flip.
Imagine what was once
“crazy” has become “normal.”
Imagine that you life would be
changed forever.
Imagine living in community with
people that fight for you, in love, to help you become better.
Imagine a life of constant
feedback.
Imagine finding a new way to
love people.
Imagine finding Gods love in a
deeper level.
Imagine making friends all over
the world.
Imagine that there is
“something more” out there.
Imagine that God is faithful, and
wants to show you how.
Imagine coming home a different
person than you left.
This
has been my life.
And
these people have been my family…33 of the most intense, insane,
Christ-followers I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing!
We
are the “Q”
