Traveling around the world and doing ministry in 11 different countries is quite a wild ride. Believe me, it’s not easy to pack up, travel for an ungodly amount of hours to your next destination, work there all month, pour into the community, grow, make friends, fall in love with babies and kids, help people, love on people, and then leave after another 30 days. It’s actually really hard. Some days I wonder, “Why the heck did I sign up for the World Race?” It means that I have to say goodbye 11 different times (not including saying goodbye to all my family and friends in the US).
Then I remember what this whole thing is all about. It’s just NOT about me. It’s about me being so thankful that the Lord would use me to love on His people around the world. It’s about me growing closer with God, learning things about myself that I never knew and growing in ways I never thought possible. It’s about getting to love on people and serve them in ways that both meet there physical needs, but also show them the love of Jesus.
Sometimes I am so selfish. I think it’s all about me. The truth is, it’s just not. I have found that when it is hard to say goodbye, it’s because friendships were made, great work was done, growth happened. This month is a hard goodbye. I have seen so much joy in the kids we have worked with. I have made some amazing friends working with Casas Por Cristos (a house building organization) and the interns at the school. I have bonded with the several of the teachers at the school, especially the dance teacher. I got to see an elderly woman get a new home built for her and see how thankful and blessed she was because of it.
So yes, it may be another hard goodbye, but boy is it worth it. This Race is worth it. These ministries are worth it. These people are worth it.
