This is a blog directed at future Racers who will be going to Africa.
DISCLAIMER:
[DO NOT ANTICIPATE YOUR TIME IN AFRICA BASED ON THE HORROR STORIES YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OR READ FROM PREVIOUS RACERS]
I am writing this blog as a fair warning against what your experience will be like when you are in Africa, or I guess you could say this blog is not directed only towards your African adventures, but rather your entire journey on the Race.
*** Remember this about all continents and countries you will be visiting: your experience will not be the same as the person before you, and the person ahead of you will not have the same experience as you will have. You and the person next to you during this journey will probably have different experiences as well. Just because you are in the same location doing the same ministry as other people does not mean that you all will handle situations the same way. There will be months that you love and your teammate will hate, and months that your teammate loves and you will struggle with.
Do not anticipate or set expectations based on blogs you have read or stories you have heard about someone else’s Race.
Personal Experience:
My Race began with six months in Southeast Asia. This gave me six months of anticipation for the three months I would be spending in Africa. I was dreading Africa. All that I have heard before coming on the Race were stories of living conditions that were not ideal, of eating things that in our culture we would never even consider consuming and of spending hours of walking to get to ministry. So far, I have spent 2/3 of my time in Africa (Uganda and Kenya) and I have yet to experience such horror stories that I have heard. My team has been blessed with living in two very nice houses this month and last, eating delicious food (a lot of Western food) and having ministry only a short walk from our home. The only thing that I had to complain about was that last month I felt we did not have enough ministry and too much down time (Not really something to complain about, right?) and this month the weather is very hot (expected). In reality, where the heck are these “horror stories” that I have heard so much about? Yes, we still have a month left in Africa, heading to Tanzania next month…but seriously, why did I waste my time anticipating false expectations?
If there is a country (or countries) or even a continent that you are anticipating (whether good or bad expectations) please seek my advice on living in the moment. Focus on the place you are in at the time, and the ministry that you are doing. I wasted too much time thinking about the future, about what was to come, rather than concentrating on what was right in front of me.
My prayer for you is that you make your Race YOURS. That you make your own memories, have your own experiences, and take each moment as it comes. Make the moment YOURS. This is a journey that will mark a huge milestone in your life. Even in the moments you spend struggling or thinking about home, choose to embrace them. You will not regret it.
