If nothing else, the World Race taught me one very important thing, LOVE. Love conquers all, love overcomes cultural differences, love sees past religious views, and love holds each day all together. These are just some of the love “does” moments that I experienced this past year’ whether love was to or from a host, team mates, squad mates, or someone we ministered to along the way. Love has woven itself in and out of each day. Love has done these things just because, here are the LOVE . . . moments.
Love sits in the red dirt of an African village and tells Bible stories.
Love writes notes and leaves them for a teammate to find, just to brighten their day.
Love scrubs the toilet, shower, and someone else clothes just because its a way to serve.
Love gets up early to pray.
Love checks its friends hair for lice time and time again.
Love sacrifices its last piece of food because a simple prayer and time meant so much.
Love sings the same song over and over again to kindergartens hoping that something will stick with them.
Love plays chess and checkers with the 70 year old man when he shows up 2 hours early.
Love prepares meals for homeless men and women week after week.
Love checks in on widows.
Love walks miles down dusty trash filled roads to play games.
Love waits patiently for someone to be seen by the doctor hoping the outcome is not serious.
Love gives a helping hand when the work seems too much to bare.
Love dances for hours in a church service because it is what the locals do for worship.
Love sees beyond the mere “I am doing ok,” to sit and listen.
Love cries at the heartbreak of watching children eat moldy bread.
Love rejoices when the sights and sunsets are only something God could have created.
Love listens when the story becomes hard and tears flow.
Love paints pig pens even though the stench is more than someone should have to smell.
Love shows respect at all times to those around them even when the cultural differences try to get in the way.
Love prays and prays to for miraculous healing even if nothing happens.
Love laughs while cooking a meal over the fire for the umpteenth time.
Love never regrets the late night team times and one on one talks with team mates no matter how many hours they last.
Love wants to see people grow and change to be more like the Lord.
Love knows that the hardship of living in the bush for a month was worth it because of all the lives it had a chance to impact for the kingdom.
Love thinks more of others and less of itself.
Love shows sex trafficked women that they are WORTH MORE.
Love teaches the ABC’s to pre-schoolers for hours on end.
Love believes the best about squad mates, ministry hosts, and those ministered to.
Love tastes foods that are not normal to its own cultural because that is what people there eat day in and day out and it might be the only food they have.
Love trusts that even without words, the people encountered know that they are valued.
Love chooses to help others see the silver lining, even if things look dark.
Love lies in the wet grass field for hours looking at the stars with team mates
Love loves the community it is placed in because it is a place where people can be real.
Love says the hard things.
Love rejoices when it sees the miraculous in a physical healing not just once, but twice.
The World Race is all about love “doing” things just because. Just because it is what Jesus did, just because we are compelled to, just because we can. We all love in different ways. I cannot sit here and tell you that love only comes in one form because it doesn’t. Love is extraordinary because it comes in so many different forms and that is what I experienced this past year. The World Race is living out love to the fullest, day by day, no matter what obstacles or hardships come your way, because at the end of it all you know you served your heart out and loved people well. LET LOVE DO!
