I come home in 4 months. That is incredibly strange to me, but the reality is life never stops. I fully expect the transition back to America to be the hardest so far. I will be excited to come home when that time comes, but I have left a part of my heart in all 11 countries on the Race.
There have been so many things that I have abandoned since being on the race. There have also been key moments on the race that have changed me forever. I write this blog not to brag or put a wall up between myself and the reader. I want to inform you of these thing so you can show me love and patience as I transition back home.
Abandonment was placed on my heart before I left for the Race. There have been many times on the Race when abandonment has allowed me to walk in freedom. Freedoms that are hard to come by when you are consumed by desires of your flesh. God says in Hebrews 13:5-6 “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” Going on the Race, there is only so much you can put in your 70L pack. Here is a list of things that I have gone without for the last 7 months.
1. Wifi at my fingertips. There has been 5 ministry hosts that didn’t have wifi. Most of the time I only came across internet once a week for a few hours. This has been a blessing because it has given me more time to read books, which is something I don’t do often. It has also allowed me to be present and has helped me not fall into tempting things found online.
2. 24/7 access to a vehicle. It’s crazy how this has become so normal to me now. This has been a blessing because I have had to walk or taxi most places. Walking is a great way to explore and exercise, and your taxi driver is a great person to befriend and minister to.
3. My wardrobe. I started the Race with 6 pairs of underwear and 3 pairs of socks. I have a few shirts, shorts, and pairs of pants. I have also had to hand wash my clothes in 4 of the countries I have been in. This has been a blessing because there comes a point where you just stop caring about the way you look or what looks good on you.
There are many more things but I’ll stop right here. If you want me to explain more just ask when I return home. Speaking of retuning home, here is list of question you could ask if you want me to go more in depth about my travels. These topics will ignite some of my favorite memories on the Race so far.
1. Tell me about Romeo and the TCS boys in India.
2. What was your favorite mountain in Nepal?
3. How many bowls of pho did you eat in Vietnam?
4. How did God break your heart in Cambodia?
5. What did door-to-door evangelism look like in Botswana?
6. Tell me about the physical and spiritual fires in South Africa.
7. Tell me about the community gardens in Swaziland.
When it’s all said and done I will have been away from home for almost 330 days. I can imagine things will be different when I get home. Where will God call me next though? Some racers don’t like to have anything planned when they get back home. This is a huge way to rely on God’s guidance. I have a few ideas that I will be praying into. At the end of the day, I fully trust Him with my life and future. Like Bob Marley says “don’t worry about a thing, cause every little thing is gonna be alright.”
Next month I will be with a brand new team near central Argentina. While Africa has been life changing, as of now, God wants me back in Southeast Asia for long-term ministry.
Shoutout to my two brothers, Matthew and Casey. Matt, Im proud of you for getting promoted to Staff Sargent. Casey, I’m proud of you for graduating nursing school. God is working in your lives, and He has great plans for you moving forward.
– Josey the Outlaw
