His breath came out in a rapid succession of small clouds as he sprinted toward the train. His arm stretched out and he felt the steel of the hand-bar settle in his palm. A small exhale of jubilation escaped his lips as his fingers wrapped around the bar and he swung up to the landing. Turning around he watched as his home passed by, the snowman’s mitten covered hand waving in the wind, as if wishing him goodbye.
What did he just agree to? Turing around, he stepped into the train car and saw it filled to the brim with other children. They were talking, laughing, and playing; all the children were festive and in high-spirits. Asking around all he heard the same thing, “We’re going to the North Pole! We’re going to see Santa!” How were they all so sure?
He didn’t know what to expect when he got on the train, but he knew he didn’t expect this. As the train chugged along he was witness to singing and dancing waiters passing out steaming hot chocolate and a conductor who always worried about time despite the fact that the clock never moved from its position of five minutes before midnight. At one point the boy lost a young woman’s ticket along the way. When he found it he tried to return the ticket by crossing along the top of the train. While on the top of the train he met a ghost, was almost squished as the train passed under a tunnel, and helped save a herd of caribou from being run over by the train.
Yet none of that compared to the end of his train ride when while riding on the front of the train, the brakes gave out while heading down a mountain! It was a roller coaster ride which ended when the train spun a full circle around on a frozen lake and he saved the life of the train conductor and the young woman who almost flew off the train. Then, to their horror, the ice started to crack and break beneath them. Across the lake were the train tracks they were supposed to continue on, but as the train tried to continue, it slid back and forth across the ice, causing more breaks and fissures. It was a race against time, calling to the engineers when to turn right or left so the train could straighten out and reach the tracks before they sank into the bottom of the lake. At the last second, when the last cars of the train started to fall through the ice, they made contact with the tracks and rode to safety! It was a wild and crazy adventure. He was able to get the ticket back to the young woman and made two friends along the way while watching the Northern Lights.
Altogether too soon, they were pulling into what looked like a village. Stone buildings rose up around them with bridges connecting the roofs, but there was something quite peculiar about these houses he did not expect; they were all miniature. While the roofs were above his head, the tops of the the ground floor entry ways went as high as his waist while little windows were at eye level. Soon he could see small people clad in red all making their way to the gigantic Christmas tree in the middle of the square.
What was this place? Stepping out of the train, he gazed in wonder and disbelief of the North Pole while thousands of elves moved past him and gathered at the base of the tree. The tree itself had to be at least 50 meters tall, blazing with a million twinkling colored lights with an enormous star crowning the top.
Looking back he saw one of his friends still residing in the last train car, a young blond fellow, who had no intention of joining in the festivities. His other friend, the strong young woman, climbed onto the car to convince the blond to come down while he followed her into the car.
However, as soon as they convinced the blond boy to leave with them, the car lurched, sending all to the floor. They felt the car slowly moving. Standing, they saw houses they had past earlier fly by them… they were going backward! Frantically trying to stop the train, they pulled the brake but the metal snapped in half. Bracing themselves, the car swerved through the town at a dizzying pace, rocking back and forth till it rolled to a stop. The young woman climbed out of the car and claimed she could hear sleigh-bells and so, trusting her judgement they followed her through the town.
It seemed fanciful, hearing the bells, but after some time the young blond man, Billy they learned, heard them also. He stopped to listen for the bells also, but heard nothing. Their chase of the elusive sleigh-bells brought them to the Christmas present packing factory and Billy, attempting to catch his present went down a chute with it. Hurrying to catch him, he and the young woman followed Billy down the chute which deposited them in a giant red sack filled with presents. This sack seemed to be as tall as the Christmas tree and several feet in diameter.
Fireworks shot up from the edges of their current residence, attaching to an airplane above them, and the sack was lifted out of the factory. Peeking over the edge he saw all of the North Pole!! They soared over the Christmas tree and with a loud THUD! the gigantic sack was deposited on top of a tiny sleigh. Elves peaked over the rim and extended their tiny hands. Grasping them and climbing out, his legs were kicked out from underneath and he slid all the way to the ground, rejoining the train conductor’s group with his friends.
Then it happened. Time started moving and it was startlingly silent until the elves broke out into a slow song. Eager anticipation was building up in him, but he didn’t know what for. Suddenly, music blared across the pavilion, joyous cries were raised into a festive song, and the doors in a stately white house were flung open.
It was at this point that I fully devoted myself to Christ. Once I heard the call, saw the train pulling out, I knew following Christ was the correct choice. Yes, I turned around once I got on the train and looked back. I cried for days after breaking up with my ex-boyfriend and often wanted to go back, but once you say yes, you can’t jump off the ride or you’ll end up hurt worse than ever before. Also, I didn’t want to leave.
I had no idea what I was getting into. Everyone around me seemed so happy, they seemed to have some intimate relationship with Christ that I wanted but didn’t know how to get. But I pursued the Lord and it’s been a crazy ride.
In late April I applied and was accepted onto the World Race. Throughout the year I prepared for the race, getting shots, getting visa photos, adding pages to my passport, and getting gear for a trip that would last a whole year. By December I had quit my job and during the race I gave my cat to my parents and sold my car. I left it all behind. Now, for the first time, I am totally dependent on the Lord with nothing holding me back. In January I left on the World Race and the Lord has shown me things I never thought I actually see. I mean, I believe I have a great imagination and when I hear things happen to other missionaries or to other world racers, I day dreamed about witnessing and being apart of the same miracles, but I never thought it would happen. This year I’ve seen the lord heal people, I’ve felt him heal me! There have been people speaking in tongues that I eagerly listen to just to hear the words of a heavenly language. Jesus has blessed me to witness seven different cultures this year and to literally travel around the world. I’ve visited and worked with people living in a garbage dump and pulled lice off of children living in a home who were pulled away from abusive relatives. I’ve seen Satan worshipers who wore masks and silently watched us as we helped lay a foundation for a church, taught English to high school students, saw a man hit by a car right in front of me and watched the driver speed away, was in a bus that hit a motorcycle and was powerless to stop the bus driver from running, I’ve told my testimony several times, I’ve preached for the very first time and will have many more opportunities, and encountered the Holy Spirit a few times. When I look back on my year it seems so wondrous and I’m only halfway through! Even just recounting much of it now I’m left dumbfounded. There are so many stories and wonders, I have no idea where to begin or how to tell them!
Everyone around me is growing so much in the Lord: emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. He’s raising them up to be leaders and to dwell in community with each other. It’s amazing to see how God is working everything out. He’s been providing my funds for the race in crazy awesome ways. I can see the changes in myself; I am more confident and open with my team, I am not afraid to share my testimony in front of complete strangers, I’m becoming less afraid of relating and spending time with children, I don’t blank my mind when speaking in front of others. God is teaching me so much! I am becoming more sure of myself in Christ, how awesome and wonderful he made me.
I am so grateful to be on the World Race. But even though I see all this around me, even though I witness the changes in myself, feel the wonder, something was still very wrong. Why was I still so sad, so insecure? Why did everything seem bleak and unhappy? Why was I always worried?
My Polar Express Moment is continued in Part 3.
