Thanks for your questions! They were really thought provoking and helped me reflect and process the race. It genuinely feels like five years packed into 11 months.
The most common and most difficult question I get is, “what has been your favorite country/month of the race?”
I struggle with this one because the answer to that could be measured in a variety of ways. The country as far as culture, landscape, people, the ways in which we got to serve, the team dynamic, our hosts, relationships built, the things God was doing in my heart, the seeds planted, the ways I saw the Lord’s provision, the fruit we saw from being there, etc.
I think my favorite month, with all things considered, would have to be month two in Costa Rica, for the combination of all of it! It was an all squad month, so we all got to be together at times, but not an overwhelming amount. An all squad month this early on helped us bond and get to know one another better. The girls on my team had a conjoined room with the girls from another co-ed team. I appreciated separation from lots of people when it was time to wind down at night. I LOVED that we got to serve in ways that were most meaningful to us. We took a personality/gifts assessment before arriving and were broken into teams for ministry accordingly. I appreciated the intentionality of that and loved having the opportunity to serve by writing and taking photographs for businesses. I felt that I was making a tangible difference because we offered free business marketing and worked on an online directory for the businesses with positive influence in the city of Jaco. When business owners asked why we were doing it for free, we shared our faith. Having that established rapport added credibility to our testimony. I also enjoyed the combination of the city life and beach life in Jaco. Everything was within walking distance! A lot of people spoke English because it was a tourist town, but I still had the opportunity to practice spanish quite a bit and asked those that were bilingual for help if I needed it, which enriched my vocabulary instead of just discarding words I didn’t know. Several other highlights include the work the Lord did in my heart, daily devotional time as a squad, and the investment our mentors and hosts made in us. Our hosts set each team up with a set of mentors from their church who we met with for a few hours at a designated time each week. I know my team really enjoyed it! A squad mentor for AIM, who has a passion for evangelism, flew out and led our squad in evangelism, which grew my boldness for the Kingdom. On Wednesday nights we had night ministry and would ask the Lord where he wanted us to go. Hannah, Rachel, and I made a habit of visiting the Cocal/casino which is a brothel known for its legal prostitution. I enjoyed that unstructured time being led by the Holy Spirit. On Friday nights we’d babysit for couples in the church and that made me feel so at home to hang out with kids and be in a family’s home. On Sunday we went to a contemporary English speaking church which felt much like home. I’ve enjoyed experiencing church around the world, but I do crave the familiar church experience.
“What’s the most beautiful place you’ve visited?”
I personally think the most beautiful country was Swaziland. It looked how I’ve always imagined Ireland to look. Rolling lush green hills, mountains, and beautiful landscapes. Honduras is a top contender for beauty- breathtaking scenery and we were up in the mountains! I LOVED the weather there. Honestly the weather has huge impact on my mood! When we arrived, I couldn’t tell if I was feeling the Holy Spirit or if it was just the presence of cool, dry air! Haha.
“Do you have a favorite continent now that you’ve visited three?”
I loved Central America because I got to use my spanish and that meant instant connection with people. A connection I could form on my own without reliance of a translator (depending on the depth of conversation). It provided an instant conversation starter because people would ask how I knew Spanish. I’ve also learned people feel more of a connection with anything that’s familiar, so when I could speak to them in their language, it added that level of comfort. Of course I am far from fluent and needed LOTS of help, but I think my effort went a long way in their eyes. When I think of Central America, I think of authenticity. Each culture we encountered was distinctly beautiful.
I loved Africa because getting to go was a dream come true! The people were truly joyful and INCREDIBLY hospitable. If I had to describe Africa with one word it would be hospitality. We know that we always have family in each of our hosts there. They call us family and they mean it. Evangelism and “home visits” were common ministry in Africa, and I never encountered someone that didn’t welcome us eagerly.
Asia! This was the wild card for me as I had no sentimental ties and no preconceived expectations. I adore Asia. If I had to pick a continent to go back to, I think I’d still pick Central America because of the 6 years I put into studying the language, but if I chose with just my heart and no guidance of logic, Asia would win. My one word for Asia is gentleness. Most people here don’t know the truth of God’s word, but I could laugh out loud with joy when I think about all the many qualities of God I see in them. They’re showing one another his character every day! As a people group, they overflow the fruits of the spirit.
“Best adventures on the race?”
Wow this year has been packed full of adventure! We hiked through a rain forest in Costa Rica to some beautiful waterfalls! Another adventure day in CR we went zip-lining which was incredible! Our host took us to surf one afternoon, and I was pleasantly surprised I actually caught some waves. I think it’s much easier than wake-boarding. At debrief at the beginning of Costa Rica, we did a hike called Hike Mirador. At the top was an abandoned graffiti park that overlooked the beach. One off day in Nicaragua, our squad went volcano boarding down an active volcano which is an experience I’ll never forget! They didn’t warn us that the hike to the top would be as exhausting as it was. It was still one of my favorite parts though because of the breathtaking scenery. At the top, the coals were hot enough to cook a raw egg! The pictures from that day are really funny because we were wearing orange jump-suits and the night before, all the girls decided to corn row our hair. We also went swimming in an inverted volcano. One morning before ministry, our host Nathan took us on a hike at 4am to watch the sunrise from a look-out point. One of my squad-mates brought her guitar and we worshipped as the sun came up. At debrief in Cape Maclear, Malawi, we went snorkeling and fed the fish. Our guides threw fish up in the air and we got to watch eagles dive for them. My parents’ Christmas gift to me was an overnight safari in Botswana that I got to go on with five squad-mates. That is something everyone should put on their bucket list! A list of animals we saw: Kudu, Impala, Hippo, Crocodile, Elephant, Warthog, Baboon, Lilac breasted bird, Leopard, Water buffalo, Aquatic antelope, Marble stork (bird), Leopard Turtle, Egyptian geese, Spoon bills, Grey heron, Sacred iris (black & white birds), Water monitor lizard, Giraffe, Jackle, Vultures, African Fish Eagle, Gray go away bird, and Mongoose! We also got to visit Victoria Falls, one of the seven natural wonders of the world, on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe. My team did Devil’s Pool, which gets you right up on the edge of the waterfall! Most thrilling adventure by far! Siem Reap, Cambodia is home to one of the seven ancient wonders of the world, Angkor Wat, which is a 900-year-old temple complex and is one of the largest religious monuments ever built. Truly beautiful workmanship. In Cambodia, we went to a traditional Buddhist wedding which was quite the cultural experience. We got our hair and makeup done and wore fancy dresses. I never thought I’d ride a motorcycle in a ball gown, but I can say I’ve done that now. We also went to Kep Beach with our host family, and swam in the Gulf of Thailand. My favorite adventure in Cambodia was the night our team stayed in Kampot at a hostel. We explored the city and got cheap mani/pedi’s, and watched the beautiful sunset over the mountains. It wasn’t an ‘extreme’ or standout adventure by any means, but it was one of my favorites because of the company. In Thailand my mama came for PVT (parent vision trip) and we played with elephants and pet tigers! Amaaaazing experiences I’ll treasure forever! We were in Thailand in April which is one of the hottest months of the year, with temperatures over 100. They have Songkran, the world’s largest water festival, for 3 days and getting to experience that one Saturday was soooo much fun! We played hard for 9 hours straight.
Although I have loved each and every one of these once in a life time experiences, they’re not what have made the race the incredible ADVENTURE that it’s been. The greatest adventure of all has been the journey of faith that the Lord has taken me on. I’m so so grateful for everything it’s taught me, for all the wonderful people I’ve met along the way, and for the Lord’s provision.
”What’s next?”
Good question. If you have any ideas, let me know. I always ask kids I meet what they want to be when they grow up because I’m still looking for ideas! I believe I would like to go back to school and get a Master’s Degree in Christian Counseling or Marriage and Family Therapy, but am still praying. Where am I landing? Maybe St. Louis. Maybe Tulsa. We’ll see in less than 40 days. I wish I had a more ‘mature’ and thought out answer to this. But I am truly okay with not knowing at this moment. My old self would feel the pressure of a deadline and expectations of others, but I don’t feel that the Lord has led me to an exact answer yet and know that His timing is perfect. Last week,I asked a 14 year old what she wanted to be when she grows up and she said, “I don’t know exactly, but I do know that whatever I do, I want to do it fully depending on God.” That hit me deeply.
“Who is the most interesting person you’ve met along the way and why?”
Definitely each of our translators in Nicaragua. Their stories of how the Lord transformed their lives from a dark past of drug addiction, gang violence, incarceration, etc. to a new life lived abundantly in Christ.
“Most unique foods?”
I could have been more adventurous, I’m sure, but I have had some really interesting things over the course of the last ten months! I’ve tried a ton of new fruits and can’t remember over half of their names. Papaya is disgusting. Guava is a fruit served in Asia and is okay. I love mangos! There are multiple kinds of mangos- sweet and sour. I like both! My favorite fruit I’ve tried is from Cambodia. It’s prickly to the touch and the skin has to be peeled off. It’s a light orange inside and tastes sour, but I forget the name of it. Passion fruit and dragon fruit are yummy! Before the race, I didn’t enjoy pineapple, but now it’s a favorite. Fried bananas are incredible! Corn on the cob in Cambodia is my favorite I’ve ever had. Nsima (Zambia), or Shima (Malawi) is a type of cornmeal/white maize made of a flour & water substance often served with gravy (soup) or vegetables of some sort for dinner. I could never have that again and be completely satisfied. We had porridge in Africa for breakfast a few times and I actually really liked it. We also had baked oatmeal which I would totally have again. Something I’ll miss about Asia is the smoothie street carts. You go up and pick out as many fruits as you want to go in a smoothie and it’s only a dollar. Pad Thai in Thailand is a traditional dish and can be spicy sometimes. If it’s not spicy, it’s okay. Sticky rice is something we had in Thailand a few times and was good. Baleadas were popular in Central America. They are flour tortillas with mashed fried beans, cheese, and sour cream. The sour cream was different though and enough to ruin it for me. Empanadas were good! This is also a Central American food made of baked or fried pastry usually with beef or chicken baked in the middle. The name comes from the Spanish verb empanar, and literally translates as “enbreaded.” Salted plantain chips are a popular snack in Central America, and definitely one I could get on board with! Also it’s common to have rice with literally every meal there. Gallo pinto is a common breakfast food in Central America, made up of beans and rice as a base. Pancit is a noodle and veggie dish in the Philippines often served with lumpia which is the Filipino version of an egg roll. I tried pork knuckles in the Philippines and they weren’t horrible. One of my favorite foods on the race is rolled icecream from Cambodia & Thailand! We have that in America now apparently, but it’s like 7 dollars for a single serving. I’m going to be in for culture shock when it comes to affording food at home. I’ve decided my body does way better with limited dairy and gluten. I know, no one is shocked. Glass bottle soda-pops are super common everywhere else in the world and so are all the Oreo and KitKat flavors you can imagine. Subway is the Central American version of McDonald’s, as they are everywhere. KFC is everywhere as well, which surprised me.
Geographical update: Our time in the Philippines has come to a close! It was short and super duper sweet. We left yesterday and arrived in Malaysia today, where we will stay for a little over a week. We needed to come back early with plenty of time for travel mishaps so that we could reconvene with our squad before traveling to Indonesia. This is our ‘Ask the Lord’ month with no hosts/housing set up ahead of time by AIM. This is where we pray and go where He guides us so ministry can be done anywhere. That led us to Bella Goose in the Philippines. We will do the same thing in Ampang, Malaysia where we pray and ask Holy Spirit what he wants us to do. More like 12n11 instead of 11n11. Thank you for all the prayers and donations for the Philippines. It’ll always have a special place in my heart!
Please pray that the Lord leads us exactly how He sees fit here in Malaysia. It is a closed country and Islam is the official religion. I’ve been told that most people here in Ampang speak English which is incredibly helpful!
Praying you are well and have a blessed week ahead of you! Love to all!
-Julie
