The past few days on the race have been some of the most unexpected and challenging days so far.
2 days ago I woke up in my bed at our base in Nsoko, Swaziland. We had been there for about 12 days at this point. We were just settling in to our new home for the next 3 months, getting familiar with the base staff, learning the language, and all adjusting to this new way of life in the bush. The nearest store was about a 45 minute walk away, so yes, we were out in the middle of nowhere. Swaziland is beautiful. In just the first week of our ministry, I found myself sitting outside for hours, talking to God, and observing the incredible nature, that looked strangely familiar to my home in Arizona.
Later that day, our ministry host, David, came to the base as he typically did multiple times a day, and called us all into our main dining room for announcements. This was nothing new, as we had received David’s announcements daily for the past 12 days. This time, however, we received news that is changing the course of all our lives for at least the next 3 months.
David told us that due to borders closing around the world; in order to get us home sooner rather than later, Adventures In Missions has decided to pull our squad out of Swaziland. The following day.
After receiving that news, most everyone on the squad were in tears as we were so excited for the last 3 months in Swazi, final debrief, PSL, and experiencing true closure with our friends, and our time on the race. It feels like the rug has been pulled right from under our feet. Although this situation is far from ideal, I fully support the decision of AIM to pull us out. They have our best interest in mind.
So as I write this blog, it is Monday March 16th, 2020. I am at a youth camp, somewhere in South Africa, where we have spent the past day.
Here is our plan to get back to the U.S. (plans are subject to change, obviously) It is 9:35 A.M. and we will leave this camp at 12 P.M. today and go to the airport. There, we will wait until 7 P.M. for a flight that will take us approximately 10 hours to Turkey. After that, we will have a 9-10 hour layover in Turkey, then another 10+ hour flight back to Atlanta, Georgia.
If all goes according to plan we will arrive in Georgia, and spend about 2 days there to have an extremely shortened and abrupt version of our final debrief. After debrief, everyone will say their goodbyes and go their separate ways. Me and my teammates, Nathan, Nathanael, and Brandon will fly out to Nathan’s home in Tennessee where we will spend a few days processing the end of the race, going home, living in the U.S. again, and enjoying each others company. Following our time there, Brandon, Nathanael, and I will fly back to our individual home states. That’s our plan, we’ll see how it goes.
This scripture has become soberingly real these past few days.”Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”” James 4:13-16
I fully know that God is not surprised by what is happening in the world, and how it is affecting our squad. And although it is hard for me to see the reasoning behind his works, I know He is working for good, and will bring amazing things out of this situation.
Before you see me, I want you to know that this situation hurts me, committing myself to an adventure for 9 months, and being ripped out 2/3 of the way through is not what I had in mind. I am excited to come home, but I don’t feel ready. I am experiencing so many different emotions that it’s hard to process them all in such a short period of time. So when I come home, please have some grace with me, this situation has certainly rocked my boat. But know, that me and my squad-mates are standing firm in our faith and trust that The Lord, Jesus Christ has great plans, bigger than any of us can see, and we trust Him to take care of us.
I am so grateful to Him for everything that I have experienced on this journey, and what comes next is going to be amazing. Thank you all, -Justin.
