Questions & Answers Part 3
1. Most awkward cultural situation you’ve been in.
Getting proposed to. Doesn’t matter how often it happens (it hasn’t been that often for me), but always still awkward.
2. Biggest growing experience?
I honestly have no idea what to say for this one. I have experience a lot of growth over my race, but I think the biggest has been who I am in Christ and living that out. That’s been a constant growth aspect of my Race, continually learning new and different aspects of who I am in Christ and what that looks like.
3. Lowest point thus far and why?
Zimbabwe was probably my lowest point. It came after a hard month, we just had team changes and I wasn’t getting enough introvert time.
Personally I LOVED the ministry we were doing and I definitely plan to go back. Those kids stole my heart, but that month was extremely hard and I felt completely dry. I was constantly battling the desire to go home, and really considered it. What I learned through that was just continuing to press in to what God has for me even when it’s hard and uncomfortable.
4. Prettiest place you been?
Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Masa Falls in Thailand, Langkawi in Malaysia, Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, and Cape McClear in Malawi (sorry I can’t say just one, there are far too many).
5. Any intense culture shock?
Yes, but not from other cultures. My culture shock came from experiencing my own culture. In Ukraine we had a short term missions team with us from Chicago and the loudness of the group and just the lack of personal space at times was very overwhelming. I’ve experienced some of that even now at PVT with Racer parent’s here.
6. How has your faith been tested since you started?
A lot of it has been through trust. Will I continue to trust in these different situations. Will I continue to trust when it’s hard, when it’s easy, when -anything? Trust is a big thing for me.
7. If you could change anything about the Race, what would you change?
More training on how to support host families well I think. Just a session at training camp or launch that truly teaches us how to pour into hosts well, love hosts well and come alongside them well.
8. Most spiritually challenging thing about the Race?
Staying present – checking in. It’s easy to check out. It’s easy to think about things back home, life after the race (especially now that it’s month 9 and life after is so close), but having the mindset to be intentional with where you are at is definitely something that I have to constantly pursue.
Another aspect is sermons and church. Most church experiences, about 98% of them are in another language or you’ve already heard it cause your teammate is preaching it. You simply check out of listening and pray during that time, think about other things, journal, what not. I listen to podcasts at times and it’s amazing to me that I was able to take detailed notes during sermons when now I’m stopping the message in order to write things down.
Also, not getting enough introvert time or time with God. That’s a big spiritual challenge for me on the Race.
9. How do you decipher a spiritual attack vs just other stuff?
This is something i’m still learning, but one thing I’ve learned is to ask what is it I’m believing that is making me frustrated or negative or just have a bad attitude? What lie am I letting have a hold over my life? A lot of what I’ve learned when frustration comes is that it’s either miscommunication with people, assuming things, or the lies that I’m believing.
When your entire team has a spirit of frustration over them, that’s definitely a form of spiritual attack (something my team has gone through)
10. What is the thing you will take away from this?
Being bold in Christ. I am super excited to be back in the States and live out what I’ve learned and the boldness and confidence in Christ that I’ve gained on the Race.
11. Favorite Country?
I have favorite countries for different reasons, but Malawi is one that just stands out. My hosts were amazing, they loved me and cared about me while I hobbled around on crutches (and even helped to make the crutches smaller as they were too big), the ability to make my own food and it not be nsima and the opportunity of getting to help homeschool the missionary kids. It just made for a great month. (We also had beds, blanket, pillow, towel and wash clothe and a hot shower so that helped)
I received many questions and there are two other parts (if you haven’t read them). If you have questions, please send them my way I promise I will be answering them all.
Till Next Time,
Kara Faber
