A few weeks ago I asked people to submit questions they wanted answered about my Race. You asked and now I am answering. Here are the first half of the questions, stay tuned for part 2.
How's your trip going so far?
It has been amazing! I can say I am not the same person I was when I left the Race. I have seen parts of the world I never thought I would see. I have grown in areas I never thought would be fully healed and been freed of things I didn't know had a hold on me. My relationship with God has grown in leaps and bounds and is stronger than it ever has. My view of God has radically changed as well. He is no longer this guy sitting in the sky who I talk to occasionally, mostly when things were bad, or learned about based on what other people said about him. Now God is my biggest fan, my best friend, the person who has my best interest at heart and has my whole life planned out. I talk to him sometimes just to have a conversation with him with no real agenda. I learn more about him by reading his words and noticing the little things he does that are just for me throughout the day. I have learned so much about the way he sees me and what he has planned for my life and we aren't even halfway through this trip yet! I can't wait for the second half.
Describe the most amazing view you've had?
Waking up in the mountains of Honduras had to be the most breathtaking views I have ever seen. I was literally in awe every time I flipped open my tent door to step out for the moment. I don't know that I can fully describe it but ill try. Through the flap of my tent door the first thing I saw was this beautiful red flower, the reason I put my tent in that spot to begin with. Looking up a little further the ground begins to slope down and the farm land of the family we lived with lays before us. When your eyes make it to the horizon it is mountains as far as the eye can see. And the way the sun hit them as it was rising in the morning was majestic. Like God painting a new masterpiece every morning.
Breathtaking.
What are 3 of the most awesome events that you have experienced
so far in your travels.
1. Thailand: yep the whole month. I got to ride an elephant, go bamboo rafting, let a paper lantern go, experience Songkran ( the nation wide water fight in celebration of the New Year), live in a city and a village, and meet some of the coolest people.
2. In Honduras while we were doing house visits I noticed one of the ladies daughters standing in the corner while we shared the gospel with her mother. God laid it on my heart to share the gospel with the daughter that day and both women accepted Christ that day!
3. This one may not seem so amazing, but for me it was just an example of how surreal my "real" life is right now. Just the other night here in Malaysia most of the two teams that were together this month went down to the tent where our new friend Hafis serves some of the most amazing Nasi Goreng Ayam (chicken fried rice) I have ever eaten. They show movies there at night with a big screen and a projector. It was like hanging out on a Thursday night at home catching dinner and a movie. It was a fantastic night!
Is there any particular ministry at this point, that you are feeling led toward upon completion of this amazing years journey?
No not anything specific. Although I did absolutely fall in love the family we lived with in the mountains of Honduras and would love to get to see them again. Also the pastor and his Family that we worked with here in Malaysia also hold a special place it my heart and I feel like if God were going to call me back to one of the 5 ministries I have been a part of so far it would be this one.
How have the sleeping arrangements been and the bathrooms compared to {your previous trips to} Africa?
I have slept on my sleeping pad for 4 months, one of those months it was more of just a mat so I was wasn’t sleeping on the direct tile since it no longer blows up after getting water logged in Honduras (Month 3). The other 2 months I have been on a mattress on the floor. As far as bathrooms, I only had one week where we had nothing but a squatty potty. Outside of rest stops, we have pretty much had the option of squatty or western toilet.
