–What got you interested in taking part in this great adventure?
I studied Spanish in college and never studied abroad, so I knew I wanted to travel to Spanish speaking countries after I graduated. I also had a heart for missions after going on two short-term mission trips during college. I heard about the World Race from two different friends from college, but never considered doing it because I wanted to focus on Spanish (and usually they travel all over the world), but the World Race announced the first ever all-Spanish route, and I knew I wanted to do it, but more importantly, that this is where God wanted me.
–What have you learned and how will you carry it back to “normal” life in the States?
I have definitely learned how to live on less. When I get back to the States I want to take this and apply it by not going overboard on material things. I think it boils down to learning to be content in all circumstances (Paul talks about this in Philippians 4).
I have also learned a lot about myself, my identity, and who I am in the Lord. This year alone I have read more of the Bible than I have in my previous 21 years of life, so I have learned (and am learning) more and more about who God is. I want to take these things back to the States and boldly walk in my identity in Christ, and continuously seek him no matter what.
–What has been the most rewarding part of the trip?
Heidi Baker with Iris Ministries has a saying, “Believe for the multitudes, stop for the one.” The most rewarding thing about this year for me has been seeing individuals changed. I haven’t seen thousands come to Christ, hundreds healed, or churches changed overnight. But I have been able to see the transformation of one woman in Peru as she began to ask questions and seek the Lord for those answers. I have seen my own teammates and squadmates healed. I didn’t feed 5,000, but I did get the opportunity to buy beans and rice for a little boy whose family needed them. And week after week as soccer players come to the church we work with, I get to see the Lord work in their hearts.
–I bet you have no idea how many seeds you’ve planted in children or adults but which one stands out the most?
The children we worked with in Peru, and the youth soccer players and kids here in Honduras have stood out to me the most!
–What is the scariest experience you have had?
In Bolivia we met an American missionary (Sarah) who was doing medical work. She and another missionary (Phil) were traveling 3 hours away from where my team was located to a small village we had visited the week before. We were originally going to travel with them, but we ended up going a week earlier. While they were on a bus traveling across the world’s largest salt flat, the bus collided with another vehicle and flipped to one side. Three people were killed in the accident and our friend Sarah was injured pretty badly. She was transported back to the town where we were to a hospital. As soon as we found out, we went to visit her in the hospital. We were thankful that we could be there, praying and singing with her since she was so far from home and family, but it was definitely a hard thing to experience.
Sarah is doing well now, back in the States, and has such great faith in the Lord through everything. You can read her blog here!
–Other than people, what do you miss most about the States?
Although I do speak Spanish, I miss the ease of communication and being understood everywhere I go. I also miss free public restrooms (with toilet paper)! And ovens…everyone here has gas stoves (or they cook over a fire) but few people have ovens. Oh, and hot showers.
–What’s the best tasting thing you have eaten in the last 9 months?
So many good things, so I’ll name a few:
Puerto Rico—Mofongo: chicken and plantains all mixed together.
Peru—Causa Rellena: a mixture of chicken and veggies rolled up in mashed potatoes with spicy ají pepper sauce.
Honduras—Baleadas: flour tortilla with refried beans, butter, and cheese. Simple, but probably my favorite food that I have had all year!
I have also eaten some other interesting things this year: llama, stingray, & iguana!
–Where is the strangest place you have had to use the bathroom?
Bucket-flush toilets in Bolivia, you just have to pray that you don’t run out of water (which happened a few times).
In Nicaragua, we had a toilet we could use at the pastor’s house, but between 10pm and 6am we had to go in the yard, which became interesting if you needed to go when the sun had already come up but the house wasn’t yet unlocked (we had neighbors on every side).
Also, its just a good idea to take toilet paper with you everywhere you go because many public restrooms do not provide it (or you have to pay for it).
