What I learned from my World Racer - Explore Archived World Race Alumni Blogs

What I learned from my World Racer…….Nicaragua PVT

Kate asked me to write a blog about the Nicaragua PVT. I have struggled with what to put down on paper as I feel like I am still struggling with all that I saw and experienced. What I did realize was that there were a few things that my 27 year old, World Racer daughter taught her 55-year-old mom.

She has taught me that showing the love of Jesus Christ does not necessarily mean that you have to be fluent in the language of the people you are ministering too. You do have to be able to be bold enough to step outside your comfort zone and meet people where they are. It might be on a street corner, in a shop, in a barrio, a dump or a jail cell. Many times a smile and a hug convey more than any words can. Being willing to step up and interact with people, ask them questions, find out if they know Christ, even if you are butchering their language, is okay. The people we talked with or visited were genuinely happy that we stopped to show them God’s love and grace and that we were not judging their situation.

Kate taught me that she is a very strong, confident young woman, willing to meet challenges and new experiences head on. After traveling to just one country, not knowing what we were doing and somewhat nervous that we would do something “wrong” and get ourselves in trouble, left us a bit nervous about the days to come. I remember thinking “how do these ‘kids’ do this every 30 days? How do they move from country to country, continent to continent with such ease?” They show no fear or nervousness for the unexpected, they just move on to the next ministry totally trusting in Jesus to guide them. She led us through the week, answering our questions, explaining what she had learned, and guiding us over the rough spots.

She taught me that possessions are just ‘stuff’. That a person can live out of a suitcase or duffle bag for 11months and be just fine. That while all the comforts of home are nice, being uncomfortable is okay too. Being uncomfortable makes you take a look at your life and what is important. People are important, those you live with and minister with 24/7 and those you are serving, teaching, and ministering too. Presenting Christ and praying for people is important. Understanding that we are a very blessed nation and appreciating all of our opportunities is important and gives us greater motivation to serve those around us who do not have what we have.

Over the course of 5 days, we were hot, sweaty, dusty, challenged, and uncomfortable. We lived apart from our spouses, sleeping in rooms with strangers we had just met, sharing bathroom facilities and livingspaces. We saw living conditions that were beyond our comprehension. We saw a population that had nothing but were willing to share everything they had to make us feel welcome. We laughed, we cried, we prayed, we worshipped, we met so many wonderful parents and racers who had more impact on us than they will ever know. To say that this was a life changing experience could possibly be a gross understatement.

After 7 months in the field, we saw a confident, joyful, spirit filled young woman. Kate has deepened herrelationship with God and made lasting friendships with teammates. Outwardly, she is still Kate but inwardly she has a glow and a new love for her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We are so proud of her andher teammates for the amazing things they have done and the relationships they have built around the world. Thank you for teaching us what is important in life!