It seems odd to say that I am now almost half way through my journey on the World Race. Last month ended with my 5th and last country in Asia, after a debrief in Chiang Mai, Thailand We have now moved onto a new continent: AFRICA! As a tribute to all the amazing people and places God has blessed me with in this continent so far, here is my half time show with a recap summary of the ministry I have participated in so far! 🙂 I know you have all been anxiously waiting to know what I have been doing, so here is an overview!
September, month one: Philippines
Located in Cainta, Rizal (just outside of Manila) our entire V-Squad partnered with Kids International Ministries, and under the direction of “Uncle” Jeff long we performed a variety of tasks. We hung out with the street kids: loved on them, picked them up and swung them around, danced with them, played Chinese Jump Rope, and sat with them in the road talking about their dreams. We worked construction: dug massive six by six holes to pour the foundation for an additional building for the Orphanage, lifted buckets of concrete up 2 stories of scaffolding, and dug and moved rock for the showers and pool where we taught community kids how to swim. We took shifts at the Orphanage and nursery: holding, laughing, (minor disciplining), playing, and teaching about Jesus. We took girls and boys from the school next door to the free clinic and dentist where some of us were volunteering. We went into neighboring villages for “feedings”, serving food to the poor and praying over people that needed healing and needed Jesus. We led Bible school for Kids on the weekends performing skits, teaching games, doing small scripture lessons, and singing worship songs.
(We were there before the hurricane hit and were not able to be a part of the disaster relief, but we still witnessed much poverty and suffering, as with most of the countries we have been to thus far.)
October, month two: Malaysia
This was the first month all our teams were on their own, and my team, Team Illuminate, was blessed to be able to be nominated “the beach team” where our ministry was based on the wonderful Island of Penang. There are 3 main cultures that blend together to create a myriad of life and we found ourselves mixed in with the Malay-Malays who believe in Animism, the Chinese Buddhists, and the Indian Muslims. We found ourselves there during a time where all the various religions seemed to be practicing their pagan rituals with parades and festivals and we found ourselves doing a lot of praying over the spiritual heaviness that loomed over the city. We also worked at an Adventist Hospital: encouraging and praying for the patients through chaplaincy, I worked in the children’s ward- making drawings and talking to them in order to bring more joy to their days in bed, we also did fundraising for the HOPE fund to make it affordable for Children to receive heart surgeries, and a few of us even got to help with data entry. Days that we were not in the hospital we worked with KAWAN, which means “friend” in Malay. We cooked and served meals for the homeless and needy, sharing food and sharing in fellowship. The center provided meals, people to talk about Jesus, showers, mats to rest on during the afternoon, and also counseling and help for drug rehab and finding jobs, and a place of worship on the weekends. I worked in their thrift store (which raises %50 of their support) doing ironing, folding, and hanging clothes, and also encouraging the ladies who ran the store without pay- all wives of men who had dedicated their lives to serving the Lord through Kawan. On evenings we did night evangelism, walking the streets, talking to and praying over the homeless, encouraging them to come to Kawan, and most importantly to the Lord. We visited the red-light districts to pray and encourage the women and Lady-boys trapped in prostitution, building relationships that would hopefully lead them to Christ. I was also blessed to be able to lead worship one Sunday at church. We also attended International House of Prayer services and were able to have some spiritual counseling through a friend and full time missionary. It was possibly our busiest and most intense month. But we still managed to set aside a free day to visit monkey beach and go hiking through the jungle to camp on turtle beach.
November, month three: Vietnam
Even though this country is technically “closed” to Christian Evangelism, this is the month my team and I witnessed the most people come to Christ. Most of the churches we attended were underground and not government sanctioned, as were most of the ministries we worked with, and they operate with the slight pressure and fear of being shut down. But they were thriving. This provided an atmosphere of intense Christianity. Those who accepted and loved Christ lived their lives fully immersed in Him. Because of the government pressure they couldn’t afford to operate as luke-warm Christians and it was inspiring to see such strong faith in even young Christians of only a few months. We had underground meetings with a missionary encouragement group at a passionate young woman’s home where we could pray for one another and have Bible study. We led worship telling our testimonies and doing skits for reformed drug addicts who were going through recovery. Their stories of reformation and renewal, of going through withdrawals but learning to lean on and praise Jesus, were incredible, powerful, and moving. It was a great example of God’s light shining through the darkness and how God transforms trials into His glory. We did park evangelism speaking with the children, students, and young adults who were all so eager to speak with foreigners and learn English. They were open and friendly with warm hearts eager for learning, and often receptive to and curious about the Gospel. We worked at a café, speaking with the staff and customers that came in and teaching English classes at night. These English classes were always discussion based in small groups, and it was always interesting and insightful to hear the friendly debates that our Bible passages and biblical topics would incite. God definitely blessed these gatherings as I witnessed incredible growth spurts in English speaking capabilities and of spiritual interest and growth that led to an acceptance of faith. And thrown amidst all of that was a bit of fun in Sports Ministry with a new game called Chouckball that has definitely not been heard of in most of the United States and will most likely not be adopted as its rules all revolve around respect and honor. The goal is to run, jump, and spike a small ball into a trampoline net and get it to bounce past a certain line, BUT you have to allow your opposing team to defend and cannot block them. Once you score the other team always “serves” and has a chance to shoot. Plus you only have 3 combined passes or moves, 3 steps, and 3 seconds to do all of this. It is a very fast paced game. But it is FUN and a great work out once you get past the confusion of it. It was another intense crazy month, but it was also a very precious one as well.
December, month four: Cambodia
This month was ATL month for Team Illuminate, and also our last month together as a team. ATL stands for Ask the Lord month. This means that we were released into Cambodia without an assigned ministry or specific organization to work with. We had the freedom to go where we thought we were needed as we were needed. But the real reason it is called ATL is because you are completely dependent on asking the Lord where that is. Because nothing is prearranged you must be prayerful about where the Lord is sending you, what He wants you to do, and who He wants you to minister to. We were responsible for creating our own ministries, as well as finding new ones that could be possible contacts to send Racers to in the future. This looked like various things. It started In Siem Reap with a prayer walk throughout the city, asking God to lead us where we could be an impact for the Kingdom. He immediately led us to a small Christian school that led us to a church, which led us to more contacts. God’s provision was immediate. Through a series of connections and research we were then sent to Kampong Thom, the rural countryside of Cambodia, where we scouted out and spent a few days with 2 Children’s homes, teaching English, doing feedings, loving on the kids, and attending church services. From there we went to Phnom Penh where we were able to meet with another large Children’s home and celebrate Christmas with at a traditional pageant and dancing. We also did more prayer walks and went out with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to love on the homeless and needy. God blessed us with extreme provision and divine appointments.
January, month five: Thailand
The new year came and brought with it a new country, and a new team! I am now a member of Lumos Dei (Light of God) and am able to love on 7 new people in my squad as we become brothers and sisters to one another. For the second month in a row I participated in another “Ask the Lord” month. We started in Bangkok, reaching out to the backpacking and travelling community, and were also able to connect with a few churches and ministries in the area. We stayed in a Christian Missionary Alliance complex and were able to be encouraged by other missionaries there. At this point my team split in half to allow some of us to go South. Two other girls and I ended up in Phuket where we were able to serve with a Missionary couple who is building up the entire small community around them for Christ. We were able to attend their church, teach the children about the Bible, and even gave our testimonies over the radio! It was quite exciting. After that we went to another community that is a Burmese refugee town. The people there are part of the Karen tribe and are displaced from their home country. They have only God to call their home, but they are so welcoming and loving and full of Christ. We were blessed to be able to go to 6 different services in 2 days sharing our testimonies, songs, and encouragement in Christ. They loved us well and we became family in only a few days.
February, month six: South Africa
Now my team and I are in a completely different environment. We left Asia for Africa and receive the warmest welcome! (Both from the people and from the weather.) We are pioneering the town and ministries here, which means we are the first World Race team to work in this area, and we are quickly building relationships. We work with almost all of the neighboring PreK, primary, and highschools. We play with the children, do sports and exercise ministry, lead assemblies where we give testimonies, Bible messages, and lead songs. We also have weekly life counseling classes with the Highschoolers where and I am also mentoring a girl in need of so much love. (Please go to my blog to read about Melissa’s story).Twice weekly we will be doing prison ministry at a juvenile correctional facility. We will also be working with the local clinic and Child Welfare office, in addition to working with the church to participate in services and youth meetings. Another very busy month that I am so excited for! Africa is going to be amazing.
Thank you so much for all your love and support. I would not be able to do God’s work abroad without you, and you have truly helped me change lives. You are helping me bring Light to the Darkness. Please continue to pray that the Lord uses me, that I will be filled with his love and boldness and will bring His Kingdom to all those I meet. Pray that God will prepare my heart and the heart of the people He has planned for me to encounter, that both of us will allow God to flow through and into our lives by being open to His will and to His love. Please pray for my finances, that I will be able to be fully funded before March and can fulfill my time on the Race. I have just over $2,000 to go, but I know the Lord is faithful J Know that I am constantly thinking of all of you, and that as my home base you are on my heart and in my prayers. I pray that God will fill you up and use you where you are. I pray you will expand his Kingdom within the hearts of those around you, and that you can be a force for His light. I pray that God will awaken the church, and let it burn on fire for Him. Be encouraged, and fall even more in love with Christ everyday!
Thank you again,
Katharine
