This is my journey to The World Race…
At first I didn’t necessarily choose The World Race, but God did and he has made it very clear that this is HIS plan for the next year.
So here's the story:
Returning home from Zambia in August 2010 my plan was to take the school year of 2011-2012 off. Following graduation I knew I wanted to spend one year serving God and I was initially planning on returning to Zambia for 4 months. The World Race had first been of interest in December 2010, but at that time I was overwhelmed by the cost and the idea of convincing my parents it would be good trip for me to go on.
On April 14th God brought The World Race back into my life again but this time with a new confidence that it was, in fact, doable. I went to bed April 14th praying two things:
(1) “If this is what you want me to do God, do something DRASTIC to show me.”
(2) [preface: April 15th & 16th was my fundraising garage sale to go back to Zambia]
“If this is what you are calling me to do, help me to raise at least 3,000 dollars
from my garage sale.”
On April 15th I woke up at 5:30am to get ready for the first day of my garage sale. I happened to check my email quickly before we left the house and received some heart-breaking news from my church. During the late evening of April 14th our youth pastor, Derek Taatjes, and his baby son, Dylan, had passed away in a house fire. Derek was a man who I had worked closely with on the college ministry leadership team from the very beginning in January 2010. The entire morning of April 15th was a blur—tears, questions, flashbacks of memories, thoughts of various people in Derek’s life, checking my email for updates of new information, & attempting to pull myself together to work my garage sale. I ended up leaving early to head back up to Grand Rapids to be with my church community for the evening to mourn, process, and share stories/memories. I drove the hour and fifteen minute drive back up to Grand Rapids with realities hitting me at new depths with each mile that passed. It was during this drive that God began to really confirm that The World Race was part of his plan for the following year. Remember my prayer of wanting God to do something drastic to show me this was what he wanted? The passing of Derek was the drastic sign God used. I would have NEVER asked for God to take Derek away from us because I (selfishly) & many others would much rather him be here with us today, but Derek definitely left behind a legacy that was and still is changing so many lives.
Dylan & Derek
Reflecting on Derek’s life, I would say it was marked with passion, repentance, forgiveness, urgency, and a servant’s heart. As I reflected and drove back to GR I began to question if I had, in those previous weeks and months, been living a life similar to his? No, I hadn’t. His passing was the beginning of a huge awakening in my life to really live passionately for the kingdom of God. I could not think of a better way to spend my year off and really learn what it means to live a life marked with passion, repentance, forgiveness, serving, and SO much more than to go on The World Race.
Thank you Derek Taatjes for the testimony you have been in my life as to what it means to serve God, serve others, and to passionately be a part of the Kingdom work here on earth. You will be remembered often during the next year (and many more) of my life as God continues to really challenge and edify me just as He has done through you. You ran the race well, left the baton behind for us, and I will continue to carry it on. I will look to your example and run this race faithfully until Jesus returns or calls me home. See you again soon, D-rock!
Joanna, Charity, Ella, Derek, & Dylan Taatjes
Update (6/22/11): All together from the garage sales in April & June, I was able to raise $3,400. Prayer Answered. The Lord is Providing!
