This past month was the halfway point of my Race. I spent a lot of time reflecting on what God has done so far and looking ahead to everything that is still left to do. Some of my friends and family sent me questions, and hopefully my responses will give you a little more insight into the first half of my journey:
Is it everything you thought it would be?
The Race is both everything I thought it would be and nothing like I expected. Now that I’m here, I couldn’t imagine doing anything else with this year. I have grown and changed so much.
What has been the biggest surprise?
My biggest surprise has been how much of the ministry has been my team and squad. It’s more than just living in community. We daily have to choose to serve each other and put any differences aside. We teach and encourage each other so much. Many of the lessons I’ve learned occurred through conversations with teammates rather than at our ministry site. We will all return home different, because we’ll each look a little more like Jesus.
What has been the biggest disappointment?
They tell us to not have any expectations when coming into the Race because it’s going to be very different. I guess my biggest disappointment is that it doesn’t feel like this crazy adventure all the time. Most of the time, it just feels normal. I thought it was going to be a constant whirlwind of salvations and healings and growth. While God is definitely constant in each moment, it more often looks more like cleaning a house or teaching English to orphans.
What has been your favorite stop so far and why?
This is a tough question to answer because each country is so unique. I think my favorite ministry job so far was working at the girls’ home in Thailand. I really liked the scenery in Nepal, the city in Cambodia, and the simplicity of Ethiopia.
What is the coolest thing you have gotten to do in your free time?
I had the most adventures in Nepal. One weekend a group of us rented a van and went to Pokhara, a touristy city. I went paragliding! It was such a cool experience. It was very gentle and not scary at all.
What’s been your favorite new food?
I have really enjoyed the food, which is surprising considering I’m normally a picky eater. I think Indian food has been my favorite so far. For breakfast we would have rice patties and chutney. Other days we would have this spicy potato mash, and of course we ate a lot of curry. My overall favorite dish was eating pad thai in the night market in Thailand. In Nepal, we ate a lot of buffalo momos that were really good. Several months we were in charge of cooking our own food, so we did not get to experience cultural dishes.
What are some ways that you have seen God at work?
God has worked in many places during my trip so far. First of all, I think of how much everyone on my squad has grown. The Lord is really refining us to look more like him. I have told countless bible stories to children, in every single country I’ve been in. I trust that many seeds were planted in young hearts. In Cambodia I got to present the gospel at the assembly for all of our English classes. We’ve seen God come through on many prayer requests, everything from healing someone who is sick to wanting a good cup of coffee. This answer is all over the place, but there are a million different ways I can take this questions. God is at work in our own hearts, in the spiritual atmosphere of these countries, and in their hearts of those we are ministering to.
What are the differences between doing mission work in the states and in foreign countries?
There are many differences and similarities between stateside and international missions. For the most part, ministry can look the same. I have spent a lot of time on the Race working with children, just like I did on my youth group mission trips to Memphis. The biggest difference is obviously the culture. Most of the countries I have been to have very small Christian populations. Their entire culture teaches sacrifices to idols. In America, it would be difficult to find someone who had not at least heard of Christianity or walked past a church. This is not the case in other countries, and that is why it’s so important for people to go share the Gospel with them.
What has God shown you personally that will stick with you?
This month, I’ve been reflecting on my journey as a whole so far rather than focusing on one month. I am definitely different now than I was in July, and it took me a while to put my finger on it. I have grown in confidence- confidence in what the Word says, confidence in what I know about God’s character, confidence in the power of the Holy Spirit and what I can do with that power, and confidence in the reality of the spiritual realm. This, combined with a million small lessons I’ve learned, impact how I perceive and react to every situation.
What is one thing you would like us all to know?
I want you all to know that God is so much more than a Sunday morning pew. Even reading a few verses a day doesn’t even begin to touch the depth of His character and what He wants in a relationship with you. Every single thing that God does stems from His love for us. His goodness overflows in every situation. There’s grace that covers mistakes, but He wants ALL of us, not just our Sunday morning. He wants us to talk to Him and get to know Him and ask His opinion. God speaks to us. Just like a person would have to work to keep up intimacy with a spouse or close friend, it takes discipline to grow in intimacy with the Father. Read the Word. Pray about everything. Listen to what He has to do. Be obedient to what He tells you. (Obedience is God’s love language.) Spend time in individual worship, not just in a corporate setting. God doesn’t want us to check boxes; He just wants us to spend time with Him. Intimacy with God is the sweetest place to sit in.
