"Then Jesus came to them and said,'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of age.'" Matthew 28:18-20
When I first started telling people that I wanted to do the World Race, I don't think they thought I was serious. Just another one of Kelsea's big plans. I may not have even believed myself. But here we are, planning in process and fully committed. And never been more sure of His hold on my life. So now the biggest question I get is "why do you want to do this?". It's funny how sometimes in life you can look back and be like "Wow, God didn't let that happen because He had this planned." So much of that has happened since this has become His plan for me. I see so clearly now why certain things I was confused about weren't what He wanted for me. But that's a little besides the point. What I really want to get to is how He put this trip and these specific areas on my heart.
When I was little, the commercials with the small African children without food and clean water used to break my heart. I remember so badly wanting to help them. I think I was probably 10 years old when I decided I wanted to adopt a child from Africa when I grew up. I think we are very predisposed to loving Africa and wanting to help the needy there. Looking back now I was always so aware of the conditions in the various parts of Africa. But I didn't really know much about the rest of the world.
In the past year, before even knowing about the World Race, God has opened my eyes to other areas. Last summer on Miami Summer Project with Campus Crusade, we were part of what they called an international dinner. It was funny how excited we were. Like we so thought we were about to get a feast of foods from all over the world. We were so shocked by a very rude awakening. We were placed in groups in different "countries". I was in China. We sat in a circle and had to share a pot of plain rice. Being ruled by "the government" which gave us our proportions of food and didn't let us talk freely. I was "jailed" for giggling too much. And as I sat up against a wall and looked around, I saw one of my leaders (who just so happened to be from Asia) was crying. My giggling stopped pretty quickly seeing the emotion she felt at watching us. When we were walking home later, I began to talk to her. She knew I had seen her crying, and so she told me a little bit about what it was like growing up for her. She learned about Jesus in her late teens maybe early twenties, and as her faith grew she wanted so badly to share it. She told me stories of when she told her family and friends and the complete unacceptance and hatred she had to bear. It was heartbreaking. She told me that so many people do not hear the Gospel there because it isn't allowed. Living a whole life and never knowing what the love of Christ looked like, felt like, and the freedom it gives. For the next 2 weeks I would lay in bed at night and cry for these people that didn't have the kind of freedom that I take for granted all the time. My heart for Asian countries grew a tremendous amount. It was the first time I really thought about wanting to spread the Word there.
The Middle East has had such a light shone on it since September 11th. But even in the midst of that, I somehow was overlooking so much that was going on there. I read Kite Runner earlier this year and, it just opened my mind and my heart so much. I so badly wanted to get on a plane right then and there and go just spread the love and hope that God gives to me. There is so much death and destruction surrounding this group of people. I know that I could not possibly make it through the hard times I have had without an unsurpassing and unconditional love from God.
So, when I heard about the World Race and really started considering it, I knew that these three areas were at the top of my list of places that I felt called to. And wouldn't you know, God had them on every single July 2013 route. What He ended up helping me decide between was Europe and South America. Through much prayer and petition I just felt so called to South America. And after talking with friends that have done mission trips and such in these areas, I know it is right.
This world is so lost. I have been called to stop living in my simple lifestyle and to fight for those in other countries. Someone said to me tonight "We are not fighting for victory. We are fighting from victory. The battle has already been won." My fears and doubts are cast into the shadow of God's wishes and glory and the desire He has placed on my heart. These occurrences seemed so small. Even now thinking back on them, I am in awe. How He takes these small encounters in my life and brings me to this huge plan that He has for me over the next year is so incredible. So many things that could be looked over… but it all led up to this.
"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve others, and to give his life as a ransom for many." – Mark 10:45
