It's 4 am and I can't sleep. Unsure if it's still me feeling the effects of jet lag or if it's the many questions runnning through my mind.
Questions like “Kendall, how was your year?” or “What was your favorite country?” or “What's the worst thing you saw?” or “What are you going to do now?”
This blog is an attempt to answer some of the questions that have been asked. I love the questions. They help me to process through the past year. But, they are tough! There have been moments where someone has asked me a question and I literally pause for what feels like minutes. I didn't realize that many of the questions I receive I'm still trying to figure out for myself. For the past 11 months we have been on the go. Constantly packing up and leaving. So that makes it difficult to really sit and process everything when it happens or even shortly after it happens.
I honestly feel like I just jumped out of an insane whirlwind. I hope this will help some of you out and if you want to know more let's grab coffee or lunch. I would love to talk to you 🙂
This year has been the best and hardest year of my life.
3 months in Africa nearly broke me mentally and physically. Those were some of my hardest months on the race.
Nepal and The Philippines are the two most beautiful places I have ever seen. The mountains… Breathtaking.
I have felt safer than I have ever felt in my life.
Transportation is probably one of the scariest things about the race. People drive CRAZY. Mix crazy driving with me being on a motorcycle with no helmet = one scared Kendall.
India was the most shocking. It was the one country that was unlike any place I have ever been. It's a different world there. The smell. The trash. The driving. The beggars. The clothing. Everything is shockingly different than anything I have ever seen.
I have sweat this year more than I have ever sweat in my life. On the race you can't escape the heat.
I have gotten sick. While I was in Uganda I got malaria and typhoid. Which makes you have a terrible headache, no energy, a fever, and LOTS of stomach problems. Being sick with a squatty potty and no air conditioning= no bueno.
I would like to go back to almost every country except Kenya, Moldova, and Romania. Nothing against those places but I just didn't make as strong of a connection with the people as I did in the other countries.
This year I made many new bestfriends. Friendships I know will last a lifetime. The hardest thing about being home is being away from the people I have experienced this crazy beautiful year with.
One of craziest and most amazing things I saw were demons manifesting and God using my hands and words to cast them out.
I have helped out in orphanages, gardens, hospitals, English classes, prisons, Hindu schools, sports camps, and more.
I have seen the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets.
I have seen Mt. Everest.
I have seen my dinner killed in front of me many times.
I have rafted the Nile.
The worst living conditions for me was probably Uganda and Cambodia. Mainly because the water was dirty beyond belief. But, that's the only water they have so you have no other choice.
I have ate many weird things. Bugs, chicken feet and intestines, and fish heads.
My favorite ministry was in India. My teammates and I traveled to a new village everyday for 20 days. We would spend 10 hours out of the day preaching the Gospel and laying hands on people. There we saw many people come to know Jesus and many many healings.
Many times on the race we slept in rooms with spiders the size of your hand, giant beetles, lizards, scorpions, mice, ants, and grasshoppers. Bugs aren't really a problem for me anymore. They are really small here!
I was my squads hairstylist. I cut hair in every country that I've been in and they would treat me with snickers or yogurt. Funny I know.
I don't know what I'm going to do now. I still love doing hair. But, I'm definitely not ready to jump into anything yet. For now I'm just taking some time to rest, process, and spend with my family and friends. I trust that God is going to open the right doors. I would love to continue to do mission work overseas but at this very moment I am feeling that home is where my mission is going to be for a while.
Thank you guys for following my posts, praying for me, and encouraging me. It really means so much to me. Stay tuned I have another blog for my supporters I will be posting soon. Love you guys!
