*Disclaimer: The World Race is an eleven-month Christian mission trip where I will travel to a different country every month to do mission work. I will travel to each country with about 60-70 people between the ages of 21-35 and then will be on a smaller team within that group of about 6-7 people. Click here if you want to read more about where I will be going.
I still go into a little bit of shock when I think about what is in store for me next year. Oddly enough, I never really thought about how crazy it was until I finally verbalized it to someone and then I thought, “Wow, that’s crazy. What am I thinking?” It certainly was not a decision arrived at lightly though. In fact, my decision had about seven months of serious thought and prayer behind it. So even now, nearly three months after I was accepted, it is still a decision I am confident in.
Why am I going? There are many reasons and some I am still trying to work through but I’ll explain a few of them the best I can now. For the past two or three years I have had this growing desire to be a part of God’s Kingdom around the world. I believe this desire was born sometime when I was serving with his church in Honduras. It was there that I began to realize that his church was not the same in all parts of the world. Growing up, church was confined to four walls and as much as I hate to admit it, prayer was really reserved for asking. “Giving thanks” was what you did before a meal. I hate to sound cliché but the people of Honduras rocked my world with all matters concerning church and prayer. They got down on their knees, crying and thanking God in prayer…not just begging him. They had asked humbly and He had given generously and they were not shy about showing their appreciation for it. Even though at the time I had not even heard about the World Race, I believe that was when my path started shifting in its direction.
After hearing about the World Race, I knew that it was something that I would really like to do. I just wasn’t sure if it was something that I would actually do. After praying about it for months though, it seemed like all signs were strongly pointing in that direction. So, when it finally came time to apply…I did. All of that to say…I’m going because it seems to be the place God wants me next. Even though I firmly believe God is big enough that he could use me wherever I end up, I also believe that he is calling me a little more strongly to the Race right now. I am excited to see the ways He is planning to work through me next year and even more excited (and perhaps a little apprehensive) to see the ways He is planning to work on me. I know it will be difficult but that’s part of the journey and I can’t wait to see where it leads.
