Dear _________ (insert your name here),
Hello, how are you? I hope you’ve been well. I really do! I realize I may not know you well, or even at all . . . or maybe you’ve known me your entire life – it’s even possible that we took baths together as kids. No matter who you are, I pray that you are healthy and content, wherever you may be, and that you’ll find this letter both encouraging and challenging.
I’m writing to you today to invite you to be part of something really amazing. It’s exciting and terrifying, all at the same time. It’s an incredible opportunity that should be taken seriously. It’s a journey and it’s life changing. I’m sure by now you have a really good idea as to what exactly “it” is, but I urge you to keep reading; it may surprise you. So to start, let’s begin at the end, shall we?
After three extremely challenging, emotional, and rewarding years, I am leaving the place that I have gotten into the habit of calling home. You may be surprised that I stayed in the Middle East as long as I did – I’m surprised myself! Even more shocking is that not once in the past three years did I think that I would actually be wishing for more time here, yet I am. There are thousands of thoughts braving the stormy seas of my mind as I prepare to pack my bags and head to Kuwait airport for the final time, but in order for you to understand those thoughts, we need to go back to the beginning.
I was a newly graduated teacher with five and a half years of lectures behind me and endless possibilities ahead of me. You see, at that time, I really believed that THAT was the moment that my life was going to ‘begin’. Never mind that I was already 24-years-old. And what better way to begin than to leave everything behind and move to Kuwait? It didn’t matter that I had no idea where in the world that was only a few months earlier. This was my chance to get out and see the world – and that’s exactly what I did.
Now, some may think of my love affair with travel as an obsession. They’re probably right. Over the next few years, I traveled almost every opportunity I got, which added up to something like twenty-five separate trips to various countries within three continents. You are probably wondering something along the lines of ‘How is that even possible?!’ right about now. Am I right? Yes, I’ve had this conversation before. Well, would you like to know my secret? Here it is, are you ready? Are you sure? . . . I lived selfishly. That’s right, you read correctly. I lived selfishly. Here’s the thing about being a Westerner and teaching in Kuwait: there are few living expenses and no taxes; one can earn a lot of money and live a comfortable life if he or she wants to. I became absorbed with work and wealth and scratching countries off a map. I took great pride in my independence, especially. Here I was with my own apartment, a car, and a decent job. I had paid off my student loans and I didn’t need anything or anyone.
Here’s the great thing about God, though: He can work in our lives despite our own intentions or decisions. When I came to Kuwait, I assumed that it was to make some money, pay off my loans, do some traveling, and gain some experience. At the time, I didn’t realize that God also had a plan and purpose for me being here. One year turned into three, and over that time I built some beautiful relationships. First, I was welcomed into a loving church family in a way that I hadn’t felt in the past six years. I began serving on a worship team, something that I used to do so passionately and had desperately missed. Second, I joined a small group that deeply cares for me and challenges me to live more like Christ each day. Let’s just acknowledge right now how ironic it is that God had to bring me to a Muslim country in order to deepen my Christian faith. Third, I have had the opportunity to love the people here, including my students, their parents, my coworkers, friends, and acquaintances. It hasn’t always been easy; in fact, sometimes it’s been down right miserable, but God has definitely been working in and through my life here in Kuwait . . . which leads to the future.
I believe that God wants to use my passion for people and travel in such a way that is selfLESS and honouring to Him. It’s time to surrender my self-sufficient attitude to the One who gives me life. Launching in the summer of 2016, I will be traveling with a team to every country in South America where we will spend about one month in each place working with local churches and organizations in order to meet the needs of each community while spreading the love of Christ. It is called The World Race, and it‘s all about living radically for the sake of the gospel.
As I bring this letter to a close, I want to ask you, dear __________ (again, insert your own name here), will you join me on this remarkable possibility? You could start right now by subscribing to my blog and commenting often. You could keep me and my team in your thoughts and prayers as we prepare for our training, and then departure. You could research the countries we’ll be visiting and take interest in the types of obstacles we may face, as well as the wonders we may experience. You could support me financially, or contact me with your questions and comments. Just know that your support, whatever it may look like, is like a warm hug. Appreciated. Encouraging. Up-lifting.
Love,
Kristan
