So I made a whole post explaining how I decided to go… but gave no details on my trip!
I’ve gotten lots of specific questions regarding my trip, so here is a little FAQ I put together for all who are interested to know more:
Q: Soooo, what is the World Race?
A: I think the WR’s mission statement sums it up perfectly: The World Race is an 11 country, 11 month mission trip to share the love of Jesus and serve others around the world.
Q: Where all are you going?
A: Indonesia –> Malaysia –> Thailand –> Myanmar –> Nepal –> India –> South Africa –> Swaziland –> Lesotho –> Zimbabwe –> Zambia
You can learn more about each country (see WHY we are going to these places) here.
Q: What will you be doing?
A: So my Type A personality hates having to say this but… we will not know what we will be doing until we get to the country! And even crazier… we will also not know where in the country we will be until we arrive. Ahh! But this is so good for me to learn how to adjust to change better and to be more flexible.
While we will not know what our specific work will be until we land in each country, we can get a good idea of what we will do through the many blogs and videos on The World Race’s website. In Indonesia, a World Race team taught English to the students at Jagat ‘Arsy Islamic Boarding School. A Racer in Malaysia was walking around town on a Saturday and met an exploited woman; in which then he provided her with food, new clothes, and shared with her how much Jesus loves her. In Nepal, Racers have traveled far from their hostels to a rough part of town so they can teach a variety of subjects to children, and help women improve in their English skills. Thad, a 2016 Racer, spent time rubbing lotion on a very weak and unkempt man’s feet in India, as he learned to humble himself and to take care of the needy—no matter how uncomfortable it could make him feel. In Lesotho, Racers have walked 2 hours to a village to help the villagers retrieve water and carry it back in a bucket on top of their head, feed them meals, and lead Bible Studies for them.
Q: Who are you going with?
A: I will be on a squad made up of about 50 Racers, and we will be divided up into teams… about 5-7 on each team. While we are going on the same route, we may be in different places in that specific country. I can’t wait to meet them all at training camp- this October at the WR Headquarters (near Atlanta, GA)!
Q: What all can you bring?
A: It will just be me, a front backpack, and a pack. And for someone who looooves their clothes, this is going to be tough! I will only be able to bring a few clothing pieces, as I will also have to make sure to bring a tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, pillow, and other items such as my Bible, laptop for blogging and vlogging, camera (I plan on doing LOTS of interviews in each country!), medication, etc.
^ I had fun going to REI for the first time last weekend! I knew nothing about backpacking beforehand… but the team there taught me a lot! And let me try everything out too 😀
Q: Okay, but you’ll stay in a hotel… right?
A: Oh no, not at all! I have to bring a tent and sleeping bag because there is a good chance I will be camping in these countries!!! Sometimes, I may be able to stay in a hostel. It all depends on where I will stay, who our host family will be, and what our ministry is. So umm prayers for safety while sleeping in a tent in Africa would be GREAT!
Also… I LOVE talking about The World Race and how God is already working in my life through all of this. Please never hesitate to reach out to me with questions and let’s meet for coffee if you wanna learn more about this next exciting chapter in my life! 🙂
