Dear future world racer!!!!! (potentially)
So I’ve been thinking about writing this blog for a while now but ya know, procrastination.
Anyway, if you’re a high school senior who is lost, confused, and drowning in the idea of college and you don’t know what to do next — I’m writing to you. For those of you who are looking for something adventurous to do before heading right into the world of college or whatever Is next for you — I’m writing to you. For those of you who have a desire to serve Jesus in a way like never before and you’re willing to surrender everything to him on a crazy nine month adventure — I’m writing to you.
My decision to come on the world race was probably the best decision I’ve made after asking Jesus into my heart. it was exciting. It was different. I fell in love and became even engulfed in the idea of the world race. I applied, I was interviewed, I was accepted all in a matter of couple weeks. there, thats where the journey began. which is where the fundraising began as well.
fundraising — the daunting task that scares so many away from the world race. Its so easy to see the journey, the excitement of it, to have the desire to travel the world, and then you see the price. 15 thousand dollars. Yep, no way. I get it completely, but don’t discredit the whole thing yet. I promise, if you bring God, your community, and your hardest efforts this journey is so possible and so worth it. Trust me. I got all the, “so if you don’t raise the money, what happens?” And the, “15 thousand dollars, dude no way. Why not just go to college now?” So I get it. Its daunting. Its discouraging. This is where bringing God into it plays a part. This is where you beg and plead to the Lord to provide strength, patience, passion, and of course the money $$$. Then bring your community into it, asking for donations is a lot easier than it sounds. People in this day and age are so willing to give to a worthy cause, so let them. Try fundraisers like selling t-shirts, adopt-a-box, and car washes. If you’re talented in singing, host a show where people pay donations to get in. If you’re an artist, paint pictures and sell them for a profit towards your trip. Do a raffle. Put on a 5k. Have a garage sale and have people from your community donate things to be sold. Send out support letters. Bring other people into this, because trust me, they want to join this awesome chance to give to the Lord — while also giving to you. You might even find that you like fundraising. Looking back, it was fun. Such an awesome & humbling experience. Don’t let this hold you back from doing the race, PLEASE.
Moving on from fundraising, you start looking at the #wrgapyear & #11n11 tags on Instagram. Let it be known that these can be deceiving. They look so fun. Which the race is fun, do not get me wrong. But us world racers have a tendency to make the world race look a lot more glorious than it truly is — because often times the race is hard. You might not love your living conditions. You might live in a tent for a month or two. You might not have water to take a shower sometimes. (I might’ve showered in a river the whole month I was in Zambia, whatever it was honestly fun.) but then sometimes you might find yourself living on a beautiful college campus helping at the local elementary school. They might even ask you to help teach a class. Point is, expect the unexpected is a motto you live by on the race. You also learn how to be on a five minute before anything basis and you get use to your days never going how you planned the night before. Its all in all one big awesome adventure but do your best to come with no expectations, because my race will be different from yours. Each journey is unique in its own.
Next — you’ve at least met the financial deadline for training camp now! Because training camp is tomorrow. You get to meet the people you’ve been seeing on Facebook / Instagram for last 6 months, trying to see who you think your world race BFF is gonna be. Your anxious. Your plane ticket for Atlanta, Georgia has been booked for over a month now. You board your plane the next morning, you walk off the plane into the Atlanta Airport and you are instantly spotting people who are more than likely world racers (trust me you can spot us from a mile away with our (at this point) over packed hiking backpacks. You meet some people from your route, and some from others. FIGHT THE COMPARISON BECAUSE IT WILL TRY TO COME FOR YOU. Now, you get to Gainesville on the Adventures in Missions buses, you’re in line for check in. You are nervous to find out your team. Oh wow, here we go. Its your turn. You see your team, and you are either A) so excited you love your team and wow!!! B) upset because none of the people on your team are the type of people you would’ve put on your team if you made it. But for those are you who fall into option B, trust me. I was you, and you will end up loving your teammates. They’ll become your best friends and you’ll even start to think of them as siblings. It will all be okay, just trust. Now you’re walking down to your routes designated camping spot, everyone is setting up their tent, oh no — whose that kid in the corner who only brought a one man tent? The packing list clearly said two person tent. Oh no. Now you’re all set up. Your tent is deployed for the first time, and tonight its your bedroom. You’re headed to dinner, you love the people you’re meeting. Remember to be yourself, because you are 100% called to this journey and people will love you, I promise. Now its time for worship, and wow!!! The Lord is here, you can feel it. Hold on to it. Team times begin, you realize your team isn’t as bad you thought earlier. You can do this. This once in a lifetime journey is a dream that you will refuse to let anyone or anything ruin. You’ll look up and the days of training camp will be quickly over. No worries though. This is still only the beginning.
The days between training camp and launch seem long — all your friends are taking off for their semester at university, your friends are diminishing day by day into their next chapter. This part of the season isn’t the most fun — but those friends who are left with you, you learn to appreciate them like never before. They’ll become special to you in a matter of days. My advice for this time is cling to the Lord as hard as you can, because the next season is more exciting than ever before. Oh, Spent a little more time with mom and your family before you go. You’ll miss having your loved ones at arms reach over the next year.
TIME FOR LAUNCH. Ahhhhh!!!! The day you’ve been waiting for so long Is finally here!! You’ve fundraised, you’ve worked for it so hard, you’re all packed, and you’re on the plane with your parents on the way to launch (yes your parents actually can come to launch — which I highly recommend.) You’re all checked into the launch hotel, you have met up with your whole squad now and you’re genuinely so excited, and you should be!!!!! You’re going on the world race!!! The next day, you’ll say goodbye to your parents for what will be nine months. This is probably your hardest goodbye. They’re proud of you though — whether they’ve been your biggest fan of this journey thus far or not. They will see that you’re making an awesome decision by doing the race. The next day comes and..
You’re headed to your first country!!!! This is where it happens. Choice. Every single journey from this point forward is YOURS AND YOURS ALONE. UNIQUE. You have the choice to make this the most awesome season of your life. You will confront hard things in your life, surrender yourself, serve others, and spread love that this world so desperately needs. You will grow, spiritually, physically, mentally, and as a whole in your person. Take advantage of this season. You will never be in the same place with the same people probably ever again. You will love it, trust me.
If during this blog as you read, you meet the criteria I was writing to — and you felt a “tug” in the direction of this journey. Please. Don’t hesitate. Ask questions. Message me. Apply. Give this season a chance and I promise you won’t regret it. I wrote this blog because this journey has changed my life and I want to give you the chance to do the same. Love you guys, and I hope this blog helps bring somebody to this journey.
PEACE AND BLESSINGSSS!!!!
