Adventures WorldRace SethBarnes Sponsorship Giving

| by archiveworldraceblogs

As we begin to wrap up our final weeks of our World Race to 11 countries, I have begun to reflect on all the wonderful things God has done over the last 11 months. God has blessed me with new skills, new job applications, new gifts, new friendships, and so much more! These seven lists of ‘elevens’ barely scratch the surface of what all this year has held for me, and I hope to share even more with you when I come home!   

11 Countries in which I Lived 

  1. Lesotho
  2. Swaziland
  3. South Africa
  4. Vietnam
  5. Cambodia
  6. Thailand
  7. Nicaragua
  8. Costa Rica
  9. Jamaica
  10. Haiti
  11. Dominican Republic

11 Incredible Ministries Partners  

  1. Beautiful Dream Society/Sepheo 
  2. AIM Swaziland 
  3. Baby Hope House 
  4. Unsung Heroes
  5. Prach Bunroeuth
  6. YWAM Laos 
  7. CICRIN
  8. ZOE International Church 
  9. Stewart’s Town New Testament Church of God 
  10. Mission of Hope 
  11. Iglesia Cristiana Bendición

11 Titles/Jobs held

  1. English Teacher
  2. Construction Worker (cement mixer/pourer, hole digger, dirt mover)
  3. Children’s Pastor
  4. Event Planner
  5. Worship Leader
  6. Nanny (for babies aged 2 days – 10 years)
  7. Travel Agent
  8. Agriculturist (aka a farmer)
  9. Preacher/Evangelist
  10. Painter (especially for homes and schools)
  11. Spanish Translator

11 Unconventional Skills Obtained

  1. Ability to sleep absolutely anywhere – airports, trains, church pews, etc.
  2. Proficient hand-washer of laundry (this one was one of the more difficult skills to learn)
  3. Can say (at least) ‘hello’ and ‘thank you’ in ten different languages
  4. Ability to act in church dramas/puppet skits
  5. Skilled in world race vocabulary (i.e. ‘feedback’, ‘team time’, ‘inner healing’, ‘journey markers’, ‘kingdom journeys’, etc.)
  6. Practiced outfit repeater
  7. Skilled in traveling via almost any type of transportation – plane, car, tuk tuk, train, boat, motorcycle, chicken bus, and tap tap
  8. Gifted in finding pizza/wifi in any country on earth
  9. Expert packer
  10. Ability to turn anything into drums (tables, garbage cans, chairs, etc.)
  11. Practiced in sign language/miming phrases like ‘Where’s the bathroom?’ or ‘I’ll have three pieces of pizza’

11 things I never knew I liked

  1. Evangelism – it’s not as scary as you think
  2. Jamaican Jerk Chicken
  3. Cold bucket showers (I’m just as surprised as you are)
  4. Black coffee
  5. Being alone but still being a high extrovert
  6. Having limited wifi access
  7. Thai curry
  8. Living in a village
  9. Having minimal amenities 
  10. Singing in front of people
  11. Facebook (because everyone in the world uses it)

11 of my Favorite Memories

  1. Preaching in Jamaica
  2. Diving with Sharks in South Africa 
  3. Baptizing two of my greatest friends
  4. Holding baby lions in Lesotho 
  5. Meeting/witnessing to a witch doctor in Cambodia
  6. White water rafting in Costa Rica
  7. Worshiping Jesus in a voodoo temple in Haiti 
  8. Eating world famous pad thai in Thailand 
  9. Sharing my testimony in Nicaragua
  10. Visiting the war museums in Vietnam
  11. Leading worship in the Dominican 

11 Gifts God has given me

  1. Intimacy – with Him. He has given me a closeness with Him like I have never experienced in my life
  2. My People – the most inspiring, loving, and supportive people I’ve ever met (S/o to my team for being my forever sisters)
  3. Ministry Hosts – each very different and each offering special lessons in serving alongside the local and national church
  4. Confidence – because I know God’s character, and I know the way He loves me
  5. Closeness with my Family – even thousands of miles away, I have felt their love and support through holidays, events, and milestones I would have otherwise missed
  6. 11 Nations – 11 people groups, 11 cultures, 11 languages, and 11 stories to tell. These places have gripped my heart, and I will be forever thankful for each of them.
  7. Grace – because even though I’m a ‘missionary’, I still mess up and I’m far from perfect but God’s grace is always abundant
  8. Forever Friendships – with people all over the world. I will never forget your stories or the ways you impacted my life
  9. Salvations – being able to witness and walk people into a relationship with Christ is one of the most beautiful experiences a person can have
  10. My Leadership Team – for challenging me, believing in me, calling me higher, encouraging me, and loving me with hearts like Jesus
  11. My Supporters – for allowing me to experience the most life-changing 11 months of my life. Because of you I have been discipled and made disciples, I have learned and I have taught, I have been loved and I have loved. You gave me the ability to say ‘Yes’ to God’s call, and for that I am eternally grateful

I am so grateful for these seven elevens and all the other numerous things God has done this year. Thank you to everyone who has allowed my dream of going on the world race to become a beautiful reality, and thank you to Adventures in Missions for believing in my generation. 

I cannot wait to continue my journey as a global missionary for five more months with this wonderful organization. For more info on my next steps you can visit https://www.youcaring.com/madisongoodwin-805638.