I am beyond pumped to be officially participating in the World Race! To clarify, I will not be competing in the Amazing Race, which would honestly be pretty cool and I’m pretty sure I could whip some serious butt in the competitions. Instead, I will be embarking on an even cooler adventure (in my opinion) through 11 different countries for 11 months.
For starters, I honestly can’t believe that I have the opportunity to be doing this after graduation from UNC in May. God has blessed me so much, and that becomes more evident day by day as I reflect back on my 4 years of college, my 21 years of life, my amazing family, my friends, and the awesome experiences I’ve had so far. There have been countless struggles along the way, but I can’t stress enough how faithful God has been in my life. His promise has never fallen short and I trust that it never will: “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11).
This doesn’t mean that everything has (or will be) peachy keen. Life is messy, times are tough, and it is rare when things go according to plan- at least my plan. But God’s plan is better than mine, and I try to trust in Him at all times (it can be harder at some points than others). I can’t even imagine what God has in store for me, for my team, and for the people we interact with throughout the year. This “race” is for God, through God, and because of God.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted” (Hebrews 12:1-3).
Let me tell you a bit more about exactly why I have chosen the World Race:I love adventure. I always have, and I’m pretty sure that I always will. I have traveled a lot, I love experiencing new cultures, and I get such a thrill when I step out of my comfort zone (even though it can be hard at times). More importantly, I love God with every fiber of my being. I cannot express enough my unfathomable awe for Him and His love. He loves me so so much, and I am absurdly forgetful of His mercy, His faithfulness, and His sacrifice. I make mistakes every minute of every day, I am a mess, and I don’t deserve His love in the slightest. I still don’t get it, and I know that I never will; which makes me want to love Him all the more and to serve Him in any way that I can. I found out about the World Race during my freshman year of college, and I have wanted to go ever since. I mentioned it to my parents, and they have been so supportive throughout the entire process so far. We made a deal: see how studying abroad in Spain goes for 5 months during Spring semester of 2014, and then I can think about leaving the US for 11 months. Needless to say, Spain was the best 5 months of my life, I applied for the World Race in December, and I was accepted at the end of January!
Now let me tell you a bit more about what the World Race is:
The World Race is through an organization called Adventures in Missions. This is what they’re about:
Adventures in Missions is an interdenominational missions organization that focuses on discipleship. We emphasize prayer and relationships in our work amongst the poor.
Since we were established in 1989, we have taken over 100,000 people into the mission field, some for as short as a week and others for as long as a year or longer. In several places around the world we minister year-round to “the least of these”. We believe that by giving people the opportunity to hold orphans, bring hope to the hopeless, and pray for the sick, lives are transformed.
We seek to disciple as Jesus did; our vision is that God would use us to raise up a generation of radically committed disciples of Jesus Christ.
For more information about what Adventures in Mission believes, click here to read more.
The World Race is a missions opportunity through Adventures in Missions that takes 21-35 year olds to 11 countries in 11 months to demonstrate God’s love to others around the world and to jump out of comfort zones in an effort to further God’s kingdom. It started in 2006 and has radically grown since. Click here if you want to read more specifically about the World Race.
So, where am I going and what am I doing?
Here’s a bit about what I’ll be doing: Every day on the World Race looks a little different. Some days will be packed full with construction, VBS, building relationships with orphans, or praying for the sick at a hospital. Some days could be slower — shopping for groceries at the market, cooking for your team, and spending time praying for the community you walk through. Regardless of the pace or the activity, every day will be focused on being a part of God’s kingdom work.
Leaving in July of 2015 and returning in June of 2016, I will be traveling to: South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique, India, Nepal, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. For more info on each country, check out this link.
Am I crazy?
Honestly, yes. I’m going all around the world, having no idea what to expect, with people that I’ve never met. I’m scared out of my mind. It’s not going to be easy. But it’s going to rock my world. The experiences I have will probably tear my apart, but God will be there to put me back together again. I am so ready to jump out of my comfort zone. I am so ready to see God work in ways that I can’t even imagine. I am so ready to be a part of a community that thrives in His love and can’t help but share it with others.
Do you want to support me?
I would love nothing more than for you to partner with me in this journey. The biggest thing I can ask for is prayer. I have been learning so much about prayer lately, and the biggest realization that has struck me is that God wants us to come to Him weary, heavy-laden, and honest. He loves to hear from us; that means the good, the bad, and the ugly. Does that mean He will always grant our requests? Nope. But prayer is learning to dream again; to hope in our Heavenly Father and to trust that He will bestow His mercies upon us within His own timing. “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to our children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him” (Matthew 7: 11)! I would love for you to partner in prayer with me. I’m going to need a lot of it- I can’t (and don’t want to) do this without God by my side.
Also, I would love for you to support me financially if that is something that you are able and willing to do. Here’s the breakdown: I need to raise a total of $16,277. At first glance, that’s a lot of money. It kinda scares me to think about that amount. But I am trusting God on this one (this is where prayer comes in again). If you at all are interested and able to financially support me, I can’t tell you how much that would mean to me. I will be sending out a fundraising letter in the next 2 weeks through snail mail and email, and if you are at all interested in supporting me in either way (through prayer and/or financially), please put down your contact info in this Google doc and I can start sending you some letters and/or emails with further details and updates.
You can support me online (by clicking “Support Me” in the left column of my blog site) or through www.adventures.org/give.
Adventures in Missions, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and a long-time member of ECFA. Your donations are tax deductible based on the policies and principles detailed at www.adventures.org/policies.
Overall, I am overwhelmed with anticipation, excitement, and God’s provision. I am excited to see how God works in the months leading up to the trip and how He moves while I’m actively serving for 11 months. I pray that God changes me for the better, that I make relationships that last for a lifetime, that I impact others with His unfaltering love, and that it will be a year of amazing growth and adventure.
