As the end of month 11 approaches faster then a bullet train, I have been reflecting on a few things life skills I didn’t think about in my Pre-World Race life. These skills have been crucial to my year. If you’re a future racer….DON’t WORRY, you’ll have lots of time to practice them or maybe even learn them from scratch this year!
Hand Washing Clothing
Some racers are very blessed. Others do this all the time! In the first 7 months, I had a washers two months…so get your hand-washing muscles ready! And bring clothesline. I didn’t, but I was so thankful for my teammates who did!
Peeing (& more) Anywhere
Be it on airplane, a really smelly night bus bathroom with no light, the bushes, a field, a squatie or a public restroom you pay to use…it’s a skill and there is art to it. Bring your own toilet paper too, that’s a rarity in most of the world. And if you have hand sanitizer, your team will thank you!
Discreetly Disposing of Food & Drink
Whether you choose to dispose of it or discreetly pass it to a friend, it is another World Race art form you must master. Food in pockets, passing it to your friend behind turned backs, giving it to little kids, throwing it into the bushes, pouring it on the ground, putting it back in the pot…all require a slight of hand. Sometimes you can’t. Sometimes you are onstage at church. A lot of times all eyes are on you. So sometimes you smile and gag it down. But sometimes your sleight of hand is required.
Charades
Every country. Sometimes even when people speak English charades are necessary. There are some universal signs…the pee dance is one of them.
The following are some tips to remember if no one speaks English:
- Talking louder won’t help.
- Talking slower won’t help.
- Begin trying to find a toilet before it’s an urgent need.
- Be ready to make a fool of yourself.
- Be ready to be laughed at.
- Be ready to be talked about by locals.
- Don’t overthink it.
- Smile a lot.
- Say hello to everyone…they’re already watching you.
- Try to use any words in the local dialect you know.
- Say thank you.
Eating the Same Thing All the Time
Most of the planet lives on very little variety of foods, so be prepared. Sometimes the first week of ministry you think “this is awesome!”…by week 4 you are gagging it down, looking for peanut butter in the store, hoping to find some nutella, and searching for some biscuits. I even had food intolerances the first 4 months of the Race, and I survived Asia just fine…rice for days!
Central America – Rice & Beans
Eastern Europe – Bread and Potato everything
Asia – Rice and Ramen noodles
Africa – We cooked for ourselves…so cheap things. Oatmeal, Cornflakes, rice, etc.
Loving When it’s Hard
Sometimes your teammates annoy you,
Sometimes you meet people you totally clash with,
Sometimes kids, adults & homes are really unclean.
And yet you love them.
You serve that teammate well,
You speak life into those challenging relationships,
You hug & kiss & tickle those little ones,
You love those families,
And you accept their hospitality.
One morning in Botswana I was playing with some kiddos and one of the little fellas clothing had a sweet scent, that brought be back to month one. The odour was awful, but brought back beautiful memories of adorable kids and inspiring Jesus lovers. I wouldn’t have those sweet memories if I hadn’t loved when it was hard and uncomfortable.
Following Without Understanding WHY
This is really hard for people. There will be many times when you don’t have one sweet clue what’s happening or why something is occurring. And that’s ok.
Shovel that mud,
Tell people about a potential upcoming program,
Send emails,
Pull weeds,
Arrive when they tell you,
Sit and wait for hours,
Just go with it.
Trust your leaders, respect the authority of your ministry host, and serve with love…even when it doesn’t make sense to you. There is something humbling and honorable in submitting to a trusted authority.
Some of these “Life Skills” are silly, others more serious. But they have all contributed to my World Race. Sure you can go through the Race and come home pretty much the same as when you left. But that seems like a waste of 11 months. The World Race is an experience you can grow from, be changed by, and be prepared to launch into your future, no matter what that looks like. You just have to be open to engaging with the challenges and the celebrations. Sometimes you have to be messy. Sometimes you have to find those strawberries.
