Hello! Well, I have been home for a few months now, adjusting to life in the states, life without the community of people I was around all day everyday, reuniting with my family, remembering events of the race randomly sometimes with a laugh or a twinge of sadness, resting up and seeking God. So, I would love to recap the race with you. This trip was such a gift. Thank you once again for supporting me and for following me during this 11-month adventure. Adventure, that is the perfect word. I think of the race as something that causes you to swing from one emotional end to another, going from excited to sad, tired to energized, frustrated to peaceful, laughing to crying. This trip changed me and impacted my life in so many ways. To go to 11 different nations and see what life is like outside of my world, what an honor. Seeing beautiful sites that made you gasp, what a blessing. Partnering with what God is doing in each of these places, being called to a place of moving as His heart moves, what a surrender. Witnessing and wondering how to confront the many injustices you see, what a heartbreak. Living in community 24/7, what a beautiful challenge. I’m better because of it. Discovering God in new ways of worship, prophecy, intercession and most of all just Him and HIS LOVE, what an encounter. He truly is LOVE. This trip poured that into my heart more. The hardest part (besides some living conditions and being sick!) was allowing Him to be fully in charge of my heart in order to see who He is, who I am, and what He wanted to do in all moments. It meant surrender, peace, joy, heartbreak, compassion, righteous anger, forgiveness, love, mercy, grace, etc. From living in community and what that did in me to how His heart feels about the orphans clinging to me. I believe He took me on this adventure for those present moments of ministering, to be Him for those we encountered, to show Himself to me in new ways, and also to mold me into a greater warrior for His kingdom. Newer eyes, deeper heart. The adventure with Him doesn’t stop here.When asked what was my favorite country, I often respond, what do you mean by favorite?! Which ministry did I like the most and which country would I return to? Every country holds a special place in my heart whether it be because of what God revealed to me that month, the ministry or the beauty of that particular country. I loved the beauty of Romania and the simplicity of relationship building that month. I also loved Prague, a gorgeous city and where revelations of worshipping God truly impacted me. The
ministry that stole my heart the most occurred in Cambodia. The orphanage was one of my favorite ministries we did in the 11 months. I will never forget those children, who had been through more than I can imagine, yet they loved. They opened their hearts to us day after day. This ministry challenged me. I knew orphans existed, but this was real, in my face, as I fell in love with them, my heart broke. To find God in the midst was difficult, it caused me to search His heart, to ask Him why and then to know his heart breaks even more than mine. Our mission was simple that month: LOVE them. I was recently telling my six year old niece about one of the boys, Peap. He’s just like her, a child that likes to play, love and be loved. She remembers his name. I’ll never forget the honor of interviewing a 90 year old man, who survived the Killing Fields.Thailand will always hold a special place in my heart, seeing women in bars selling themselves because that’s the only source of income they can find, broke my heart. Once you looked beyond the surface of their partying personas, their eventual honesty revealed unhappiness and hopelessness. THAT MONTH WAS HARD, BUT WORTH IT to encounter these women and become their friends, not wanting anything from them.
In Guatemala, we built a house for a family. This house was nothing compared to what I know as a house, yet they were so excited. Our contact was a radical, former drug dealer and addict, set free by God, and because of his freedom he stopped at nothing to bring it to others and to show God’s love. In Nicaragua, we lived in a village, where just hanging out at our compound provided hope for the kids and teenagers. They could find love there.
In Nigeria, we met and loved on Cornelius, who was beat down from everyone trying to forcefully cast a demon out of him. HE JUST NEEDED FRIENDS, people that weren’t there to force religion upon him, but, to have mercy, compassion and understanding. People that weren’t trying to fix him, but KNOW him.
In Romania, my heart broke for the Hungarians, who some are still angry because of their loss of rights once held as a large empire. There I met Monica and discovered more about the IMPORTANCE OF THE ONE than the numbers we sometimes think we should be after. In Prague, I was able to enjoy a beautiful city. Here I was taken deeper into worship with God, saw how the Spirit could move you to dance, wave flags or sing your own song from you heart, as a form of intercession.
In Moldova, I heard our contact say how he was given the free chance to come to America, but CHOSE TO STAY IN THE POOREST COUNTRY in Eastern Europe because his heart feels called to minister to his people. I’ll remember living in a run down hostel where our actions were eyed curiously by the young adults and teenagers. And where we were able to become friends with some of the tenants and be an example of God’s love and fulfillment as we interacted with them and amongst ourselves. 
In the Ukraine, I’ll remember a host family I stayed with for a week who welcomed me and taught me more about being a servant by continuously blessing and serving me. Here I attended an eye glass clinic where we treated people who have lived with poor eye sight just because no options exist to help them.
There are so many more highlights that I could mention. One thing I realize is that there is so much going on in the world that I know little about. I’m grateful for the opportunity to have seen some of it, to see God’s love for people from all walks of life, to encounter different cultures and to be able to release His love in nations and people’s lives.
