I have realized that I am asked the same 10ish questions a lot, and I thought, why not put them into one place?! I hope this helps fill in some blanks for those of you wondering about the race and how I’m feeling about it all 🙂
Where are you going?
I will be going to 11 countries over the next 11 months, spending roughly 1 month in each country.
January – Indonesia
February – Malaysia
March – Thailand
April – Myanmar
May – Nepal
June – India
July – South Africa
August – Swaziland
September – Lesotho
October – Zimbabwe
November – Zambia
December – home <3
We are not told specifically where we will be in each country, but we will be placed in both city and rural settings for ministry. At the end of each month, we have what is called debrief, which gives us a chance to reunite with our squad, rest, worship, share stories, and celebrate the month we had. There are also days built in for adventure and traveling from one country to the next. This will be a mixture of flights, buses, and trains.
When will you be home?
I will be home at the end of November/beginning of December of 2020!
What will you be doing?
There will be no limits to ministry on the race. In some countries, we partner with already established ministries, while in other places, we will simply do as we are called. There is opportunity for children’s ministry, women’s ministry, prison ministry, prayer ministry, teaching english, labor, planting churches, and lots more. Most importantly, we will be loving the people right in front of us and sharing about the God who forgives and keeps His promises. I will be keeping my blog updated with what I’m up to!
What made you want to go?
I talked about this in my first blog, which you should go check out if you haven’t already! But also, the reasons I applied are different from the reasons I am still wanting to go. Since applying, God has made more room in my heart for Him and for furthering His kingdom here on earth, which I pray continues my whole life. The vastness of our God is so overwhelming and so beyond anything we can comprehend, but it’s something I long for. I believe that God delights in us finding Him in both ourselves and in the people around us. My decision to do the race has been threatened over and over by the enemy, but it has been relentlessly defended by God. This battle is already won and I hold tight to that daily.
How are you paying for it?
The total cost for the race is $19,200. Big big number. This doesn’t include vaccinations, gear, travel before launch, etc. I have grown to be okay with working lots of early mornings and late nights each week in order to save money, knowing that it will be so so worth it. Work usually doesn’t feel like too much, because I have two jobs that I love a lot. I am so lucky to work with an incredible group of people who laugh a lot, build each other up, and check up on one another. It’s a huge huge blessing. As you all probably know, I’ve been fundraising as well. This has also been a blessing, seeing how deeply people here at home believe in missions and want to be a part of them too. I am so thankful and so in awe of everyone who has invested in this with me so far. There’s quite a ways to go before I am fully funded, but I have spent the past year really learning how to leave things in God’s hands through expectant prayer and a whole lot of trust.
Do you know anyone that’s going?
Before October, I had not met anyone that’s going! The people in my squad are from all over the United States, as well as a few from other countries. I met everyone for the first time at Training Camp in Georgia, which was so surreal. We had spent months and months in a group chat, so to finally build real relationships with them was so sweet. I spent a lot of training camp thinking about how close we will all be one year from now. We were all so intentional with one another, sharing testimonies and realizing over and over how far from alone we are. The friendships were instant, and He is going to use us for so much good.
What will you do when you get home?
I have a lot of options for when I get home, which I’m sure will multiply over the next year. School/no school, Iowa/not Iowa, etc. As of right now, I’m trying really hard to not think about it. It’s so far away and I really value being present while on the race, rather than stressing about what comes next.
What are you packing?
I will be living out of two backpacks! This mainly includes my clothes, shoes, my sleep system, my camera, and a tent. I basically already wear the same 7 outfits over and over again, so deciding what clothes to pack has actually been the easiest part for me. I’m looking forward to living minimally and loosening my grip on material things!!
Can we send you letters?
Unfortunately no, due to our frequent change in location and how long it would take to send/receive anything overseas. I will still have my phone, but I will only be able to communicate when I have access to wifi. This will be pretty limited at times, but other times will be very accessible. I’ve never been a lover of phone calls or Facetime, but I will learn to get over that very quickly, as it will be the closest thing to being face to face. 🙂
Are you scared?
No!! I think this is 10% me being naive and 90% God being God. He has done some extensive work in this heart of mine, thank goodness. There will no doubt be hard things to see and feel over the next year, but there’s no room for fear with all of the other emotions I have about the race. A whole bunch of excitement, wonder, and gratefulness. Also some sadness. This one is new as I get closer to launch. I am unable to wrap my head around not seeing the people I love for 11 months. I really don’t know how to prepare for that. For now, I am learning to be more present than ever.
The next 4 and a half weeks are going to come and go, and so will the 11 months after. It’s all so big, yet so small, and all I can hope for is to trust and know that it is all created by Him for us, because He loves us that much <3
Isaiah 55!!!!
2 Corinthians 6!!!!
Romans 8!!!!
