Once upon a time there was a girl named Molly Fae. She was on this crazy adventure called The World Race. On this race she met many unique and special people. She worked along side of them, lived with them, learned from them, and truly loved them. Her escapades took her all over the world, into challenging situations, funny circumstances, and into some down right crazy shenanigans. Then it was over. The end.
I went home mid-race to recover from being sick with Dengue Fever, as I am sure you are aware. The hardest thing that I had to face being home was not recovering from illness, nor was it the travel, and believe it or not, it was not being away from my team (although that was incredibly hard). The hardest thing about being home was the amount of people who asked “How is the Race going?”
Correction: The hardest part was people asking “How is the Race going?” and only wanting a one sentence answer.
I’m just going to lay it out straight for you. There is no “Readers Digest Version” of my story from this past year of life. Experiences that define you as a person cannot be compressed down to throw away answers like “good” or “hard”. And I’m here to beg of you, don’t be one of those people.
The Race is almost over. We only have 3 more months, and as hard it is to stomach, we will be off the field before we know it. So first, I want to address my fellow racers:
I know these will all be stories someday. And our pictures will become old photographs. We’ll all become somebody’s mom or dad. But right now these moments are not stories. This is happening. -Perks of Being a Wallflower
Live it up. Soak in everything. This IS real life, and we are privileged enough to get to live this crazy journey. Take in all the experiences you can and learn from them. Grow. Grow more. Then, keep growing. Because let me tell you, it is so easy to revert to your habits and lifestyle from before the Race. Be aware of who you are and who you’ve become, because even though it is tough to face, the people at home will not have changed like you have. They have not seen what you have seen. And, odds are, they will not be able to understand your past experiences, no matter how detailed or vivid your stories are.
So, when the time comes to go home, it WILL be hard. You may cry and feel lonely. Heaven knows I did. The first Sunday I went back to church was so overwhelming that I broke down sobbing in-between Sunday School and the Church Service and almost went home. But have grace with those you are with. They just want to catch up with your life. However, it might be good to have a plan to safeguard yourself. Pre-formed answers to questions like the one I mentioned above. I know an Alumni Racer who sent a message to her church about her coming home, asking them to give her space the first Sunday, so she could have time with just her and Jesus, and that she would be available for questions and conversation the second Sunday she was home. A very reasonable request, if I may say so myself.
Take the time you need to process your previous year. Shut yourself off for a month journaling and debriefing with God. Do what is healthy for you. But don’t hesitate to reach out, because even though you are feeling lonely, you aren’t alone. Let your family in, tell them your struggles, 8 times out of 10, they want to help you. Connect with your squad. Who better than someone who lived and worked through the last year with you to understand your struggles? Come to terms with the fact that things are different, you have changed, and you will need to re-figure out a few things in your life. And that is okay. “Change is the only constant. Your ability to navigate and tolerate change and its painful uncomfortableness directly correlates to your happiness and general well-being.”
Now, I’m addressing the parents and loved ones:
No one wants to suffer. No one wants to be lonely. No one wants to live in fear. No one wants to lose everything. No one wants their heart ripped to shreds. No one wants to be sick. And, no one wants to die. But these things happen in life… So the least we can do is be there for others, as we would like others to be there for us. – Bryant McGill
Guys, I know I sound like a broken record, but this last year is so unexplainably good, and hard, and moving, and meaningful, and difficult, and worthwhile, and life-changing. We have seen and experienced things that have changed us from the people you knew when we left into the people we are now. Some may see more of a change than others, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. The family members that where able to come to Parent Vision Trip month 8 in Swaziland where able to see a minuscule splinter in our forest of experiences from these past months. And that is a special thing, you sort of get it. You saw the better conditions we’ve lived and worked in for a week or so. But for those who didn’t, and even those who did, I just have one piece of advice for you:
Offer grace, upon grace, upon grace, upon understanding, upon mercy upon grace, upon understanding, upon understanding, upon grace, upon mercy, upon grace, upon grace, upon grace…
And then offer more.
Each Racer has had a different looking race. Each person has been impacted by various things at various degrees. And each will have there own way of coping with it. If they need quiet, grant them quiet. If they need space, grant them space. If they need a listening ear, grant them a listening ear. If they go to someone else, don’t be offend, they will open up to you when they are ready. Love them well and fully by realizing and honoring their needs. And, I promise, they will be beyond thankful.
And don’t worry, we have an amazing opportunity for you to continue to understand and encourage their journey:
Owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing we’ll ever do.
-Brene Brown
We’re all stories in the end. Just make it a good one. -Doctor Who
Traveling- it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller. -Ibn Batutta
So I couldn’t choose just one quote, they are all good, short, and adequately illustrate the point I am about to make.
K squad (my group of 50 racers traveling together) has a really cool special opportunity to tell our story and the stories of those we meet. Adventures in Missions has partnered with a media company to make a documentary about The World Race, and back before training camp, K-squad was chosen to be the “doc squad”. Before launch we had an intensive week of “film school” that taught us how to use fancy high tech cinema cameras, how to give interviews, how to tell stories, how to use microphones and other equipment, and various other media skills. At the end of that week a “field producer” was appointed each team and given a huge bag filled with fancy filters, microphones, cables, a computer, a cinema camera, and a number of other goodies.
Over the course of our race we have been filming our journey, filming the stories of the people we meet, giving weekly video diaries, and have had the media company come out every month or so to get more footage and interviews. It is a cool experience, and I feel privileged to be a part of it. When I really sit down to think about it, it feels a little daunting… If this documentary is picked up by a television station then there is the possibility that weekly viewers will see my struggles, testimony, illnesses, and a number of not so spectacular personal moments (month 2 debrief, anyone?) But then again, the viewers will be able to see how a group of 20-30somthings are living a life for the Lord, helping people, creating meaningful relationships, and just living a good life. That could leave a huge impact, and that’s pretty dang cool.
We have lived a lot of life in just 8 months, and we still have 3 months to go. We will learn new things. We will grow in new ways. We will tell more stories. And we will continue to change. Going home will be difficult. We will need time. But after that, oh the stories we will have to tell, and hopefully, show! They may not be your average fairytales, who knows about the specifics of a “happily ever after”, but you can bet they’re gonna be good, God honoring, and every second will be a gift.
Love well,
Molly Fae