Missionary in disguise.
So, I wanted to tell you about someone who has been an answer to my prayers. Most of you that know me know that I have a sidekick. We are inseparable; we are like Thelma and Louise. Going on this race was hard to leave my family, but also learning to live life without my person was just as hard. Whitney and I have known each other since middle school and grew up playing soccer together. I vividly remember my mother saying to me that I should be friends with Whitney because she lived down the street but my response was immediate, “No, I don’t want to be friends with her.” High school was different and the Lord changed my heart (of course, I didn’t know that he was the one doing the changing at the time) and we became best friends. We went to different colleges and still remained best friends through the ups and downs that college brought upon but, lets be real, I was the one with the roller coaster college experience. It wasn’t until I became a Christian during my junior year in college did Whitney reveal to me that she had been writing my name on weekly prayer cards since we were freshman in college and praying that I would walk with the Lord one day and her prayers had finally come true! So it was pretty convincing that when Whitney found out about the World Race and she immediately knew it was designed for me and here I am, in Tanzania, month six of the World Race.
Since I was a child I always wanted a sister. I have a brother, whom I love (Hey Hans), but it was something about a sister that I always wanted. It was about two months ago that I realized that God answered my prayers beyond my imagination. (This is where I am going to brag about my best friend so beware). Since I left for the race Whitney has been such a light to my family. Before my mother passed, she would go and visit with her, play scrabble, or take her out for a while to shop at her favorite store, the goodwill, ha-ha! Whitney helped my father with the Internet and helped with all the doctor stuff with my mom. I vividly remember calling her and hearing her say that she was at my house with my dad writing a letter to a doctor to get him to help my mom. When my Mother passed, there Whitney was consoling me on the phone with my dad while I was in Thailand, saying we were going to get through this together. She was there helping with arrangements and talking with my extended family to see when they could come down, helping with hotels and flights, and picking up people from the airport.
Now, whenever I talk to my dad he never fails to mention he and Whitney’s lunch dates that happen every couple of days and I found out recently that she is even helping my brother with grad school applications and internships. I am in tears writing this because this is what I’ve always prayed for- a sister. I cannot explain the change I have seen in my dad and my brother; my brother contributed money to my World Race fund and my Dad told me he loved me for the first time (not that he didn’t love me, I’ve always known he does but it’s just something that is hard for me to even say, it’s something we just didn’t do. Notice I said didn’t). Things have changed!
God what are you doing with my family? The answer is He is using Whitney to be a light to them. She was raised by two wonderful parents, Woody and Ginger, whom I love dearly and whom introduced her to the Lord. Christ lives in Whitney and radiates through her and out to the people around her. That is why I call her a missionary in disguise. She is my sister, and always will be. She isn’t on some trip around the world, but she is living life the way God has called her to and I am beyond blessed that God called her to love on my family.
*Whitney I know you will read this and you will be embarrassed. Don’t be. I want everyone to know that Christ lives in you and that you are walking with Him everyday. I want you to know how grateful I am to have you in my life and how much you have impacted my family. I love you so much and I can’t wait to live life with you again where I don’t have to scream into my computer for you to hear me! I can’t wait to see you in five months! I love you so much!
Missionary in Disguise.I say so!
