Team Sinha, carrying both gentleness and boldness, has finished month one of the World Race! We have spent lots of time reflecting on a month that we surely won’t forget and we’d like to share some of our thoughts with you. 🙂
Paige
It was really cool to continually learn more about simplicity in all aspects. We got dropped off at a community center…not your typical community center. It had two small rooms that are smaller than my bedroom is and the rest was outdoors. We were told that 13 girls would be sleeping in those two rooms. Lots of us ended up in tents outside. We didn’t have a nearby grocery store and if we did it didn’t matter really because we didn’t have a fridge. We had a fruit stand close which mostly consisted of breakfast along with instant coffee and dinner was usually some sort of rice or ramen that we’d buy from our little convenient store or little food stands. Sometimes we’d end up at the convenient store just to feel a moment of a/c. I learned that literally all I need is a faucet to wash my clothes/shower in and a tent with a sleeping pad to sleep. The people in the community were so kind and we learned more of how to live simply in community with one another. And we learned more about the simplicity of the gospel. The language barrier was strong with most people, which meant sharing Jesus couldn’t be complicated because they wouldn’t understand. The gospel is really so simple and it was sweet to remember the importance of what matters and how little we have to say about Jesus and also how our actions play a huge role. So thanks God for simplicity and reminding me that literally all I need in life is You because everything else is fleeting and You are the only things that’s eternal.
Isabel
Having completed month one of the Race, I feel as though I am in a state of being renewed not only in my spirit, but also in my mind. For example, last month was a huge wake up call to the spirit realm. I didn’t think much of spiritual warfare as an actual battle or something to be constantly aware of until then. It was a pretty significant phenomenon throughout the month that it brought to life parts of the Bible that I didn’t pay much attention to before. Last month held the first time I saw a little girl have a dark spirit in her, the first time I locked eyes with an elder and felt my spirit fighting against his in a temple, and the first time I saw people revolve a lot of their lives around the attempt to maintain peace with spirits that will never bring peace. By seeing all of this happening around me, it illuminated how blessed and free I truly am to be following Jesus. It’s a beautiful choice I get to make every day!
Samantha
Sweet Bali! I don’t think I would have wanted to start the race off anywhere else. I showed up asking myself “what the heck have I gotten myself into?” & left feeling full, grateful, & so blown away by the kindness & love that these people have. It was hard to complain about the heat & hard living conditions when we were surrounded by a village of people so willing to do anything & everything for you. I will forever remember & hold tight the ways that God met me & grew me in this country. I am sad that time went so fast, but also so excited for what these next months have. Penang, Malaysia is already pulling on my heart strings a little bit, soooo stay tuned people.
Rachel
Our first month on the race was spent living in a small Hindu village on the island of Bali, Indonesia. The people in this village lovingly welcomed us into their hearts and homes and treated us like family. God taught me so much this first month. I realized where/what I had been putting my faith/hope in other than Him. I learned how blessed and privileged we are to live in a place with the freedom that we have. There is such a need for Jesus in Bali. The island, especially the area we lived in, is such a spiritual place. And not all in a good way. There is such cultural/religious bondage here and people are just searching for something more. Please continue to pray for Bali and these people. Pray that the seeds that were planted will take root. And that God will continue to use the people in that village and on that island that know Him to bring his Kingdom to the people of Bali.
Megan
In month one, I learned to suddenly, yet peacefully, let go of home. I spent a lot of it wondering who I was without the people and places that I had grown to be so comfortable in. I eventually realized that what was left was my most vulnerable self, which led me to give my full attention to God. I’m sure He had waited a long time for that. He is really really really patient. I think about all the times I get caught up in thinking about who I think I am, not who He says I am. My hesitancy to step into what He has for me doesn’t in any way affect the victories that are waiting for me. He sees me now and He sees me years from now, and He promises that it is good. I realized month one that I’m in really good hands and that I’m not meant to do any of it alone (thank goodness).
Fifina
To sum it up, Bali was a place I’ll never forget. It was unique and so much worth skipping the touristy parts on most days to get acclimated to the village life and draw closer to the locals. Every aspect of our experience served its purpose I think. No a/c brought out the best in us…our grateful humble selves that learned how to long suffer for the Lord. The creatures (big and small) and the creepy crawlers taught us that we can be brave and overcome butterfly, lizard, and spider phobias. The rice and ramen taught me that I need to fast more…but most important is the fact that the people taught us that good community is everything. The Balinese people did not know Jesus, but many were open to getting to know who He was. The crazy thing though is that the way they did community was like the way the early church did it in the book of Acts. They pretty much had all things in common and did not regard their possessions so much as their own. They shared and took care of one another. I just simply can’t wait for the day that Jesus is fully revealed there and they burn all the idols and accept the purest and truest love ever to exist…the love of Jesus. It will happen. I’m confident that even now the name of Jesus is being named among the children we taught songs to, and taught stories about their Creator and the One who loves them. As a sign of redemption, there’s a beautiful garden full of the most vibrant, rainbow colors right there in Bali that speak of God’s covenant to the Balinese and as a symbol of hope and abundant life. There once was a revival that happened in Bali where God poured out His spirit like on the day of Pentecost. May those old wells be re-dug in Jesus name.
Morgan
Indonesia was hot and hard and different than anything I could have ever expected.. but as we left in our Grabs on that last day, I cried. I mourned leaving my first home on the Race. I mourned leaving the kids we had connected with, sang songs with, loved on and received love from. I mourned a part of myself that had allowed time to pass without seeking out moments to share the name of Jesus with people and being bold in those moments. Overall, I mourned Indonesia and will miss those weeks spent there as I most likely will at the end of every country we visit. These people are hungry for Jesus. They want Him even if they don’t know they want Him. It’s in their DNA, it’s in our DNA.
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