If you have known me from childhood, you’re probably aware that, when I was little, the smell of peanut butter made me gag. (You can bet that my older brother took full advantage of that fact.) So going into the World Race, I knew I’d be facing growth in the gastronomical area, as the thought of peanut butter still makes me cringe somewhat. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches have become a food staple for us (on one Euro each per person per meal, it’s a bit hard to find more than that, although our team food shoppers found 16 “Economy” burgers for two Euro today!). Peanut butter is pretty filling, though, and not as bad as I always made it out to be. And no, we weren’t sure what was in the “economy” burger, either!
We leave for Romania on Tuesday, at about 6 am here (so, 1 am for the Michiganders reading). I’m sad to leave here! Somewhere in my mind, I recognized the fact that we would leave each country after our month was finished, but I didn’t factor in growing close with people and contacts, loving having all 43 of us together in one campsite or how comfortable situations become and how much I can dislike change. So Tuesday looms and I am both excited for embark on the next leg of the Race and melancholy about leaving Ireland (the people, but not really the weather).
What else have I learned on the World Race so far? That I can wear the same shirt three days in a row. That showers every day, or even every other day, aren’t really necessary. That scarves make it look like you care about your appearance and cleanliness, when really what they do is hide greasy hair. That the vegetable bags in grocery stores make good bags to carry food in, because those aren’t free in Ireland. Chacos match anything. Most REI tents can handle intense wind, though a few have fallen to the fury that is the Irish wind coming off of the Atlantic. That community means being vulnerable and open and sharing yourself, and while that’s difficult, the rewards far outweigh the seeming cost associated with doing so. That it takes 19 people about 4 hours to put stickers into the front of 10,000 books.
The church we are working with, Discovery Church, is doing a “book drop” soon. So, on the front of the 10,000 Max Lucado books, we put a sticker that told a bit about Discovery Church and invited the recipient of the book to come to the church and to read the book. (I also have to add that we watched Beauty and the Beast while we worked, and we have some TALENTED people on the team, able to sing “Be Our Guest” word by word.) I will put up some pictures of the piles of books and sticker backings that surrounded us on the floor, but we finished and had fun doing so.
I love how Discovery Church really works to get out into the community, to reach out to people who need to learn of a loving, redeeming God. Our God is a God who transforms, restores and redeems and I pray that every person and family who receives the book has a transformative encounter with God and comes to know Him as their Lord and Savior.
Tomorrow we head to the Cliffs of Moher to enjoy God’s beautiful creation. Take some time today to smell the proverbial roses, to notice the little whispers of love that God has placed in your path. All of creation screams His glory, so I hope you take time to listen for it today.
“Sing for joy, O heavens, for the Lord has done this;
shout aloud, O earth beneath.
Burst into song, you mountains,
you forests and all your trees,
for the Lord has redeemed Jacob…”
And also check out this video that Ken Virzi made of our time here so far. He’s working with Abundant Life church in Galway; read his blog to find out more!
