I think it’s easy to admit that the World Race is crazy. Fun, awesome, and challenging? Absolutely. But crazy, too.
If the World Race is crazy, Unsung Heroes is kind of a little bit certifiably insane.
Here are your instructions: Take this small portion of money that the six (or seven) of you and your teammates raised, use it to travel around a country (preferably where you only know how to say “hello” and “thank you” and cannot read anything) and meet with people who are proclaiming the gospel boldly. Ask them if you can crash at their place and if they can show you what kind of work they’re doing. Also, ask them if they’d like to potentially host a team like you in the coming years. You are in charge of finding your own lodging, transportation, food, ministries, and supplies. Just to add some fun, make sure you’re all female.
The day before our last day in Costa Rica, Sha’terika told us we’d be doing Unsung Heroeos in Thailand. Initially, I was terrified. I didn’t even know what to say. I had been asked at the beginning of month 2 on the Race to be the Unsung Heroes coordinator for my team, which basically meant that when it was our turn to do UH, I’d be in charge of leading the team to potential contacts. When I agreed to this position, I was PUMPED. I think, in my head, we were doing UH in South Africa where I already have a ton (relatively) of contacts and friends who I could meet up with and who I knew would graciously host us. Never in my dreams did I imagine we’d be doing Unsung Heroes in Thailand.
Here are the scenarios in which I imagined my team:
-stranded on the side of the road, unable to communicate with anyone
-fighting with each other because I had done a terrible job finding contacts
-being so obsessed with making plans that we forgot to put God first
-exhausted and completely without down time
-getting sick on street food (with our $5 per person, per day budget – this includes all three meals)
I realize this is not the first reaction a missionary should have and all that jazz. I’m just giving you the unedited edition, in case all you read is my facebook updates.
This reaction completely lacked trust and faith in the Creator of the universe, so I took some time to pray (and freak out) and pray some more. I relaxed a little after a long prayer session and talk-through-all-of-our-usually-unspoken-emotions time. But I was still uneasy. So I prayed. I prayed more than I usually pray. I begged God to guide us. I begged Him to give us strong voices to lead us. I begged him for encouragement from my team and from outside sources. I begged him for unity in and protection for our team. And I begged him to throw in an occasional surprise. And I prayed that we would put him above all else.
I just want to brag on Jesus for a second.
There are SO many ways he has (both quietly and lavishly) encouraged this heart of mine throughout December. I am just a girl. I’m pretty simple. I like the things most girls like: flowers, sunsets, candles, lanterns, pretty things, gifts, weddings, elephants, and children. I love my amazing family and friends. Here are a few of the ways the Creator of the Universe has shown his love RIDICULOUS for me:
1. On our way to Thailand from Costa Rica, we had to fly through the States. Specifically, we had to fly through Atlanta. Atlanta is about 3 hours from my house. When I told my parents, they agreed to meet me in the airport, knowing we’d only have about an hour to spend time with each other. It just so happened that 4 of my closest college friends were spending that weekend (Thanksgiving weekend) in Atlanta as well. I got to hug my sweet parents. I got hug my college roommate and honorary roommate, Allie. I got to hug my college suitemate, Leah, her husband, Zack (who actually live in North Dakota, but have family in GA), and FINALLY meet their sweet 6 month old, Ethan. I feared it would make me want to stay home and not continue the Race, but after praying with my friends and family, I was even more encouraged and strengthened in my decision to commit a year of my life to this crazy adventure with my Savior.
2. We started out our ministry in Bangkok. We didn’t have all that many contacts, and we resolved to stay for less than a week. We met with our first contacts (you can read about that three blogs back), Iven and Kashmira, who have been in Thailand for seven years. I don’t know how the Lord called them to Thailand, but I do know that they have seen very little tangible “fruit” for the amount of time they’ve been here. Our time with them made me realize how often my American evangelism brain is manufactured to see results immediately from sharing the gospel. It was extremely refreshing to meet people like Iven and Kashmira who had stuck it out, despite there being very little evidence of any “growth.” BONUS: Iven and Kashmira are the ones who tipped us off about Southern Thailand being much less “reached” than Northern Thailand. They also supplied us with several contacts, some of whom we were honored to spend a few days with.
3. We got to work with Thrive Rescue Home, which combines two of my passions: mistreated/discarded children and sex trafficking. We were able to do bar ministry, and I helped paint a prostitute’s nails. Pretty much the craziest way to do ministry. The next day, my teammate, Carly, had the idea that we play Christmas carols/worship songs at the end of the street that is most popular for trafficking/strip clubs/prostitution, just to let both the prostitutes and the men and women using their services know they were loved and cherished by God. I got to use my voice to worship God in one of the darkest places I’ve ever been. Thanks, Jesus!
4. On Christmas Eve, the day before we celebrate Jesus’ birth, we partnered with The House of the Lord Church in Khok Kloi. We did children’s ministry, sang worship songs and Christmas carols in a Buddhist temple because it was where there was the most space. I realize that may sound a little ominous, but it’s just another building to the King of Kings. It was crazy. Y’all, Jesus is crazy.
5. My team had planned to go to Phuket for Christmas, but our contact needed 3 days of additional help for outreach, meaning we’d be gone during Christmas Eve and Christmas (instead of at the beach like we’d planned). All of my team readily agreed, hoping to be a blessing to our contact, Pastor Jum. Pastor Jum surprised us and took us to a beach close to our outreach location on Christmas Eve, and we got to see the most beautiful sunset EVER! BONUS: we also got to see people release floating lanterns into the night sky. It was a beautiful, beautiful day.
6. On Christmas day, we were given SO MANY gifts from the people we were working with. After outreach was over for the day, the woman who worked at the school where we were doing outreach, Margaret, handed each of us an envelope that said, “Merry Christmas!” When we opened them later, we found that she had given each of us 500 baht (around $16)!! This may not seem like a big deal, but trust me when I say 500 baht can go a LONG way. Later, on our bus ride to Phuket, I saw some sunflowers, my favorite flower, on the side of the road. It may seem small, but in that moment I was completely overcome with God’s love for me. I wasn’t just experiencing the corporate Christmas story in that moment. Jesus came for ME. He died for ME. He gave ME my favorite flower on HIS birthday (the day, consequently, he also gave me salvation). I couldn’t help but cry about how incredibly thoughtful he is.
Additional blessings that are equally wonderful, but cannot have their own bullet points (because I don’t want to make you read a novel when you came to read a blog):
-Elephant ride!
-Thai massage!
-Candlelit dinner (with flowers) from our friends Natalie and Gry!
-Two days of rest in Ranong!
-Holding puppies on Christmas Eve!
-Attending a wedding!
-Enough budget to have one nice, sit down meal with our team!
And on and on and on….
The two things I have derived (and that I’d like you to derive) from this are as follows:
1. If you decide to become a short-term missionary, chances are you will be showered with more affection, care, and gifts than you will give. You will be blessed more than you will bless. You will be loved more than you will love. It is very odd. You sign up for the Race thinking, “HECK YES! I can’t wait to love everyone I come into contact with and share the gospel and hold ALL the babies…” But the truth is this: People are gracious beyond your wildest imagination. They give nothing short of their finest to you. You give what you can, but you’re limited. God’s generosity will be poured out abundantly through the hands of His people, and sometimes you will not be those people. Instead, the people who you came to serve will be those people, even if they do not yet know God.
2. God hears EVERYTHING. Seriously not one of my prayers was unanswered. God gave EXPONENTIALLY more than I had imagined in my head. He listens INTENTLY when we speak to him because he desperately desires communication with us. Now, do not hear me say that he will always answer your prayers when you beg Him for something. There have been instances when that has not happened for me. He is not a wish-granting factory. But everything he gave us this month was for His glory and His glory alone. After I had this revelation, I was reminded of one of my favorite passages of scripture, Psalm 34:
I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad.
Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together!
I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.
This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack!
(verses 1-9)
This is the clearest picture I can give you of my month. I sought for the King and he heard me, and delivered me (and my team) from my fears. This poor (wo)man cried and the Lord heard me and saved me!
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the (wo)man who takes refuge in him!
So thankful for a month beyond my wildest hopes and dreams!
Thank you for partnering in prayer with me (and my team)!
Grace and peace,
Sarah
