It’s been a rollercoaster thats lasted 9 months. I’m not even exactly sure how I can put what I experienced into words and I know this post won’t even come close but I only have a week left on the field so here it goes!
What I wanted from the world race in the very beginning was to experience different cultures, become closer to God, and possibly come out with answers for the future.
What I got is a different story. I didn’t just experience different cultures. And I certainly did not just teach people in other countries about God. I received so much more that I ever could give. Entering a different culture was kinda like seeing a different part of God’s face and character and as I traveled the world that’s how I fell more in love with God and learned more about him. The people of Swaziland taught me how to dance for pure joy and they gave me all the hugs I could ask for. God taught me what his voice sounded like and called me to step into my gifts in confidence! That meant worshipping in ways I didn’t even know was worship and teaching others how to do it to! I found out in Swaziland that I love to ignite a fire in others heart for God. I think one of my favorite memories from that place was the poopdeck worship nights. I know… what the heck is that?? Its us singing our voices out, laughing, dancing, and sitting and staring up at the incredible starry sky all on a concrete step covering.. well the poo. great stuff! But I met God there in a place of freedom I hadn’t had before. I think when I finally stopped caring what people were thinking of me when I was worshiping I truly began to worship God. And it was truly incredible!
Nepal is country I often complain about cause I struggled with sickness and missed out on a lot but I think I did exactly what God wanted me to do and learned a whole lot in the process. Since I stayed in the city most of the time I didn’t see God in the beauty of the country but the people. One of my favorite memories was my first day in Katmandu Nepal and I had met an Egyptian lady who was the sweetest. I commented on how beautiful her necklace was and she said “here, have it” and placed it in my hands. That small act reminded me to not hold onto to anything I have but to have open hands to anyone who comes my way! Nepal was also a place that broke me. I was physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually strained and drained! In America I would have shut myself in my room and watched T.V. but no can do in a 3rd world country with 50 teammates so I did the only thing I could think of and cried out to God on my knees. Sometimes for the change we want in ourselves to happen we have to be brought to a place of brokenness and scarcity and that’s sometimes really hard when we’re surrounded by comfort on all sides.
India was my favorite country I think. It’s a hard tie with Guatemala but I’ve found that I really prefer living in discomfort cause it keeps me relying on Jesus. The people of India have big hearts. Hearts that can hold a squad of 50 with room to spare. They taught me how to make people feel at home. I mean how often have you gone into a home and someone has instantly put a pot of tea on the stove and brought out cookies and stopped everything they’re doing to come sit with you for hours and talk. This is how the people of India loved us and not in one home or just a couple. Literally every home no matter if they were wealthy or dirt poor and didn’t even have food for themselves. It didn’t matter because they love to love. And wow I felt God’s love so deeply from these amazing people. You can imagine I left crying.
My heart is aching as I write this cause I’ve been saying goodbye to my best friends here Guatemala and I’ve already cried twice today so I’m sure you can imagine how in love I am with this country and its people. How do I begin? These people are family people and they want you to be a part of their family too. From teaching at school to house visits in the village there are always open doors and open hearts. You can stop by anyones house and say “hey, whats your name” and they’ll just let you inside their house for beans and Coca Cola. Thats their culture and their hearts. One of my favorite memories was going to one of our Guatemalan staffs house and we got to sleep over and make cinnamon rolls and watch Brooklyn 99 and go to Texan barbecue in Antigua. It was a night full of laughs! Being here in Guatemala has been comfortable but I’ve been pushed out of my comfort zone a lot to from leading worship as a new guitar player to leading a bible to sharing the gospel on a daily basis. It’s awesome, uncomfortable, and essential. It’s kinda cool how I started out in Swaziland learning how to hear the Lords voice to being in my last country and stepping into boldness as I hear it and respond.
There are so many more stories I could have shared but I guess we’ll just have to catch up with coffee or something. All I can say for now is that I’ll be home in one week but I’ll probably be a little different. I think I’ll be more truly myself. Probably a little less obsessed about what people think about me, maybe a little more in love with people, and I think a lot more in love with God. I also found out that I don’t need answers to my future and God probably won’t tell me cause how would that help me to trust him if I knew everything. Instead I’m satisfied with walking out every day trusting Him and I still don’t have answers about my future but I know that doesn’t mean that I don’t have a future. It just means “be patient” “you don’t need to know right now” “trust me” and “your where I need you to be right now so be present” So you could say God’s always got me hanging on the edge of my seat waiting for the next adventure and ya.. you’d be right. Cause a life following God is not gonna be anything less than spectacular. And you certainly won’t be expecting it.
