As I began my World Race journey, I had no idea what to expect. I somehow survived training camp, I took all the notes, I read all the blogs, I bought all of the supplies, I asked all of the questions, yet nothing could have prepared me for this.
Knowing what I know now, I have come up with a few pro tips I would tell my pre World Race self:
Schy, travel days are going to be long and brutal!
There will be times when you are traveling for 26 hours on a bus and have no access to a restroom. It will be 3am in the morning and the boarder won’t open until 6am. Mother Nature may just decide to bless you with her gift at the most convenient time, said no woman EVER. In moments like this, grab your girls, find the nearest semi truck, get your squat on and remember to laugh through it all.
Schy, parasites are a very real thing and they have no mercy!
You can get them through water, dogs, food, walking, talking, blinking and breathing. If you have a huge rash that looks like you were attacked by an army of fire ants, you’ve been chosen, go to the doctor. If you have abnormal stomach cramps and find yourself setting up your tent and sleeping in the restroom for the week, you’ve been chosen, go to the doctor. If you have the chills and it’s 200 degrees outside, you’ve been chosen, go to the doctor. If you feel like throwing up, it’s most likely not the 5th peanut butter sandwich you’ve had that day, you’ve been chosen, go to the doctor.
Schy, say goodbye to all comfort!
A few things that you will learn along the way:
You will go to bed sweating. You will pray to God that He will give you the strength to make it through the night without being devoured by the excessive amount of critters that like to cuddle up next to you. You will wake up sweating. You will lose your breath as you take ice-cold military showers. You will get out of the shower sweating. You will feel like you never have a moment to yourself. You will need to find a secret place where you can have a moment with just you and the Father. You will have a peanut butter sandwich for breakfast, for a snack, for lunch, for another snack, for dinner, and a late night snack. The sniff test is a real thing and you will learn to embrace it while on your race. If it smells like you can go one more day wearing it, you’ll do it. You will mix and match clothes with all sorts of patterns and colors and learn to not care what others think. You will become comfortable in your own skin and not have to hide behind a face full of makeup. You will find validation in the Father, rather than man. You will learn more about the Father’s love and He will teach you to love others as He does. You will be challenged through ministry in ways that you’ve never experienced before. You may not feel equipped, but you will give it your best. Your days will feel long and your weeks will fly by. You will miss home greatly and will have to constantly remind yourself to be present where you are. You will have really high, highs and really low, lows. You will learn to grow more dependent upon the Father. You will grow to become comfortable in one place and then have to leave it all behind and travel to another and start all over. You will be faced with many challenges that force you to ask yourself, “Do I really have what it takes to make it through this year?” And the truth is, you don’t. But, remember that you serve a God who is much bigger than any challenge you come face to face with. Remind yourself of this. “Seek for comfort in the Lord. Don’t look at each day based on all of your hardships, but choose to embrace the pushing and pressing. For it is in the pushing and pressing you will find more of God and of yourself.
Belize was filled with many sleepless nights, a lot of frustration and learning how to adapt. Through it all, God taught me that no matter what my circumstances look like on the outside, to rejoice in all things, for He is always good. He taught me that His strength would be my only sustaining factor. On nights when I was overwhelmed with fear, I called upon His name and His peace came rushing in. Moments when I was overtaken with frustration, I called upon His name and His love shined down on me. I think learning to adapt has been my biggest struggle. I am being immersed in unfamiliar countries, with unfamiliar people, doing unfamiliar ministry. But, I called upon the Lord and He whispered to me, “Above all else, love and serve my people whole-heartedly. Don’t get caught up with what you see, but set your gaze upon me. Choose to see the beauty in all things and trust me with the things you can’t yet see.”
WE MADE IT TO HONDURAS!
This month, we are partnering with a ministry called Hope at Hand. There, we will be building relationships with disabled adults through meeting their physical needs. We will be teaching bible classes at local schools, building relationships with the kids at a local orphanages, building a road for the community, etc. Please continue to keep P squad in your daily prayers.
– Schy
