what has been your favorite thing about each country?
Ecuador: our hosts!!! Wow Mabe and Fabi my Ecuadorian parents who cared for us so well, poured into us constantly, and became family to me. I can’t say enough about these amazing people and how thankful I am that we got to start the race with them and just my complete gratefulness for all the times we shared together from working on their new house to getting ice cream pops!
Peru well the food in Peru was the best!!! Soooo yum! But also the people we met through ministry were the most amazing. My team and I got very close to all the people in Peru even though we were only there for a month. I still miss these people and the way they welcomed us and took care of us. Truly truly thankful for our memories with everyone! From our cook cella, our night guard Julio, our best friend Beckham, the Lujan’s, and all the people who made my time there the most incredible!
Guat- how much the staff here pours into us and disciples us. Through deep dive ( an in depth study of scripture that allows us to discuss and learn together), activation, and worship and a word. Also outside of those times there is always more intentional discipling going on.
what is the biggest thing you’ve learned on the race?
This is a hard question and I honestly don’t think I have an answer because I am constantly learning new things and building upon things I’ve already learned. This whole journey is just waking up every day to see what the Lord has for me to learn that day. And so I don’t have a specific answer for this yet within that I’ve learned to expect God to move and teach you things everyday because he will never run out of things to teach me, even when I think I’ve learned something 100 times already he still has more for me within that.
what’s the funniest moment you’ve had on the race?
This is honestly one of the hardest questions because honestly everything is so funny always. And in stories it never accurately depicts a moment but I think one thing that was freakin funny was in Peru Madison and I were talking to our night guard Julio (who doesn’t speak any English) and he was asking us if we got medicine and vaccinations before we left home. And Madison reply’s “si tenemos vajinas”. Which if you know Spanish you know this is not what she meant to say! She meant to say vacunas (the word for vaccines) but what she really said is “yes we have vaginas”. IT WAS SO FUNNY! Also had to add something that just happened after I typed this. We were teaching English and one of the girls was staring at me and she points to the mole on my collar bone and says “¿que Es esto?” And rubbing at it exclaims “¡Es chocolate!”. It was real funny.
is it easy to make relationships with people you’re only going to spend a little bit of time with? by that i mean the people who live in the villages/countries you go to?
It’s easy to make relationships and I’ve found the people in the countries we’ve been so far are so quick to invite you into their lives and it’s so easy to love them. And as i engage and grow in relationships I am never thinking of the time left or leaving but just about loving them in that day and that moment. So making the relationships isn’t hard but leaving and saying goodbye, for lack of better words, really sucks.
what’s the food been like in all the countries you’ve gone to so far?
Ecuador- a lot of soup and a lot of cilantro. AND YUMMY EMPANADAS!
Peru- A LOT of food for starters. Also a lot of meat and yummy yummy rice!
Guat- lots and lots of tortillas at nearly every meal. They eat anything and everything on tortillas here and making them is so fun! One time on a house visit they made us tortillas and had us put salt and barbecue corn chips on them. I thought it was kind of weird at first but it was actually really good. Also I really love traditional Guatemalan breakfast: refried black beans, sour cream, scrambled eggs, and fried plantains. YUM! (When it’s been a while since we’ve had it my team literally, seriously, actually spends time in prayer over this issue)
what’s your favorite memory in each country?
I cant pick favorite memories because I just can’t and that’s just so much pressure but I’ll give a highlight from each.
Ecuador: there was a day doing ministry at Mabe and Fabis house where Madison, Allyson, and I were cleaning rugs outside. And we just had them in the driveway and we would hose them down put some soap on and use brooms to just scrub away. It was the most fun. Dancing and scrubbing and laughing and playing in the water. It was just a day filled with joy!
Peru: all of Peru felt like a dream so this is really really hard. But I remember on either our first or second day my team walked down to the beach at golden hour and we went in the water and swam and just had so much fun as the sun was setting and we were just at the beginning looking forward to the next month being just our team and knowing God had a lot in store for us! Everything just felt so perfect even though there is no specific thing that made it so special, it was.
Guatemala: well not done here yet but a highlight from being here so far…. After having VBS with the kids in the village we were all still just hanging out with them and playing. And I was playing soccer with a bunch of the boys and they love to make fun of me so they all told me I couldn’t be on their team and they were just being so silly and I just love these kids so much!
how are you feeling now that the race is half over compared to how you felt at the beginning?
I feel so aware of the importance of choosing in every single day and every single moment, because even though each day feels soo long, at the same time months fly by and before you know it you are halfway done with the race.
How has your relationship changed with the Lord from when you started until now?
The biggest change in my relationship with the Lord is just such increased intimacy and learning what that actually means and looks like and the way it fills you up and spills out into every aspect of your life. And through this intimacy just trusting him more and knowing my dreams and desires are safe in his hands.
Have you learned how to play the harmonica yet?
So I now have the instructions of how to play piano man… now I just actually have to do it…. but I will master it before going home!
Scariest moment?
Well when my team accidentally caused a gas oven explosion. Literally this was such a terrifying night, my team still flinches when people light the stove. But HUGE thanks Lord that nobody got too hurt!
What’s a new thing you’ve learned about God?
I don’t think I’ve learned anything new new I think it’s mostly been a lot of relearning and building on top of things I’ve already known about God. Like I continue to learn daily that God really does give us the best gifts, gifts even better than my earthly father would give me (still love those too @Dad).
Pointing: finger or lips?
Lips, always lips! Especially when playing eye spy!
Do you like rice?
Yes yes yes especially the rice in Peru! YUM!
How do you hope to grow the rest of the race?
I’m hoping and praying to continue to grow in confidence of what I say and a boldness where I don’t try to cover up the hard or deep things I say with jokes.
What’s been the “biggest” thing you feel you’ve stepped into with the Lord so far?
Saying the hard or scary things. Whether through feedback, or giving someone a word of encouragement. I used to avoid these situations so hardcore but the Lord has walked me through the importance of saying these things and the GIFT that it really is!
Favorite and least favorite part?
Least favorite: the end of a country and having to say goodbye to people who mean SOOOO MUCH TO ME!
Favorite: the people I get to meet, know, and love! It is such a blessing to know these people, their stories, and get to love them despite language barriers and cultural differences!
What’s one thing you never thought you’d encounter that you did?
A missed flight and unexpected stay in Colombia at a squad mates distant relatives house where they treated all 30 something of us like royalty!
What’s been your favorite ministry?
I don’t know if it’s my favorite because I can’t pick a favorite but I really really loved in Peru when we got to do dance evangelism and I got to share my testimony on the boardwalk. It was so fun, out of my comfort zone, but still sooo fun. And it was with high school aged kids which is my fav! They are so fun!
What’s your favorite country?
PERU! Has my heart forever.
What do you miss the most about home?
Privacy and comfort. Living in community is amazing but also it’s really hard and sometimes you just want some privacy. And there just a certain comfort of home and familiar things that I find myself missing too.
Least fav food there?
Cilantro and papaya. No bueno!
Do you still miss me, the Bean?
Hmmm let me think….. OF COURSE I MISS MY BEANIE BABY!
What’s been one difficult thing you’ve had to overcome during this experience?
It’s been hard when ministry has been a lot of “seed planting” but not getting to see any “fruit”. There was a point where I was so discouraged by this that I just couldn’t even understand why God called me to the race. But he showed me how I don’t need to see the results of my labor and I’m not entitled to it but I just get to follow where he leads and trust he really is using me and the things I’m doing.
Best food so far?
All the food in PERU!!!! Thanks Ciela
What’s the bathroom situation?
Prettty normal only thing is we don’t flush toilet paper we throw it away and most public places it’s BYOR (bring your own roll)
Have you picked up any fun Spanish lingo?
Yes my Spanish has improved a ton (still can’t roll my R’s) but I also have learned some fun terms in Chapín one of my favs is: a la gran puchica (essentially oh my gosh).
What’s been your favorite part of your journey so far?
Learning so much all the time and meeting so many amazing people!
Did you win the race?
TBD… not over yet but I’ll keep you updated.
What’s one thing you’ve done that you never thought you would ever do (Other than WRGY)?
Dancing evangelism…. In Peru we “learned” choreography to perform big dance routines with the church’s youth group on the boardwalk. And I never thought I would be apart of anything like it. It was so much fun and super out of my comfort zone but I loved it. (Even though I know I looked like a fool lol)
What’s the grossest thing you had to eat?
Okay maybe not what you meant but at training camp (still WR related) the freaking 100 year old fermented egg or whatever is still the grossest thing I’ve EVER eaten in my whole life.
How much do you miss your grandfather?
So so so very very much! ??
Biggest worry going into the race?
Honestly fundraising and how I was ever going to be able to raise $15,800. But God provides and through it I learned so much about trust and patience!
What are you looking forward to for the rest of your time in Guate?
Continuing to be disciples by the staff, and a couple cool events my team is planning for people from our village! Like beauty for ashes and a field day!
What’s your favorite food that you’ve tried on the race?
Another hard one but a lot of food we’ve had here I’ve tried before but it’s just so much better here but one thing I’ve never tried before or even heard of is Shukos and I love them!!!
