Adventures WorldRace SethBarnes Sponsorship Giving

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 Although working as an American-based missionary is quite different than traveling the world as one, I still feel like I am constantly walking away from expectations formed for me, either from others or even myself. 
 
Others’ expectations depend a lot on me getting a “real” job, living a “real” life in the “real” world.
 
My expectations depend a lot on me living in a mud hut somewhere and housing a hundred orphans. As hard as it may be for most people to understand that, let me say it’s heartbreaking for me to have to look into the eyes of my expectations and walk away.
 
I feel like Peter Parker in Spider-man. In the first movie of the trilogy, Mary Jane finally confesses her love for Peter, who has desperately loved her all along. However, for her protection, for her greater good, he walks away. As he’s leaving, he recalls a quote from his Uncle Ben that resonated with me throughout my Race and that I think about every single day now. I even have it written on a sticky-note by my desk. He remembers…
 
With great power comes great responsibility.
 

So, even though leaving things like my career and education and comforts isn’t easy, it’s so much easier than walking away from being present where my hearts aches to be. 
 
Imagine how it is…
 

 
Africa: Shannon, please come back to me! You’ve seen my orphans that need you to hold them, you’ve seen my slums that have more needs than I can express, you’ve seen my dying that need you to pray with them. You’ve seen my sick that will be healed if you come, you’ve seen my lost that will be saved if you come. How can you not come? How can you turn away?

 

 

Asia: Don’t leave me! You’ve seen my desperation! You’ve seen my men and women forced in a cycle of prostitution! They will leave if you come and tell them there is another way! You’ve seen my children that choose to follow Jesus and experience abuse from their own families for that decision! If you encourage and teach them, they will stand strong under the oppression. Can you really leave me when you’ve seen and know what is happening with me?
 
 

 
 Europe: You’ve walked my cobblestone streets and seen Gypsies discarded to die because no one thinks they are worth it. How could you choose to stay in America when you see their rotting limbs and lifeless eyes? What about the masses of people, who look like you, but have no idea who the God is that you know? When you see them chasing death in every form, how can you let them? How can you live outside Atlanta in peace knowing that this is going on every moment?

 
 In those times, I can’t quip off a snazzy “Just-saving-the-world” line like so many handsome movie stars. I have to hang my head like Peter Parker and walk away from what I love most and what will fill my head with thoughts before bed each night, knowing that I am doing the responsible thing.
 
Because of what I do, my one set of hands will help mobilize over two hundred sets of hands that will hold the orphan, dry the widow’s tears, heal the sick and raise the dead.
 
Because of what I do, I will see change come to more countries than I could ever travel, in a hundred villages I’ve never seen, to thousands of people I’ll never meet.
 
Because of what I do, I will empower hundreds of missionaries to catch a vision for the world so desperately crying out for relief that she has lost her voice from screaming.
 
Because of what I do, I will be sending more than just me to Africa, to Asia, and Europe and so many other places.
 
But, like Peter Parker, I’ll be doing it in such a way that I’m faceless. My identity is hidden, and the world won’t know that when the bad guys get tied up, the children get rescued from burning buildings, and the day is saved that someone with a name and a life and a story enabled these things.
 

And Ireland, Romania, Bulgaria, Israel, Turkey, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Viet Nam, Cambodia, and Thailand will hardly guess it’s someone they know.
That it’s someone who loves them.
That it’s someone who would give anything to get rid of the mask that holds me back.

 
The power that I have enables me to mobilize more than just me. Because I sit at  my desk and answer phones and mobilize squads, most people don’t see the bigger picture. I’m dying to be the one mobilized, but I can’t give in to what I want during this season of my life. I have a greater responsibility to see that Africa’s needs are met, Asia’s slaves are freed, and that Europe’s lost are saved.
 
So even though it hurts more than I can say to not be the one writing this blog from a sketchy computer connection in some hole-of-the-wall, ramshackled internet cafe in 100 degree weather having just come off a day slam-full of evangelism, preaching, praying, and healing, I’m doing this from my office space so that 200 more can.
 
Because with great power comes great responsibility.
 
So long, Mary Jane. I know we’ll get together in the sequel, I just ‘gotta save the world like this until then.
 
***
Because I live completely off of the support of others, I need to raise about $2,800 before January 5th. Please don’t ever think your money could ever find a better use than this, because every gift you give goes towards facilitating a change in the world and the Gospel being preached all over the world.

 This Christmas, you can give the world the gift of Jesus by continuing to support me and my work for The World Race.