There is nothing more frustrating than hearing someone say, “it just sounds like you are on a vacation for 11 months.” Come on the World Race for a month, or even a week, and see how much of a “vacation” it is. I can assure you the World Race is not a vacation, and I’m only in Month 2!
Here are some comments World Racers get often:
“You seem to talk more about fun experiences versus ministry.”
“You seem to be having too much fun to be living as a missionary.”
“It looks like you are on vacation when you post photos of waterfalls, feeding elephants, and gorgeous beaches.”
Here’s my response to this:
There are 3 main aspects to the Race: ministry, life on the Race/living in community/cultural experiences, and adventure activities. While I know everyone back home wants to see the ministry photos, not all ministries can be photographed. Missions work isn’t about pictures. It is about love and hard work and spreading the gospel of Jesus. For the record: I am not on the World Race to gain more followers on Facebook or Instagram. If someone on my team or squad captures a true moment of love or work on their camera, that’s great! If they don’t, I’m okay with that too because I know I’m doing what I am called by Jesus to do.
That being said, this past weekend I had the opportunity to visit an Elephant Sanctuary. It was an awesome experience to be up close and personal with these gentle giants! We fed them sugar cane and bananas, made a vitamin mixture and then fed it to them, and then we gave them baths! They loved it, and we loved it. I got wetter than I was expecting because when we poured water over them, they would spray it back at us. It was amazing to see this part of God’s creation. We are all fearfully and wonderfully made, which includes us humans as well as all of creation.
See this link for photos of the elephants. I promise I was having fun in the water despite what my face shows!
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/spmzd9e1eiwjs8c/AACz_UTsOsRxo27qoe-QeKjDa?dl=0
*This link will expire on 12/18/2018.
In response to the comment that we are having too much fun, Jesus calls us to serve and he calls us to do it with joy. We are to “choose joy” in all situations. Besides, life is ministry and ministry is life. I’m learning that whatever my specific ministry assignment is, I must find the joy in it and find Jesus in the “dirty uncomfortable” moments. I’m sure there were times when Jesus had “human” feelings of wanting to sleep in, but He had a purpose and He was determined to fulfill it no matter what. We all have the same calling. Finding joy, fun, and humor in life’s ordinary moments, as well as in “ministry”.
Every week on the World Race, we make time for a Sabbath day and an adventure day if possible. Sometimes this is only 1 day a week, sometimes 2. These days are to explore what the country we are in has to offer and “rest” from specific ministry. Jesus rested from His labor on the 7th day, so we can too.
Racers don’t sign up for the Race in order to go on “vacation”. We work hard during the weeks, we miss our families, and we sacrifice the comforts of home to build the Kingdom of God. What we need the most is support from those closest to us back home, not judgment on what we are doing and why we are doing it.
The World Race is not a vacation. I am traveling around the world to so many great places and doing a lot of fun things, but it’s still not a vacation. I realized this during Month 1/Week 1 in the Philippines. I wanted to sleep in because I was tired from all of the travel to get to where we were and then remembered it was yet another ministry day and we had to be up and ready to go at 8am. I’m not sure how you vacation, but for me vacation means I sleep until my body wakes up naturally and everything is at a slower pace, no schedule of having to be anywhere at a certain time. While we do have some down time on the Race, it’s very rarely at a time when you want it or need it.
I remember at training camp, the director Bill Swan said the World Race is not a break or pause of life; it is a continuation. We don’t put everything back home on hold and come back like nothing happened with us or with our loved ones. We should be continuing to grow in our connections back home while focusing on where we are and investing in our lives here. We aren’t here for the adventure or just because. We are here to build God’s kingdom just like we are called to do at home. Fun and rest is not the purpose of the trip, but it is a necessity both at home and abroad.
In conclusion, thanks so much for letting me get all of this off my chest! I’ve wanted to write this blog post even before I left New York to begin the Race. It was a question I got a lot from my coworkers at the hospital before I left. They said things like, “you’re lucky you can vacation for a year,” and “remember us sitting at our desks when you’re sipping a drink on an island.” I gave them an earful on how much of a misconception those statements are. We are abroad to follow Jesus’ call and leave all comforts behind. The fundraised money goes towards ministry costs, transportation, lodging, food, and insurance. All the adventure day activities and things not-related to ministry, like buying toiletries or a new skirt or going to the Elephant Sanctuary, come from my own limited budget of personal money.
If you’d like to ask me questions or talk with me more about what I’ve said here, I’d love to hear from you!
Here’s how to contact me below, but please allow grace as I might not respond right away due to WiFi access and/or our schedule:
Email [email protected] and put World Race in the subject line.
iMessage me (iPhones/iPads) using that same email address.
On WhatsApp, use my number 1-914-557-0117.
Record a Marco Polo.
Direct message me @sharonruns on Instagram.
Again, I’m not sure how Wi-Fi will be month to month, so please allow time for me to respond. You can also post comments below that everyone will see and I will respond when I can!
As always, DONATE, Subscribe, and share the link (sharonmosley.theworldrace.org) with everyone you know!
In courageous faith and for His glory alone,
Sharon
