Travel Days: days that could be as short as 14 hours or as long as 65 hours; days that will not contain any regularity in sleeping or eating patterns; days where everything functions as a footrest and anywhere there isn’t dirt is a place to lay your head; days where you realize that your body has the ability to smell more from 48 hours of doing nothing than after walking the streets of hot Cambodia for five hours; days where paying to squat over a simple hole in the ground with no guarantee of toilet paper (on any continent) becomes normal; days where peanut butter is gold for all three meals; days where you are everyone’s favorite person if you possess hand sanitizer and/or toilet paper; days where you never forget to pack an extra set of clothes because you never know if today will be the day you crap your pants; and finally days where you swear that by the next travel day you’ll be down to just one pack.
In reality, most travel days are a blur. You will have at least one bus break down, you might even end up on the side of a highway laying on the road at 3:45 am to catch a small breeze as cars drive by in the lanes beside you. You will meet some of the strangest people, you might even meet a woman with a pet tarantula crawling across her shoulder as she attempts to sell you a pineapple. You will eat meat that could be from literally any animal, you might even like it too much, even though you know you’ll regret it for the next four days. You might poop your pants, but you know it will be ok because you have 45 family members who will join you in the laughter (even if it’s a little bit later) and provide you with extra baby wipes and clothes if you accidentally packed them in your big pack under the bus (*disclaimer: this is one unfortunate event I have not experienced personally, praise God!).
Sweet Thomas Adorable Caleb
Little Jim Jim Precious Cubao Street Boys
Travel days are also days that I have had some pretty sweet moments. I have had countless hours to reflect on the previous month’s experiences. Reflect on what God has done and is doing in my life and team. Reflect on the people I met who have forever changed my heart. I get to show off pictures of my cute babies – Thomas and Caleb or Jim Jim and the Cubao Boys – to my squad mates. I get to hear about all of the incredible ministry opportunities happening in countries where the government has forbidden the spread of organized religion. I get to cuddle with some of the coolest friends and plan all of the post race road trips.
I write this on our travel day into month 9 (!!!!). It’s our first train ride and we feel as if we are on our journey to Hogwarts. As glamorous as it might sound, 18 hours and stops every 30 minutes with air coming only from the windows beside us keeps us grounded. My feet lay across someone’s pack and my head rests on a blanket from an African airline. A water bottle is clipped onto the window handle to keep it from sliding closed when the train starts bouncing. The tallest guy on the squad is in the fetal position beside me and a girl next to me is facing the seat backwards, with her face pressed against it. I don’t know that it’s comfortable, but it works and it is what it is. I have found that ministry days are not the only days where I am reminded that life isn’t and shouldn’t be about comfort. Comfort is nice and comfort is tempting, but where is the adventure? The best moments I’ve had in life have never been when I’ve been comfortable.
This month we are in Romania. Next month we go to Moldova. And then we come to the close of this race in Ukraine and have our final debrief in Budapest, Hungary. Please join us in praying for focus and determination for strength. Not focus to make it to the end or determination to finish. When month 11 is over, it’s not “over.” If anything it’s just the start. As much as I need prayers for focus and determination, I know you need it too. So I’ll be praying for you. I will be fighting with you in a world filled with comfort and easy to choose focus and to choose determination.
With Love,
Shelby
PS: Here is a picture of the team and I on our weekend off trip to Thessaloniki, Greece.
