Aside from the farm labor this past month, we have had a lot of time to just spend together… we’ve got our afternoon jogs in, walked down our huge hill into town as a team on the quest to find delicious Indian milk tea, read the Word together, Kimbo, Nat and I beat Tommy at 13 and thus now he has to “boogie” when we tell him until we hit American soil :] annnd we have even spent our nights playing travel Pictionary- something we did a lot in China. fun times.
while having this time to just be with one another as family for the last time we’ve been reminiscing over what all has happened the past year. we’ve begun the process of processing. This is something that is definitely going to continue over the next couple of months, but for right now we get to do it together :] it has been fun to remember the things that have happened- big and small. I’ve recently seen other racers do this on their blogs and I thought it was a neato idea. so I too have come up with a list of things I had never done/experienced before the World Race. things you all have been apart of in this crazy journey. i hope you enjoy reading it as much as I had making it.
the DR & Haiti:
-lived in a 4 bedroom house with 45 other people.
-walked 45 minutes one way there and back everyday for ministry.
-body surfed in Haiti.
-built houses.
-lost at speed uno more than once and had to roll in a disgusting, hot, moldy pile of mud as my punishment.
-fell in love with a little boy named Taphael.
-watched lightening storms before going to bed at 8PM every night.
-lived in my tent for 5 weeks straight in two completely different extreme weather conditions from Haiti to Ireland.
Romania & Moldova:
-escaped with Shannon from multiple hospitals in Romania.
-learned how to speak “Irish”
-cut down a corn field in Moldova.
-learned where Moldova was.
-had a pet kitten!
Africa:
-survived a car accident in the middle of nowhere Malawi.
-lived on a HOT bus with no AC for a whole week…
-wore the same clothes for a whole week.
-held my dinner while it was still alive :[
-shaved my head to the skin.
-preached in front of many (never thought I’d do that!)
-held a “sex and marriage” conference to pastors and their wives- haha.
-had Fanta breaks daily.
-created and built a coffee shop.
-lived in a Muslim community.
-ate mangoes without knowing there was worms in it.
-actually not minding a cold bucket shower for the first time ever.
–road tripped across 4 countries in Africa.
-had to stop in the middle of the road because of an elephant crossing in Botswana.
-lived off tuna for a whole week.
-bungee jumped over Victoria Falls!
-walked on a waterfall edge.
-learned to play cricket from our homeless friends.
-swam on more than on occasion in freezing cold oceans.
Asia:
-preached in an overcrowded prison in the Philippines.
-learned a fun game of throwing your shoe at a can by the prison mates.
-heard men in prison for murder sing their hearts out to God.
-danced on stage at a concert in front of hundreds of Filipino students.
-started the train with Kimbo and hundreds of kids.
-made our dinner from scratch over a fire with no locals to help.
-rode on a 30+ hour train in China where we had to literally walk on people to get to the bathroom it was so crowded.
-became friends with a prostitute.
-began my mornings everyday worshipping and praying to God in a closed country.
-ate McDonald’s everyday for a week straight… I’m not proud of this one.
-biking through the busy streets of Beijing.
-hiked The Great Wall.
-ate a scorpion on a stick.
-saw my friend in Hong Kong and another good friend in Malaysia!
-played with Tigers!!!!
-rode an elephant.
-lived in the same room with 40 other Thai girls.
-experienced Thai New Year with a massive city-wide 3 day water fight.
-hitchhiked.
-farmed in the jungles of Malaysia.
-played with leeches!
-carried bamboo out of the jungle.
with our last day of ministry done and behind us, I’m all packed to move on again to a new month only this time im not moving to an unknown house. it is time to go home! Please pray for strength as we head into an emotional week of saying goodbye to 65 people we have done life with this past year. for the unknown paths ahead. for a smooth transition back to “normal” life. and for the adventures with God to not stop once we are home.
tomorrow i head out for final debrief in Pangkor, Malaysia. near a beach :]
7 days left. woah.
