On day 6 at Training Camp, they informed us that in a few hours, we would be doing door-to-door evangelism.
This was one of the many times at Training Camp where my comfort zone was being stretched!
Earlier that morning, I had learned who would be on my team—Team Wabi-Sabi. Our leaders gave us a map of the neighborhood in Gainesville we were going to, and they suggested we ask people how we can pray for them.
We split into 2 groups, and I was with Zach and Allie. We started walking and I was so nervous, my stomach started to hurt.
(Zach, Allie, and I)
As we were walking by an abandoned house, I noticed a flower growing in the grass.
It was a Higanbana, or Spider Lilly. They are very common in Japan, and we visited a Higanbana field for my Dad’s birthday once. I hadn’t seen this flower since Japan, and I didn’t think that they grew in America.
I told this to my teammates and they said this must be God confirming to us that we were where He wanted us to be!
At first, we couldn’t find anyone to talk to, so we prayed for the people who lived in the houses we were walking by.
Then we came to a church and saw a woman getting in her car, and we asked if we could pray with her. Her name was Amber, and we got to chat with her about ways we could pray for that neighborhood. At the same time, another group from our squad came up. We held hands in a big circle and prayed for the community and the church. It was so sweet praying with our sister in Christ and seeing her heart for the people in need in her community! She asked us what group we were with, and when she heard about the World Race, she prayed for us!
The 3 of us walked on, and saw some guys in a yard assessing a tree limb that had fallen in the yard. We talked to them and they couldn’t think of anything they needed prayer for, but offered to pray for our trip!
Next, we came to another church having a fall festival. We talked with the pastor and he asked for prayer for protection from Satan and temptation. And then he prayed for safety for us on our trip.
Are you seeing a pattern here? We were going out to pray for people, but instead people were praying for us!
We talked and prayed with several other people, and it ended up being a wonderful time!
After the evangelism, my squad met at a restaurant. While we were waiting for our waitress, I remembered something my young adults pastor, Jon, had challenged my young adults group to do: Ask your waiter/waitress how you can pray for them.
I had always been too shy to do this, but after praying for people for the past 2 hours straight, all my fear was gone. When she came, I asked her name, told her we would be praying for our meal, and if there was something we could pray for for her. Her name was Carrie, and she was a little shocked, and couldn’t think of anything she needed prayer for. We still prayed for her. After the meal, she came up to us and asked if there were other people from our group there. (All 3 teams from my squad and some other World Race teams were eating at this restaurant as well.) When we said yes, she said, “All the waitresses are talking about you guys in the kitchen! You’re all asking our names and treating us so nice!”
“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” Ephesians 3:20
I had pretty low expectations beforehand. I felt nervous and inadequate, but God brought so many blessings and cool conversations out of it! This is just a tiny taste of what the World Race will be. Constantly doing things out of my comfort zone and seeing God move in amazing ways!
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Here are some recent blogs by some team mates. Check them out and subscribe to their blogs, too!
Allie Vickers: I Don’t Wanna Go
Zach Heald: What Are These Treasures You Speak Of?
Stone Hood: 100 Times More
I will be leaving on January 3, in 31 days. Please pray for my squad to finish this season at home well, so that we can start out our World Race season well.
The week after training camp was Mission Fest at my church, and I made a short video about it below:
Blessings!
