Here’s Our Coffee Date

When grabbing coffee with an old friend, what’s your topic of discussion? I’m sure the hours that follow hold pivotal points throughout the time spent apart. I’m sure you walk your friend through both the highlights and the lowlights that happened, taking you from the person you were to the person you are now.

 

For many of you, because of distance and time, that coffee date may not be as easy for both you and I. So if this is the only coffee date we’ll have, go brew yourself a cup of joe, grab a blanket, and cozy up on the couch, because I have a lot to share.

 

Now, if I were to give you all the highlights and lowlights that shaped me into the woman that sits in front of you today, this blog post couldn’t do it justice. So I will do my best to give you the abridged version. Upon looking back in my journal, these were the pointers I wrote to myself (summed up, of course) at the end of each of my countries.

 

MONTH 1: Australia

• Don’t assume that “shrimp on the barbie” is in their lingo. They get offended. Trust me.

• Get involved in what others are involved in– beach volleyball, worship in the park, bonfires, and jungle treks. It allows natural Jesus conversations.

• Don’t be startled, you will see kangaroos. And no they’re not cute and cuddly.

MONTH 2: Indonesia

• Sleeping in a hindu temple will show you spiritual realm. You’ll see things, and hear things that remind you to cling closer to your bible.

• Don’t shy away from street food! Just make sure a squatty potty is near.

• Soccer (futbol) is universal, you’ll get to play daily in the rice patties.

• Give luwak coffee a go– the beans are taken out of monkey poop. Don’t knock it til you try it.

 

MONTH 3: Sri Lanka

• Rats, bed bugs, and mosquitos are nightly visitors. Don’t be startled, just leave out a little snack for them.

• The cold water from the shower, WILL turn off on you mid-shower.

• It may be a closed country, but never shy away from walking into a church to see how you can get involved.

• You’ll volunteer at a women’s home for the broken and abused, but they’ll teach you much more than you could teach them.

 

MONTH 4: India

• You WILL sweat through every article of clothing you own.

• The things you’ve heard about India are true– there’s so much color everywhere you look, horns become a white noise, and life in a market can be overwhelming.

• The Taj Mahal is 6x smaller than you’d think.

• Widows line the streets, stop and love on them. Share a meal with them.

• You will get sick. For five weeks. Keep going, the majority of weight lost is probably just from sweating 24/7.

 

 

MONTH 5: Nepal

• The Lord will provide fresh air, and mountains just when you need a reminder that tells you this is all worth it.

• Culture shock will hit you and you’ll grow tired of cold showers, and foreign language.

• The church is equipping and sending out believers into local villages for the Gospel, join them.

• Pray for Nepalese. They won’t reject it. If fact, it may lead to saved souls.

 

MONTH 6: China

• You’ll be followed. You’ll be questioned. You’ll feel your liberties being stripped from you.

• See the Great Wall!

• Attend a hip hop class, you may find that your Family is everywhere.

• China is home to the fastest growing Church movement in any country. Continue praying.

 

MONTH 7: Kyrgyzstan

• Sleep in a yurt.

• Make sure the driver latches the back door of the van, your packs are about to fall out the trunk at 60 mph.

• Volunteer at a VBS, help the little ones paint, dance, and sing. Don’t be afraid to be a kid.

• Jesus will walk you through some tough mental battles you thought you were over.

• RIde a horse, it’ll be great for team time. And an ab workout.

 

 

MONTH 8: Kazakhstan/ Azerbaijan

• A 72 hour bus ride through the desert will test your patience.

• So will the four days spent on the Caspian Sea, but you’ll eat good lentil soup, and only throw up once from motion sickness.

• Revelation of our Creator God will meet you on that boat. And remind you that He’s in control.

• You’ll miss your dad. And wish every morning that you could share it with him.

 

 

MONTH 9: Georgia/ Turkey

• Mom will come out to visit, and you’ll cry tears you didn’t think you had.

• You’ll realize that your squad has become your family, they know everything about you.

• Island hopping to attend house churches with your host is powerful. Don’t miss out on it.

• Ride the ferry across the Mediterranean.

• You’ll miss consistency. Find a gym. It’s okay to have a routine overseas. It’s not selfish.

 

MONTH 10: Greece/ Spain

• Take a day or two to explore Athens, and try all the Greek food. It’s much better there.

• Don’t waste a day on the Camino. Embrace all the people you meet, and listen to them. They have incredible stories.

• Be prepared to be woken up at 6am and start walking 30 km. You’ll rest your head in a different alburgue each night.

• Don’t be afraid to speak Spanish! They’ll laugh at you, but hey, they’ll understand.

• Share your faith. Everyday. With someone new. It will take root. I promise.

 

 

MONTH 11: Morocco

• You’ll have incredible American hosts, say YES to everything they have for you.

• African culture is inspiring and welcoming.

• Go dance around at a Nigerian School, those smiles are God’s greatest gift.

• Prepare your heart to leave your squad, and this nomadic life you’ve lived for a year.

 

Though lengthy, this hardly touches some of my experiences. If you’d like to hear more, please please don’t hesitate to contact me. I’d love to talk your ear off about how great our God is. Thank you, reader, for doing this Race with me, I couldn’t have done it without your support.

 

WE DID IT!

 

Just one thing: make sure your coffee is full before you call.