Just wrote an updated press release for all you WR Jan people. Blog this, email to local newspapers, churches, and other contacts. If you want me to email you a copy in Word, let me know.
News Release
THE WORLD
RACE
For more information, contact:
Adventures In Missions (AIM)
ATTN: World Race Dept.
6000 Wellspring Trail
Gainesville, GA 30506
Toll free: 1-877-811-0210
For media related inquiries, email: [email protected]
For general inquiries, email: [email protected]
Website: www.theworldrace.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 27, 2007
Twenty-somethings Embark on Journey of Self Discovery
and Service
Gainesville, GA – In January, 2008, a group of
twenty-somethings are leaving the comfort of their homes and possessions for a
year, in search of a life filled with adventure. They’re calling it a
pilgrimage – an opportunity to find themselves and experience the Third World firsthand.
The
group’s adventure, called the World Race, was conceived and birthed by Seth
Barnes of Gainesville, GA. He designed a trip that would remove
young people from their comfortable lifestyles for a year to see the world.
“This is a
commitment to a transformational discovery process,” Barnes says. “The World
Race taps an ancient human compulsion to take a spiritual pilgrimage.”
Participants travel to 11 countries in 11 months, spending 30 days in each
location. They volunteer their time and talent in the communities they visit, caring
for orphans, rescuing prostitutes from the sex slave trade, visiting refugee
camps, and much more.
The nearly
year-long trip contains a competitive edge: Teams race from location to location
and are rewarded for the races they win. But the majority of time spent in each
place is focused on serving the local people and building relationships with
them.
The first year of the World Race had roughly 30 brave souls pilot this
unprecedented trip. The second year drew more than 100 competitors, and the
third will see double that much at least. But as the adventure spreads by
word-of-mouth and the momentum builds, thousands more are expected to
participate in the coming years, says Barnes, founder of Adventures in Missions.
He predicts:
“Thousands and thousands of young people are going to eventually embark on this
pilgrimage around the world, because it provides a context in which they can
discover themselves… and how they fit in the world.”
With
nothing but a backpack, these young travelers live simply. They travel from place
to place in hopes of discovering something that is authentic and vibrant. They
post blogs and videos on the internet of their new experiences so friends and
family back home can hear the stories.
“Most young
people have more questions than answers… and what better place to find answers
than on this pilgrimage around the world,” Barnes says.
Two World Race groups are in the field right now, one has just
returned, and three more are scheduled to leave in 2008. Each group relies on the
hospitality and generosity of strangers – whether this means living in a tent
in a farmer’s field, staying in an urban shanty, or enjoying the rare comfort
of a warm bed. Through their experiences, World Racers learn
the interdependence of humanity. They also learn to care more and live with
less. It’s a journey of self-discovery and worldview – a chance to explore life
in a whole new way.
