Throughout the course of our journey, I’ve learned an incredible amount from the Lord through the people we’ve met along the way. One of my greatest lessons learned is how vast, beautiful, and diverse the family of God is. These people are more than just strangers that became friends; they are family. “Adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ” (Eph 1:5), God brought us on this journey to meet our brothers and sisters. From Central America, to Asia, and Africa, meeting my family members has been a magnificent source of joy to my life. This one is for them:
To my Costa Rican brothers and sisters shining brightly as stars for Christ’s name in the dark city of Jaco: Thank you. You are the ones who intentionally chose to move into a city known as the modern-day Sodom and Gomorrah. You eagerly said, “yes” to the Lord’s call to be on the frontlines to battle a culture rampant with sex-trafficking, prostitution, and drunkenness. You taught me what it means to be selfless, full of mercy and compassion, and to follow the call of the Father no matter where it leads.
To my Nicaraguan family battling on behalf of the poor, the uneducated, and the hungry: Keep going. Your community in Granada is hungry for change, and even hungrier for the Gospel. “The harvest is plenty, but the workers are few” (Matthew 9:37). And yet, you have made a significant impact for the kingdom of God through your efforts. Continue to be the bridge, the active members of the body, bringing people to meet their Savior.
To my very precious Honduran family in the small community of Zolano, on the outskirts of “Murder Capital of the World”: There are hardly words. Tears come to my eyes as I write, for I long to see you again. You are some of the most warm, hospitable, and generous people I have ever met. Your ambitions to start a feeding program for the local children from your own homes could only be sourced from a deep love of Jesus. What an honor it was to perform skits at church, play with the kids, and try our very hardest to understand Spanish. Though our communication was limited, you sought to know us deeply and love us fiercely. Your family is one of my greatest blessings I’ve received on this adventure.
To my Filipino brothers and sisters rebuilding on the shores of Tacloban City: Stand firm. Though the wind and waves turned on you, you never turned from God or His people. For that, I believe the Lighthouse will continue to be a place of generosity and blessing for the community. You taught me what it looks like to be resilient and strong. You taught me to dream big dreams and chase after them hard. I pray that through your diligent work and endurance, thousands more locals will come to know God. May the Lord bless you as you expand your ministry and physical building.
To my Vietnamese family hiding in secret due to government regulations, but declaring Jesus as Lord nonetheless: Dang! I love the passion for the Lord that you have, despite what your country says. What heroes of the faith you are! I am blown away by your perseverance and dedication no matter how many hoops you need to jump through. I have been given a new appreciation for my home, where I freely can speak of Christ, but also have been incredibly challenged, for I do not speak of Him nearly as much as I should, even with such a freedom. Thank you for taking us in as “students” who were “visiting for tourism purposes”. “… Among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecution and trials you are enduring” (2 Thess 1:4). Every day you take big risks for God, may we follow your example.
To my beautiful Cambodian siblings whose smiles can light up rooms and bring joy to hearts: You are greatly loved. From the smallest of you to the eldest, do not let the world define you solely as “orphans”, for you have been chosen and adopted by a Heavenly Father. Your identity is sealed in Christ and your worth was settled at the cross. I pray that while our ministry was to teach English, that we were able to give you a greater understanding of who Jesus is and His fierce love for you. You are strong. You are capable. You have been given gifts and a purpose for this life. You are not alone. “Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity” (1 Tim 4:12). I love you kids like crazy. You will never be forgotten and it is my dream to see you again on this side of Heaven at least once more.
To my Malaysian family preaching the Good News at Bethel Assembly: Praise the Lord! You challenged me to take the body of Christ more seriously. Night after night you invited us into your homes to sing songs of praise, preach the Gospel, and share deliciously spicy meals that we got to eat with our hands. I was amazed at how often you gathered together in fellowship. What an example you have given me– a family extends far beyond genes; there is serious unity in Jesus Christ.
To my wonderful Thai brothers and sisters fighting for the oppressed and exploited in the city of Chiang Mai, as well as cities all of Thailand: May God bless you. The presence of the Enemy is heavy in the streets, bars, and clubs, but through your dedication to prayer and ministry, the Light of the Lord is brighter and stronger to pierce the darkness. I’ve never met a group of people who had such a deep understanding of the power of prayer. You taught me the significance of Philippians 4:6, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” You chose not to judge those involved in the sex-trafficking industry, but rather, love, love, love. And then, love some more. Thank you for taking deliberate action to show the men and women that they are loved by God and He has bigger plans for their lives.
To my Zimbabwean family spread throughout hundreds of schools in Bulawayo, despite the craziness that is the Ministry of Education: Press on. You understand the words of Jesus in Mark 10:14, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” What a privilege to be welcomed into schools to share the Gospel! Continue to invest in the youth of your country and I pray that they rise up as a generation full of the love of Jesus.
To my dear Zambian family who immediately made us feel welcomed and loved from the very first day: Thank you. “Thank you” does not even begin to describe the amount of gratitude I have to you all. Daily, we were embraced, encouraged, fed, and prayed for by you. You have gone above and beyond to be “living sacrifices” for your Savior. Our house visits and church services gave me a deep hunger for the Word of God. Our travels around Lusaka introduced me to beautiful church families that I can also call my own.
To my incredible Malawian family teaching, caring, and loving the precious little toddlers whose backpacks are too big for their little bodies: You are essential. The community you serve needs leaders who model and encourage proper education for young minds. Your teaching goes far beyond mathematics and English. You dive into sharing the Gospel and the love of Christ. You not only ministered to your students, but also to our team through your warmth, hospitality, and friendship. Instantly, I felt part of your family. Thank you for letting us jokingly call you “Mom” and “Dad” whenever you carted us around town. We cannot thank you enough for loving us well through our last month on this adventure, for it was so needed to keep us going strong. I pray that your ministries grow and reach thousands of lives in the beautiful city of Blantyre, and all for the glory of God!
The Lord consistently kept me in a state of awe thanks to you. I know there are no coincidences. I know each and every one of you was a divine appointment created by God. Thank you all for showing me the strength, love, and power that comes from the body of believers. The sons and daughters of God are truly one of a kind.
My experience on the World Race would have not been the same without you.
“You are all sons of God, through faith in Christ Jesus, for you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you all one in Christ Jesus. […] So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.” — Galatians 3:26-28; 4:7
