This blog answers many of the questions about the World Race and what I’ll be involved in. A recent racer put the template below together and it does a great job of answering many of the FAQs. I’m a visual learner, so I made sure to add the visuals.

Do subscribe to my blog, as it is the best way to stay updated on what God is doing in my life before, during, and after The World Race. Keep me in your prayers throughout, for I need all the support. Thanks!

 Q: What is The World Race? 

A: The World Race is a program through ADVENTURES IN MISSIONS (AIM). It is an 11 month missions adventure to 11 countries. Participants go through an application and interview process for a specific ROUTE. My route trains in October and launches January 2018. I will return to the United States around November 2018. I will return to Georgia, USA approximately 1 month after The World Race, for an additional debrief session with all January squads. 

My route is January Route 3: 

Africa (Ivory Coast, Ghana)
Asia (Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, India, Nepal)
South America (Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua) 

Hashtags I frequently use: #theworldrace #11n11 
I’m still trying to come up with a hashtag that will consolidate my photos on Instagram and Facebook. For now you can follow me @wravens

Q: Why are you raising $16,961? Why so much? Where does the money go?

A: The cost of my program is $17,700 to cover all costs of travel and living abroad. This includes everything from visas, airplane tickets, food, missionary health insurance, to ministry costs. This money goes directly to Adventures in Missions. I do not handle any of the money raised. It is processes through AIM headquarters in Georgia. Any additional money raised over my assigned amount, does not go to me, but a general fund for AIM. Therefore, I will notify all supporters when I am FULLY FUNDED.

Cost Breakdown:

More on raising funds…

I am encouraged to fundraise the entire amount, rather than contribute my own funds. I like to call this SUPPORT RAISING… this process is more than funds. I consider my senders to be ministry partners. This mission is a partnership. I am your representative of our community, the Church, and JESUS CHRIST. I take this call seriously.  

Q: Who are you going with?

A: My route consists of approximately 40+ young persons (young professionals, recent graduates, students, non-students)… this is my SQUAD. As a squad, we will travel together to the same countries and meet-up for occasional debrief and leadership weekends. However, our ministry locations and work will differ. Upon arrival of a country, we will split into TEAMS. Teams are 5-7 individuals who DO LIFE together. We are with each other 24/7. We give each other genuine FEEDBACK everyday to help sharpen each other (this is a real thing… every single day!) and we submit weekly CELEBRATIONS & CHALLENGES to leadership for accountability and encouragement. Each person in a team has a team role, decided by leadership during TRAINING CAMP. These roles include a team leader, treasurer, communications point-person, and more. Teams will likely change 1-2 times, while abroad. Training camp will be held for ten days in the middle of August in Georgia, USA. Training camp is all about team building and preparing physically, mentally, and spiritually. This is six weeks before LAUNCH. Launch takes place a few days in January in Georgia, USA before we travel to our first country. This is the final training and preparation. Loose itineraries will be assigned. Our parents have the option of attending parent sessions and a final, tearful, commissioning service. 

While abroad, the squad is backed by a squad-specific leadership team. This includes SQUAD LEADERS, alumni Racers who travel some with us and identify/raise up new squad leaders within our squad to lead. We also have a marvelous crew of SQUAD MOBILIZERS, MENTORS, COACHES, TRAINERS, COORDINATORS… and more! We are well cared for!

Q: Who are you staying with?

A: We will stay with local ministry hosts, called CONTACTS. We join the work of the local church through these contacts. If our contact does not speak English, we will have access to an interpreter. Our contact teaches us about their country and cultural expectations. Most times, we will pay our contacts upon arrival for boarding arrangements. (However, there are times when we stay in our tents for the month and do our own grocery shopping via team budget!) 

We will not know much about our contacts until launch, and even then, we are given limited information. This information is subject-to-change (AND OFTEN DOES!), so leadership prepares Racers to not maintain ANY expectations. 

Many inquire specifics about province/state/city/village… simply, I do not know. I will likely not know until I arrive in that country. 

PSA: Another reason to SUBSCRIBE FOR UPDATES… so I can tell you where in the world we are and what kind of work we are doing. I promise to be creative. 

Q: What are you doing in each country?

A: We will join in God’s work, often through our contacts. Through The World Race my team and I will serve in partnership with churches and ministries in local communities to preach the Gospel, plant churches, work in orphanages, minister to women and children trapped in prostitution as a result of human trafficking, and bring the restorative hope of God’s love to many tribes and nations.

Q: Are you nervous?

A: Nope, not one bit. I anticipate homesickness, missing my baby sisters… but it will be so worth it.

I am really excited. If I could, I would pack up my gear and leave today. 

But I’m thankful for this time to build my faith and prepare for the journey ahead. It’s time to spend with my dear family and friend, and build relationships with my ministry partners.

So far, I am learning that life is short. Too short to live in fear. I am embracing the call to GO and be a servant, a sister to the poor. It’s not all about good intentions, it’s about God’s glory. He will redeem a people from every people group. 

Romans 10:14  
But how will people call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how will they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher (messenger)?