Sometimes I feel so tired I don’t want to talk about why I’m here and I fear that what I have to say might not live up to your expectations. It actually makes me a little uncomfortable to talk about what I’m doing here. I get really uncomfortable when I tell people I am a missionary and they clap for me. Being on The World Race doesn’t make me special. In the past 11 months what I once thought was extraordinary has become normal, what was once unknown, I now know like the back of my hand.
Completely unplanned days are now normal, not understanding a word anyone says is normal (even if they’re speaking English). Getting sick from food or water happens almost weekly and I can’t tell you how many times in the past week I’ve answered the question “where are you from?”
But I do want to let you in and I want to share the things we get to be a part of.
In the past 3 months we have seen prisoners accept Christ as their savior. We have gone to a preschool and played balloon volleyball with three year olds. I have taught seminary students what doctrine means, and how to speak in present simple tense. We have pulled weeds for five hours a day multiple times a week. Wayne has taught his music class that the most important thing to do every single day is encourage one another in Christ. We have ridden elephants and stared in wonder at the beauty of creation. We have gone to night markets and shared Jesus as we shop for souvenirs. We have sat up until 10pm talking at the coffee shop to help others with English, trying to steer the conversation towards our love for God. We have swam in beaches that most just dream of ever seeing. I have taken over 10,000 pictures! We have slept in more places than there have been weeks. We have ridden in buses for 50+ hours. We have changed our coming home plans more than twice. I have counted down the days we have left on the field, because I am so exhausted. I have mourned that this season is ending. We have eaten food we couldn’t pronounce, and picked squid legs out of soup. We have deliberately taken time to intentionally bring home what we have learned while abroad. I wrote down my testimony for the first time ever. We have learned how to love each other better in our marriage. I have trekked through literally ankle deep puddles of mud to go find AC and coffee and have a girls date. We have scooped inches of water off our bedroom floor with dustpans because it monsooned and the windows don’t have seals. I have had college age girls ask me “are you a Christian?” and then respond with “me too!!”. We have woken up at 5am to go to chapel with the seminary students and share why we are on the World Race. My heart has broken over children who are owned, and drugged, begging for money in the streets. I have cried over my desire to adopt an un-adoptable boy. We have lived life in 3 different countries, and we have poured out everything we take in.
Seth Barnes, in his book ‘Kingdom Journeys’, says people go on a kingdom journey because physically going places will take your heart and your soul somewhere it could have never gone by staying where you are.
My soul is wider, my heart is bigger, my capacity to love is stronger, and my ability to be broken is greater. I’m still Codie though, and there are days that all I really want to is eat pizza and watch football! We are so thankful for YOU pouring your love and encouragement into us while on the World Race. It is harder than I can explain, but better than you can imagine, and absolutely impossible to complete without the support of our friends and family. So from the bottom of our hearts, thank you! See you in 40 days!
