In getting to know this World Race squad, I’ve been able to really get to know some of their personalities and see the similarities from squad to squad. One huge similarity with every squad is just the idea of down time. Some people are do’ers so they never have down time, while other people just need the escape. This may come as a surprise to you guys, but I’m more of a do’er. I honestly feel more rested after a swamped day than I do after a day of nothing. I don’t think either is wrong, I’m almost a do’er to fault at times, but to each his own.
…Who is this, Danielle? Well, I’m actually a pretty average person I think. I’ve grown up in the Midwest, minus being born in California. I have one brother and one sister, both much older than me, so I basically played on my own a lot when I was kid. That made me a pretty independent person, but over the past few years, I’ve learned to rely on others a lot more and I’ve built some pretty deep friendships that I know I’ll have forever.
My interest in missions has been sort of mixed. I have always wanted to travel and serve God with my whole life, but I never wanted to actually be a missionary, relying on the generosity of others to pay my bills and live each month. I got interested in global politics in high school and that led me to pursue my degree at Carroll University in International Relations, with a French minor. My first overseas trip was to France for the spring semester of my junior year. In one word, it was AWESOME! Yeah, I had my moments where I wished I could shower in my own bathroom at home or that I could just pop something into the microwave for lunch, but I met 4 of my best friends (and got closer to another best friend) and I just loved the history, the scenery, the foods, the shops, and the culture.
It was overwhelming but so amazing. It was so hard to leave, but I knew that sooner or later I’d be traveling again, I just wasn’t expecting it to be as a missionary. After graduating, I applied for lots of jobs in the DC area and a few in Wisconsin, but with no luck. By the end of the summer, I was getting desperate and I knew I was gonna need something to help me pay on my student loans when they came due. So I took a part-time job at a car dealership in town and continued a nanny job I had had from the year before. It has definitely been a blessing to be able to work and save a little, but I knew that this wasn’t all that God had in store.
During Carroll University’s Spring Break, the Christian group on campus (IVCF) always plans a service trip and I had never been able to go when I was in school. This year, I decided to finally do it, as one of 2 adult volunteers and we took 23 students to Biloxi, Mississippi to help with Hurricane Katrina relief. Wow, what an awesome experience! We did demolition on a home, cleaned up at parks and community centers, tore apart palettes, and hauled dirt, but it all made me feel so incredible, so useful, so at home. It’s hard to describe, but when I came back to Wisconsin, it was like I was leaving my family (my new 25-member family) and myself there. I loved just getting up in the morning and going out to serve. I was tired sure, but it made me feel so fulfilled. After getting back into the swing of things, I just happened to stumble upon a link for The World Race, and after a few days of praying, I applied.
I think The Race is going to be the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but it’s also going to teach me so much about myself, about the way others live, and about my place in helping them. I plan on keeping an open mind, not judging anything at first glance, and being prepared to have the things that I believe tested and challenged like never before. Hopefully, when I get home, I won’t be like I am now, but very much changed for the better.
