How was the World Race?

I have been home for a week and have been asked this question more times than I can count. Something I have quickly realized is that a 30 second conversation doesn’t do justice for all God did the last 9 months of my life, not even a 5-minute conversation taps the surface. So here is my attempt to begin answering that question…

The race was the most challenging thing and amazing thing I have ever done. I was pushed to rely on the Father and trust him like never before. The race was filled with disappointments like PVT (Parent Vision Trip) being canceled not getting to do relational ministry or getting to go to our original countries, but it was also filled with some of the greatest blessings such as the time in Gainesville to get to know my team, squad and the Father more! Team Fervent, my sisters who I became more comfortable with than I think I have ever become with anyone. They accepted my goofy side, serious side and ultimately me for me. I got to laugh with them (a lot) and cry with them typically over food. I met Kish who was the sweetest friend in Costa, spent a weekend in Tsuiri, the most welcoming community, lived on a mountain with the prettiest view serving a ministry with big dreams. I got to be pushed out of my comfort zone in ways I could never imagine, and my yes to serve the Lord was tested like never before. 

In Gainesville, I got to learn how to choose into my time with the Lord, press into grace and how to truly rest on sabbath. He brought me into a deeper understanding of grace and the way he desires for me to extend grace to myself as well. I also get to say I lived in a tent for two months not very many people can say that! It was a fun time of getting to know my team and squad, they taught me how to be loved and love like Jesus. I then had the opportunity to serve in Louisiana which was exhausting physically but so filling spiritually. The people were the best and we got fed like kings! From evening worship and testimony time to early morning breakfast prep it was an incredible two weeks with other believers all there with the same goal to serve and bring hope to hurting families.

Costa Rica was so hard but so good. Ministry was exhausting and hard to choose into on some days. I couldn’t do it without complete reliance on the Lord but that was a sweet lesson to learn. Ministry in CR looked like a lot of on base manual labor from cutting down the jungle to concrete and general upkeep. We played soccer with two communities, did street evangelism in Puerto, built a house and got to spend a weekend in Tsuiri leading kid’s ministry and church for the community. My team grew closer than ever before as we learned to fight for each other and our team. We made so many fun memories. Costa reminded me of home (PNG) and I really struggled with that during our time there, it was the closest thing to “home” I’d experienced in seven years. He used Costa to redefine home for me and was so kind in consistently revealing his love and steadfastness to me as my sustainer. Some of my favorite memories from Costa was hanging out after team time in my teams’ room, playing soccer in San Box and Margarita and getting to know Kish one of the base staff. Costa Rica had the prettiest beaches and was an incredible place to explore and fall more in love with Gods beautiful creation. Costa Rica was a sweet season of learning reliance on God and pressing into his love.

In the Dominican Republic God showed me what it looks like to live out of active rest, how important the small seemingly insignificant tasks are and the sweetness of spending time in his word. The DR was a sweet and challenging season in its own unique way. We were blessed with a beautiful view that made waking up each morning to sit with God so sweet, I learned to really cherish those mornings as I learned to truly abide in him and glean from his word.  We had down time that allowed us as individuals and a squad to really practice choosing in whether that was being in the word, spending time in conversation about God and his truth, learning to rest or grow closer to each other. The Dominican Republic tested our ability to press into ministry, to each other and community. It was the home stretch of the race and it was easy to get caught up thinking about how it was almost over, which became an everyday challenge to choose to be present where our feet were! This resulted in Gap F really choosing each other and becoming family like never before. The unique community cultivated by the World Race allowed me to witness my squad truly live like the early churches did and be the body of Christ. I often found myself counting my blessings and taking time to recognize just how thankful I was and how worthy God was of my praise every single morning. During our time in the DR I learned to abide and trust in the Lord to bear the fruit of our labor (ministry) in his timing whether that is now that we have left or years down the road.

It is hard to believe I am now looking at my race in the rear-view mirror. I dreamed, planned, prayed, and prepared for those 9 months for a long time. But man am I praising the Lord for this incredible opportunity, for the fact that we got to serve overseas even amid a global pandemic. The world might have shut down but God’s mission and plan for his kingdom never stopped and I am so grateful I got to be a part of it!