Precious, dirty, young faces appear before me as I walk down the street. One thought “genuine or con artist?” The next thought following…“Man I hate thinking this way about children.”
There are many highlights to The World Race. Heck, there are many highlights in walking with Papa God everyday. HE HIMSELF IS THEE HIGHLIGHT! Yet, there are also a lot of things that go unsaid about walking in the raw “yes” everyday.
• The emotional, draining, mourning process you go through every time you part with a nation to go to the next.
• Sticky, hot, crowded, nauseating train/bus/plane/car rides.
• Constant community…“Can I ever find an alone spot?”
• Loving men who constantly take pictures of you and degrade you as you walk down the street.
• Sleeping on hard beds when you’re sick and exhausted.
• Sometimes people just don’t care about Jesus or you and you have to accept that.
• Loving strangers and your squad/teammates no matter if you “feel” like it or not.
• Getting asked if you want drugs, constantly.
• Being so dirty and not being sure if it’s you or your friend who smells so bad.
• Realizing a place is spiritually super dark but knowing Holy Spirit through you can change any atmosphere.
• Extending grace because we are all on a journey and no one is perfect.
• Admitting you can’t do any of this on your own and you need Jesus to fill you and pour out of you constantly.
• The night the men of our squad stood in the gap for “man” and apologized for all the hurt caused to us throughout the years.
• Seeing Jesus in a child’s smile and learning the Kingdom of God belongs to these beautiful souls.
• The days where all we can do is cry because we found beauty in the brokenness in coming to the end of ourselves and the beginning of God.
• Seeing men, women, and children who have been one religion their whole life, turn in a moment when they encounter the Father’s love.
• Laughing so hard your belly hurts because God has some hilarious sons and daughters!
• Embracing your community as your church and loving the good, bad, and ugly (and man can you really love these people!)
• Walking in vulnerability that can help set others free.
• Actually seeing people with God’s eyes.
• Laughing in awkwardness when you have a language barrier.
• Getting to experience the hospitality of so many great people around the world.
• Knowing you will never be the same if you let God work in you as you walk with Him. • Creating memories that last a lifetime that pictures don’t do justice to.
• Realizing that no matter how “hard” or “easy” it can all bring you closer to God.