Well hello from Grass Valley, California... home sweet home! I
am always surprised at how comforting home can be after spending time away.
Between college, working in San Luis Obispo and then this year, you would think
I would have learned by now. But each time is a lovely surprise. I love the
familiarity, the fresh mountain air, the TREES and seeing people I have known
since childhood. This place and the people here have truly had a big part in
shaping who I am today.
Flashback to India... We truly ended the Race in "World Race"
fashion, taking an overnight train for 35 hours, without A/C mind you, to New
Delhi for our final debrief as a squad. Final debrief was a bittersweet time,
reminiscing on the year and hearing plans as we all head home or onto our next adventures.
What I loved most about this time was seeing how close our squad had become. I
consider any one of them a dear friend and know I could call any of 60 S-sqad
ers at any time of the day and they'd be there for me, and vice versa. We
started this year as strangers, and leaving, we felt like family. This year and
the experiences we shared truly united us all.
We had a final banquet where we all dressed up with what
clean clothes we had left from the Race (lots of the guys got suits made in
India), ate dinner, took pictures, watched a video of the year, and laughed as
Christina and Cody awarded squad superlatives. Mine ended up being "Most Likely
to Get Away With Murder." How do you feel about that??
I parted with the squad at our layover in Frankfurt, Germany. I was
extremely blessed to have the opportunity to travel around Europe with my
family before coming home. We visited family I hadn't seen in years in
Copenhagen, stayed at the Shelter hostel in Amsterdam and rode bikes all around
the city, and drove all over beautiful Germany. It was so nice to have all four
of us together and share that time before John headed back for school again.
I was anticipating being home to be weird, sad, that I'd be
dysfunctional and super emotional. I'd take weeks just sleeping and needing to
journal. But instead, it has been completely natural and normal. I haven't
cried once, or even felt the need to. There are little things that are taking a
while to get used to, such as everything being so clean, and having a cell phone
again. But overall, it's been really... normal. I was a little nervous. Does this
mean I haven't changed? Shouldn't it be at least kind of weird to be back? But then talking with a squad- mate, I
was reminded at how much change we went through this year. We moved "homes" at
least once a month, sometimes once a week, met new families every day. Got used
to completely different diets and cultural norms each month, and many more.
This is just another change God is taking me through.
I have noticed changes in myself at little things. I catch
myself praying a lot more often, relying on God in situations I wouldn't
necessarily have before. I am much more sympathetic for the issues I see on the
news, especially in the areas we traveled to this year. I want to make a
difference, and now feel empowered to wherever I am, it doesn't have to be
thousands of miles from the US. I really value quiet time, it was hard to come
by this past year. I have much more faith that God has things under control
(even when it doesn't appear that way to me), because He proved it to me time
and time again this year. He is faithful.
While you are probably wondering what is next, I'll have to
leave you in suspense because I myself am not even sure yet. I will tell you
that I have been scanning the newspapers and the Internet for elementary
teaching positions, but it ranges from Grass Valley to Austin to Oregon to
Colorado, so I am still unsure. I am thankful for time at home right now and
the opportunity I have to spend with family and catch up with old friends.
I came across this, reading the other day, "God knows our
need and knows ways to meet it that have never entered our heads. Things we
feel sure we need for happiness may often lead to our ruin." And John 15:9-11
"Dwell in my love. If you heed my commands, you will dwell in His love. I have
spoken thus to you, so that my joy may be in you, and your joy complete."
My biggest fear in coming back to the US was that I would
feel the best part of my life was over. That the Race was going to be the most
exciting thing I'll ever do. One of my teammates quickly reminded me not to
make the Race an idol. Yes, it was an amazing year, and I learned a lot from
it, but it was a stepping- stone preparing me for whatever is next. In the last
few weeks in India I truly began to see this past year that way. After all, it
is not in our circumstances that we are called to be content, but rather in our
relationship and understanding of our Father. I am excited to move forward and
put this last year into action.
Thank you so much for being a part of this journey!
These are two of the ten commandments the Lord gives to Moses.
"You shall have no other gods before me."
"You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or the earth below or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments." (Deut. 5:7-10)
Music blares from a temple speaker. A young woman cracks open a coconut and pours the juice over little figurines. The man beside her murmurs some prayers, lays down flowers, and bows down in front of temple. Idol statues cover the shelves of a home we enter. Women have shaved heads because they have sacrificed their hair at a temple. These are some of the everyday evemts we experienced in the village.
The Hindu religion believes in hundreds of millions of gods. On one online site I read that there is not a difference between worshipping an idol or the god; that they are the same, the idol is the god, the god is the idol.
(Habakkuk 2:18- 20) "Of what value is an idol since a man has carved it? Or an image that teaches lies? For he who makes it trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak. Woe to him who says to wood, "Come to life!" Or to lifeless stone, "Wake up!" Can it give guidance? It is covered with gold and silver; there is no breath in it. But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him."
Our goal this last month was to help partner with a pastor and to start up a church in the village, Thadivallipall (a fun name to say!). There was a lot of freedom in how we wanted the month to look like; it was pretty much whatever we wanted to do. It was an awesome final month of the Race to get to use a culmination of the things we'd learned this year and step out in our new giftings.
Lots of home visits were made, giving encouragement, sharing the Gospel, LOTS of prayer (it seemed at times you couldn't take a step without someone asking for prayer), a showing of the Jesus film in their language, the guys playing 5 Stones with men in the village, children's programs, worship nights, church services, feet washings, and three baptisms! One of my favorite moments this month was when after sharing the Gospel a woman with tears streaming down her face said, "Jesus loves me so much!" She said it as though it were a revelation, like she had never known it before. I don't think I will ever forget that moment.
There were two challenges we faced a lot this month. First, Hindus believe in Jesus, however He is just another god to them, not the ONLY God. One of our focuses when we were sharing with people was to emphasize that we only believe in Jesus. The second challenge was getting people to show up when they said they would. Like most countries this year, time has little meaning, so telling people we are having a service at 6 really was pointless. Rather we found if we stood in front of our house, a crowd would gather. In all of it I was reminded God is in control and He'll bring the people who are meant to come. He certainly did great things this month, and with us in little control, it was easy to give Him all the glory! Some days we would just sit back and say, "Well, that's not how I was expecting today to go... but it turned out for the better!"
" You saw among them their detestable images and idols of wood and stone, of silver and gold. Make sure there is no man or woman, clan or tribe among you today whose heart turns away from the Lord our God to go and worship the gods of those nations..." (Deut. 29:17-18)
While the Race is coming to an end, this month was good practice for all of us. What are we going to do with the time God has given us? He gives us the freedom to choose. Some of us are going back on the mission field, others are returning to jobs, others are still seeking what is next. No matter what it is, my prayer is that each of us would make every day and every second count. Our actions, our words have huge impacts on the people around us. This style of living isn't only meant to be done abroad, but in the States too.
TEN DAYS are left on the World Race. I don't know if I should laugh or cry. This next week will be a whirlwind with travel to debrief, seeing everyone for the last time with all of us together, and then re-entry into the States.
I wanted to do a Top Ten list of things I have learned in this amazing year of my life.
10. I've learned that when things aren't going as planned, it's always better to stay calm and be patient. Things always work out, getting stressed out and upset never helps. (Great example of this has been our awesome team leader, Dustin Suttle!)
9. Value time spent with people more.
8. I have learned to become a better sharer. And you know what? You see God's blessing more clearly the more you give away.
7. The world is a beautiful place. The people, the landscapes, the food, the smiles. There is so much to see outside of the United States.
6. I am much more thankful I had the opportunity to graduate college. It opens up so many opportunites most never get to experience. It's heartbreaking to meet women who can't even write their own name or little children who have to work and can't afford school.
5. Laughter is the best medicine for anything.
4. True friends will challenge you, encourage you, cry with you, laugh with you, and sit with you for hours at a clinic when you are sick.
3. God is good, all the time.
2. Trust less in my own plans and more on God. One of my favorite verses this year: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6
1. Recently, I've been learning that better things are yet to come. God has great things in store for each of us after this Race. It doesn't end here.
One of the perks of traveling the world on a
limited budget, is that you get very... let's just say, "memorable"
travel days. We have made countless memories traveling between countries so
far, many of them blog- worthy, however until now, I just hadn't gotten around
to documenting them in a blog. Discussing with a team member only hours prior
to our infamous Morogoro van ride today, I mentioned how Africa has held up to
its name for me. Little did I know, it had something yet to prove.
"It's a one hour drive...only 50
kilometers," said Pastor. "Sure" we all thought, knowing in
reality it would be at least three hours. And yes, it did take exactly 3 hours.
See, 50 kilometers is not that far, however when you travel by Dala- dala (18
passenger vans) life travels at a much slower pace. The more passengers you
pick up, the more money you make. I have come to believe there are no limits
when wondering how many people/ items can fit in an "eighteen passenger
van."
The day started out with 11 of us and our bags.
We noticed our van made a very high pitched noise as it accelerated. So loud in
fact, that I had to cover my ears and any attempt at conversation was ruined.
Then, a man with a live chicken came and sat beside me ( I emphasize the live
part because 1) the poor guy ended up getting pooped on during the three
hour ride and 2) whenever the van coasted and the engine wasn't making it awful
noise, I could hear it clucking beside me). Half an hour later we found
ourselves in a TIA situation (This Is Africa for those of you who don't know).
Our van contained: 27 adults, one live chicken, 3 sacks of maize, 3 sacks of
potatoes, one bed frame, one mattress and one bicylce tied to the back of the
van, our 11 overnight bags, tents, sleeping pads, plus another 3 duffel bags
another passenger carried on. We were tight to say the least. We all had a good
attitude about it, yet another memory to share.
So although you couldn't be there, I thought I
would share the memory with you and add a few pictures as well, even though
they truly do not give it justice.
This is just one of the daily life things we have
been able to experience this year in visiting new cultures. It's crazy to think
what things we have already become accustomed to. In it all we remember that
God is good and these memories are yet another blessing (whether it's the
memory that is a blessing, or just having survived the experience). With it
nearing the end of month ten, I am beginning to realize how precious these
memories will be in just a little time. :)
Then, we added 20 more adults!
The troopers in the back (prior to more bags and people.)
Month 10. Can you believe it?! This month finds
team Crash of Love in Morogoro, Tanzania. We are already two-thirds through the
month, meaning in just over one week we will be in India for our last month! I
have a feeling these next several weeks are going to be a whirlwind. Anyhow,
back to Tanzania. A lot has already happened, so I'll bullet point the big
things.
1. Just moments after crossing the Tanzania
border we saw giraffe off the side of the road.. if anything says "you're
in Africa" it's seeing animals like zebra, baboons, and giraffe on the
side of the road.
2. We have had a lot of opportunities to speak at
church, we've shared at youth group, children's time, women's group, and the
college students. I don't think I'll ever forget worship times in Africa. If
you thought you couldn't shimmy on stage, they've done it here! There is so
much dancing and music, they love to worship!
3. Our team spent time in a village, visiting an
orphanage and school and doing an open- air meeting.
4. The best part of the month for me so far has
been our interactions with the Muslims in the area. Back in Month 2, our squad
was asked to pray into considering a change in our route to go from South
African countries to East Africa instead. It was prophesied that in East Africa
we would be on the frontlines; a place where there is a mix of Islam and
Christianity. Someone told Shaun, just last month that they saw him handing out
Bibles to Muslims and going in to closed countries in the future. (Little did
the person who said this know he was reading God Smuggler at the time, a book
about the life of a man who snuck Bibles into closed countries.) Funny how God
works.
This month, team WOW was out evangelizing with
some Muslim University students and got into a discussion about their faith.
They were able to organize a time to have a formal debate regarding the
validity of the Bible and the faith of Jesus. Four teams from our squad came
together and debated for 6 hours on these topics. It was really interesting to
hear the points made and ways they were defended. (If you want to read more
about the debate you can check out Erica Kaufman, Shaun Fredrickson, Shannon
Ahola's blogs.) The debate ended with Shaun challenging the audience, which at
this point consisted of about 100 Muslims and 20 of us Racers, to read the
Bible for themselves.
It is shocking how few people in the churches
have Bibles. After all, they only cost the equivalent of $6 per Bible. This
really inspired Shaun to take the initiative to get Bibles into as many willing
hands as possible. He went into town and bought 5 Bibles yesterday and we took
it to some Muslims we met walking in the neighborhood yesterday. They were so
excited to get their own Bible. The team encouraged them to read John and
tomorrow we are going back to talk with them more. They have so many questions
and are really eager to learn! One man even commented to Shaun, "you're
going to turn me into a Christian." Sometimes God just blows you away!
If you are interested in supporting more people
in Tanzania with Bibles, you can email me julie_chloe@hotmail.com.
What is an idol, you might say? An idol is something in your life that occupies your time, thoughts and energy. It is anything that you place more importance on than God. I just listened to a sermon by the Village Church called Deep Idols and it convicted me of idols in my life I wasn't even aware of. There are many things in our lives, when taken out of proportion, can become idols. Probably things you weren't even aware of...
Here were some questions presented to help identify idols in your life:
1. What do I worry about most?
2. What thing, if I failed or lost it, would make me question living?
3. What/Who do I look to for comfort on a bad day?
4. What do I daydream about?
5. What do I want to be known for?
6. What prayer unanswered would seriously make you question God?
From this, the pastor explains how most people have surface idols (easily identified in our lives) and deep idols (the root of the surface idols). Four common "deep idols" are:
Power- desire to seek power, influence, success
Control- mastery or certainty over something in your life
Approval- desire to be loved or accepted by (someone). Others acceptance gives you a sense of worth.
Comfort- desire for a certain quality of life. Seek privacy and a lack of stress.
I encourage you to listen to the message
http://itunes.apple.com/podcast/the-village-church-sermon/id82014403 (Given 3/6/11). Becoming aware of the things in your life that are controlling you, your thoughts, actions, responses to life events, are extremely helpful. I felt so free once I was able to identify the idols in my life, things I was unawarely placing expectations, stresses and pressures on my life to fulfill.
St. Augustine wrote, "Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in thee."
Do you want an idol that is in control of your life, that will always be telling you you need more, OR do you want to find rest in a gracious, loving Father? In Him, he satisfies all of our needs, allowing us to break free from the ties of idols in our lives. One thing I have learned this year is that nothing in this world is constant, but God is.
UGANDA. Where do I begin? I guess I could start with "we're not in Nakuru (Kenya) anymore." I have realized in this past week, Africa gets its stereotypes for a reason. I have seen more this month than last, just how poor Africa is. We walk a few miles to the church along dirt roads, passing families digging through trash, and businesses being run out of large storage containers. Barefoot children, flies, trash, and bad smells follow us. We pass countless "butchers" chopping up chickens on a bloody mat swarmed with flies, while other animal carasses hang in the windows. You would think being in the capital city, life would be a little different. Our power has gone out 3 nights of 7. I am really praying I don't have to visit the doctor this month, cause I don't know that I'd trust him treating me in a one- room hut.
We have experienced a lot more opposition this month for our faith as well. People sarcastically shout "Pastor!" as we walk by and then laugh among themselves. Our pastor shared with us that in Uganda there is a lot of witchcraft (some families sacrifice their first born child to get blessings.. how awful is that?!) and we have seen a bit of Muslims as well. The thing we continue to find strange though, is that everyone we ask says they want to pray to accept Christ into their lives. Even Muslims will ask for Jesus after only a minute or two talk. It makes you question the seriousness of religion here. Is it REALLY that easy for a devout Muslim to convert.. didn't seem that way in Malaysia. And I have to wonder if it's the fact that they just want to talk longer with a mzungu. Either way, we have to hope God will use that interaction.
Our pastor is very sweet, and very quiet. He has a wife, Ruth, and 4 daughters ages 9, 7, 2 and 2 months. Traci and I love holding the baby. It is funny because last month our Pastor would yell into the microphone, leaving us wishing for earplugs, and this month we all scoot our chairs closer when the Pastor speaks. Unlike Kenya, Luganda is the primary language and English is not super strong as a second language. We have interpreters, which are funny to get used to again. You really have to think hard about how to piece together the words they have spoken. And on the other end, you have to be very wise with your word choice. One word could completely change their understanding.
One of the most exciting things about this month is that we are staying at a guest house that is being completed and we each (drumroll, please....) get our OWN ROOMS!!! Yes, I jumped up and down and did a little dance when I heard this. My own room and bathroom! Hallelujah! This is the first time I have had my own room/ been alone in a room in 9 months! Forget the fact I have a bucket shower and all of our rooms smell like sewage, having our own space is so wonderful and perfect for month nine. And it's only $7 a night!
I can't decide if I'm homesick or not. Some days I just want to be in a place I am familiar with. But other days I can't picture myself being back home, or being in one place for a long time. I'm in a weird phase, I guess. Hopefully it'll work itself out. One of things that makes me long for home the most, is memories of good times spent with family and friends. (Shout out to you all!) :) You'll make the transition of coming back home much easier.
Some fun tidbits about Uganda thus far:
1. This morning we watched birds explode from landing on the electrical wire in the distance as Pastor spoke to us. The explosions were huge, with gray smoke and feathers flying everywhere. I thought we were under attack... Nope, just birds exploding. :) Try keeping focus to the sermon when you see that happening in the background!
2. Pastor (who doesn't speak often, so his words really count) told me this afternoon I carry myself and seem like a Ugandan woman. Not quite sure what that means yet. A compliment?
3. Mom, you asked me a while back if I have made any children cry with my white skin. Yesterday we visited some schools and there was this really cute little girl named Patience. Patience moments later found herself in a small room surrounded by white people. She didn't like it and began to cry. Me, thinking it would help (hindsight is 20/20), picked her up. This led to screaming bloody murder while staring at my face. So now, yes, I have made a child cry.
4. We celebrated Traci's birthday last night. It was a costume party and I dressed up like Lady Gaga. I'm sure you'll see pictures on Facebook.
5. Been asked to marry a few men here... don't worry, I'm not seriously considering any of them. One man couldn't understand when I refused him, he told me "I'm even a University student." Then he asked me if I could buy him a mango. Isn't it supposed to go the other way around??
6. I have only had ice cream once in 2 months. I think it's a record.
7. Our Pastor's daughter caught a grasshopper one afternoon and then grilled and ate it. She likes them because they are sweet. (Keep in mind "sweet" here is often referred to in comparison to a sweet potato... it's been done. It's hard to have a sweet tooth in Africa).
8. There are birds here the size of Jessica. Seriously. Unfortunately pictures don't do it any justice, so you'll have to take my word on it.
9. We visited a school out in the country the other day and there were barefoot children. The headmaster told us many of them are orphans, due to the parents having AIDS, and that the school has taken these students in. It broke my heart to see them and their big smiles. It reminds me what this year is all about.
Nine months in nine different countries and various cultures. I am beginning to realize I don't even know what is "normal" anymore. I think it is a good thing; my perspectives are changing. Here are some things I thought were normal before this year, and things that have been proved as not-so-normal since life on the Race.
1. Everyone uses a washing machine to wash clothes. No, in fact, we have become very good at handwashing our clothes in almost any place- rivers, sinks, showers. I've only seen two washing machines the nine months I've been gone. And surprisingly, the people who handwash are excellent at it.. their clothes look so clean!
2. Never again will I take a certified butcher in the supermarket for granted. I would like my meat and not have to know how it got to the state it is now in. We pass women carrying live chickens home to cook for dinner, see chickens being beheaded, de-feathered, gutted, and sliced, by the side of the road on a fly-infested table. I have also seen cow stomach and intestines, and other carcasses hanging in the windows in the sun. Really makes you question the meat served at lunch...
3. Do I wear shoes inside the house, or take the off outside- the question since leaving Asia where shoes are strictly left outside always.
4. In Kenya, we found that Christians NEVER drink alcohol or smoke, and rarely listen to music other than Christian music.
5. It's rude to be late. Not so much in places outside the States. Often when someone says they'll be somewhere at a certain time, it is at least an hour or two later that they show up. At our orientation we were told in Africa morning is when the sun is low in the sky, noon is when the sun is near overhead, and evening is when the sun is lower on the other side of the sky. That is time. Expect people to show up at any time and have PATIENCE. One good thing I have found, is that time spent with people seem to matter more in these countries. People really take the time to visit with you, even if they are late for something else. And they seem much less stressed too.
6. Everywhere children go to school for free. We have found many children not in school this year. Visiting public schools around the world make me much more thankful for public schools in the States. In Kenya, Kindergarten and First grade classes had 100 students to one teacher. Can you imagine?! Plus, many countries charge fees for school, along with uniforms and school supplies that many families cannot afford. Take a look at some of the schools we have seen- no doors, cracks in the walls, dirt floors, and little privacy from what's going on in the class next door.
7. Most people own a car. No. In fact, based on our contacts 4 out of 9 of our contacts have had cars, and one of those people was from the States and another from the UK. Really, there are many options of transportation i was never aware of: camels, tuk-tuks, backs of bicycles, backs of motorcycles (seen families of 4 on motorcycles in Cambodia). And then there are buses, taxis, backs of trucks, and the cheapest and most common... walking. In the Philippines, our contacts wife road 45 minutes each way on a tuk-tuk (see below picture) to get us groceries for each day.
8. Eight to five is the normal workday. Based on the amount of people we have seen sitting on the side of the street and women at home during the day, there is either a lot more unemployment, or working hours are different everywhere. I know many shops have taken time in the afternoon to nap, or simply open when they feel like it. I have come to realize Americans lives revolve around work and are much more on-the-go than I ever realized before. I'm a little nervous how I'll take re-entry with the hustle and bustle of things.
9. I will not forget to enjoy a hot shower. It's been a LONG time since I have had a hot shower. Almost guranteed each month to have a cold shower, but it's wonderful to have a place to get clean. Sometimes it's been a river and other months a bucket shower, which apparently is a common form of bathing... who would have thought?
10. On the bathroom topic, I never thought I'd have to carry toilet paper and say a prayer for a Western toilet before entering a bathroom. Most common are squatty pottys (holes in the ground, sometimes porcelain, sometimes just a hole in the ground.) Then in Asia there was the sprayer option. Almost always a guarantee you have to bring your own tp. I began taking napkins from restaurants and saving them in my purse...
Better hope you have good aim!
Our church bathroom (left)
11. Having a garbage service. Whether it's driving to the dump in the truck with my dad, or having the garbage truck come, it is nice to know that the garbage is being placed in one location far from the sight and smell of home. And that items are being recylced. I asked a man where I could put my recycling (aren't you proud, dad!) and he mentioned, "Just throw it in the trash. The street boys will come through and pick it out." I was NOT expecting that response. I have been disgusted by how much trash I see everywhere we go. It is on the side of the street, in the playground, clogging the water drains. And people just toss trash on the ground without a care. I once watched someone throw a water bottle out the window as we were driving because they simply didn't want it in the car anymore. Does this seem wrong to anyone else?! (or is it just the Californian in me?) It breaks my heart when I see families out picking through the trash for items they can eat or make money with. One of our contacts told us he grew up going to the dump looking for food.. I asked him and he said he never really got sick from it. It actually happens, guys. I don't know that I believed it until I saw it. And I have seen it a lot this year.
Yes, this is someone's home.
I don't want this to sound like I am complaining.. I actually have really enjoyed getting to see and become a part of these different cultures for a period of time. Don't get me wrong, some days it is not as enjoyable, but then I remember that the things I considered a normal part of life before the Race, are actually huge blessings that many people in the world will never be able to experience. Next time you do a load of laundry, think of the woman in Africa who has to go to the well to pump water, then do the family's laundy by hand and hang it to air dry. Or when you are too tired to go to the grocery store, think of the mother who had to go buy a chicken, slaughter it, and then prepare it for the night's meal. Oh, and there is no refrigerator at home, so you have to go to the store every day. And hopefully your husband will come home with enough money today to help pay the children's tuition, because it's a new term, and they will be refused otherwise. This year, and especially this month in Uganda, has really opened my eyes up to the fact that there are many luxuries I have taken for granted. We have so much to be thankful for!
"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thess. 5:18
Hmmm, 2 dozen? The hours in a day? Actually, it is my age! Today I turn 24... wow, I am old. I laid in bed last night unable to fall asleep. Many things ran through my head: missing friends and family back home, remembering what I did last year on my birthday, wondering what I will have accomplished by my 25th birthday.
I couldn't help but look back on this past year of my life. This time last year I was finishing up my first year teaching. Just weeks prior I had found out I had been accepted to the World Race, and was getting excited to prepare for the adventure ahead of me. I celebrated my birthday by going out to breakfast with a few of my closest friends and then later, attended a wedding with some of my best childhood friends.
I went to Montana for a family reunion and got to see lots of family I hadn't seen in years. We did our best at trying to win the Wivholm family softball tournament, but suffered a hard loss. We did end up with awesome team t-shirts though! :)
Spent a lot of time last summer on the World Race site reading blogs and trying to figure out what this year would look like, and more importantly, deciding what items would be most important to pack. Spent a few days in front of my pack wondering how in the world I was supposed to put a year's worth of supplies into this little bag. (Future Racers, trust me, it'll work.)
I spent an fun weekend with my dad, grandpa and cousin, visiting my brother at Washington State and going to a football game.
I had some wonderful best friends fly out to spend time with me before I left. We explored Grass Valley, Napa, Chico, Truckee and Tahoe. It was such a fun time to catch up and laugh!
And then this year. It is hard to wrap up this year into a summary. I have been so blessed to experience even more than I probably realize. We have met wonderful, generous, loving people all over the world. Have had to say many sad good-byes, but knowing they will always be a part of my life, if only in memories and lessons learned. I rode an elephant, rode in the back of many trucks, hiked a volcano, preached in churches, taught at schools, held a newborn baby, held a pet monkey, washed laundry and showered in a river, took a wooden canoe up a river to sleep in the jungle. I've become friends with bar girls, and 10 year-old boys who struggled with addictions to paint thinner. I have become family with 60 strangers. I have 11 different types of currency in my purse (we've already gotten a few "bonus" countries), 11 country stamps in my passport, and endless memories.
This isn't to show off, but rather to show how richly God will bless your life when you choose to say "yes" to His plans for you. I never in my life expected to be the girl traveling around the world, but here I am in Kenya, loving every minute of this life he has given me. To my friends in the States and that I've met along the way, you are such a blessing and am so thankful to have met you! To my family, thank you so much for your support and love.
I sit in awe at this past year. Thank you all for being a part of it. I love you, and hope you can experience the same awe on your next birthday!
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Nine months in nine different countries and various cultures. I am beginning to realize I don't even know what is "normal" anymore. I think it is a good thing; my perspectives are changing. Here are some things I thought were normal before this year, and things that have been proved as not-so-normal since life on the Race.
2. Never again will I take a certified butcher in the supermarket for granted. I would like my meat and not have to know how it got to the state it is now in. We pass women carrying live chickens home to cook for dinner, see chickens being beheaded, de-feathered, gutted, and sliced, by the side of the road on a fly-infested table. I have also seen cow stomach and intestines, and other carcasses hanging in the windows in the sun. Really makes you question the meat served at lunch...
Hmmm, 2 dozen? The hours in a day? Actually, it is my age! Today I turn 24... wow, I am old. I laid in bed last night unable to fall asleep. Many things ran through my head: missing friends and family back home, remembering what I did last year on my birthday, wondering what I will have accomplished by my 25th birthday.
