Q: What has been the hardest struggle for you on the race?
A: I think the hardest thing for me while being on the race has been trying to figure out who I am as me. Living with 40 some awesome, God fearing, people can make it difficult to not compare your self with others. I see everyone’s faith or gifts and I think “I wish I could do that,” but God has been teaching me a lot about what he says about me and who I am in him. My gifts, talents, and faith may look different than someone else, but we all serve the same God. This fact is amazing to me and comforting to know.
Q:Who has been your favorite person to meet?
A: This is an easy question to answer. In Swaziland, Africa I met a woman whose name is Gogo Maria. Gogo Maria is the woman who God healed her knee right in front of my eyes. This is not why she is my favorite person, but it is really cool that God healed her using my team. She is my favorite because of her faith. Each time we visited her she always would say, “I want to go to heaven to see Jesus.” Her joy was contagious because it is the joy of the Lord. If you want to read more about Gogo Maria go to my team mate Payton’s blog.
Q:What is it like being an introvert on the race?
A: Surprisingly, this has not been as hard as I thought it would be. I have learned a lot about myself in this area. God has been showing me I don’t need as much alone time as I thought I did. I have learned to put my strength in Him especially when I am needing alone time but it is just impossible to get. The rout I am on has been a blessing. Each place we have stayed has had a lot of open spaces making it easier to find a quiet space.
Q:What characteristics about God has stood out to you in each country?
A: In each country God has taught me something new about himself. In: Swaziland he taught me about his unconditional love and forgiveness. He showed me how much he cares for a true relationship with him. Nepal, he showed me how much his heart breaks for those who are surrounded by and worship idols. When I saw people worship the idols I was reminded of how great our God is. He: listens, cares, judges, and speaks to us unconditionally asking nothing in return. With idols they expect you to worship, but with Jesus we get to worship out of thankfulness for everything he has done for us.
Q: In what way has God stretched you the most?
A: By using my team the Lord has shown me how to grow closer to him. My team encourages me to figure things out on my own and encourages me to do things that are outside of my comfort zone.
Q: What has been the craziest culture shock moment?
A: I don’t know if this is a good thing or not but I have not had much culture shock. The only thing that pops into my mind would be the transition form Swaziland, where we had NOTHING, to Nepal, where we had everything. Swaziland was in the middle of nowhere with just one store and one restaurant accessible only by bus. Nepal was in the middle of a city with coffee shops, bakeries, and markets easily accessible by walking or taxi. For me it was hard to adjust to the business and balance of stay home and rest or go out and have fun after ministry.
Q: One of the moments time seemed to stand still and you were breath-taken.
A: There are so many of these times it is hard to choose just one. I will tell about the most resent. It was a Saturday and our liaison tells us, the morning of, we are going to be leading a children’s one day VBS at a school. Quickly, my team and one other team put together a plan of action. The day goes by smoothly. I had befriended two little girls and hung out with them playing games and doing the activities with them. As we were leaving they both said I love you and used sign language to say I love you as we drove away. Leaving that Saturday VBS is definitely one of the times that I thought I can not leave this place or this people. They are such a sweet people who are loved and cared for by God.
Q: What are or aren’t you looking forward to coming back to?
A: I am looking forward to seeing everybody and giving everyone a great big hug. I have been loving living in a tight community of friends who love the Lord so much. The transition from constantly being around people to being around fewer people will be hard. I think I am least looking forward to the business of our culture; however, I am excited to build a routine and ministry when I get home to implement the things I have learned while on this trip in my home town/community.
Q: What will you miss most about your time in each country?
A: I will miss: the people the most, the misinterpreted questions and the weird answers, fellowship with other believers who are of a different culture, playing volleyball with locals, holding children, playing “Macdonalds” with my friends, and so much more.
Q: Tell us about your favorite miracle you’ve experienced?
A: Lexi Marshal and I went to a home visit in Nepal with our host and were blown away by God’s power in that moment. There were: eight or so women, twin babies, and the husband of one of the women present at the home. Lexi shared a few verses and what the Lord has been teaching her through them about the Holy Spirit’s power. After praying we were told that some of them were sick. We prayed for them two or three at a time and all were healed. The Holy Spirit was definitely at work in this home of believers. The healings themselves were incredible but the way we responded was, I think, an even greater testimony of God’s love and power. Each time someone was healed we immediately started praising and thanking the Lord. It was so great because none of the “credit” went to us but solely to The Lord who is the only one who can heal. Lexi wrote a blog about this time you should go and read it it is really good.
Q: How bad was your homesickness and how did you recover?
A: Homesickness in my mind when coming on the race was a you deal with it once and then you are good to go for the rest of the time. NOT TRUE! I have had homesickness all through the race. I don’t necessarily miss the comfort so much as the people. I tend to really start missing home when I have not communicated with my family for a couple of weeks. The WiFi makes it interesting to communicate super often but I am blessed to have the WiFi that we do have. I love getting email notes and messages on Facebook that up lift and encourage as well as notes that tell me what is happening at home. My family has been doing a good job of this and I am thankful for them.
Q: Besides people, what do you miss from home (comforts)?
A: My fireplace and the ability to cook for myself.
Q: Which country do you most hope to return to and why?
A: I can’t speak for Guatemala, because I have not been there yet, but thus far I would have to say Nepal. However, I would love to visit each one again. Nepal was cold but i would want to go back because of the relationships I built in Chitwan at the church we stayed at during Christmas.
Q: What has your heart the happiest while being away?
A: The thing that makes my heart the happiest is: when we have become friends with the locals to the point that they are calling us by name, or when the kids in Swaziland started to call me Auntie. I love it when people find ways to overcome language boundaries and become friends with someone els simply because they want to know you.
Q: What has broken your heart the most since being away?
A: My heart broke the most in Nepal when I saw crippled people outside the Monkey temple begging for anything to eat. Also, while I was in the temple seeing how people worship idols who don’t speak to them or care about them broke my heart.
Wow you made it! Thanks for sending me your questions I hope these were insightful answers. I really enjoyed writing this blog so if you have any more questions please let me know and we can do another one later on in Guatemala.
Prayer requests: please be praying for my squad as there is a lot of sickness. Pray for continued strength. Pray for continued passion for reading God’s word and studying it. Thank the Lord for this group of people and for the people we are doing ministry with.
Thank you for your prayers and support. I love you all so much!
Wow, Em! So fun to read your responses to these questions. What an amazing adventure you’re on. Most of all, what an amazing spiritual journey it is. It sounds as though God has really strengthened you as you step into new cultures and build relationships with the people there. I know you’ve been a tremendous blessing! Thanks for being a blessing for all of us.
Cousin!! I’m so glad to hear that you’re thriving on the field. Those questions were all fantastic (way to go people who asked them!) and so were your answers. Something that came to mind as I was reading is that I, too, struggled more when we had “city months” than when we had “bush months” on my Race. It’s especially difficult to focus on what God has for you each day when there are so many distractions all around (and even more so when your teammates are highly extroverted and constantly finding fun things to do in your spare time). A challenge that I have for you as you continue on is this: choose to make every month a bush month. When you remain present and well-rested, you’re like soft clay in God’s hands – flexible, easily shaped, and ready to be used at a moment’s notice. Trust me – the things you look back on as your greatest adventures once you get home are the relationships you develop through intentional ministry and the miracles you see God work in people’s lives – not the “adventure day” outings, shopping trips, WiFi connections, or tourist thrills. It’s totally worth it to focus more on the Kingdom than the country.
Praying for you, Cuz! Love you so much, and there’s a huge hug (and a cozy bed at our house if you want it) waiting for you when you get back!