The World Race - Alana Lusted - I'm His Favorite

'Tis the Season

Wed, 2 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The holiday season is here! With it brings crisp, cool weather, egg nog lattes, Mistletoe by Justin Bieber and parties galore.

Last December I was in Costa Rica and participated in one of my favorite memories from the World Race. I'm sure most of you have heard of Operation Christmas Child. Well, I got to be on the other side. The side that got to hand out the shoeboxes to kids who would not have received a gift otherwise. It was amazing!

I want to encourage all of you to get involved this holiday season. Nation Collection Week is coming up: November 14-21. God has given us so much, don't you want to give a little of it away? I promise it will bring joy to your heart. And get your kids involved too!

These links should give you all the info you need. No excuses! And lastly, enjoy the video my teammate Mac put together of us last year...

About Operation Christmas Child

How to Pack Your Shoebox

Drop Off Locations Near You

Missions Can Happen At Home?! VIDEO

Tue, 4 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I love being involved with a Church who does things outside the walls of a Sunday morning service. If the Church you go to isn't like that, you should find a new one; or start doing it yourself!

Last Saturday the Big Blue Fish Community Outreach Team took it to the streets. We showed up at Newton Trailer Park and bombarded them with the love of Jesus. It was awesome! Why can't we do the same things that happen in Peru, Cambodia, Kenya and India right here where we live? Take a look at this video and see how missions can happen at home...

Now What?

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

So I traveled the world, now what?

As much as I would love to tell you I know exactly what I'm going to do for the rest of my life, I can't. All I know is I want to keep moving forward while I figure out what my long term goal is.

It's been awesome to have my parents let me live with them down in Statesboro, Georgia; near Savannah. I consider myself a city girl but the small town life isn't too bad. I've given a lot of kisses to my niece who was born when I was in Cambodia. I'm definitely her new favorite! She's the cutest.

I have agreed to work alongside Crossroads Community Church in Statesboro. I will be raising up and mentoring an all youth worship team as well as leading worship for the college ministry. I don't see myself living in Statesboro long term but while I'm here I want to do as much as I can to help and hopefully leave the ministry in a better place.

November 11-19 I will be going back to Peru! It's been about a year and a half and I had to travel the world to realize that my heart is really in Peru. I will be going with CrossPoint Ministries and can't wait to love on some Peruvians and eat some arroz chaufa! I need to raise $1,750 for this trip by October 15, so if you would like to help some more please send a check to:

CrossPoint Ministries (tax deductible)

1605 Catlyn Lane Statesboro, GA 30458

Over the course of the past 11 months I have written enough songs to record a full-length CD. I am believing God that in the next few months I can get them recorded and able to sell. My immediate need is a quality acoustic/electric guitar and a deal for studio time. If any of you have any connections with either of those things or have a few thousand dollars lying around, please let me know!

I'm excited for the future and have a lot of ideas and opportunities that I will definitely let you all know when the time is right. Thank you for your continued prayers and support!

11 final video

Tue, 6 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I'm home! The past week has been full of friends, family, food that I missed, hot showers, clean clothes, sleep and being spoiled by my mom. Even after being home for only a week it seems like the past 11 months were a dream. There are definitely things I already miss from being on the Race but I know the experiences I had will be etched in my memory forever.

So here it is...the video I promised from the entire year. Hope you enjoy!

The End.

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

As I took the 36 hour train ride back up to New Delhi a few days ago, I found myself looking out the window, watching how fast everything passed by and how it seemed a lot like life. Things passing by like a blur. I remember the blog I wrote the night before I left for Guatemala. Mixed emotions; like an internal tug-of-war. It almost seems silly now. The things that made me most nervous about coming on this race are now the things that make me most nervous about going home. 11 months away from home, living in community, only being somewhere for a month at a time, living by faith pretty much every day. Those things are so normal to me now. But it's over. I will never be with these 60 other people, traveling the world, bringing Kingdom ever again. Sure, I will still be involved in missions and continue to share the love of Jesus with others...but it will never be the same as this year, and that makes me feel the same emotions as before I left. Excited, nervous, anxious and a little freaked out! I think my symptoms show that I have a slight fear of the unknown. You see, I don't really know what will happen when I go home. I had no idea what the Race would be like, but after getting in the groove of travel days, meeting new ministry contacts and learning how to say goodbye without crying my eyes out, it all became familiar. But what about now that's it's really over? How am I supposed to say goodbye? How am I supposed to process what I've seen and been a part of? How am I supposed to share it with my friends and family?

As I look over this year I realize that I have changed a lot, on the inside and outside. I also know that my community back home has changed. People are getting married, having babies, moving away and starting new jobs. It won't be the same place as when I left, and that's ok, but that's why I feel nervous, anxious and excited. I know when I see people I will have to cram 11 months of life into a sentence. "How was the trip?" "What did you learn?" "What was your favorite part?" The answer to those questions have been haunting me for weeks now. But I'm still ready to come home. I signed up for 11 months and that time has passed. In the words of Jesus, "it is finished."

The end.

There are so many of you who have followed me in this journey from day one and I appreciate all of your encouragement more than you could ever know. Even though I was the one who personally got to see and experience God working all over the world, you have been a huge part of it. Those of you who donated money, prayed and encouraged me will receive the same reward I do. You are the ones who made it possible for me to go and for that I thank you. It's been a great year and I feel honored to have shared it with you.

America, here I come!

Team Frontline at our Squad Banquet

**Stay tuned for my end of the year video I will be posting soon after I get home...it'll be good!

My New Normal

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

At first this trip started out like any other mission trip I've been on. Excited about ministry, blogging about every situation I experienced and story I heard, seeing God move in ways that don't happen a lot in America and loving the people I serve with. Now...11 months later...it doesn't seem like a mission trip anymore. I think it stopped feeling that way by month 4. Now it's just life. My life. Living in community, having feedback every night, waking up each day not knowing exactly what will happen, never being alone (ever), looking for ministry opportunities everywhere I go, not really making decisions for myself, seeing God move in amazing ways pretty much every day; those things are my new normal.

So what has my "normal" life looked like here in India? Well...every day is different and we haven't been as busy as I originally thought we would be, but it has been a great ending.

Playing volleyball with the kids at Home of Faith Orphanage. These are some crazy talented young people who will steal your heart so watch out!

I was asked to lead worship for a University cell group. I went expecting to lead and move on but I was blown away at the hearts of these students. It was an honor to meet them for a short time and hear their dreams and vision for their future.

Angie, Nikki and I took a lunch trip to Kentucky Fried Chicken...well...because it's delicious! For some reason the manager asked us if we would take a tour of the kitchen. Obviously we said yes. I was seriously surprised by the cleanliness, organization and professionalism. We even got a cheer performed for us by the kitchen staff. I'm not trying to put an ad out there for KFC but I was impressed. The US has a thing or 2 to learn!

Every Thursday we visited a daycare where we got 2 hours to spend with about 24 toddlers. The majority of them come from either Muslim or Hindu families but by the time we were finished with them they knew the typical Christian kid songs and who Jesus was. They love singing and playing London Bridge! It's the cutest thing to see them pray too. Precious!

Our contact told us that we would be most effective in our ministry if we dressed like the locals. The next day we were off for a day on the town! I felt like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman having fabric rolled out for me, tea brought and filled when it was empty. I was a little overwhelmed with all of the options but had quite a good experience being in India's shopping capital, Bangalore.

I felt God's love so much when we visited the disabled women's home. From mentally handicapped to mute and blind, these women are precious. We got to sing with them and share Jesus; again, these women are either Hindu or Muslim. They seemed so appreciative for us coming but I was probably blessed more than they were!

I have also gotten to know some of the YWAM students here, attended a wedding, led worship, prayer walked, performed at an open mic coffee night, celebrated my birthday, gotten henna and I'm sure more that I can't remember. This month is like the cherry on top of the biggest, most delicious sundae I've ever eaten! Ministry like this is every day life on the race. Having a mentality to bring Kingdom wherever I am. Listen and hear the voice of the Lord. Speaking life over myself and others around me. This is my new normal.

reCAP africa

Sat, 20 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

May - Kenya - Deliverance Church

June - Uganda - Ambassadors of Life Church

July - Tanzania - Potter's Temple

Favorite Country - My overall favorite country in Africa was Kenya. The Pastors at Deliverance Church have worked with the World Race for a long time and we immediately felt like family. We were outside of Nairobi and I loved getting to know my way around the city. We preached a lot! In schools, at people's homes, the church, grocery stores and the mall. I helped out in the church office, volunteered at Mother Teresa's Charity Home, spoke at a worship conference, led worship for the Wednesday night prayer meetings and loved playing with kids in the slums. We even visited an elephant orphanage! We were in Kenya the longest out of any country, 6 weeks, but I didn't mind at all.

Breaking Point - By the time we got to Africa my attitude towards being clean, having running water, being comfortable, eating good food, etc., had pretty much gone out the window. The one thing I had taken for granted was electricity. Silly but true. In Africa the power goes out at random times for God only knows how long. In Uganda it felt like the power was out more than it was on. So it was sometime in the middle of the month and I was feeling really sick. I had been up all through the night, there was no water so my toilet had a science experiment going on, all of my electronics were dead and there was no power. I was sitting underneath my mosquito net, feeling sorry for myself, and had a mini breakdown. It didn't last long and I'm totally over it now. Low point. It made me realize how much I was dependent on my computer, iPod and electricity.

Typical World Race Moment - Tanzania. 10 people sitting in a living room. The power is out and the sun is quickly setting. Since this is a daily occurrence we have candles and matches ready. As we're sitting there, trying to decide what to do with our evening, I get a genius idea. There is a coke bottle on the table and matches so I run to the kitchen to boil an egg. Do you see where this is going? Sounds a bit like 10th grade chemistry class, doesn't it? Well, the 10 of us spent the next 30 minutes trying to get this hard boiled egg to fall through the coke bottle. It never happened but it sure was fun trying. That's what happens when you have no cable, no internet and no electricity. Welcome to the World Race!

Favorite Food - Most of the food in Africa was the same. One of my favorite things that we had in each country was samosas; not girl scout cookies. They are meat and veggie filled fried dough pockets. The fruit in Africa is more ripe and juicy than anything you can find in the US and even though the coffee is instant, it's not too bad. (Or maybe my standards have just dropped dramatically) We found pizza in each country and even though it's no Papa John's it was good enough for me! There are surprisingly no American-ized restaurants, that we could find, in any of the 3 countries we went to. All through Asia there were at least McDonald's and even bigger chains like Chili's, Ruby Tuesdays, KFC and Pizza Hut. Not in Africa. The closest thing we found was a fast food restaurant in Tanzania called MarryBrown's which was like KFC meets McDonald's. It's amazing how much food can make you feel closer to home.

Most Embarassing Moment - I'm at an all girl's school in Tanzania with about 300 students, Muslim and Christian. I wasn't planning on speaking but I really felt like I was supposed to share my testimony. I nudge Angie to let her know that I was going to speak before she did and away I went. As I was talking the girls seemed really engaged. They were laughing and responding to different things I was saying. I got into my high school years and I asked if any of the girls have, or have had, a boyfriend. Silence. Ok. Maybe dating isn't allowed here. I decided to keep going, talking about "boyfriends." Well, come to find out, the word boyfriend means something different in Tanzania, but I didn't know until after I was done talking. It means your having sex outside of marriage with this boy. A pure, healthy, Christian relationship with a boy is called your sweetheart. So now all these girls think I'm this promiscuous, crazy person. Whoops! Good thing the Pastor clarified everything after I was finished. We all had a laugh but it would have been nice to know beforehand. Oh Africa!

Best Memory - I actually have a lot of good memories in Africa but my most favorite would be the adventure Angie and I took to meet her Compassion child of 5 years while we were in Kenya. The 6 hour journey turned into 9, which turned into 11 hours of bumpy, dusty, crazy driving. We went through 7 out of the 9 regions of Kenya where we saw giraffes, zebras, tribal people with spears, gazelles, camels, boy shepherds, straw huts; it was like traveling through the Lion King! When we got to the Compassion Base, kids flooded the car. Angie was the first sponsor to visit her child so it was kind of a big deal. A big enough deal for them to kill the village goat and prepare a meal for us. Being able to see the school, church and home where this precious little girl, Diborah, lived was such an honor. I took footage to make a video for Angie (when we have strong enough internet it can be uploaded). Angie bought gifts and groceries to give the family and she was given authentic tribal jewelry. I even got a bracelet! We visited the tribe for almost 3 hours and then it was time to head back. Traveling that much for a short visit was totally worth the joy and experience of meeting Diborah.

Time I Felt Closest to God - Even though Uganda was not my favorite country to be in, it's definitely where I felt the power of God the strongest. The church we worked with knows how to pray and worship. Pastor Joseph is such an anointed, powerful, yet humble man of God. We experienced a lot of supernatural things including demonic manifestations, prophetic words and healings take place that month. There was also a lot of time during the day that we had to ourselves since our ministry was more in the late afternoon and evening. I'm glad I took advantage of that time to really be alone with God and spend time in the Word. We also visited Prayer Mountain where thousands of Christians go to pray and fast. I was challenged to take a look at my own life and see areas where I should go to the next level.

Blogs I Recommend - Welcome to Paradise, Is Jesus Really Enough?, I've Never Felt Love Like This Before

Birthdays Are Like Boogers...

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

...the more you have the harder it is to breathe!

Ever since I was a little girl I envisioned what my life would be like when I reached a certain age. Getting married, finishing school and choosing a career, having babies, etc. None of the things I imagined included traveling the world. Even though it has been a dream of mine for a long time, it was almost a dream that I expected to never actually happen. And here I am, 26, and my life is just that. I celebrated my birthday yesterday with amazing people in India by getting my nose pierced and having the waiters at Pizza Hut sing me a birthday song to the tune "We Will Rock You."

The past year has been one crazy adventure after another. I have learned more about God, life and myself through this trip than I have anywhere else. Some of you have made the comment that I have done and experienced more in my 26 years of life than you have, being older and wiser. Though that may be true I don't consider this year my "good deed" for my life. I don't want to just check it off my list and remember "the good 'ol days" of serving Jesus. I feel like it's just the beginning.

I want to take the things I have learned from this year and have it propel me to greater things. I'm not finished. I haven't arrived. There's more things I want to learn and experience. Even though this chapter of my life is quickly coming to a close, a new chapter will begin. And as you read a book, you may have an idea of what will happen but you never know until you actually read the story. That's kind of where I am. I have a big picture in my head of what I think my future will look like, but I won't know until I get there and it actually happens.

So this birthday I found myself reflecting on this past year. It's been a great one. Maybe even the best year of my life. But I don't want it to remain that way. I want my 26th year to be even better than my 25th. Why not? I'm pretty sure that's what God wants too. So stay tuned...this girl's got a lot of living left to do!

reCAP asia

Sat, 13 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

January - The Philippines - Kids International Ministries

February - Thailand - SHE

March - Malaysia - Methodist Churches

April - Cambodia - World Team

Favorite Country - The Philippines with Thailand not far behind. I felt like I got to make my month in The Philippines what I wanted. The ministry there, KIM, has so many options of what to do. Every day I would wake up and make my own schedule. Monday at the orphanage, Tuesday helping with the feeding ministry, Wednesday was preaching at the prison, Thursday was free day, Friday back at the orphanage; you get the point. I even got to meet and work with Russ Ortiz (former pitcher for the Braves) and Brian Hommel (former pitcher for the Brewers). They were there for a week sponsoring a baseball camp. Getting to do so many different things was the main reason I loved The Philippines the most. I also loved being with the Long family, founders of KIM and one of the World Race's favorite contacts. I felt like I was part of the family going to basketball games, out to eat, etc. It made me miss my family but also made me feel like I was with family, if that makes sense. The kids were so cute, most people could speak English, the food was great, I met people from all over the world and we got to go to karaoke multiple times. Even though I have loved something about every country I've been to, I could actually see myself going back to The Philippines.

Favorite Cultural Experience - I love Asia, which I was not necessarily expecting. Out of all the countries we went to I learned the most about Cambodia. Our ministry that month was way up North in the Preah Vihear Province; the middle of nowhere. We stayed in a house with 3 Khmer girls, cooked with them, taught English and learned Khmer words. The contacts were an American family who had lived in Cambodia for a few years and they let us borrow all of their books on the culture, history and language. The first weekend we were there we traveled back down to Phnom Penh, the capitol. We saw the King's palace, experienced the city life and also visited the Choeung Ek killing fields. What Cambodia went through in the late 1970s was horrific. Being able to not only hear or read about it and actually experience it was something I'll never forget. At the end of the month we went to Siem Reap which reminded me of Savannah or Charleston. It was there that I visited Angkor Wat and the other famous temples. If you've ever seen Laura Croft Tomb Raider, I was there! So Cambodia was definitely my favorite country to learn about and experience.

Breaking Point - I had seen a lot, even after only 5 months of being on the race. A lot of poverty, helplessness, disease, etc. Sometimes it seems like I tried to hold all the feelings and emotions in because we were around it everyday and to react to it all the time would be out of control. But in Thailand, being surrounded by sin, darkness, lust and addiction every other night took it's toll. There was a certain part of Bangla Road where you would find the "Lady Boys." Yes, they were men who dressed and looked like women. Our motto was, "if she's too hot, then she's not." It was very hard to do any personal evangelism down this particular part so whenever we walked by we just prayed through the aisles, between the bars and over bar stools. One night I saw parents hand their baby to one of the Lady Boys who was dancing on the bar. Everyone started laughing, the Lady Boy was making rude and inappropriate gestures to the baby and people were taking pictures. At that moment I felt like I could have killed someone. This innocent baby was in the midst of this chaos, late at night and now was part of the sick show. I immediately burst into tears and just had to walk away. It was a rough night. The next time we went I didn't want to walk down that strip but knew that God was calling us to prayer walk. It was so awesome to see that by the end of the month, that area had quieted down so much! The main street remained crazy but as we walked down the aisle, most of the bars that had been full at the beginning of the month were now empty. There were also particular chairs that I had touched every time we walked down that weren't even there the last time we went. So God is definitely moving on Bangla Road and I can't wait to hear when one day the whole thing shuts down.

Best Memory - We were in Cambodia for Khmer New Year and the hottest month of the year. Because of that, the people really slow their life down. Not a lot of work goes on and people just find a mango tree, sit underneath in the shade and hang out. That's not a joke. So for Khmer New Year we decided to throw a mango party! What does that mean? Well, it means that the American women spent the day baking. Mango bread, mango cookies, mango crisp, mango jam, mango everything. The Khmer women prepared the main dish, noodle soup. That night we invited the entire church and people in the community over. We played games (water balloon toss, volleyball, bobbing for apples, etc.), ate delicious food and ended the evening dancing traditional Khmer style; around a chair. It was a fun day from start to finish.

Favorite Food - Thai street food is the best. It's one of the main things I still crave. One of my favorites was the food stalls where you pick your raw meat kabob and they cook it right there. It may sound unsanitary but it was so good. There was also a man who had a coffee stand down the street from where we lived and we went there so much he knew our order and the time to have it ready! You can never go wrong with Pad Thai or the fresh fruit smoothies. Mango sticky rice is to die for and if you're ever in Thailand you have to try the hot ham and cheese sandwich from 7-11. Yes, trust me! Also, Malaysia was our month of food. We mostly did door to door and every home we went in, we were offered food, tea/coffee or both. I ate so much that month! Most of it was delicious too.

Funniest Moment - Imagine being on a bus for 10 hours and being dropped off at a bus station in a new place. Then imagine a van pulling up, a small man sticking his head out the window and calling to you, "I am Pastor!" (Insert Indian accent here) This was our first of many contacts in Malaysia, Pastor Yesudason. After his interesting greeting he gets out of the car to help us load our bags. We knew ahead of time that we would spend a good amount of time driving. Knowing that small detail we all looked around nervously at each other when the next thing he tells us is that he is blind in one eye and his other eye is lazy. Yikes! Also the van felt like it would break down at any moment and there was no AC. We nicknamed it the Sweat Box. The week we spent with Pastor Yesu was probably the week I have laughed the most on the race. I wish I could portray him properly, he was just so full of joy! Random animal noises and jokes that didn't really make sense. Whenever he would hear any of us laugh in the back of the van he would say, "are we laughing?" and then join in with ridiculous sounding laughs. It was great. One night we went to the land his church had bought to build a new building on. After we worshipped and prayed he wanted us to lay on the blanket and look at the stars; what else would we do at 1am in Kelantan? He then proceeds to tell us this joke about bananas, only we didn't know it was a joke until he told the punchline. We didn't know it was the punchline until he started to die laughing, so naturally we joined in. Even as I type, I feel like I cannot express with words how much joy this man had. It was a breath of fresh air to be around him for the week.

Time I Felt Closest to God - I loved spending the afternoons at the orphanage in The Philippines. I went there one day to see the new toddler that arrived the day before. His mother had abandoned him at the hospital so he lived there the first six months of his life. A Filipino couple adopted him but after a about a year they got pregnant and decided they didn't want him anymore. So Jacob was dropped off at the orphanage, abandoned twice in his short two years of life. I had heard he hadn't stopped crying and needed 100% attention, so I wanted to help in any way I could. When I got there it was a little chaotic. Only two workers were there and three of the kids had gotten into the markers so Jacob had been put in the play pen and was weeping uncontrollably. I gently picked him up and calmed him down. After that I held him...for 4 hours. We just sat and rocked. At one point he turned and looked up at me, put his little hand on my cheek and smiled this huge grin. It melted my heart. At that moment I felt closest to God than I had in a long time. I wasn't building a house or preaching on the street or praying for healing. I was simply holding a two year old that needed to feel loved, accepted and safe at that moment and it was beautiful.

Blogs I Recommend - Chocolate or Poop?, Bar Hopping for Jesus, The Not so Glamorous Side of Life, Where Were You?

reCAP central america

Sat, 6 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

October - Guatemala - Mi Reto

November - Nicaragua - CICRIN Orphanage

December - Costa Rica - 6:8 Ministries

Favorite Country - It would have to be Costa Rica. We were right outside the city, San Jose, and our ministry was great. We did feedings to the homeless, helped with construction at a 4 Square Church, Operation Christmas Child, and more. I really loved feeling like I had a life there; friends, a church, knowing my way around town, etc. Being away from home at Christmas was definitely weird but we made some great memories with authentic New Orleans gumbo for Christmas Eve, bon fires and Christmas carols, cookie decorating, Secret Santa and an amazing Christmas dinner complete with pork tenderloin, green bean casserole, cranberries and mashed potatoes.

Best Memory - We really connected with one particular family (Carlos, Miriam, Carlos Jr, Abraham and Isai) in Guatemala and our main ministry that month was helping to build their house. It was near the end of our month and Miriam wanted to have us over for dinner. So that day Angie and I went with her and the 3 kids on a shopping extravaganza! The whole team chipped in some money and each boy got to pick out an outfit and new shoes, they went crazy. Then we bought food for that night and went back to their house to cook. It is not easy to prepare a meal for 15-20 people without a full out kitchen like I'm used to. 4 hours later we were finally all around the table, which we had to put outside since the house was too small for us all to fit in. We ate, sang some songs and we tried to communicate the best we could. It was just a great day from start to finish.

Breaking Point - Right before we headed to ministry one day in Costa Rica, I happened to get on facebook only to find out that my grandfather had passed away earlier that morning. I had a decision to make. I could either let myself get down, fly home and be with family or I could trust God. I know He called me to this trip and He knew what would happen. I believe He had a reason for me not being there. I would have to grieve my grandfather's death whether I was at home or in Costa Rica and I decided to stay. My team rallied around me, my family supported my decision and I believe it was the right one. But it still hurt; it was a wake up call for me. Knowing that I made a commitment to 11 months whether it got hard, dirty, ugly or not, life was still going on at home, but I was exactly where I needed to be.

Favorite Food - In Nicaragua you could buy sweet bread everywhere. That was dangerous for my health! It's fresh baked, warm bread coated in sugar, basically a donut, and it's dirt cheap. "Sweet Bread" also became a nickname for me for a short time. Guatemala was my overall favorite. We had a lady from the church cook for us so it was authentic. My favorite thing she made was chocolate rice for breakfast, I wish I could remember the name. Also, her beans were to die for. In Costa Rica we cooked for ourself so we didn't get a cultural feel for food there but we did make guacamole and homemade tortilla chips almost every day. Que rico!

Scariest Moment - I had the chance to go scuba diving for the first time in Guatemala. Angie, Sarah and I didn't really know what to expect but it was month 1 and we wanted the "adventure." So we got briefed on the equipment and what to do for about 30 minutes at this guy's house. It literally took me another 30 minutes to put the wet suit on (that is a story in and of itself)! We get to the lake, which is an inverted volcano filled with water, and I start to get a little nervous. I've never been scuba diving before and I pretty much chose the most sketch way to go. Nothing bad happened, but I was really nervous. We only went about 30 feet deep but at one point I thought I was pushing the button on the jacket to release the air so we could go deeper but accidentally pushed the one to fill it up. Needless to say I shot up out of the water, and if any of you have been diving before you know that is one of the most dangerous things you can do. Good thing we weren't that deep. I probably won't go scuba diving again, even if it's not sketchy. Breathing under water like that was too weird for me.

Time I Felt Closest to God - Early morning or sunset, cool weather, Lake Nicaragua, hammock, iPod, Bible, journal, done.

Funniest/Most Embarrassing Moment - I tried really hard to remember an experience with myself, but honestly, Central America seems so long ago. So here's a funny story of my team leader, Mac and another team leader, Scotty, in Costa Rica. The area where we lived was in a semi-dangerous neighborhood but we all felt safe because not only were we were in a gated compound but an ex-mob leader, Victor, who had gotten saved lived in a separate house in the compound. He was huge and eliminated any fear we had for our safety. Mac and Scotty shared a tiny room connected to the garage so they could hear when a car drove through the gate or see if anyone was walking around from the window that was by their bunk beds. It's 3:30am and Mac got up to pee. At the same time, Scotty heard a car alarm go off, inside the compound. So he got up to look out the window, did I mention he's ex-military? As soon as he looked out the window he saw a hooded man walking toward the car with something in his hand. If I was in this situation I would have probably wet myself at this point. Scotty yelled out the window, "HEY!", the hooded figure turns and starts walking directly towards the window. So what does Scotty do? He tells Mac there is someone there, and they hide...in the closet. Now this room was tiny. Barely enough room for the bunk beds and their packs. The closet was even smaller. So we have 2 grown men, in the middle of the night, hiding in the closet. Scotty calls our ministry contact, at 3:30am, to tell him there was somebody in the compound with a gun. If you haven't guessed already, yes, it was Victor! He had heard something and had gone out to see what it was. When Scotty yelled, he came toward the window to let the guys know it was him, and the thing in his hand was a flashlight. I wish we could have seen this all play out but having Mac and Scotty tell us the next day was still pretty funny.

Blogs I Recommend - Worship in a Witch's Cave, A Day in the Life..., I'm Dreaming of a Sober Christmas

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

Thu, 4 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Well folks, this is it. India. Month 11. We finally made it to the YWAM base in Bangalore, but it was not an easy process. We left our ministry house in Tanzania at 8:15am on Sunday, July 31 and arrived to our ministry house in India at 8:30am on Thursday, August 4. So what has happened the past 5 days?! Well I'm glad you asked.

I've traveled about 5,000 miles with 2 airplane rides, a 35+ hour train ride, a few rickshaws thrown in and a couple taxis. I've been lost twice, experienced a bomb threat in a mall and played a Michael Jackson song for my 5 Indian men bunk mates on the train.

This is what 35 hours on a train will do to you!

We're still not sure what this month will be like yet but I'm excited about the culture, the food, the clothes (it's best if we "blend in" with the locals) and the people. It feels good to be back in Asia. I didn't realize how much I loved it until I was away.

Stay tuned for ministry stories from this month and my reCAP of the past 3 continents!

Happy Anniversary to Us!

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

It's been 1 year since training camp. 1 year since I was put on a team with 6 other strangers and told they would soon become family. I remember going through this internal tug-a-war of being excited and terrified. I mean, it was almost like I was getting married, to 6 other people, who I didn't get to choose for myself. Yikes!

Our first few weeks were the "honeymoon stage." We were so polite to each other and wanted to show our best, kind of like the first few dates with a new person. My teammate, Angie, wrote a blog a few months ago about this which I will highlight here because it is so true...

I remember hearing World Race Alumni saying that the Race will prepare you for marriage one day, but now I understand the weight of their words. I am constantly putting six other people's feelings, problems, ideas and comfort in front of my own and I have six extremely different personalities to connect with on an emotional and spiritual level. If that doesn't prepare you for "being a grown up" I don't know what would. Of course the seven of us are living in a purely platonic, brother/sister community setting, but it goes far beyond just "good friends I live with" like I had in college. In college I had my independence and I wasn't constantly with my roommates. The seven of us on Team Frontline are always together...sometimes happy, sometimes mad, sometimes laughing, sometimes fighting but always pouring in all we have into our relationships with one another. We have to constantly let each other know how we are feeling and what we are thinking, whether it's hard to say or not.

We even have "marriage counseling" which AIM calls "Debrief" every couple months with our Squad Leaders, Shannon and Scotty and our Squad Coaches, Mamma C and Pappy. They give us advice on how to relate to one another and how to resolve any conflicts within the group, and we take their feedback to the Lord and apply it to our daily lives as seven individuals living in extreme, intimate community. The seven of us sleep under the same roof, worship together, eat every meal together, do ministry together, have our "down time" together, and even have our "quiet time" together. AIM doesn't allow us to ever be anywhere alone so there are many times when I would like to take a walk by myself, but for safety reasons, I can't...so headphones and worship music have to suffice for "quiet time" until I get home from the Race. We try to incorporate fun things to do together as a team, as well as spiritual activities, and the seven of us always participate in our daily session of what we call "Feedback", where we voice our feelings about anything that's on our hearts--the good, the bad, and the ugly.

It can be exhausting, trying to compromise and work with six other people every single day for eleven months, but God has definitely taught me patience, perserverance, solid communication and constant commitment through it. There are times when I get so frustrated with my team I just have to throw my hands up in the air and pray to the good Lord to get through it, but my team mates always show me grace and mercy just like I show them grace and mercy when they're having their times of frustration. I have learned such valuable lessons that I know my entire team will take into our actual marriages down the road. Lessons God chose to teach us through each other. I know Paul and Mac's future wives will have the five of us women to thank for all that we taught them about women and I am sure my future husband will be thanking them for teaching me all about men. We have all learned that, however hard it may be, a relationship isn't something you can just give up on, as difficult and painful as it may be from time to time. We give it our all, constantly trying and never giving up on each other, and that is a priceless lesson from God I will never forget.

So Happy Anniversary Team Frontline...it's been a crazy, adventurous, hard, fun, awkward, wonderful year. Let's enjoy these last 5 weeks!

Side note: We leave for India on Sunday, month 11! For me to start processing this year in full I will be posting a new blog every Saturday in August to recap each continent. If you have any specific questions you would like me to answer (ie: favorite food, funniest memory, etc.) leave a comment and let me know!

I've Never Felt Love Like This Before

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Do you remember your first crush? Or the first time you fell in love? Maybe it was your wedding day or the first time you held your baby in your arms? The love that you felt in your heart; something unnatural, something you had never felt before. Well, I have started to feel that love. For complete strangers.

Yeah...it's weird. I know. I'm the one feeling it! I've prayed that God would put His love in me for others because honestly, it's hard to love people. I obviously love my family and friends, and people like me; but that's easy. Most of the time I'm selfish with who or what I love. But this year has changed me in many ways and one of those ways is how I love. I feel like I've experienced God's love for others, but there's something new and unnatural about how I feel now. I've never felt love like this before.

It's this overwhelming love for people. The woman cooking dinner outside, the man driving the motorcycle, the kid playing with a tire wheel. It's a little crazy actually. I just look at them and feel...

love.

And it's not my love, definitely not. It's God's love for them. I think God has allowed me to feel just a little bit, we're talking miniscule here, of the love He feels for each one of us.

As I think of how God feels, this crazy love for people, I think of how much it hurts Him to not be loved back. And that's why I'm here. To tell others how much God loves them and how much He wants to be loved back by them. Have you ever loved someone and not been loved back? It's horrible! But it happens to God every day and that makes me sad.

All I can do is tell others about His love and show His love by living it every day. Will you help me?

Preaching to Muslims

Sat, 23 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

This year has really stretched me as far as always being ready to speak. Whether it be just sharing what's on my heart, a full out sermon, my testimony or all of the above, it has been done many times. And believe it or not, speaking in front of people is not my favorite thing. So I have definitely grown these past few months in Africa especially.

The other day we went to a new part of town to evangelize with a different church. The area where we were was majority Muslim. Honestly, I was slightly nervous when I found out. Something in me just felt weird. My hesitation was more of what these people would think of me, an American missionary coming onto their turf to tell them about Jesus. Yikes!

First we went to the church where a small group of women had gathered. It was very low key; we made introductions and told them about our life. None of the team really knew what was planned for the day or what was going on. We were there less than an hour but 3 of the women, Muslim women, gave their life to Christ! It was amazing. But the story doesn't end there...

These women each ran to their house and gathered family, friends and neighbors to hear what we had to say. So we split up in 2 teams and went to each of these women's houses. Mac and I went with the Pastor's wife and talked to a few people along the way before we made to the particular house we were going to. It was just the woman who had been at the church, Mama Mary, and one of her neighbors, also Muslim.

Right then and there I presented the Gospel to her. I told her that we had been traveling many months to many countries and I have seen that on the outside people are very different. We look different, speak different languages, eat different food, have different customs; but on the inside, we are all the same. I told her that I believe that God created each of us with a special place on the inside that can only be satisfied by Him. So I asked her if she was truly satisfied. And from that, she accepted Jesus. It was awesome. When I woke up that day I had no idea I was going to speak to her, or even what I was going to say. It just happened. I opened my mouth and the Holy Spirit filled it.

We went to more houses and I spoke to more people. Some just listen because we are white Americans, but some really care about what we are saying. Every house is different but with each new person and area we go to, God is always faithful to protect us and give us His words to speak.

My Weekend

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Ministry in Africa has been very similar, making it hard for me to think of what to blog about. Yes, it's a different country, different people; but what we do has been the same. But I'm gonna tell you about this past weekend anyway! So there.

The Pastor we are working with this month has a close friend who is a Pastor in downtown. He was very interested in us doing a seminar for his church over the weekend. A few from our team had preached at his church the first Sunday we were here so we talked about it and agreed to do the seminar. None of us were really sure what that meant, but we were ready for anything.

Just getting to this church is an adventure. It's about 3 hours of travel one way, 3-4 hours of travel back. First, we have to catch a "dala-dala" or a bus if we're lucky. Most of the time it's already so full we have to cram in the aisles. I've experienced some very interesting smells.

To get into town we actually take 3 different dalas or buses. Then it's time for the ferry. The church is actually on an island right in the city center of Dar es Salaam. The ferry is like the last boat to America. People crowd on as much as they can and literally run on and off like their life depended on it! It's quite a site to see.

Once we get to the island it's one more dala-dala and then we walk. It's a small town with street vendors and houses along the way. We walk until we see people.

Most of the time it's kids playing outside but we know their parents are not far away. So I start playing guitar and singing, drawing a crowd. Then another teammate will either preach the gospel right then and there, or we just invite them all to come to the church.

The next day we went, I was playing in front of these vendors and a guy came up and gave me money! Guess he liked what he heard. I should have stayed all day!

So the "seminar" wasn't this huge, thousand people gathering with hundreds getting saved and miracles happening every 5 minutes. The first night we had 2 adults and about 20 kids. It was a little chaotic with them running around and not paying attention. And honestly, I was pretty discouraged. We traveled all that way for 2 people? And then to go back the next day I was wondering the whole time if more people would come or if it would be another waste.

But Saturday we spent about 3 hours doing door-to-door. Angie and I went with a translator and we ran into a group of mechanics taking a break from work. We ended up talking with them for over an hour. They had a ton of questions and I really felt the Holy Spirit speak through both Angie and I. I don't know if any of them accepted Christ but I know we presented the Gospel to them and challenged them to really think about it. Also, the guy in the white shirt and blue hat looks just like Usher...just sayin!

Later that day at the seminar, a guy we met the first day did got saved, a group of Muslim women came who we met doing door-to-door. They came up for prayer at the end and I believe both of them will know Jesus very soon.

So even though it seemed like we were wasting time, money and energy to come to this island to speak to about 20 people, I know it was worth it. At least that's what I keep telling myself!

That Doesn't Make Sense!

Sat, 9 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

My first week in Tanzania has been welcomed by an infection, parasite and house arrest. It's the worst I've felt on the race so far but I survived and am ready to join back with my team! Thank you for praying.

So if I was sick all week, what do I have to blog about? Other than the fact that I've explored every room in the house; which took all of about 6 minutes, counted how many tiles are in the bedroom; 73, and watched an army of ants carry away a huge roach; much more entertaining than you might imagine, I have been thinking a lot.

About what, you may ask? I'm sure you would guess it's some deep theological topic or maybe a life shattering revelation. Well...maybe...it depends on how you look at it.

I grew up in a Christian family, went to Sunday school my whole life (and not just because I got $1 for going every week when I was little). I remember the foam story boards of all the famous Bible characters and what happened in their lives. But for some reason, this week, in Tanzania, while being sick, I realized...

That God doesn't make a whole lot of sense most of the time.

Woah. Hold it right there. Did you hear me right? Read the sentence again. God. Doesn't. Make. A. Whole. Lot. Of. Sense. Most. Of. The. Time. In our human minds anyway. Yeah...deep huh? Let it sink in.

I mean, He asked Noah to build a big boat in the desert where it never rained. It didn't make any sense that the Israelites walked around Jericho for seven days singing "Kum Bah Yah" while everyone on the walls laughed at them. He told Moses to charge toward the Red Sea with Pharaoh's attacking army bearing down on them. It didn't make any sense to be willing to kill Isaac before he could grow up and have kids himself so that Abraham could be the father of a nation, with descendants as diverse as the stars. Why would He put a young, innocent, virgin girl's life at stake by using her to give birth to Jesus? We won't even discuss the donkey who talked. And what about that girl, Alana? Selling her possessions and raising $15,000 to live out of a backpack, traveling the world for 11 months. Now that doesn't make any sense at all! Oh wait...that's me.

So as I have about 7 weeks left before coming home, I've been praying into what the future looks like for me. After traveling this long and so much it sounds really nice to spend my future at Spa Sydell or a nice fluffy couch somewhere air conditioned with wifi, cable and endless sweet tea. But that makes sense. And the God I serve doesn't seem to make a lot of it. Don't get me wrong, I will be catching up on sleep, taking ridiculously long, hot showers (I have a lot of dirt to remove), and eating all the foods I've been missing, but that should only take a few weeks or so.

I don't have exact answers yet, but I'm dreaming big and looking for something that is out of reach for me in my own power to do. Something that when you hear about what I'm doing you think, "well that doesn't make a whole lot of sense."

My Month in Photos

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Dear Uganda,

My time with you is coming to a close. It's been a long, hard, fun, challenging month. I really enjoyed the personal evangelism including door to door and open air preaching.

But nothing beats visiting the orphanages and playing with kids.

I must say, I will not miss the mud, trash or smell...

but the people I've met makes me love you, Uganda.

Also, it was very fun to ride the giant tortoise, thanks for that.

I don't know if I'll ever come visit you again, but I'm sure glad I

spent the month with you.

Love,

Alana

Ugandan Challenge

Sat, 25 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Uganda is not my favorite country, I think we've established that. But I have felt more challenged by the Christians here than anywhere else I've ever been.

Ambassadors of Life Church is full of people who love God. I'm talking real, raw, passionate love here. It is a community like I've never seen. The way they worship and pray has pushed me in my walk with Christ. There are church members who have devoted their life to the ministry even though it has little or no income. They sleep on the dirt floor of the church and eat when people give them food. Every Friday night they have all-night prayer. Every Friday, not just to welcome in the New Year. I am blessed to have met these people and hope to bring some of their passion home with me!

Pastor Christopher watched as both his parents were brutally murdered during the Bush War. This forced him to the streets. He lived there with his brother and sister for 4 years, begging and fighting for life every day. Christopher knew there was a Christian convention happening and he went there to beg for food, money or anything someone would give him. It was there he ran into the guest speaker who started asking him about his life. Christopher told the man all he wanted was to go to school. The man ended up taking in Christopher and his siblings, raising them and paying for their education up until college graduation. Christopher is know married with twin girls and he runs Life of Hope Aids Orphanage. Every 2 weeks he goes to the streets looking for kids who want more out of life and giving them a second chance.

Pastor Joseph took us to Africa Prayer Mountain this week. It's a place where people from all over the world come to pray, fast and seek the Lord. People fast for 40 days while being on this mountain and sleeping outside either in the jungle or in a tent. When we went, there were about 100 people or more. It was crazy to see; it was like I was in the New Testament or something! Yet again another experience that challenged me spiritually. Doing a Daniel fast for 3 weeks in January is a struggle for me and here these people do it for twice that long while living on a mountain. Wow.

S Squad Worship (VIDEO)

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I have been blessed and honored to be the worship leader of S-Squad. I may be biased but I think we are the most talented squad ever to come on the World Race. My teammate, Mac, put together this video of the squad worshipping together in Kenya. Some of my favorite memories are when we are all together and will probably be the thing I miss the most after going home. Take a look!

Is Jesus Really Enough?

Sat, 18 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

From my last blog you all know that I am struggling with the environment here in Uganda. The poverty is different and frustrating, ministry is harder, I feel more tired than ever and sometimes I question if Jesus is really enough to offer the people here.

We've been going to the same area for ministry and every time we go there I think of practical ways to make this a better place. They could establish a "trash zone" where everyone is responsible for bringing their own trash and even have a designated day to burn it. If a well was built then the kids wouldn't have to carry dirty water back home; they would have clean, pure, healthy water. I could raise money to buy clothes and shoes to pass out to families. The list could go on and on.

And here we are, missionaries from America, telling them about Jesus. That He loves them and wants a relationship with them and all they have to do is receive the free gift of salvation. We have seen many people accept Jesus into their lives and it has been amazing to personally pray with them, walk them through scriptures and answer questions. But I still can't help but feel like I'm not doing enough. The physical needs are still here and nothing is being done to improve the situation.

Then I meet people from the church we're working with. People like Pastor Joseph and his wife, Beatrice. They live by faith every single day. Money is so tight they only eat 2 meals a day and sometimes their kids aren't able to pay for school. I know the Pastor could go out and find another job that brings in more money but he is being faithful to what God has called him to do. Jesus is enough.

Ida is 22 years old and she has been my translator for door to door evangelism. When I heard her story the other day it broke my heart. She grew up in a Muslim home. Her mother died when she was 11 from asthma; they didn't have money for an inhaler so....you know the rest. She became a Christian 5 years ago and her father and siblings constantly verbally and physically abuse her for that decision. She has remained faithful to the church by not only attending but also serving even though her home is very far away. Jesus is enough.

Elijah and his mom, Sarah, live at the church. If it was a church in America it wouldn't be an ideal place to live but definitely better than living on the street. Well, this church only has 2 walls and half a roof. Sarah has a husband and 4 other children but when she committed her life to the Lord, they disowned her. So she took her youngest child and traveled 100 kilometers to be a part of Pastor Joseph's congregation. Her and Elijah sleep on the mud floor, under a pew and wear the same 3 outfits all the time. Jesus is enough for them too.

So even though these stories may make you feel slightly depressed, as I sometimes feel, it is a testimony and encouragement to me. That Jesus truly is enough and He is worth everything. And when I go to these villages and to homes that people in America wouldn't even want their dogs to sleep in, I can offer them Jesus. In doing so I am offering hope, love, life, joy, forgiveness, grace, mercy, salvation and eternal life. Jesus really is enough.

The Other Side of the Tracks

Sat, 11 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

As I sit here at Mokka Terrace, drinking my latte and checking Facebook, I can't help but have my mind wander to what I've seen these last few days in Uganda. I've been staring at this page for about 20 minutes trying to think of what to even write. So many thoughts and images race through my mind making it hard to focus on anything.

This is a very different place than anywhere I've ever been. I could even feel the difference at the border of Kenya and Uganda. When we crossed over it felt like we were on the other side of the tracks if you know what I mean! I am definitely more aware of my surroundings here more than anywhere else we've been.

Trash is everywhere and it's all covered in flies. Toddlers are lined up along the sidewalk like traffic cones. They spend all day begging, rain or shine. They use old tires and even trash as toys. Most babies run around naked and hardly any of the kids have shoes. Everywhere you look people are carrying around these yellow containers to fill with water. But it's not cold, purified water. No. It's dirty, murky, water they collect to take home and boil. A common way to try and make a living here is by owning your own shop. You build it from pieces of scrap metal, twigs and branches or pretty much anything you can find. People sell fruits, vegetables, electronics that are probably stolen, clothes, shoes and more.

I've seen a lot of poverty these last 8 months but I'm telling you, Uganda is different. It almost makes me mad! I just want there to be a sense of respect here. Respect for their property and belongings but also for themselves! And it's frustrating to feel like you can't do anything about it.

So your prayers would be appreciated this month especially. We are working with an awesome church with great people. We spend most of our time doing door-to-door evangelism and preaching at the church. Internet is very limited here but I will try and update you as much as possible.

Zebras, Giraffes and Camels...Oh my!

Wed, 1 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

You know those commercials on TV? The ones that say, for $0.28 a day you can feed a hungry child. Or the multiple sponsorship programs available that promise an education, clothing and food if you pay them $40 a month, but then the Director lives in a 5 story home and drives a brand new Cadillac. Yeah...I'm pretty skeptical of those too.

Well, I had the amazing opportunity to travel with my teammate, Angie, to visit her sponsor child. She has been sponsoring Diborah through Compassion International for the past 4 years. They have exchanged letters, photos and when Angie sends extra money she is notified that the family was able to purchase a mattress, a sheep and even a goat!

I really had no idea what to expect. We were told that the drive was very far and "rough terrain." But I'm always up for an adventure so we were on our way.

A 4 hour trip turned into 6 which turned into 9. We went from driving on pavement, to gravel to dirt. We passed zebras, giraffes, camels, a handful of villages full of tribal warriors, kids who are shepherds and hit more potholes than I thought was humanly possible.

We arrived to a remote village in the Samburu tribe district. Most of the people there have never seen white people before (we were far away). They had killed a goat and was excited to serve it to us, with rice of course.

Diborah, 8 years old, is precious. It was amazing to see her and Angie interact. We saw her school, the church and made our way down to her home where we saw the sheep and goats! Her step-mom inducted Angie and I into their tribe by giving us authentic jewelry she had made.

The whole experience was probably the most crazy, adventurous, random thing I've ever done. I want to encourage everyone to sponsor a child. It's more than just writing a check every month, it's being the answer. Compassion International is a very legitimate organization that I put my full trust in. There are so many kids out there that need help. Will you be the answer?

Not Forgotten

Thu, 19 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

This is Agnes. She's somewhere around 20. Her body is deformed, she can barely talk and cannot do anything on her own. She lives at Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity Home and my team was able to visit today.

There are about 25-30 women of all ages, all with severe disabilities. Shrunken heads, no legs, mental disabilities, etc.

It was a sight to see.

One huge room with beds lined against the wall, others in wheelchairs tied to poles, like Agnes. Most of them were very excited to see us while a few were embarrassed.

We took some time to walk around and introduce ourselves. It was lunchtime and we were given a plate of food to help feed the women who cannot feed themselves. I was placed with Agnes.

At first it was really awkward. I tried to talk to her but got no response whatsoever. I didn't even know if she could understand English. I looked around at my teammates to see what they were doing, hoping I could get ideas on how to interact. Nothing. I kind of felt a little uncomfortable. But I kept talking to her, smiling, speaking scripture over her that would pop into my head and praying.

I thought about how she got to the home. It could be a number of reasons but ultimately her family couldn't take care of her. I started to get really sad for her. I'm sure all she knows is the 4 walls of the room she's grown up in, and the pole she's been tied to. Her eyes just seemed lifeless.

Right at that moment this one girl leisurely walked over and took all the bananas on Agnes' plate! Just stole them all and shoved them in her mouth. Agnes' face lit up and she started laughing. From that point on we interacted great. She would nod to questions I asked her and anytime I mentioned the stolen bananas she would get a huge grin on her face. We became friends. Over stolen bananas.

I found out she loves music and to "dance" and promised her that next week I would bring my guitar.

So even though at first I felt sad and sorry for these women; that their families had forgotten them and they would never have a normal life, God has not forgotten them. He knows them by name. He knows every hair on their head and He is taking care of them. There are wonderful Kenyan sisters who volunteer and work at the home. They have so much love for these women. None of them seemed like they were there out of obligation. They didn't get frustrated when the women would spit the food out or knock the plate out of their hands. It was my favorite day here in Kenya so far.

I can't wait to go back next week and see my new friend!

My Soap Box

Sat, 14 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I am not a Bible scholar. I don't know words in the Greek and Hebrew to make myself sound like I know what I'm talking about. But I would like your permission to challenge you with what I've been learning this month. I hope to do it in a loving way that moves you to action. So here it goes...I'm stepping up on my soap box. Ready....go!

Do you think Jesus really meant what He said all throughout scripture? What if He really does want us to "go and make disciples of all nations." What if He was serious when He said, "whoever finds his life will loose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." Or does Paul really mean it when He says, "be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us..." Remember that verse that says "obedience is better than sacrifice"? Is it possible that we can know all of these verses from years of going to Sunday school but never actually do what they say?

So what does God's word say over and over and over again? How should we live our lives? I see that it's all about rescuing others. The point of the Gospel is other people. Jesus came to rescue us from our sin and we want to be more like Him, right? Isn't that the point of being a Christian? Christ-like. So if He came to rescue, our mission is to rescue. What are you doing right now that lives up to that standard? We have to live this every day of our life. It's not for radicals or weirdoes. It's for Christians. And if we proclaim to be one, we need to act like it. Do we believe the Bible or not? I may not like some of the things it says because it's convicting and hard but I'm tired of living how I want and trying to justify it biblically. And I don't think I'm the only one who does that.

Seventeenth-century philosopher John Locke noted that "we Christians say we believe marvelous, earth-shattering and revolutionary things: that we are fully loved by a good and all-powerful God who will never fail to secure us in life and death, that we are therefore free to experience and exhibit selfless love and courage and joy every day, no matter what, for eternity." But how many of us live as if these things are true? John Locke estimated not one in ten thousand. Sounds about right to me, even hundreds of years later. But that makes me want to be that ONE even more.

I have decided that I have no other choice than to live what the Bible says. I really don't think God gave us the Bible to give us something to talk about. He gave it so that we would know how to live our lives. It shows us what to do. I have decided to take the World of God literally. I don't think it's that hard to understand, even though we do a good job at making it that way. It seems to me that a lot of "Christians" have some really good excuses to get out of doing what the Bible says. I myself have used quite a few. But don't we believe that the Word is the voice of God? So why is the written word not enough? Why do we give the excuse that we need to "hear from God" when it comes to serving Him? The verse from 1 John 2:4-6 really convicted me the other day. "If someone claims, 'I know Him well!' but doesn't keep His commandments, he's obviously a liar. His life doesn't match his words. But the one who keeps God's word is the person in whom we see God's mature love. This is the ONLY way to be sure we're in God. Anyone who claims to be intimate with God ought to live the same kind of life Jesus did."

So that's my life goal from this point on, and it's what God tells us all to do. I don't want it to be something special I do for the homeless at Christmas time, or buying a few cans at Wal-Mart to hand out downtown. I want this to be my life, every day in some way, whether I'm in Africa, shopping for groceries or at home with family. I don't think everyone is called to overseas missions, but we are called to God's mission. To make His name known wherever we are, to love Him and love others. Sometimes actions speak louder than words.

The scripture I want to base my life on is found in Isaiah 58, mainly verses 6-10. I love the way the Message words it, "...break the chains of injustice, get rid of exploitation in the workplace, free the oppressed, cancel debts. What I'm interested in seeing you do is: sharing your food with the hungry, inviting the homeless poor into your homes, putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad, being available to your own families. Do this and the lights will turn on, and your lives will turn around at once. Your righteousness will pave your way. The God of glory will secure your passage. Then when you pray, God will answer. You'll call out for help and I'll say, 'Here I am.'

I think it's time to actually take what we've studied for years in our Bible study groups and discipleship classes and actually start doing what the Bible says, without manipulating verses into what we want. There's a huge world in desperate need of a Savior. I encourage you to find out what your part is and start doing it. Take the Bible seriously. That is all. Thank you for reading.

Yo Mama

Sun, 8 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I have a great mom. She had 4 kids (all involved in sports year round), led bible studies, traveled to different churches speaking, was a worship leader, went on multiple mission trips a year, made home cooked meals, and much more. I'm not really sure how she did it all (I was the first diaper she ever changed!) but I have a lot to learn from her. Growing up and still today, so many of my friends were jealous of me for having her as a mom.

Some of my craziness and most of my musical ability comes from her (sorry Dad, we all know you can't really sing). I remember going to Glamor Shots when I was about 10 years old. All you need to know is there was a pink sequence cowgirl outfit and really big hair. Yes, I have the pictures to prove it.

One thing that was a huge example to me was waking up at 5am every day for high school, coming downstairs and seeing my mom having her quiet time. She had even made me breakfast already! I know, I was spoiled.

I really could keep going with ways my mom has blessed me, and my brothers, these past 25 years but I will stop here.

Hey mom! I thought about just writing you an email, or sending you an e-card for Mother's Day. But the competitor in me wanted to write a public blog for all to see. I mean, Chad did give you a grandchild which is pretty much impossible to beat!

Thank you for being a godly example of what a wife, mother and woman of God is. I know you're not perfect and have made mistakes but I've never doubted your love for me. You are my best prayer warrior, my most loyal blog reader and commenter (even though it's probably for your own peace of mind rather than my ego) and my biggest supporter. Happy Mother's Day! I love you!

Welcome to Paradise

Wed, 4 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

This is an area of town called Kibera.

It's part of the biggest slums in all of Africa, housing more than 700,000 people.

Down an alley, over a ditch, under the laundry and past the chickens is a little place called

Paradise Community Center.

It is a refuge for 117 children. 40 of them live on site and the others with guardians, but this center provides them with food, clothing, an education and a Christian community.

When I first saw the place, I laughed to myself thinking: this is the farthest thing from paradise. I mean, it's in the biggest slum in all of Africa! How could that name even be an option?! It had to be some kind of joke.

As the day went on and we met the kids and the beautiful married couple in charge of the home, sang songs, played games and talked about Jesus; I realized that it is in fact, paradise.

You see, I don't think these kids care that they share a room and belongings with 12 others. Or that their home is in the slums, did I mention it is the biggest slum in Africa?! I think they're more concerned with feeling loved, accepted and cared for. And simply because this home offers that to them, it is paradise.

*photos by the fantastically talented Mac Mitchell!

Africa is Here!

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The past 7 months have kind of been a blur. Memories I have from Central America seem like a lifetime ago, yet I can't believe I only have 3 countries left. It's a very weird feeling I'm not sure how to explain and something that cannot fully be understood unless you experience it. But here I am. Month 8. In Kenya. I feel like Africa is kind of the epitome of the World Race experience.

For months I've heard things like, "when we get to Africa, then we'll be on the home stretch" (kind of) or "once Africa gets here, we'll be seasoned missionary professionals" (yeah right) or maybe "Africa is when I'll be completely broken." (maybe) Take your pick, I'm sure there's more. And now I'm here experiencing a little bit of Africa and am loving every minute so far.

Before I tell you about our ministry this month I have to let you know that we went through minor team changes yet again! Just when we thought things were settled, they switch people! So we lost Phil but gained Paul back! (from team lovebound) I didn't realize how much I missed him until he was gone and now back again. He even came with an amazing, necessary bug zapping racket. It's crazy how 1 change makes such a big difference. We are going to have a great end to this Race for sure!

Our new team name is....dun dun dun...Team Frontline. The Lord has laid spiritual warfare pretty heavily on a lot of members of our team. We are going to take these last 4 months and really give it all we got. We can sleep and be clean when we get home. We will be the frontline of the battle, fighting for those who are not able to fight for themselves and because of that, we need your prayers more than ever! We realize the intensity of this calling but don't want it any other way. We are clothing ourselves in the armor daily, making prayer and worship our focus and we believe a little bit of East Africa will be changed in the process.

We are working with Deliverance Church (coincidence?) right outside of Nairobi in Langata, Kenya. The Pastors here are amazing and I already feel at home. We are sleeping in the toddler room of the church, on the floor, no toilet seats and freezing cold showers but the food we are eating makes up for all of that! Plus, I'm blessed to not be in a mud hut in the middle of nowhere, which as I type doesn't sound that bad either.

This church is all about the great commission and they are very involved in the community; close to the church is the biggest slum in Africa. I don't really know what this month will look like, but I'm ready to get started.

Internet will be interesting these next few months, probably not a lot of photos but I'll do my best. Again, please pray for our team whenever you can. You guys are the best!

Cambodia Highlights

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I wouldn't have traded my month in Cambodia for anything. This was the first month I was able to truly embrace the culture by eating the local food, learning the history, bike riding, shopping in the market, learning some of the language, living with the locals, etc. It was a great month and I will never forget the relationships I made there.

True, Complete Joy

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

We recently went to a nearby village to visit a family from church.Ratana and his wife, Comsina were so excited for us to come into their home.It wasn't because their house was big, or because they wanted to show off the new car in the driveway.They don't even have a driveway.We could barely all fit in their house.

The house Ratana built.

As I sat there, watching him teach us Khemr while cutting up fruit we brought, I couldn't help but feel blessed.I didn't feel blessed because I have so much more compared to them. I felt blessed because I got to see what true, complete joy is.

Ratana cutting up the fruit!

Ratana and his wife literally have nothing.No bed.No furniture.No refrigerator.No car.No TV.Last week someone even stole a car battery they used for electricity.Butin the 3 weeks I've known them, I've never seen them without a smile. It's not fake or forced, it's true, complete joy. Jesus talks about it in John 15:10-11, "If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in His love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete."

Sitting in the kitchen/living room/dining room/bedroom

We heard part of his testimony.About him being an alcoholic, growing up Buddhist and one day falling out of a tree, breaking his back.The doctors didn't even want to help him because they said he would be a vegetable the rest of his life.A missionary from Peru who was in Cambodia gave Ratana blood, told him about Jesus and he lived.For weeks he couldn't even sit up.During that time, Ratana secretly prayed to Jesus under his breath.One day, he was able to sit up.He gave his life to the Lord and has been serving Him ever since.That was 5 years ago. Last week at our Mango Party to celebrate the Khmer New Year, Ratana was the best dancer in the place. He also sings and plays music and is pretty much the opposite of a vegetable.

Ratana, Comsina and her sister, Comseang

Ratana and his wife don't have material possessions to make them happy.They have breath in their lungs, they have each other and they have Jesus. That's enough for them and I want to be more like that.

Eating fried frog!

Cambodian Market Crisis 2011 - VIDEO

Fri, 22 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT