Hey John,
I am excited you are interested in doing the World Race. Every person has a unique experience. My overall experience was similar to many of my friends that went at the same time as I did. It was absolutely nothing like I expected.
Yes you can expect to go to 11 countries in 11 months. You can expect to serve in ministries and experience different cultures. You can also expect long travel days. You can even expect to be a little out of your comfort zone; living out of a backpack for a year. There are many things you can expect from reading blogs and posts about the race.
However, there is far more that I did not expect.
I did not expect the growth that came from living in a close knit community. Growth experienced through pushing each other to be the best version of themselves. Entering real healthy conflict and coming to a resolution. Being honest and open about how you feel with this team you do life with.
I did not expect to learn how to honor and treat women in a new way. As a man on the race, you will be on a team with women. It is a statistical necessity. This means that you will be in constant contact with different women who have different pasts. Each has had their own experiences with men and you need to quickly learn how to respect them and safeguard them emotionally and physically. I loved learning how to love my sisters in this way.
I did not expect to experience the Holy Spirit how I did. I don’t know what your church background is, but I grew up Methodist and Baptist. Both very traditional. I knew about the Spirit, but never had a personal encounter. At training camp and throughout my race God continually revealed more and more about His Spirit.
I did not expect to be broken, vulnerable, and a mess. All of which are perfectly acceptable places to be when you are in such close proximity to the Father. Daddy uses those times to reveal where you may need to work on something, or a past wound, or something you may need to confess.
As a man on the race, it was imperative that I opened up in vulnerability quickly, or I would have shut down. Then it would have been harder to get me to open up. We see vulnerability and showing emotion as weakness. Do not let this happen.
I did not expect to fall in love with every culture and person I encountered. As a by-product of sharing Jesus’ love to those you encounter, it makes your heart begin to love them as well. Many times I entered a new month and was certain the people and customs would be a struggle the whole month. But by continually extending His love, it eventually became my love too.
I did not expect to desire to be even more uncomfortable. I seek times of solitude. I want to be in the woods with no food and fend for myself. I want to be in a place where I don’t know the language and need to figure out how to get across town. These are the times where you grow and stretch. These are the times that make you a true Man. How you choose to respond when in the hard times.
