There has been a change!

Hey friends!  I have been getting a lot of questions lately about what is happening with the World Race and so I thought it was time for an update!  (Thanks for all the questions though, seriously, they make me feel really loved!!)  Anyway, so the original, original (pre-corona) plan was that I would be launching August 1^st.  Obviously that did not happen and the last update that you all had was that I would be traveling to the same countries as planned for the same amount of time, but launching in October instead.  Wellll…as is common in the world right now, there has been another change!

            Since Adventures in Missions is not going to be unable to launch people internationally by October, the new update is that I will be *hopefully* now launching in January instead!  There has also been a change in the way that the race will be structured when I eventually go.  Instead of traveling to 11 predetermined countries, we will be traveling to four different regions where there are world race “hubs,” and with the potential to be sent to multiple other countries in that region wherever there is a need.  With the route I am signed up for, the different regions that I will be serving in will be Central America (starting in Costa Rica), Southeast Asia (starting in Thailand), Southern Asia (starting in India), and Southern Africa (starting in eSwatini).  Definitely lots of changes going on but I am excited and looking forward to whatever God has for me, whenever, and wherever that may be. 

            A lot of peoples next question, (this is probably one of my favorite questions so thanks friends for asking) is how I’m feeling about this change.  Honestly I’m very at peace with it.  I understand that the Covid-19 situation is dangerous and traveling to other countries is not the safest for myself or the people who I would meet, especially in places where there are not a lot of medical resources.  So I totally understand and appreciate the decision that we will not be launching yet. 

            Since I didn’t have a living situation in place, I have now moved home with my parents which I’m grateful for.  I’m currently still working at the YMCA and in a few weeks will start a new job nannying for a sweet family while their kids do the fun BCPS virtual school thing.  The job kind of just fell into my lap and it’s perfect for me. That’s grace!  Honestly hanging out with a few kiddos and helping them with school every day is kind of my favorite thing so I’m pretty ok with my current reality, even though it’s not what I thought it was going to be in this season.  I’ll also get to keep leading Young Life at Hereford for a few more months which is also one of my favorite things so no complaints here. 

            Overall I think I’d sum it up like this; I’m a little sad that I’m not where I thought I would be, but I’m overcome with gratitude every day because the act of being where I am right now when I wasn’t planning on being here has turned every interaction with the people I love into a gift.  I wish I could keep my view like this always.  Leave it to God to change up my plans and leave me even more grateful for the people around me.  Since I thought I wasn’t going to be here right now, every time I get to hang out with a friend, or sit in my house, or talk to a coworker, or go to some event that I would have missed I feel really lucky. 

            This has been long so I’ll leave you with this; be with the people who are right next to you, I’m really grateful for the people on either side of me right now!  I’d like to ask for continued prayers that God would begin to open up more borders, and that He would provide relief for those in our country and others who have had little relief from the virus.  Also pray that the virus goes away soon so people can be hugged more, that would be a real good thing.  Thanks everyone, you all rock!