Courtney Pearsall - The World Race 2007

How is it Possible?

Thu, 5 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

A year ago today (June 5, 2008) my life completely changed. I left Wilmington, NC and got on a plance that would take me to GA then to London and to Johannesburg to begin the biggest and craziest adventure of my life.

here we are just babes at the airport in Atlanta one year ago today!

I can't believe it has been a year! A year... Was it real or a dream or just a figment of my imagination? Did I really go to all those countries and meet all those people? Did I really give up my life, my job, my home to go and do what the Lord called me to?

Standing on this side of the World Race it just seems like a dream. I tell my friends that my life feels very surreal. While I was gone 6 babies have been born! Some of my friends got pregnant and gave birth while I was gone so I never saw the progression. So when I left they were married with no babies and now they are new and growing familes! Children have grown up out of babies and into little boys and girls.

I got to visit Hannah and Jake in Atlanta and their precious little one Mavis (one of the 6 born while I was away)

A lot of my life looks the same. My room, my car, church, friends, etc...but our lives have changed in ways that we can't describe to one another because we didn't experience them together.

This last month into reentry has been difficult for me. It is not always hard but at times it has been very overwhelming. My first breakdown was after a day of doing my favorite things. Coffee at Port City Java, shopping and hanging out downtown having fun and laughing with friends. I went home and fell to pieces. Why, you may ask? I don't know. It is just overwhelming and I still haven't been able to verbalize "what" it is that is difficult "it" just is.

I can travel the world, hitchhike through Africa, shop and cook for 26 people in a language that I can't read, exist/live and do ministry in a land where English is never spoken, change all plans and perceptions at the drop of a hat but the minor things like applying for a "real job" seem daunting.

But on the upnote...God's grace is sufficient. Every day gets better and better and better! I am adjusting to the fast paced way of life again. I am loving the hot showers and even though I am not "dirty" by World Race standards, I take one everyday and they still haven't lost the glory. I love how easy it is to get things done and get everywhere and it is in English! I am praying and seeking the Lord and His will for my next step and where I need to go. Right now I am in Washington, DC visiting and staying with Jenny Brown from the race and it has been wonderful. I promised to blog when I finished the race and I hope to do more (Lord willing) as time progresses. There is a lot to say and pictures to share and I want to keep you up to date with where and how the Lord is working. If you remember - please pray for me for wisdom, discernment and joy in our great Lord.

5Trust in the LORD with all your heart
         And do not lean on your own understanding.
    6In all your ways acknowledge Him,
         And He will make your paths straight.
    7Do not be wise in your own eyes;
         Fear the LORD and turn away from evil.

Proverbs 3:5-7

It is official...I am home!!

Thu, 1 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I am HOME! I arrived safely here in NC just this afternoon. Our flight from Guatemala City to Florida was a breeze and quick (esp for a international flight). Most of the squad stayed the night in Fort Lauderdale and ate our first meal in America at TGIF together. We couldn't get over the free refills with lots of ice and large portions!

Last night and this morning was spent saying goodbyes to each other because we all had flights at different times. It was heartbreaking and felt like losing an extra part of myself. I plan on writing some blogs to finish out the world race and share with all of you what happens on my return home.

I had a sweet reunion with my parents at the airport mixed with tears and laughter! I told them they can't leave me for a while (a little ironic) for sure!

Me and my mom reuniting!

Me and my dad at the airport!

When I arrived in my parents house I just walked from room to room staring at this world that I haven't seen but just imagined for the last year it was very surreal. I would love to share with everyone what the Lord has done in my life and what He continues to do all over the world. Please just drop me an email at courtney_pearsall@hotmail.comor just "write me a note" on the left side of the page. I will be traveling some in the next month or so and I would love to visit people who have kept in touch with me through my blogs if it is possible. Thank you for your prayers and support and I can't wait to see everyone and share with you, all that our Great God has done!

I am home and already unpacked (sort of - everything is spread all over my room) and opening up long overdue Christmas presents!

I'm Coming Home

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

SURPRISE - I am coming home! Hey friends and family - Sorry that I haven't been blogging lately. I have been wanting to blog and share with everyone what is going on in life, but I have been wanting to spend my time with friends rather than on the computer.

Yes, tomorrow April 30^th I will be landing on American soil! I can't believe the end of the race is already here. We are leaving Panajachel at 6am and driving to Guatemala City (3+) hours away. Our flight is at noonish and we arrive in Fort Lauderdale, FL around 5pm. Most of us will be spending the night in Fort Lauderdale and then flying home on Thursday. So I will be back in NC on the 1^st of May. After that I plan to spend lots of time with family and friends catching up and traveling. I will be posting blogs once I am home closing out the World Race and keeping you up to date on what happens when I get home.

A few quick points of fun times from debrief:

1. The whole squad got tested for parasites and I came back positive for Giardia and an intestinal infection. Only 6 out of 22 of us are free from 3^rdworld critters in our bellies.

2. We debriefed reentry and what to expect and how to prepare. I got stuck on the first question, "Are you ready for the World Race to be over?"

3. Did "life planning" sort of like figuring out our spiritual gifts and how to use them in the real world.

4. "Fun Day Monday" - We headed to the beach/hotel for day of fun on the lake with each other and some sun. It was a great day off and of fellowship!

5. Now we are just packing and getting ready to head back to the states and into the great unknown.

Here is a pic from our final dinner together. For a scraggly group of world traveling missionaries we clean up pretty well!

Team Lego sharing the love!

A Letter from Mom

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I haven't been blogging as much as I have wanted to lately because honestly I have been freaking out. I have wanted to share with you what is going on in my head but I don't have the words. In 9 days from today I will be putting my feet onto American soil (Lord willing). And not just for 2 days like we did in LA but for the longterm. I called my parents the other day to vent and get some good and sound advice. As we were chatting, I told them about this book by YWAM that is for missionaries that are reentering their home countries. And how every time I read the book I cried and so I stopped reading it. So I received this email today and it put some humor back into the reality of going back into the 1st world from the 3rd world. It made me laugh out loud and I hope it makes you laugh too!

The reentry of a World Racer. You are the guinea pig for it, but I have all confidence.

First, no dope slap (not literal just a good talking to), just a big Mom hug. I will squish your head into my breasts so that you can have warm memories of nursing.

Second, I have hidden all of the toilet paper. I don't want you to be slammed right into society. We have also had a squatty potty installed in your bathroom and removed the door.

Third, I will take all showers with you until you are OK in the bathroom alone. When you are fine taking a shower by yourself, then I'll just stay in the bathroom while you shower.

Fourth, you can just wait until next Christmas to open your gifts. I don't want you to feel spoiled.

Fifth, you can't use the new washer for at least a month. I don't want you walking around in clean clothes.

Sixth, I bought a bunch of beans and rice so that you don't have to digest meat right away. Strawberries are in season.

Seventh, we are taking away Rhonda (my car) for a month. Gas is too expensive and it would just be entirely too convenient to be able to go wherever you want to. There is still a bus stop on Eastwood Road.

Eighth, I had your new cell phone line disconnected. Too much pressure, that way if people don't like you, you won't know, they can't get up with you anyway.

If there are any other requests, just let me know. Also, I can customize this program for any other racers that need one.

Seriously, though, when you told me about the race and that you needed to raise $13,000, did I believe it would happen. No, but you did, and look how that went. I was wigged out about the race pretty much until you left, and you weren't. I know there are going to be snags, and life hasn't stopped so there have been changes. But, you have had some changes and some growth, too. I think you'll be amazed at how you flow right back in. I have confidence, so please don't worry about things in the future so much that you can't enjoy your month of travel. To quote you, that would be a sad day.

Love you the most muchos,

I know my mother in AMAZING and hysterical! I was laughing so much when I received this and it helped put a little humor into all of this. I hope you enjoyed and now you all know how blessed I am to have my parents as MY parents! Thank You for loving me enough to let me go and do this crazy thing called the World Race. I wouldn't have made it without you!

It's not everyday that you....

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Visit a village in Guatemala and get dressed in tradtional clothing!

That is what happened to us today! A little background first.... We are at Lake Atitlan and working in the village of Panahajel with Solomon's Porch. It is a Christian coffee shop that is relocating their business down the street. We have been spending the days here painting, tiling and constructing in their new building. Our contacts are so amazing and they thought that we had been working really hard and wanted to give us some different ministry.

So this morning we went up to Santa Catarina (maybe?) to visit some families. The first family was extremely poor and they had 4 children and the mother is due to give birth any day now to the 5th child. They live almost at the top of this mountain so it was a hike up and I don't know how they do it pregnant with so many children and normally something balanced on their heads. The women here are strong and they amaze me! So we took her some food and newborn clothes and prayed over the family.

Then we stopped by another house with a girl named Elaina who has been sort of "adopted" by our contacts. Not literally but she spends a lot of time with them. She wanted us to see her house too. We went in and we were sharing greeting with the family and discussing that there were 12 children in this house! Yes they have 12 children and they survive on farming and selling crafts in the city. The local people wear these very ornate clothes and they were showing us how they were made by hand. One shirt takes 8 months to make! So you can imagine that they do not own a lot of them. Well before I realize they have brought out an outfit and are slipping it over my head! And there began the adventure.

They dressed me up in their traditional clothing. And before long they brought out all of their clothes and dressed all of us up!

Me and Elizabeth enjoying the headdress' Christy getting her headpiece put on

I have been telling people all month that I could be Guatemalan and I think it is pretty authentic?

Everyone was in on the fun - Casey stayed out and just watched and laughed at us but it was a great time!

We spent the rest of the morning visiting one more family on our way down the mountain and out of the village. The afternoon we went back to our dirty clothes and construction but nothing will top the fun we had pretending to be Guatemalan!

Sweet Words

Sat, 12 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Allison Johnston (our amazing squad leader) is posting a blog daily up until the last day of the race for each our World Race Family members. She posted one about me the other day and it blessed my socks off. I give all credit to the Lord for what He has done in my life. I hope you enjoy these sweet words of a one of my favorite friends on the WR!

Check out her blog daily to see all the others that I have had the privilege to spend the last year of my life with.

20 Days!! Courtney Pearsall

Posted in General Articles by Allison Johnston on 4/11/2008

Courtney. There are no words to describe this precious friend. Courtney is full of love, smiles, and reverence for God.

I can always count on Court to shop with me, eat ice cream with me, and pray with me. One of the sweetest memories of Court was in Thailand when we shared an awesome time of prayer. We went before God in a spirit of repentance and He poured out His spirit on us. We cried out for His heart and He blessed us with a sweet time of being filled up for more ministry.

Courtney continues to pour her heart out to everyone she comes in contact with; both amongst our team and people in every nation. She has continued to be an amazing servant among us and always makes us the BEST travel snacks. While the rest of us stand around and argue about whose turn it is to take out the trash Courtney is just quietly taking out the trash. She is one of the greatest servants I have ever witnessed.

Nicaragua was really the first time all year that I was able to do ministry with Court and we had an absolute blast. We laughed, cried and prayed our way through schools and the hospital. I saw true brokenness and compassion in Courtney's eyes and was moved by the love she had for the Nica people. We also shared MANY a laugh as we adjusted to Latin culture together.

Courtney is a true lady and will be an amazing wife and mom. She is one of our girly-girls and one of the most well put together missionaries I have ever met. She has practiced on us all year and we all affectionately call her "Mom". We have been well-fed, clean and on-time all year long, thanks to Court!

The Lord has done an awesome work in her life and she has a powerful testimony to His presence in her life. She is deeply rooted in scripture and has a strong commitment to His Word. She has modeled a life of faith for all of us and we are so blessed.

Court, I love you and treasure every moment we have had together. Thank you for being a "gangplank" girl with me and I can't wait for the phone call! I pray that the Lord grants you the desires of your heart. Love you!

Some Lessons Learned

Wed, 9 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

This crazy thing called the World Race has given us the privilege to experience ministry and mission in a variety of locations and settings. Every month we look back and process what the Lord has done in us and through us in that past month. We see what we could have done better and what we loved the most. We praise the Lord for His constant faithfulness and favor that He shows us in every place. And we praise Him for the lives (ours and others) that we have seen changed.

The Philippines (January) and Nicaragua (February) were some of the most amazing months of ministry that I have had on the race. In the Philippines I was always busy taking care of babies and staying overnight with them or at Samaritana working with the women who had come out of prostitution. It was hard to take a day off b/c there were so many ministry opportunities and needs that needed to be met.

The ladies at bible study at Samaritana Daniel after bath time

In Nicaragua we were up and at them early going to the schools for the morning and then in the hospitals in the afternoons and other times sharing at the church or at the barrios. I loved it!! I love being busy and I love for my days to be full of service for the Lord.

The girls at Verbo school A mother and daughter at the hospital

This month was much different. I had hopes and plans to have this busy month of service to the Lord and see and do amazing things for the glory of God. Things didn't go as planned. Which isn't a surprise because this is the World Race and flexibility is the name of the game. This month ministry was intentional. Since we didn't have a "contact" perse we had to choose daily to make ministry happen. We prayed daily, "Lord this day and time is not ours but yours, do what you have with us." And we would go to the park and pray and ask the Lord to direct our steps and contacts and daily we had to choose to go to the hospital. There was no one there waiting for us or expecting us at a certain time so we daily had to choose to go.

Gaspar from Antigua

I can look back now and see God's hand upon us every day. We had opportunities to meet and share Christ with people we never would have met if we had a different ministry. If we weren't open and aware and looking with expectation for opportunities to share Christ we would have missed them. Last weekend we went to Guatemala City to go see a movie and enjoy a different city for our Saturday off. And on the way home (on the chicken bus) I sat next to a gentleman (30ish) and by God's grace he spoke basic English. And quickly we started talking and I shared the gospel with him. As simply as I could in English I shared with him it is not by good works that saves us but by repentance and putting his faith in Jesus Christ that saves. (His name is Louis please pray for his salvation and that God would continue to reveal to him the truth) I don't have these great stories to share with you from this past month but I know God made me slow down and live everyday with expectation and eagerness to share the gospel with those we met. It was a much different month ministry wise but God is ever faithful and good and He uses us wherever we are to bring glory and honor to Him. Praise be to God for all the people that HE brought in our paths to share with. What a privilege we have been given to serve the only GOD!

What's coming next?

Wed, 9 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

A quick update on life....

Right now we are still in Antigua. We moved out of our house on Monday (because our month lease ran out) and we moved into the city. We are staying in a hostel and we have been joined by the rest of the squad. It has been such a great time of catch up with friends and teammates and family. I missed them and I am thankful for our time together. So it is sort of like a mini vaca in the city but still visiting the hospital to say goodbye to the kids before we leave.

Friday AM we are heading out in the morning to Lake Pannachel. There we are going to be breaking up into our original teams and we will be working with ministry contacts in the surrounding villages for about 2 weeks. Then we will be back together for final debrief at Lago de Atitln for one week. So we are quickly winding things down in Guatemala and on the world race. It is quite exciting and scary but we aren't done yet and hope to finish strong in Guatemala. Thank you for your continued prayers and support!

Just a little pic so you don't forget what I look like!

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given methe task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.
Acts 20:24

Now I Know

Sun, 6 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Our main ministry this month has been at Hermano Pedro Hospital. I am not quite sure why I haven't written a blog about this but I haven't been able to formulate the words properly. At this hospital there is an orphanage that houses children, teens and adults who have mild to severe mental or physical disabilities. We go and visit and hang out with the children every day. Some days we hang at the hospital and just talk with the kids or walk them around the open area of the hospital. Other days we take them to the park which is just a couple of blocks away. Or we can take some of the kids who have the ability to eat to Pollo Campero (a fast food chicken restaurant) for lunch.

Allison and Rosa at Pollo Irving working on his Pepsi

At first I really struggled with this ministry and these children. I was asking the Lord why. Why are these children left here to die or just to exist? Why did God create them this way if their existence would just be to sit in this hospital until the end of their days? Even in my questioning God was faithful and answered me through the Word. He reminded me of the scripture in Luke

Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows. Luke 12:6-7

Me & Jo Jo at the park Sweet Clara at the park one day

God has numbered the hairs on these children's heads just as He has numbered mine. Just because I have the ability to walk and talk and think "normally" that doesn't mean that God cares for me more than He does for these children. He created them individually and knows every detail of their minds and bodies just like He knows mine and yours. I still don't understand why the Lord allows this but I trust that He is faithful and His purposes and plans are perfect. I have been blessed with joy beyond compare by spending time with these precious children. And I am so thankful that the Lord brought them into my life to share the love of Christ with them while I am here in Antigua.

O LORD, you have searched me
       and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise;
       you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down;
       you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue
       you know it completely, O LORD. You hem me inbehind and before;
       you have laid your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
       too lofty for me to attain. Where can I go from your Spirit?
       Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
       if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.  If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
       if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me,
       your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me
       and the light become night around me," Even the darkness will not be dark to you;
       the night will shine like the day,
       for darkness is as light to you. For you created my inmost being;
       you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you
       when I was made in the secret place.
       When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body.
       All the days ordained for me were written in your book
       before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
       How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them,
       they would outnumber the grains of sand.
       When I awake, I am still with you. Psalm 139:1-18

How to lose and gain a Courtney in 30 days?

Tue, 1 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

After you read this blog check out my teammate Jessie Pace's blog about World Race Norms and get a little picture of our culture on the WR.

Today marks a very important date on the World Race calendar. Today is one month until (Lord willing) my feet will be in North Carolina soil! I am looking forward to lots of hugs and kisses from friends and family. My goal is to introduce the cheek to cheek kiss as a greeting - all over the world it is the acceptable greeting why not in Wilmington! I can't wait to go back to my church and see all the familiar faces that sent me off as a missionary almost a year ago!

I am looking forward to some comforts of home as well. I am looking forward to Port City Java dates, high heels, hot showers, a car instead of walking or taking the bus, straight hair, long chats with friends that I haven't seen in a year, coming home and not having to soak the dirt off of my feet, the beach 10 minutes away, seeing all the new babies who have been born while I have been away and all sorts of things. However, I will miss life overseas!

This is all of us in the tuk tuk on the way to English church (Ally is in front next to the driver). Technically only 3 should fit but World Race style is always the more the merrier!

We had a mud fight at the beach!

I will miss the street food (don't worry about parasites the food is delicious!), everything being so cheap, being the strange looking one wherever we go, an adventure everyday of how we will get to town (free ride with a stranger that becomes a friend and takes you to their house and church on the way to town) or the bus with all the locals, slightly warm water in the shower being a really big deal, living with 6 other people and sharing life with them every day, every day is a surprise and not knowing what is going to happen, getting the opportunity to share Christ and all that He has done all over the world.

This is just the beginning right? I have lots to share of all that God has done and all that we have experienced. I am anxious to see how the Lord will use this year in my life at home but He is faithful and I know He will use it to His glory!

Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth.
    Serve the LORD with gladness;
         Come before Him with joyful singing.
    Know that the LORD Himself is God;
         It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
         We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
    Enter His gates with thanksgiving
         And His courts with praise
         Give thanks to Him, bless His name.
    For the LORD is good;
         His lovingkindness is everlasting
         And His faithfulness to all generations.

Drama, Drama, Drama in the house...

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

This is the statement that I used when I skyped my mom last week. No this blog isn't about personal issues, team strife or conflict. But about the surprises that took place last week within our home and family. Lauren Morris had been struggling with a fever for a solid 8 days. She had gone to the clinic on Easter Sunday and was given an antibiotic and tested for Dengue fever (which came back negative). She came home and the fever didn't cease and she continued to feel terrible.

Well on Tuesday Sarah Dager came down with a violent gastrointestinal bug and was home sick all day. So on Wednesday with the stomach bug still lingering and Lauren's fever a visit to the clinic was in order. Katey took the girls to the private clinic located behind the bus station. And we were in for a surprise that afternoon. Lauren was diagnosed with Typhoid Fever and Sarah was admitted into the hospital and later diagnosed with a bacterial infection. We were in the internet caf about to head home when Allison came in and told us the update. Lauren was so tired of being sick and she just wanted to go home and recover in St. Louis. So one teammate has Typhoid and wants to head home and one is admitted to the hospital.

We came home that night and packed Lauren's bags and Jessie stayed over with Sarah at the hospital. Lauren headed home to St. Louis on Thursday. Things aren't same in the house without her and we (Lord willing) will see her at debrief before we head home. Sarah had to stay in the hospital for 2 nights and came home for good on Friday. So we had a week full of unexpected twists and turns but the Lord is healing our bodies and we are pushing on.

Please continue to pray for healing for Sarah and Lauren and that the Lord will continue to protect the rest of our team's health.

We miss you Lauren!!! It isn't the same without you here!

He is Risen...He is Risen Indeed

Sun, 23 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

These are the words that we shouted over the city of Antigua this morning at the end of our Sunrise Easter Service. We got up at 4:30 am to catch our taxi at 5am that was taking us to the city for church. It took me back to my BSF days! We walked up the hill to a point that over looks the city in front of us was the most beautiful view of Antigua with the background of the volcano and behind us the cross.

It was the most beautiful way to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus! We had worship and Sean gave a testimony and Bruce (the YWAM Antigua director) gave a great message about the resurrection. It was an amazing celebration (and it was in English!!) of Jesus resurrection. Praise the Lord for brothers and sisters all over the world that we can celebrate the glorious and awesome God we serve! I pray that God will open your hearts and eyes to all that He did by His death on the cross and the hope that we have because He conquered death by being raised from the dead!

John 20:29 Jesus said to him, "Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed."

Semana Santa

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

This week as most everyone knows is Holy Week and known in Guatemala (and probably the rest of the spanish speaking world) as Semana Santa. To say it is an event is an understatement! Thousands of people are flooding into the city everyday for the festivities. There are processionals - envision a street carnival with a parade where men in purple robes carry HUGE statues of Jesus and Mary and others. Those floats (that are carried by men in purple and women in black) are followed by a band. As they are standing still the floats sway back and forth under the weight of the statue. Crowds are everywhere during these processionals and crowding close to get a view of them. I now understand how a stampede could begin with this amount of people and the excitement that they feel. Thurday night the city is awake all night with reenactments of Jesus' trial and in the morning crucifixion.

Jesus reenactment in park Palm Sunday

There will be 5 processionals on Friday as they reenact Jesus death on the cross. Sadly only 1 processional on Sunday in celebration of Jesus' resurrection. I think something is wrong there, what do you think?

Please pray for the people of Guatmela. There is a lot of what seems to be idol worship within this holiday. There is also a real heaviness and burden on the people because they believe that they must pay for their sins to be forgiven. We know that is not the truth! Christ died and was made the propitiation for our sins (Romans 3, Hebrews 2) and we can do nothing to earn salvation or forgiveness. Pray for opportunities for us to share the hope of salvation through Christ alone, through grace alone, by faith alone! (Ephesians 2) We are blessed to celebrate the death and resurrection of our Savior in this country. But we are saddened to know most do not understand what an all powerful God we serve that he would send His only son to die on the cross and overcome death by being raised on the 3rd day. My teammate Lauren Morris found this scripture this week and it is very eerily similar to what we are seeing in the city streets of Antigua. Please pray and I will keep you up to date of what the Lord does this week in Antigua.

Jeremiah 10 3-17

3 For the customs of the peoples are worthless;
they cut a tree out of the forest,
and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel.

4 They adorn it with silver and gold;
they fasten it with hammer and nails
so it will not totter.

5 Like a scarecrow in a melon patch,
       their idols cannot speak;
       they must be carried
       because they cannot walk.
       Do not fear them;
       they can do no harm
       nor can they do any good."

6 No one is like you, O LORD;
you are great,
and your name is mighty in power.

7 Who should not revere you,
       O King of the nations?
       This is your due.
       Among all the wise men of the nations
       and in all their kingdoms,
       there is no one like you.

8 They are all senseless and foolish;
they are taught by worthless wooden idols.

9 Hammered silver is brought from Tarshish
       and gold from Uphaz.
       What the craftsman and goldsmith have made
       is then dressed in blue and purple
       all made by skilled workers.

10 But the LORD is the true God;
       he is the living God, the eternal King.
       When he is angry, the earth trembles;
       the nations cannot endure his wrath.

11 "Tell them this: 'These gods, who did not make the heavens and the earth, will perish from the earth and from under the heavens.' "

12 But God made the earth by his power;
he founded the world by his wisdom
and stretched out the heavens by his understanding.

13 When he thunders, the waters in the heavens roar;
       he makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth.
       He sends lightning with the rain
       and brings out the wind from his storehouses.

14 Everyone is senseless and without knowledge;
       every goldsmith is shamed by his idols.
       His images are a fraud;
       they have no breath in them.

15 They are worthless, the objects of mockery;
when their judgment comes, they will perish.

16 He who is the Portion of Jacob is not like these,
       for he is the Maker of all things,
       including Israel, the tribe of his inheritance
       the LORD Almighty is his name.

Lego Video

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

A New Family

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

This month we have mixed it up a bit, we aren't in our teams or working as a squad. We prayed and teams were formed according to where the Lord was leading individual people. So this month I have a new family. They aren't a new family like we had when the race first started in June (where everyone that surrounded me was new). We have living and working as a squad since the start of China in Hong Kong in November.

The whole squad at Thanksgiving in China

There was only 2 weeks in China where we were in teams and then in Nicaragua the squad was split but most of the people were in Puerto Cabezas with me. So this family is like taking a holiday from your immediate family and living with your cousins. And it has been a great blessing. God has given us a home for the month. We call it our "haven" and it is outside of the city and therefore we are away from the hustle and bustle. We leave in the mornings and don't come home until the evenings and it is such a place of rest and refreshment. We come together every night and sit together for a meal. We give thanks as a family, while we hold hands over the meal that God has provided for us. We share our hearts of what is going on, how we are struggling and what God is doing and showing us here. There is usually lots of laughter as one group cleans up dinner, some people have impromptu salsa lessons in the living room (we are delving into Latin culture) and others are cheering them on. Right now there is a pile of people in one of the beds watching a movie. There are friendships and community being built here. We know that the end of the race is near and we understand what a gift God has given us to live in community. We are not taking this month or each other for granted - we are relishing it. We know it won't last forever but while we have each other we will enjoy each other to the fullest.

Jorje teaching us how to salsa

A new kind of family (+ Jorje)

PS. To my Legos - I miss you and my "lego love"!

Divine Appointments

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

This month we split up into different teams and our team decided to come to Antigua. Our heart and desire was to plug into a ministry that is already established and build relationships within that ministry. And we have begun to plug in but we still have free time where we can serve. So today after lunch we decided to break up into small groups and me, Sarah and Katey headed to Central Park. We prayed that this time was not ours and we wanted to be used in whatever way we could by the Lord. So we headed for the park.

As we entered we were greeted by a new friend Jorje (George) that we had met yesterday while we were at the park. So we were sitting with him, with our open Spanish dictionary in our laps, and chatting. As we were chatting with Jorje someone walked by trying to sell us something (this is a common occurrence as a westerner in a foreign land) but Katey noticed that he was not Spanish looking and didn't seem to speak Spanish. She just asked him where he was from and he is from Germany, his name is Dennis and he is traveling through Central America for a year. He makes jewelry to pay for his travels and this is the only day he was in Antigua because he was heading back to Guatemala City tonight. We told him that we were also traveling for a year and shared with him that we were missionaries and all that goes with it. He had questions and honestly he seemed put off when we told him we were Christians. However, we shared some stories from Africa and Asia of the freedom and hope that only God can provide through Jesus. Katey put it so well that in Africa with all the orphans that we would tell them the hope that though they have no earthly father they have a heavenly Father. It was such an encouragement to be reminded of it as we told another. In the end we were able to pray over him and we will continue to pray for Dennis that God will bring him to salvation through Christ alone.

Dennis our new German friend

Then as we continued to sit there a little boy who shines shoes for a living came and sat down with us. He is 14 years old and works shining shoes everyday just to pay to live. We chatted for a while and there was this hardened look to this boy's face. He looked years older than his 14 years. His name is Alex - he says that he prays to Jesus but he still doesn't have food or money. Please pray for me as I continue to visit him that I can adequately express that Jesus is so much more

Alex in the coffee shop today

Then another woman came by and sat with us. She is a woman who Katey and Lauren had met yesterday in the park and prayed over her son. He was very sick with a fever and today he was running around and fully healed. Praise the Lord! We found out that she is a widow, her husband died 8 months ago and she is alone raising 3 boys under the age of 5. Sarah and Katey were able to pray over her and comfort her with the hope of Christ.

I look back on this day and I stand amazed. We prayed that our time was not our own and that the Lord would do with it as He willed. He did! He brought people and opportunities to us that only could come from Him. We were so blessed by each and every person that we met today and we wait expectantly for whoever else the Lord brings to us.

Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

The wheels on the bus pt. 2

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

We are now officially living in Antigua, Guatemala! And we have officially completed our last long bus trip of the World Race! It wasn't the worst by far but it did lend itself to some interesting stories.

We were in Jinotepe (pronounced Kinotepe) Nicaragua for a few days last week for debrief. We had to get to Managua, which is the capital of Nicaragua, to catch our bus to Guatemala. Jinotepe is about an hour away from Managua. Our bus left Managua at 5am on Thursday so we scheduled a taxi to come and pick us up and take up to Managua at 3am. Yes, you are reading those hours correctly AM.

Well, the taxi never came and we found out that the van had broken down. So by God's grace our hotel worker found us another taxi for us at 4am to take us to Managua. Well, it was a whirlwind race (literally) to Managua. The ride included packing up all our bags for the ride and then switching taxis about 10 minutes in, then we picked up another "friend" for the ride and driving through someone's yard and the driver claimed we needed gas So as you can imagine we arrived in Managua a little late - only 5 minutes. The bus had already left! Nothing, and I mean nothing, happens on time in Central America. Except the bus from Managua to Guatemala! So we figured it out and we were able to get tickets on a bus that was coming from Costa Rica on its way to El Salvador and it left at 11am. So we pulled out the sleeping bags and plopped ourselves down on the floor and slept until 9:30am.

Allison making space between chairs Lauren - sleeping away on the floor

We woke up and ate a snack and waited for our bus to arrive. The bus did arrive (of course late) and we hopped on and made our way to El Salvador. We spent the night in El Salvador and got up in the wee hours of the morning and got on our original bus and headed to Guatemala.

We arrived here safely and in one piece with all our luggage. God has provided for us in over abundantly! We have a house this month. A real home with a kitchen, a table, a couch, beds with real bedding, a yard, etc It is amazing and such a blessing. It is our haven. At the end of the busy days in the city we can come together and share a meal together. We are praying that God will use this place not only to be a ministry to us but to others. We hope to meet friends and neighbors and invite them to share a meal with us in this home and over that table share the gospel.

Our home for the month The view from our bedroom! Amazing...

Please pray for us this month. That God will open the doors for ministry in this amazing and beautiful city of Antigua.

Feet First...First Time...

Wed, 5 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

That was something that Silas asked us one time while we were in Puerto. "What do you think feet first, first time means?" Well there were lots of assumptions of what the meaning actually is but it really does apply to our next month.

We are breaking up into 5 different groups. We are not in our "typical" teams this month and so we are in whole new groups. There is a group going back to Granada doing music ministry in and around that city. One team is going to do a Luke 10 ATL (Ask The Lord) and just go in faith and see where they end up with a ministry contact. Another team is staying in Nicaragua working with an orphanage and a feeding program in different cities in Nicaragua. And yet another team is doing half the month with a contact and then finish up ATLing the rest of the month. My team (me, Allison, Sean, Lauren, Jessie, Sarah & Katey) are heading to Antigua, Guatemala. We are partnering with a pastor and a church there. But that is about all we know. We know these contacts through our friends (on the January 07' Race) and they worked with him and the church and were extremely blessed by their ministry.

I am assuming a new role this month in my new team, and the new role is more logistical than I am used to, and I have a little anxiety. I am usually a follower and just go with the flow and go where people tell me to go. However this month I am the one who will be in main contact with the pastor we are working with. I will take that information and work with him and our team to figure out where we can plug in. It is exciting and a little bit more pressure than I am used to but I am excited about how the Lord will use this to stretch me again. The Lord has been stretching and pulling me a lot here in Central America and I look forward to what He will continue to teach me in Guatemala. I am praying for a rich month of ministry with opportunities to serve in new ways and to speak and preach. We desire to see souls saved and the truth proclaimed on the streets of Antigua. Please pray for us that God will use us mightily to make known the mysteries of the gospel in Guatemala!

Here we go...feet first into the unknown!

Praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ...that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak. Colossians 4:3a-4

Goodbye Puerto Cabezas

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

WOW - I can't believe it is already time to say goodbye! This month has flown by and I am very sad to say goodbye to this amazing place and these beautiful people. The Lord has done so much through us and in this place. I will never forget what the Lord has done here and, Lord willing, I will return one day to meet these people again.

We visited the hospital again this week and most of our friends had left but we made new ones. New children had been admitted with pneumonia and one even let me hold him! This was rarity b/c most of them were scared of me b/c of my white skin.

Both of these sweet babies were recovering from Pneumonia

This family was waiting with their son to have surgery on his leg

I had the privilege to speak to 2 men who both spoke English! And I was able to encourage one to continue holding fast to the Lord. One of the men was an Episcopal priest in Puerto and he was such an encouragement to me.

The little boy who we had been praying over and who I wrote a blog about last week. He lived through the weekend at the hospital but died on Tuesday. My sisters, Elizabeth and Sarah were with him and his family when he passed away. It has affected all of us deeply and we continue to pray for that family that through this pain that God will draw them to Himself.

On our last day at the schools we saw 6 teenagers trust in Jesus for salvation! It was a miracle - literally - and we were privileged to be a part of that. Here are some pics of our new brothers & sisters in Christ.

This is our favorite class of 2nd graders at Verbo Christian School

Our most difficult class - the 12th graders. But they turned out to be the most fruitful class!

God did so much during our time in Puerto Cabezas and I have so many pictures from this month but there isn't enough room in a blog to post them. Thank you for your prayers during our time in Nicaragua, we definitely felt them and we know the Holy Spirit moved mightily in this place. We give all the glory to God for the changed lives that we saw in this country.

Shout with joy to God, all the earth! Sing he glory of his name;
make his praise glorious! Say to God, "How awesome are your deeds!
So great is your power

Psalm 66:1-3

so where are you now?

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Well we just arrived in Granada yesterday - and we flew! Thank you AIM for working all that out so that we didn't have to endure the 30 hour bus ride again! We are here today enjoying this beautiful city and tomorrow we are heading to "middle of somewhere", Nicaragua near a lake for debrief. We will be there for a few days before we head out to our next ministry site. We are just going in groups and not teams next month so my group is planning on going to Antigua, Guatemala to partner with a pastor and church.

I don't really have a lot of details yet on that but I will let you know as soon as I do. We are excited for what the Lord has in store for us in that country. Thank you for praying!

Abundant Blessings

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

When we were still in Manila we were asked by our leaders to individually pray about where we wanted to serve in Nicaragua. We had two options - stay in Granada and help set up the AIM base there or head out and do hurricane relief work to an unknown area of Nicaragua. My first inclination was "of course I will stay in Granada!" I don't really do manual labor (as a habit) and I prefer to stay in cities and not in the middle of nowhere. Even in developing countries the cities have a few modern conveniences. As I was praying and thinking it over in my head there was the sense of unrest or the lack of peace. I just didn't have peace that I needed to be in Granada. But what would I do with hurricane relief in the "middle of nowhere" Nicaragua? Maybe there would be some babies to hold or some women to befriend. Well, the Lord knocked my socks off with His answer!

We get Puerto Cabezas and the Lord's provision was abundant! There are two schools run by the church but they have very few actual Christians in these "Christian Schools". He wanted us to go in and teach the children Christian values and principles. There was a ministry of going to the hospital, there is an orphanage onsite of the property we live on, that houses 70+ children and there was also the barrios (where people who are in extreme poverty live). The whole time I was just expecting to coast through this month doing manual labor and here at our doorstep are abundant opportunities for ministry.

THANK YOU LORD!

We broke up into small teams to tackle the schools every morning. Allison and I go to the "airport school" (named that b/c it is near the airport) Monday - Wednesday mornings and with a small group of our Nicaraguan brothers and sisters. I cannot describe in words all that we have seen at that school! We go in with a "tentative" plan. Maybe a plan of a bible story we may share and a couple of songs. The ages of the children range from 5 - 18 years old. So every day and class is different. Every day we see the Lord show up in that place and change hearts and turn children to Him.

Some girls at the school and one of the classes we teach

I have been stretched and moved in those classrooms more than I have in a long time. I usually share a testimony or a bible story at least once a day and many times the Holy Spirit moves and the salvation message is given. One day I was teaching about lying and we were using the story out of Acts 5 where Ananias and Saphira were struck dead b/c they lied. And somehow by the leading of the Holy Spirit the gospel presentation came out of my mouth. I looked over at Allison and said I don't know where this is coming from and she said keep going. We have seen students broken over their sin and come to know Jesus for the first time and we have seen children hurting and in need of comfort because of the state their families are in. Alcohol, drug abuse, absent fathers and hurting mothers are very prevalent here in Puerto Cabezas.

I thought things like this would only happen in Africa but no they are happening in Central America too! God is really stretching and challenging me to step out of my box and trust Him more every day. It is awesome to be surprised by the Lord. Please pray for the people of Puerto Cabezas. The devil has a stronghold here and the only one who can break the chains of sin and death is Jesus Christ! And pray also for us that the Lord will continue to use us to share the good news to those we meet not only here in Nicaragua but also for the rest of our time in Central America.

Brethren, my heart's desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. Romans 10:1

I can still smell the hospital on my skin.

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Lord has burdened my heart and I must speak of what He is doing. We went back to the hospital today (we go every afternoon to go visit and pray) and things were looking up. The baby with hydrocephalus is being flown to Managua tomorrow and the babies with pneumonia weren't crying and they were receiving breathing treatments. The boy with the tumor on his neck is doing well after surgery and the man dying of AIDS is now awake enough to remember us when we visit him. So the Lord is healing these people and it is a gift we have been given to visit them every day.

When we were about to leave and standing in front of the ICU room this woman comes out crying hysterically. She had a washcloth gritted between her teeth to quell the sound of her sobs. We didn't know what the situation was but Allison put her arms around her and began to pray. So we waited with her and through women that were nearby we deciphered a few things when she went back in the room. Her son was very sick and she had signed papers to take him home. As we are waiting I realize that I prayed over this family yesterday. I saw the little boy passed out on a bed with just a t-shirt and an open diaper on. He was sweating and his mother was fanning him. I spent some time praying and rubbing her back. She doesn't speak Spanish or English, just the local dialect Miskito and so it is impossible to communicate. Her son looked very bad yesterday and he looked like he was in the beginning stages of malnutrition. And in that recollection I realize that he is dying.

We see through the window that she is carrying her son out of the room and she comes out right in front of us. In her extreme despair she begins to crumble to the ground. Can you imagine carrying your son home to die? Out of instinct I put my arms beneath the baby and hold him. It appears he is unable to swallow or move his head by himself. As he lays in my arms his body stiffens and convulses as if he is having a seizure. As I am walking to another room - all I can pray is "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus" What do I say?

So we lay him on a bed and begin to fan his warm little body. A local pastor, who is at the hospital waiting for his daughter to have surgery, comes in the room. He is praying over the child and then he opens the bible to Psalm 23. It took a minute to click because it is in Spanish but once it did I fell apart. It hit me - this little boy is dying right here in front of my eyes. This little life that God has created is ending. I look at my friends in the doorway and the tears start and I fall against the wall. It felt like I was the one losing the child. Within seconds I realize that I need to be strong for this family, this is not my loss but theirs. So we spent a good bit of time praying. Allison came in and was praying over me and her prayers reminded me of God's sovereignty. If this little boy dies, God is still in control. He is still good and gracious and He is worthy of praise. Despite the pain and despair around me He is GOD and I am NOT. He knows the plans He has and all things work to bring Him glory.

I can still smell the hospital on my skin. And with that smell I remember what it felt like to hold that lifeless baby in my arms. What is the Lord trying to teach me?

Though the fig tree should not blossom
And there be no fruit on the vines,
Though the yield of the olive should fail
And the fields produce no food,
Though the flock should be cut off from the fold
And there be no cattle in the stalls,
Yet I will exult in the LORD,
I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.
The Lord GOD is my strength,
And He has made my feet like hinds' feet,
And makes me walk on my high places.

Habakkuk 3:17-19

A head full of jumbled thoughts...

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I don't know how to begin this blog because the thoughts in my head and heart are just jumbled mush right now. One of our ministries here in Puerto Cabezas has been going to the local hospital to pray for the patients there. Last week we went and we met women who had given birth just hours before and they allowed us to hold the precious little ones. Well yesterday could not have been any different than last week.

I partnered with Ezekiel (one of our Nicaraguan friends that we are serving alongside from Granada). We began in the children's ward and I was shocked by the amount of patients on this wing. Room after room filled with children and their families. Children suffering from pneumonia, a one month old baby with hydrocephalus, a teenager with a tumor growing off his neck, etc We met a man who said that his daughter had been shot in the back and then the same attackers took machetes to her arms. They were trying to fly her to the capital Managua but they could not afford the transport to send him also.

In the room there was a woman laying on a bed surrounded by family. She was undressed from the waist up and there were pins and rods coming out of her arm. I didn't understand that this is the woman that was spoken of earlier. Ezekiel had just told me to go in and closed the door behind me. So I just explained who I was in Spanish and asked if I could pray. I sat at her feet and just laid my hands on her and prayed and wept. I was praying I just begged the Lord to heal her. I have nothing in my own flesh that can do anything to help her. My thoughts and prayers were that the family would not elevate me, a "gringo" missionary, to a high status and expect me to perform a miracle. The only thing that I have that is different is Jesus. I have the Holy Spirit dwelling in me. And that same God created the heavens and the earth and also came down to earth as a man and died my death. On this earth he performed miracle after miracle of healings and I know He can heal this woman.

I know the Lord is sovereign and I know He heals. I am not asking "Why God?" That isn't what brings me such depth of pain. What hurts so much is to see so many people hurting and dying. Their pain has become my pain and their hurt my hurt. Children that are lying on a sheet, unable to awaken because of the stupor that the infection has put them in. One little girl paralyzed by an unknown illness and a boy who has 3^rd degree burns over parts of his face, arms, chest and back. A man who seems to be wasting away because of AIDS and now he has the appearance of someone who has survived the holocaust. There is another man next to him who is blind and paralyzed. What do I do with all this pain? How do I process all this? I am at a loss for words.

So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience Colossians 3:12

Taking It Down a Gear

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I think I have adequately completed my blogs for life before we arrived in Nicaragua and so now I can share with you all what I am doing right now! We arrived here in Nicaragua on the 3rd of February. We were warmly welcomed by Torre Fuerte Church in Granada. We spent a day in Granada getting briefed on the culture and ministry in Nicaragua and touring this small but beautiful city.

On the 5th, 18 of us left Granada and headed for Puerto Cabezas. This town is on the Atlantic coast of Nicaragua and is the home of the Miskito Indians. It is an area of Nicaragua that was hit by a Category 5 hurricane (Felix) in the fall of 2007. Puerto is a poor fishing town and suffered great damage and suffering as a result of the hurricane. We came expecting to be doing hurricane relief but we found so much more.

We are working with a local Pastor (Pastor Earl) and he is the head pastor of our sponsoring church here, Iglesias Verbo, that is pronounced Varbo Church in English. The church has an orphanage that houses approximately 90 children, 2 schools that educate 700 local Puerto children, a ministry in rebuilding homes destroyed by the hurricane, working on microenterprise and a nurse on staff. It is amazing to see what this one church is doing in this community!

Since there are so many of us we have had the privilege to participate in a great variety of ministries. We are working at the schools giving testimonies and bible stories, construction on site and building new houses, going into the hospital and praying with patients, speaking at church services (we have 3 a week), barrio ministry (the poor areas where there is no electricity and running water), etc... So far it has been amazing! We have seen many souls won for Christ in the schools, we have been able to minister to the construction staff while we work alongside them and see the patients encouraged as we pray for healing.

one of the little girls from school

Life is much slower in Nicaragua. We compare the pace to life in Africa. No longer do we say "TIA, this is Africa" but "TIN this is Nicargua." It is definitely a change from Asia and I know it will cause more culture shock as we reenter America. However, despite the sad state of this area God is moving in a mighty way and we are excited to see all that the Lord will continue to do here in Puerto Cabezas.

p.s. We are getting used to rice and beans 3x a day! hmmm...

I will take an order of Target with a side of Chick-fil-a...Thanks!

Sat, 16 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

So as you know I stopped through the great US of A on our way from Manila to Nicaragua. We left Manila on Friday, February 1^st at 8am and arrived on the tarmac in LA at 7:45am on Friday, February 1^st! It was crazy to have left and arrived on a different continent on the same day. We were zonked and it had been a long day of travel but we were so excited and anxious to enter again on American soil. I have said for a while that once I landed on American soil again that I would kiss the ground but instead I just threw myself against the sign welcoming us to LA.

It was a glorious reunion. We were so excited and we kept telling the immigration staff that we had been traveling the world for the last 8 months and this was our first visit back to America. Chad Mast and Morgan McKeown from the January 07' race and also our friends from our time spent together on the race met us in LA. They picked us up and took us to a few families homes in Long Beach. We were so blessed by their hospitality and love that they showed us for those 48 hours. It was so good and strange (in a good way) to be in a "home". With real carpet, a couch, pictures and knick knacks and a yard! I haven't seen so much green grass and such wide streets since June.

We plopped our stuff down and took hot showers (which are a rarity in Southeast Asia) and made some plans for the day. We wanted to stock up on goodies that can only be found in the states so Target was the goal of the day. Elizabeth Uhles college pastor, Benson Hines, happened to be in LA at the same time and he was very generous and took us on our first adventure into American culture. Target was the goal of the day. I spent the day with a couple of my teammates Elizabeth and Brady and I cannot express in words the feelings that came over us when we saw the Target. We came in the store and jumped up and down! I was overcome with feelings of excitement and awe. The mass of stuff and things that were familiar but all new at the same time was crazy. We spent 2 hours in the Target just enjoying the view of all these new things.

We had another goal for our short time in the US of A and that was some good ole' American food. The Philippines was very western, they even had a Wendy's and Taco Bell so we debated between Chick-fil-a and Chili's. Those things are never found overseas. Chick-fil-a was the winner and we enjoyed a delicious meal with free refills, lots of ice, and unlimited ketchup! It was such a treat.

That night we were all so tired because of the traveling and the 12 hour time difference I was asleep by 8:30pm. We awoke the next day to bagels, coffee, real orange juice! And I ate it in bed while Elizabeth and I watched a movie - we were spoiled! So that day too we just wanted to enjoy things and finish up getting things done. We found free wireless internet at Panera and one more quick stop at Target to finish up my shopping. I stocked up on toiletries for a month - nothing smells as good as western shampoo.

Both nights our host families provided delicious meals for us and we were overwhelmed with their hospitality and care of us. Being in LA really just felt like being in another foreign country. Because LA isn't my home. My home is in North Carolina and I am sure when I come home again I will experience a new kind of culture shock.

The culture shock of being back in America wasn't as bad as I expected, but it made me really appreciate the 3 months that I have left on the race. It helped me be reminded that I am so blessed to travel and see the world while sharing the hope of Jesus with the nations. I live in community and I have some of the best friends that a girl could have surrounding me every day. That quick trip "home" really showed me that I have found a home with my squadmates. I have a new family in my World Race community. They appreciate and sometimes even encourage my daily singing performances and they see me when I am being selfish and not selfless and they still choose to love me every day. What a gift God has given me.

Now I know home and all those comforts are coming soon but I am not rushing and wishing them here. I am just enjoying these people and this life everyday to the fullest. Before the race I said "I can do anything for a year." And at many points along the way I really doubted that I could live like this for a year. Now I am looking back and I have seen a glimpse of the future and it has been my privilege to live this crazy life. I would not change it for the world.

The wheels on the bus go round and round...

Fri, 15 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I should have known when I was talking to my new friend on the airplane when he said to me "There is no road to Puerto Cabezas!?"

I met a guy named John on our flight from Miami to Nicaragua and he had spent 3 years with the Peace Corps in Nicaragua. And he was giving me all these tips and history of our new and unknown country on the flight. We were discussing our plans for when we arrived that we would be landing on Managua the capital and driving to Granada (the 2^nd largest city about an hour south) and spending a day there and then heading to the east coast of Nicaragua. He assumed we would be flying and when I corrected that assumption that no, we would be driving a bus, he informed me that there was no road to cross the country. I should have known what lay ahead

We were told that we were chartering a bus and that the bus ride would range anywhere from 8 - 18 hours. It takes 8 hours by car and 18 on the "chicken bus" which stops a lot. So at 4 am Tuesday AM we come outside with all of our packs to load us the "chartered bus" and there parked on the street was a school bus. A bright yellow school bus just like the one we road to school many years ago.

Here is our bus a few days after settling in Puerto

So we get started on the unknown bus trip 18 World Racers and 12 Nicaraguan locals. The first 6 hours of the trip were on paved roads through the early mountain ranges. So they were smooth and a lot of my sleeping was done on this part. We stopped for lunch and a bathroom break and I heard through the WR rumor mill that is where the good roads stopped. Nothing could have prepared me for the next leg.

We kept on trucking and trucking and trucking on the back unpaved pothole strewn mountain roads of Nicaragua. We made a few pit stops along the way for bathroom breaks in the bushes and kept on. I was having these terrible headaches that I was attributing to dehydration b/c of so much travel. No they were from the constant jumps, bumps and humps that were met along the road.

That night we needed to make the ferry by 8pm (when it closed) to get across to Puerto the same day. Well at about 7:45pm we find out that it is another 3 hours to the ferry. God is a miracle worker but it didn't seem we were going to make it to the ferry that night. So we let out the Nica's (neeka's) and they went from hotel to hotel to try to find us a place to stay for the night. We finally found a medical clinic that would allow us to stay overnight on their floor if we gave a love offering. This was a huge answer to prayer after 17 hours on a school bus. So we unpacked our beds and went to sleep fully dressed and praised God our Provider for a place to lay our heads.

The next morning we were up at 5:30am so we could be on the road by 6am. So another 4 hours and we made it to the ferry where we could get some delicious food (plantain chips, fried chicken with cabbage and tomatoes with spicy vinegar all served in the same bag - hmmm good!). And then another 2-3 hours and we arrived at Puerto.

I honestly can't remember how many hours that day it took us to get here. I was at the lowest point I have ever been on the race. I kept thinking to myself why did I leave America? I know I signed up for this but I didn't understand! God please help me! It was miserable. But God, in His grace knows the limits and we made it, safe and in one piece. A little rattled but nothing a few hours of sleep can't fix.

While we were traveling and it felt as if it would never end the Lord reminded me of those who have gone before. Not only the people we hear about in the Bible but the missionaries who have gone before who have traveled for months on trains or boats to get to their destination. There are many who have done this crazy thing called the "life of a missionary" and they have survived and so will I. God is gracious and compassionate and I am grateful to be called His servant.

And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:3-5

Nicaragua is amazing and I have tons of stories to share and I will be posting more blogs ASAP

4 countries and 2 continents in 72 hours

Mon, 4 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Well, we have officially crossed the globe! Yes, in 8 months we have completely circled the entire earth! We have been to 3 continents and 12 countries (and 4 of those countries we have been in or through in the last 72 hours)! I never thought that would happen.

We left the Philippines and had a couple of days in LA (which was amazing- I will blog about that later) we flew to Miami and then to Nicaragua. Right now we are in Granada just for the day and tomorrow we have 13-18 hour busride to the Atlantic Coast of Nicaragua.

We are exhausted and completely jetlagged from all the travel and 12 hour time difference but we have received an amazingly warm welcome from the people here. We arrived in Granada last night and the church, where we are staying and partnering with, fed us a meal and we had worship time. Such a precious way to begin our time in this new country! We slept hard and well on the floor and today we are getting briefed on the culture in Nicaragua and packing up again.

Tomorrow 18 of us will be heading to the Atlantic coast of Nicaragua and the other 7 will be here in the city, helping get an AIM base started in the city.

Please PRAY - we really hope to have opportunities for evangelism as well as hurricane relief work here. This country is saturated in a works based faith and it can be very difficult to share because people's hearts are hardened. But, we know that the Holy Spirit can break through any hardened heart and reveal to that person their sin and need for a Savior. We are excited and can't wait to see and serve Jesus in this beautiful country.

..."Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." John 3:3

by the way - I am well healed and my skin issues that I blogged about previously have almost completely dissipated! Praise the Lord.

There are not words...

Sat, 2 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

This past month in the Philippines in one word was amazing! I fell madly in love with the people and that country. It was the country where I was the most physically effected but also emotionally effected. The people of this country have loved and taken such good care of us. My ministry this month was loving on babies and women. Two groups of people that I love and love to minister to.

God continues to amaze me in every country. And here He amazed me by putting me in 2 different ministries that just fit - like a puzzle. I was able to work at the baby house at the orphanage and take care (at nights mostly) 3 precious little boys. And 3 days a week I was able to minister to women who are coming out of prostitution at Samaritana in Quezon City, Manila. The month isn't what I expected but it was so much more.

I have to make a plug here - if you EVER get the opportunity to do ministry in Asia - TAKE IT! There is a desperate need for the gospel and the hope of Christ and the people are amazing. The food is ridiculously good (except for the constant rice) which you can get used to. JUST GO!

Precious Daniel smiling after bath time. Leah with Moses, Andrew and Angel

We had a block party for the squatter camp we lived by and there were about 350 kids who attended on Sunday afternoon- it was a crazy day!

A family I met at the party Some of the girls playing with the puppets

Puppeteers for the day! Silas as a clown - the kids loved him!

I spent a lot of my days at Samaritana working with these amazing women! I was the one blessed by them. I can't wait to go home and try my new Filipino recipes!

We were able to throw a party for the staff that worked at the children's house, OMF, the baby house and at the community school. It was a great night of food and music and dancing!

Arnold (the house father) playing with the band. The staff having at the party!

Giving Leah an intro at the party Mary Lou and I at the party - she is an amazing woman!

We also started the month at the beach for Christmas - I was never able to post a blog so here are some pictures from Christmas!

Our boat to the island The view from the boat

Tamara buried alive at our Christmas sand castle contest (we won!) Me and our Christmas tree!

Team Lego at the beach!

We are heading to Central America for the last 3 months of our trip. We will be in Nicaragua for the month of February and living on the coast doing hurricane relief. There will probably be no internet access for the month and so I may not blog or email until we get out until of that country. Please keep praying for us and I can't wait to share with you all that God is doing!

Blessings!!! Courtney

Drive Thru Culture Shock!

Thu, 31 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Our time in Asia is quickly coming to an end. On Friday, February 1^st we are departing my favorite continent in the world (so far). We are leaving the house in Manila early AM (3-4AM) because we have a 8AM flight out. And when you travel with 25 people internationally, the earlier the better. So we are flying from Manila for Tokyo (4 hours) then from Tokyo to Los Angeles (9 hours).

Yes!! That is the Los Angeles that is located in California which is American soil! I don't know how to describe in words my anxiety and excitement about seeing and touching America again. I may be kissing the ground or completely overwhelmed with the culture shock - we will see! We have 2 whole days in LA and that should include a hot shower and some sleep and a little shopping at American stores.

Then from LA we fly to Miami and Miami to Nicaragua. You may ask why all the layovers? We are saving a heapload of money flying this way so budget comes first on this one.

So we leave on the 1^st of February and we don't arrive in Nicaragua until the 4^th of February. So we need grace and mercy for all the flying and traveling with 25 people and the 13 hour time change. Jet lag here we come!

The next month in Nicaragua I will be serving in a coastal town doing hurricane relief. We may be tenting again and we do not know if we will have access to electricity and internet. So we are preparing for the worst and hoping for the best. I will update all of you ASAP when we are safe and well on the other side of the world!

PLEASE PRAY - We need the peace, patience and wisdom that only the Holy Spirit can give as we embark on this next leg of the journey.

"In the name of Jesus I pray against skin volcanoes"

Sun, 27 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

When living in foreign and less hygienic places, bugs and diseases become a normal part of life. This month has probably affected me physically more than any other month before. My skin has decided to rebel against my body, and the most polite and culturally sensitive way to say it is that I have been diagnosed scabies that live along side some random puss filled volcanoes. Yes, you read correctly scabies and volcanoes.

My skin rebellion began on New Year's Day once we arrived back in Manila. It started small like a little snow ball that later rolled down a hill, and turned into a flowing avalanche. The initial snow ball was a cute little sty that decided to invade my left eye. Then I developed the two puss volcanoes on my left shoulder and back. They hung out on my body yelling at me for a week before they decided to explode. (The explosion was helped along by Katey the C Squad resident nurse. ) Then the left side of my body decided to continue growing natural disasters, so it grew a third volcano on my left leg and then it grew a Mama volcano on my left ear lobe. About this time the right side of my body was becoming jealous because the left side was doing all the attacking, so it forged ahead with a full blown scabies rash.

I had to consult the doctor twice, and then Katey had to drain the growth on my ear. It took a half hour, a needle, a few yelps, a few tears, a crushed Ebeth hand, and lots of tissue to remove the infectious goop that was residing under the surface of my skin.

Good news, despite the dramatic nature of this blog, I am well on my way to healing. I am not going to lie, it was frustrating to recover from one thing, and then get attacked by something else. For a while, I felt defeated because no matter what I did, my skin wasn't getting better. Through this I have learned you can never bathe/exfoliate too often, and sometimes in the midst of so much nastiness you just have to laugh because this too shall pass.

So all I ask is that you not leave your computer to go throw up, and that you would please pray for my health. I would love to give this race everything I have, and that is hard when you have to take a morning off to have the doctor poke at your skin. Thank you for all your prayers, love, and support. I really do have the most amazing supporters in the world.