The World Race - Matthew Williams

A New Season is Here...

Sat, 7 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

As I was jam packing my car full of my belongings (it was a miracle everything actually fit too), it really started to hit me. Not in a subtle way, but sort of in one instant. I'm actually doing it. I'm moving where I feel called for this next season of life, and I couldn't be more excited, yet, nervous at the same time. I think the nervousness just comes naturally when you do something new. It doesn't matter if it's speaking in front of a bunch of people or having an uncomfortable conversation with someone or moving somewhere that you have never been before. New things tend to make me nervous because I don't know what to expect. It's funny, not in a ha ha kind of way, but in a that makes me smile kind of way, that my journey with going into missions really started with laying my expectations down before I went any further. When I was at my World Race training camp last summer, the very first thing we did was to take our expectations off of everything (the mission trip, our race route, each other, training camp, etc). I thought it was a little weird then and kind of not a big deal, but it has played an important role in how I look at my relationship with Christ.

I tend to put expectations on people or things without even knowing it sometimes, and in turn, other people do the same things to me. Our parents expect us to go in a certain direction or our friends expect us to be there for an experience in their lives, and without even noticing it, we start changing into what others want instead of what God wants us to be. I'm not saying expectations in and of themselves are bad, but if we hold onto them too tightly, they can setup both spiritual and emotional roadblocks that can cripple our walks with Christ. Every time this past year I started to feel distance from the Lord, I started to look at what I had put expectations on in my life. Every single time, I realized that I had taken my "open hand" with God and closed it more. Putting no expectations on anything truly means surrendering everything before the Lord. And as easy as that is to say, try praying that and see how much harder it is. It's such a dangerous prayer to say "Father, not my will, but yours be done," but that's exactly what Christ did as he was hours away from being crucified (Luke 22:42).

So my prayer for this next season is not that it would be smooth or be ideal or whatever other idea I have (although I want those things). My prayer is truly that this season belongs to the Lord. That I give Him full control over it and let Him show me where He wants me to be. Even when it's hard, I will praise Him. When it's messy, I will praise Him. When I want to give up, all praise goes to Him. Pray that I would continue to seek Him and to be open to whatever He has planned for my life. Here's to the new season!

I am also still in need of some monthly donors as well so if you are interested, send me a message and I would love to talk to you!

What's Next...

Sat, 19 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

It's still hard to believe that this time last year I was gearing up for Thanksgiving in Nicaragua at CICRIN orphanage, and was undertaking the task of cooking for 80+ people with my team. Not to mention, all the details that go into cooking in a 3rd world country...here's the blog if you missed it last year. Over the past two and half months, I have had a lot of good time to reflect on memories like these and just think about what this past year has meant to me. I honestly don't know when I'll stop reflecting because it seems like there were enough memories to last a lifetime. There are so many different ways it has grown me too, from being in uncomfortable situations like going door to door in Tanzania and sharing the Gospel to loving on kids that have HIV/AIDS in India to bringing hope to a pastor's family in Guatemala and the list could go on. I am blessed! WE are blessed! We truly live in abundance and it honestly doesn't take going around the world to realize that. I really hope and pray that my journey this year has given you insight into a lot of different aspects of ministry and the needs that are not being met around the world.

So where is this going with what's next? Well, I'm glad you asked :) I originally thought that I would want to go work at an engineering job and support missions. I have such a big heart for missions now and I see how much good is done and really want to see so much more. I also realize that financial resources are not as plentiful as they should be so I wanted to help as much as I could. As much as this was a good intention, I realized the more I pursued jobs, that this is not where I needed to be right now. It kind of hurt because I had this idea that I was going to move to Texas and find a job and everything would work out perfectly. That I would support missions and missionaries and it would work out the way it was in my mind. I have learned over and over that although many things have good intentions and are innately good things and serve higher purposes, if they are not where God is leading you, then that is not where you're supposed to be. All this being said, I feel the Lord calling me to a job with Adventures in Missions (AIM). So at the beginning of January, I will start an apprenticeship with AIM in Gainesville, GA that works specifically with logistics and security management of missionaries in other countries.

I knew my heart was still heavily burdened for missions, but didn't know where I should go next. I got a call from my future boss that will be one of the people mentoring me over these next 8 months at AIM, and he asked me if I'd be interested in coming to work for AIM. I had thought about it once or twice, but never really thought of it being something I would actually do. The more we talked, the more I realized this is where I needed to be. We started talking about the position, and it seemed right up my alley. It deals with helping to improve protocol to keep missionaries safer in other countries (natural disasters, terrorist attacks, etc) and using more technology to keep track of them of them while they are on the field. I am so excited about this opportunity and am looking forward to being a part of what AIM is doing in the rest of the world!

Honestly, the only thing I have struggled with is going back into a season of fundraising. I whole-heartily trust that by taking this next step, I'm walking in obedience. From my fundraising and logical mind I want to say that all I need is 15 people to give $100/month or 30 to give $50/month, but I don't want you to think of this is just about me raising money. I want you to see the bigger picture. This WR experience was more than just "11 countries in 11 months," it was something that can truly change this generation and I whole-heartily believe that. I want to truly invest and build relationships with my supporters that want to invest in this generation.

I truly want to serve, and realize I am going to need some help to get to where I need to be. If you would be interested in supporting me, I would love to talk with you over the phone (home phone: 803-788-4792) or in person. My email address is matthew.williams@gmail.com. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask. I love all of you and thank you so much for continuing to follow me! God bless!

11 Countries in 111 Seconds! [video]

Sun, 9 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

It's hard to believe I have been home for over a month already...it doesn't feels like that long really. I have putting off making this video until this past week because it was going to be really time consuming and I also wasn't sure if I was ready to see all the pictures from this past year, but it has been such a great experience for me. There is everything from volcanoes to all sorts of travel days to every interesting picture in between that I had to sort through from this entire year (over 10,000 pictures to look through). I decided that most people like to watch a quick video so I had the idea to recap the entire year in 111 seconds (for 11 countries in 11 months) and get a really quick flash of the whole year from each country. I really enjoyed making this video and hope this gives you a good idea of my year in a snapshot!

Back in the States [video]

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I have officially been home home for about two and half weeks now, but it seems like so much longer. It honestly hasn't taken too long to adjust. I feel like I picked up right where I left off when I left home in some areas. I think one of the things that has changed the most for me, among others, is how I look at everything around me. Not in a judgmental or condemning kind of way, but in an inquiring kind of way. I find myself asking why do I do the things I do? Why do spend 5 minutes picking out body wash? Why do I no longer need bottles of water with me everywhere I go? I have realized just how much there is to take in sometimes and that I need to pause a little bit more and take it in. Maybe this re-entry process isn't too hard right now, but who knows if a month down the road is when it really hits me. I am so thankful to be home and to see friends and family that I sometimes forget where I have been for the last 11 months, and that is something I do not want to forget.

I will be posting a few more blogs here and there of a few movies I have made toward the end of the race and continue to share about my experience after the race. Even after being home for a short while, I am at a loss for words from this whole year. It was so amazing and different and stretching and wonderful and frustrating and the list could go on and on. Continue to pray for me as I start moving forward in the next season of life.

Here is a great video for anyone that is interested in EVERY place we went to this entire year. Every airport. Every place we slept. Every place we had ministry. It's all here and gives a realistic picture of how much traveling we did this year! Hope you enjoy it and feel free to share it with friends!

New Beginnings

Sat, 27 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Like I've said almost too many times, this month has been AMAZING! We have been blessed beyond anything we could ever imagine and it's been almost funny how sweet it has really been. We have had some not-so-savory months during this race, but it is great to see how blessed this last one really was. We got to do one of my favorite projects this month and see it through from start to finish. Our major project this month involved refurbishing a rundown house in the red-light area of Kolhapur. The organization we were working with really felt called to buy this house and make it a beacon of light in a very dark area to give women a way of coming out of prostitution. The house would be used to teach job training (like sewing and jewelry making), tutoring, and mentoring. It has been a very challenging project, but one that has been well worth it also.

When we first got to the house, we noticed it had many problems. The walls were peeling paint, there was no bathroom, and no lights anywhere. Let's just say there was a lot of work to be done! We were so excited about this project though because we could really see how it would be used to further the Kingdom. Showing the women that they are valued and what love looks like in a tangible way. We started by scraping a lot of paint off the walls, which in a way was very symbolic of us "scraping away" their old lives and giving them a new coat of paint. It was just great to see how much work we could do when we saw the huge potential the project had.

We then went on to help put in a bathroom and make everything look great. I realized also during this project, that the amount of effort you put into something shows to a lot of people. We would constantly have children and men and women come up to us and look at what we were doing and take note of it. We were not preaching at them or saying anything about Jesus, we were merely being His hands and feet and people TOOK NOTICE. That is something that I want to remember when I go home. No matter what culture you are in, people know love when they see it. It isn't something that can be explained, but people know what love looks like.

We also got the awesome opportunity of cutting the ribbon to open the building that is called "New Beginnings" and the "Z-House." The "Z" in Z-House refers to Zephaniah 3:17, which says "The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing." I love that verse because it gives hope to a place that needs it so desperately. This may have been one of the most demanding projects of the whole race, but it was so worth it. When we opened the place we got to hand saris out to the women and offer them a meal to show more love to them. I am blown away that we did so much in such a short amount of time and am so excited for the revival the Z-house will bring to Kolhapur!

Some of My New Friends

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

It's really weird to think that I only have a week left on this crazy 11 month adventure. I've wanted to blog more, but have been so tired from doing so much this month. I have been so blessed to be able to spend time with the children here. Like I mentioned in my last blog, a good portion of them are HIV positive, but you would never know from the smiles on their faces. The weird thing is a lot of them know what being HIV positive means. They know that at any moment they could get a cold or the flu and end up dying from it because their immune system can't fight it off. Somehow, they find hope and that hope truly is in Christ.

I am still blown away with how much they love. I really can't describe it in words that well. I have seen a lot of children around the world at all different stages of maturity and age range. I have seen ones that can speak English very well and the ones that cannot. I have seen the ones that have nothing and the ones that have a little more. I have not met children like this though. I have not met children who love knowing what they know about themselves. Even worse, knowing that their parents have died from something that they have. I truly have not seen greater love than the love these children show towards us...even knowing that we are only there for a short while.

I think their love shows me what exactly Jesus was saying when He talked about humbling ourselves like children. In Matthew 18:3-4, Jesus says "Truly I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." I have used this verse before, but the meaning keeps changing slightly for me. Seeing these children and how much they love unconditionally a lot of the time has made me think of how my relationship should be with my Heavenly Father. These children just want to sit on our laps and spend time with us and I should be doing the same thing with God, just wanting to sit in His presence and show my affection for Him.

I want to sit in His presence and be in awe of Him just like these children are of us a lot of the time. I think another important lesson I have learned from these kids is that you don't have to verbally communicate with someone to show how much you love them. I can speak only a few simple phrases to the kids that they understand in English, among which are "You look handsome" and "How was school today?" But the love is deeper than any words can describe. It reaches an awesome level of wanting to spend time with them even if we don't say that much. I really feel our Heavenly Father desires the same things. Just to spend time in His presence as His children and not even say anything. Just to listen and show our affection for HIm.

I am really looking forward to coming home in about a week, but am also dreading leaving this place in a few days. It has truly been amazing and can't say enough how much I have enjoyed my time here. I will be in Delhi in a few days for our final debrief with our entire squad before we fly home. I really can't wait to share what our main project was this month...in my next blog :) God is doing amazing things in the small town of Kolhapur and really pushing back a lot of spiritual darkness here. Can't wait to share more!

Namaste!

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

We have finally arrived in our last country of this crazy adventure and I am so excited to be here! Sorry it has taken so long to get a blog out...our team had to make sure that it was okay to blog while we were in India because in certain parts of the country Christians are persecuted for their beliefs. We just wanted to make sure that we got the go-ahead before we put anything out there, and now that we have, you should be seeing more blogs for the rest of the month. We arrived exactly two weeks ago and were greeted with roses and an ambulance ride to the city we would be in this month (Kolhapur). Along the way, we got to stop at a McDonald's, which is a totally different story in India because cows are sacred to Hindus (majority religion) so there is no beef anywhere (cows literally roam freely EVERYWHERE). Honestly, I wish we had the McVeg at home...it's actually really good!

We are working with an organization called Serving Friends International (SFI) this month that does an amazing work in Kolhapur and in other places around the world. Specifically in Kohlapur, they help people who are invected with HIV/AIDS by praying for them, visiting them in their homes, and offering medical attention if possible. They also taken over a hospital here that has been around for over 100 years and really made it something special! We have gotten the opportunity to go on some of the house visits and pray for the people so far and have love it. It is amazing how so many of them put their faith in Christ in the midst of struggling with HIV. We also get to work with children who are HIV positive (known as "friends" to conceal their identity). It is really sad to hear some of the stories about the children's parents. Some of them can no longer take care of the children and some of them have died from having such a low immune system from the disease. Despite all of this, these kids have SO much joy and laughter. They truly are filled with God's love. All they ever want to do is sit in my lap give me a hug and make awkward facial expressions at each other because we really can't understand each other...and I love it!

This month has already been so God ordained and so blessed. The doctor we are working with (far right in the top picture) as well as the director and all the staff are awesome! They have been so hospitable to us and really treat us like family. We call them "aunty" and "uncle" and they call us "brother" or "sister" and it is really neat to feel that close to people you haven't known that long. Especially with the kids, we really can't communicate that well, but somehow there is this bond that is so strong between us. I look forward to sharing more about this place and how special it really is...it's hard not to get emotional when talking about it though because God is really doing something awesome here and it shows in everything. The people here really pray into every single thing and seek the Lord on healing these children and everything that goes into the ministry. I can't wait to share more soon!

Goodbye to Africa

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

It's weird to think that 3 months have already passed and in just a few days we will boarding a plane to India. I feel like we just flew into Nairobi and were getting situated with the differences here in Africa. A lot of things were night and day with the way they worked in Asia (i.e. concept of time, efficiency as a whole, etc), but some things stayed the same (i.e. face culture). I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in Eastern Africa too. I feel that 3 months was just enough time as well because I am ready to move on and am excited that India is the next (and sadly the last) country.

Africa has definitely been a mixed bag of ministries that have almost consistently stayed the same the whole time. Everything from door-to-door evangelism to manual labor of some kind (building a mud house and a latrine) to preaching at every church, school, and public place to singing and dancing in front of the church. I think everyone has an idea of what they think a place is going to look like before they get there, but I think Africa really surprised me more than I thought. It was the biggest wild card in all the areas I would be traveling to this year because I knew the least about how it really was.

I'm glad I also got the opportunity to experience all the other little things too like traveling to the bush to minister to the Masai people or minister in the biggest slum in Africa. There have definitely been some things I will never forget and am so thankful I got to experience...truly thankful. As I sit here contemplating on what I have learned these last 3 months, a few words come to mind: patience, persistence, and intentionality. A lot of these lessons were learned through interactions with my team and the rest were honestly learned in awkward situations with Africans (absolutely crammed in public transport, sharing the Gospel with mothers that are breastfeeding at the time, and the list goes on). I am thankful for every experience though...I wouldn't have it any other way.

I also wanted to say asante sana (thank you very much in Swahili) to everyone that continues to follow my blog and encourage me on this trip. It has meant the world to me to get an encouraging email or comment on my blog and to feel love from people back home. I can't wait to share everything that is happening in this next month in India. Pray for me and my squad as we travel to India this Sunday!

These are the Days of Our Lives

Sat, 23 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

No, I haven't been watching soap operas in Tanzania. I've just had to take a step back lately and realize that this is the life I am living (it seems like a dream sometimes). That when I am street preaching in a market or knocking on someones door to tell them about Jesus or getting used to the interesting food in every country I go to that this is the season of life that God has placed me in. It is a unique season, but a season that He has called me to nonetheless. I think I have come to realize and appreciate that sometimes every thing doesn't have to look glamourous when we are truly bringing Kingdom to where we are, whether that is being a missionary in another country or working in the corporate world back home. God puts us in specific places to do specific things to reach specific people. I believe that with everything inside of me because His plan has led me to an incredible place with Him that only He could have orchestrated.

I've also been thinking about my plans when I get back home (which I'm still not sure of yet) and realizing that I will be soon be shifting to a new season or phase of life. One that is not any better or any worse than the one I am in now, just different. I know my heart is still in Southeast Asia (particularly in Thailand and Cambodia), but I don't know when or how God will call me back there. I see my passion for that area being something that is not in my immediate future, but one that will be used in years to come. I really wish you could see directly into my thoughts because you would see so many things that God has allowed me to experience and be a part of this year. You would see how this world has brought me to so many places of brokeness and how there are so many people that are desperate to hear of a Savior that will truly rescue them from the darkness that is in this broken world. It amazes me when we meet people who have NEVER heard of the name of Jesus before...that blows my mind. You would also see how my focus has shifted from what I can do to what God can do. I am truly after what is in His heart and want to follow that as much as I can.

I was fasting the other day and took a walk around the area that we are staying in now to spend some alone time with God (I really love the scenery here...the mountains are gorgeous around us). I have been longing to hear God's voice more audibly in my life lately, and all of the sudden, I got a verse in my head...Isaiah 43:2, which says, "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through the fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you." It was so great to read that in the moment and feel that connection with God get so much stronger. I really have never gotten a verse like that before, and if I have, I have thought it was only my mind playing tricks on me, but I knew it was truly my Father in heaven encouraging me through His Word. Thinking about the future can genuinely scare me sometimes and I know it can scare a lot of us because we don't know what is to come next, but this verse promises that no matter how treacherous the obstacles may seem, God is truly with us. It may be rough, but He will never let us drown or get burned if we are truly following Him....whether if it's carrying bamboo through a leech invested jungle in Malaysia or spending time with a widow in Tanzania.

I am glad that God has allowed me to take a step back and marvel at His plan and creation. It amazes me how much He truly cares about my life (and all of our lives) and how much He blesses me...I could write pages about His blessings over the course of this year. Just having food and clean water are blessings enough quite honestly...I didn't say my favorite food either, just having something to eat is awesome. Those are definitely things I will not take for granted anymore. Seriously, thank God right now for every little blessing He has given you. We have a Father that cares so much for us that He humbled himself in human form to die on a cross for us...that is a crazy type of love. Pray that God would continue to reveal Himself to me and that these last forty-something days would be very spirit filled and amazing.

Donkey Carts in the Bush

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

There are only a few things a person gets to experience once in a lifetime. Those things that only come around every once and while, and if your lucky, you get to be a part of them. I got one of those chances this past weekend...I got to go to the "bush" (basically the middle of nowhere in Africa) and preach the Gospel to the people that lived there as well as the Masai people (a tribe in Eastern Africa that at one time was very well known for sending out their boys to kill a lion to become men). It was an amazing experience that I will never forget! It was definitely growing, but God really used the days we were out there to grow me in my spiritual life with Him and how I spread the Gospel to others.

Once again, we spent a few hours on some crazy African bus to get to the "town" we would be in for the next few days...more like one store amongst many mud huts. I will be really excited when I can take a plane again to get somewhere, but until then, I am thankful that God continues to get me safely to where I need to be. I have to say though, the landscape in Tanzania is truly breathtaking. It is so beautiful to see how untouched the land is, just as God made it. It really makes me appreciate how creative God is and how his creation is so magnificent! Even to see as many stars as I can see out here because there are no lights to interfere is truly amazing. I just thank God that He has allowed me to see so much during this year.

We spent four days going from mud house to mud house to make relationships in the community as well as preach in a few of the local churches and share Jesus with everyone. This was definitely a whole new type of evangelism that I have never done before, but it will certainly be one that I never forget. It was great because one of the best ways to build up my faith is sharing it with others. As believers, I really feel we make our faith stronger by speaking it out with other believers and people that don't know Jesus yet. We are able to tangibly put how and what we believe into words and make our testimony that much stronger.

Not only did we get to share Jesus with a lot of people, but a few of them actually came to Christ too! Even though it can be frustrating talking through a translator a lot of the times, it was so good to see people respond to the message of the Gospel. We were really blessed by the people there so much! Everything from getting us a donkey cart to take us to church to making sure we had plenty of ugali (not my favorite, but very thankful to have food to eat) or mandazi (African version of a doughnut) to eat. My spirit felt very tired after this weekend, but also very refreshed. God is in the biggest cities and in the smallest middle-of-nowhere place in Africa too. He truly holds everything. I really pray that the seeds that were planted this past weekend grow on fertile soil and that they truly see how much love God has for them.

Ice Cold

Tue, 5 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Yes, it really feels that cold...well at least the showers do. We just got to the modest sized town of Iringa in Tanzania yesterday after traveling 40+ hours on African buses....would not really recommend it. We definitely got to see some beautiful scenery and some wild animals along the way (giraffes, zebras, and wildebeests). I am so thankful to not be on a bus right now and it is really refreshing to be in a town that is 5000ft above sea level (think of Denver, Colorado), as these are the winter months in Eastern Africa now. Who would think that Africa would be so cold? I really do love where we are this month and am looking forward to doing ministry in this community.

As you can see, Iringa is a beautiful town. We are truly blessed once again this month and as added bonus, we will also be working with another team while we are here which is really exciting. We haven't worked with another team since we were in the bamboo jungles of Malaysia and thankfully we will not be doing that this month. We will get the opportunity to travel to different areas around Iringa to do some evangelism and preaching while we are their. Along with evangelism, we will also get the opportunity to go to some local tribes and preach their...really looking forward to everything that in store for us this month.

I am also really excited for my spiritual life this month. God has been growing me so much during this time in Africa and has really called me to be so much more intentional with Him this month. To worship Him out loud and not care what others think of my "joyful noise" singing voice. To have Him be every aspect of my day and just become more madly in love with my Creator. I am looking forward to the times of growth this month. Continue to pray for God to grow me as well for these things below for the month.

Prayer requests for the month:

Safety as we travel through Tanzania this month
That my life would continue to become more God focused in every area
That I would have a much more generous heart with my finances and resources
To rely on God for finances after the World Race

Photo Credit: Wikipedia article "Iringa"

Building a Mud House [video]

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

This month in Uganda has just flown by! I have really enjoyed my time here and was so excited for the opportunities we got to have this month. Building a house for a widow was just awesome! Little did I know that when I signed up for this trip, I would be learning how to build a mud house! To give everyone a good idea of what was really involved in the whole project, I made this video that shows every step of the process. I think it does a good job of summing up everything and even has an added bonus too (you'll have to watch to find out)! Please pray for me and my squad as we travel to Tanzania tomorrow (it will be a LONG bus ride). Also, continue to pray for finances to come in for re-entry as this trip winds down (only two months left), and if you would like to give, you can do so here. Thanks for the continual prayers and encouragement...they mean so much to me out here!

The Cereal Aisle

Sun, 26 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I've thought about it once or twice (actually a lot more lately)...especially in the last few weeks. It freaks me out, but it also excites me at the same time. I will be around everything I am used to again, but how will I adjust? I'm talking of course about re-entry into the United States in less than 70 days. Re-entry has been on my mind a lot lately and has made me think about how I am preparing myself to go back home. It's hard to explain this to others who haven't been out of the states this long, but I will try my best. I want to share my heart and my own thoughts with where I am on the race at this point...I will try to not stay on my soapbox for too long :)

You may ask, what does re-entry have to do with the cereal aisle anyway? As you can see in the above pictures, there is a stark contrast between what I see here in the third world and what I will see at home in the United States. The picture on the left is a scene that I have gotten used to seeing a lot (it is the ENTIRE grocery store), and the picture on the right is a scene that I'm not sure how I will handle in a couple of months. I see how much we have back home as well as how little people have here, and the contrast breaks my heart. This comparison between a small shop that comprises everything people need here and a supermarket that contains tens of thousands of items that are not always necessities is a real wakeup call to me of how much we live in excess back home. This includes me too. Having things aren't inherently bad, but having an excess when others are in need is not what Christ called us to be. I know one facet of this trip that has really affected me is how I give. Throughout this year, God has continued to show me how to be more magnanimous, and has given me a more generous heart. It's hard not to be more giving when I think of how generous He has been with me and how much He blesses my life.

I've heard stories of people getting off long mission trips like this and breaking down in the grocery store or at a restaurant because of being so overwhelmed by how much we have. I feel like it's part of the process to have a few emotional moments like this because after seeing so much, I think it allows us to cope with transitioning into a totally different culture. We live on just under $4 a day here for food everyday (and are full every time we eat). It'll be weird to go back home to get a meal for $5 and it's considered cheap (I hope Subway still has $5 foot-longs). I've been reading Crazy Love by Francis Chan lately (awesome book...highly recommend it) and at one point in the book he talks about how 53% of the world lives off of less than $2 a day...that blew me away. It is such a reality out here though. It makes me think about how much we could really live off of if we gave more away and lived more modestly. Again, I'm saying these things to me too. It's going to be a real challenge for me not to return to the lifestyle I was used to before this trip.

I want to have an open mind about the whole process too. I know God works all things together for His good (Romans 8:28). A lot of the time I initially spend at home will be time I need to process and evaluate my experiences on this trip, and see how they relate to life back home. To be honest, I don't see how I could come off this trip and not have an open mind. The Lord has truly done a great work in me by opening my mind more to Him and His Kingdom. He really has shown me that there is real need around the world, and that we are called to preach the Gospel everywhere. He has shown me how to be thankful for the "little things" like a bed to sleep in or a hot shower or clean water to drink. Especially back home, we are incredibly blessed in so many ways. I don't want to forget how much I am blessed when I go back home too.

All this being said, I am at a point on this trip where I am also thinking about how I will support myself when I get back home. To be perfectly honest, I believe the transition back to the states will be challenging. I believe it will be wise to hold off from getting a job for a period of time to rest, decompress these last 11 months, adjust and process back into life at home. I feel like the things I have described so far in this blog are things I will experience in the first few months of re-entry. I am still prayerfully considering what I will do next, although I have a few ideas in mind. As far as finances go, I have the option of receiving a reimbursement for funds that are given that go over my fully funded amount for up to $1400. This reimbursement helps cover expenses that were out of pocket before the trip like immunizations and travelers insurance along with a couple of flights to and from Charlotte to begin and end the journey. While processing through the adjustments and praying into the next steps, it would help tremendously to have the reimbursement funds to live off of for that period of time. I have already raised $400 of this amount, but would really appreciate anyone else that would be willing to give to help me with re-entry. If you would like to give, you can do so by clicking on the "Support Me" link on this page or by clicking here.

I want to say how appreciative I am for everyone that has given to my trip so far. God's faithfulness has been so apparent in every aspect of my life on this trip and He deserves all the glory for everything I have raised. I actually spoke on God's faithfulness the other day at one of the churches in the community. I want to leave you with one of my favorite verses from that sermon: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). He has always been faithful and always will be. Period. I am so blessed to see how faithful He has been and will be in raising funds for this trip. If anyone has any questions or would like to send me a message, you can do so here. Thank you for continuing to follow my journey on this trip as God draws me closer to Him and His Kingdom.

Shake, Shake the Mango Tree

Sat, 18 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

It's funny how God's timing is so perfect for every situation. Like I mentioned in my last blog, we met an Australian couple named Brian and Jan that are missionaries living in Uganda and helping the community of Lwamata. They told us about a project at the beginning of the week that they needed help with. The area where they are going to build an orphanage is a very small community with mostly mud huts. Brian and Jan met this older lady whose house was just falling apart (the walls are made of old corn husks and her roof leaks everywhere inside). So we wanted to build her a new house to help her and her family. We are building a traditional mud house and it has definitely been something I have never done before.

The community we are working in is so neat too because there is a church and school there that is thriving so much. The school is a primary school and the children are just amazing. We went into one class where the kids were singing a song about shaking the mango tree and it was just precious (something about shaking the monkey out too)...really had to be there to see how awesome it was. I can see why Brian and Jan have liked this community so much. We will be working on this project for the next week as well so we will have a lot of time to meet the community and get to spread the "action Gospel" with them more (i.e. loving on people to meet there needs because Christ loves them).

The first few days working on this project were some hardest and most interesting. We got all the poles we needed to build the house early in the morning. We cut them and got them ready to start building the house after lunch on the first day. As soon as we started putting the poles in the ground, it start down pouring so hard that it was painful to be outside while it was raining. We took refuge inside the lady's house that we are trying to replace and that was a certainly a wakeup call of how much she needed a new house. It's probably smaller than a basic tool shed (picture below). Water was leaking everywhere and there was no way to keep warm in a house like this. There was definitely a need in this situation. Christ calls us to love others above ourselves and I think the best way we could love her and show her Christ's love was to build her a house to protect her from the rain and keep her warm.

I have definitely been adding a lot of new skills to my resume this year: building mud houses (Uganda), cooking for 80+ people (Nicaragua), and learning how to get a car started in any place (Cambodia)...just to name a few. It's funny how lessons tend to repeat themselves on the race or just in life. As we were leaving the lady's house, the car that had all of us in it got stuck in the mud and slid between two trees. The road was extremely slippery after the rain that afternoon so it was that much harder to try to push the car out of the mud. Long story short, after almost two hours of cutting down trees and pushing the car, we finally got it out of the mud and were able to finally go home. God gave us just enough sunlight to get the car unstuck and get us home safely too, which was such a blessing.

I also love how it was such a divine appointment to meet Brian and Jan because we would have never been involved with this project if we had never met them. We really weren't planning on doing any contraction this month, but I love seeing how God has orchestrated this whole race to prepare us for the road ahead. I truly believe a lot of the skills I have learned this year will be put to good use when I get back home (communication with different types of people, resolving conflict, how to share Christ's love with others, etc). This year has truly been amazing so far and I can't wait to what God has in store for these last 2.5 months!

Bouncy Castles in Africa

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

After nearly 15 hours on the bounciest bus I have ever been on in my LIFE (I literally felt like I was in one of those bouncy castles the whole time), we arrived in Kampala, Uganda. The bus ride certainly did a number on all of us, as most of us just wanted to sit down on the sidewalk after constantly being ejected off of our seats a few inches every time we hit a bump (that happened about every 5 seconds). Other World Racers have told me that this is pretty common for travel on buses in Africa. We then met our contact for the month, Pastor Noah, and he picked us up in a van and took us to the sleepy little town of Lwamata. I felt like it was Africa meets the wild west because there were oil lanterns everywhere and set up like an old western city you would see in a movie.

Pastor took us to the church first to show us where it was and what kinds of ministry we would be doing this month. The church also has a school that is right behind it and we got to meet a lot of the children and teachers. A lot of the children at the school are orphans, which is pretty common for this community. We actually met an Australian couple that are here to build an orphanage for this community (hopefully we'll get to visit it sometime this week). At the school, we will get the opportunity to teach English, Bible classes, and other academic classes while we are here this month. I may even get the chance to teach math, which would be awesome!

After we visited the church and school, Pastor Noah took us to the hotel (more like a motel back home) we would be staying in for the month. Surprisingly, it was much nicer than I thought it was going to be....nice beds, safe environment, and chickens everywhere (not so surprising really). Oh, I forgot to mention the small detail that we only have electricity for about 4 hours a day that comes from a generator at the hotel. Apparently, electricity is not so good in this city because it is a long distance from Kampala. It amazes me that the whole town runs with no power during the day and uses lamps and candles at night and some people have generators. That will also explain why blogs this month will be further spread out because internet is not easily accessible so bare with me for communication back home.

I am honestly more humbled than I have been in a while on the race so far. We have definitely been in poor areas all over the world and have seen a lot of poverty, but we have never lived so close to it before. Even how "behind the times" by western standards they are compared to us really puts things into perspective for how everyone lives here. Electricity and accessibility of internet and other communications is common to find everywhere back home, but here I feel as if I am worlds apart. My prayer for this month is that the Holy Spirit would guide me in ministry and that I would allow him to be a part of every aspect of my life here. I pray that I don't get caught up in thinking about how these are the last 3 months of the race, rather that I want to be in there "here and now" and really focus on the task God has in front of me.

Pressing On

Mon, 6 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

It's hard to believe that this month in Kenya is already over and we will be moving onto Uganda in the next few hours. It has been such a good month of new experiences in telling people about Jesus. I have never done so much door-to-door ministry in my life, but it has been such a good way of getting out of my shell to share the Gospel. It's so easy to talk to other Christians about your faith, but knocking on strangers doors and sharing who you are with them is a totally different story. If anything, this month has taught me how to be much bolder in my faith. People need to hear the Gospel and it is up to us to present it to them.

Not only have I learned a lot this month, but I have made so many good friends here. The pastor we stayed with was one of the nicest people and he had the nicest family...we truly felt like we were his children. We have a great love for them and have really enjoyed being able to spend time with them this past month. It's hard to believe that at this point on the race, there are less than 90 days left...we are finally heading into the home stretch it feels like. I am going to blog a lot longer next time, but in the mean time I would really appreciate prayer for preparing my heart for re-entry and for ministry next month. I can't wait to see what the rest of Africa and India hold!

Things to continually pray for:

Open heart with re-entry into the US in about 3 months
Continuing to be sensitive to God's spirit in my life
Open heart to ministry for the next 3 months

Salvation in Kibera

Thu, 26 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

It's awesome how many new things God has shown me while I have been here in Kenya...and the surprises keep coming. We got to go to one of the largest slums in Africa today (Kibera) and preach the Gospel in a local school. It was so humbling to see 200-something students crammed into this little run down room in the middle of this slum. It amazes me how much students still want to learn, especially in some of the poorest environments. This level poverty is something I have never experienced before and it made me think of how many unnecessary things I have at home and even the poorest people back home do not live like this.

While we were at the school, we shared a few songs in Swahili and English and prayed with all the students. My teammate Krystle then got to share part of her testimony with the students there and really share the Gospel in a really unique way. It was so surprising how receptive they were to listen to what she had to say. After she had finished, our ministry contact Pastor Joseph prayed for all the students and then asked if anyone wanted to receive Christ. At least 20 students accepted Jesus that day! Salvation is ALWAYS an amazing thing to witness! It was so amazing to see that and how receptive they were to the Gospel and how welcome it is in schools here...such a huge difference from the states.

We got to pray with these students afterward and invite them to church and encourage them some more. We then met the principal of the school and he walked around the rest of the school and took us to a part of the slum to show us around. I think seeing so much poverty and less than desirable living situations make me remember how good we have it back home. I'm serious, we have it so good and a lot of us don't even know it. These people literally live in houses made of scrap metal and random bits of garbage. There are pigs, goats, and chickens running everywhere and it doesn't smell the best, but it is where they call home. The pictures will always stay in my mind as a reminder of thankful I am for everything God has blessed me with.

I noticed while I was blogging this that it was May 26 (time has been flying here) and that means only one thing to me. So I wanted to take this chance to wish my sister Molly a very happy 22nd birthday from Kenya! Molly, it has been awesome to see you grow and graduate undergrad and move onto graduate school now. You are becoming a great woman and sister! I still think it was really cool to see you paint a Kenyan flag on your mortarboard for graduation (picture below)...that really meant a lot! Hope it's an awesome birthday!!!

New Experiences Everywhere I Look

Thu, 19 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I can't believe it has been two weeks since I last blogged. Time is flying by here and there has been so much condensed into these last few weeks. We have been connecting with a lot more of the community and visiting them in their homes and really getting to know them (it is really common for people to invite you to tea at their house to get to know them...so we have been drinking a LOT of Kenyan tea). I also got the chance to go to a local university and do door to door evangelism there...such a cool experience! Additionally, we have had the opportunity of going to a lot of primary schools to share lessons with the students there. It's crazy how easy it is to share the Gospel in these schools. It is so different than back home where there are so many restrictions and laws against having anything religious in schools. We get to go to both private and public schools and in both places, the children really want to learn what the mzungus (Swahili term for English speaking foreigners) have to teach them.

I have also got a lot of good practice preaching while we have been here. Anything from a prayer meeting to going to local high schools to going to primary schools. The name of the game in Africa is always have a sermon in your back pocket because you never know when you'll be asked to speak or pray or lead the service. It is kind of exciting that pastors and people in general trust us so much here that they would let us run a whole service or give a testimony on the spot. I think that is something that this trip has really taught me a lot about. It also keeps you accountable for what Scripture you are reading because it usually the easiest to preach out of that.

Personally, I have been reading through the book of Exodus lately and I have been learning so much about Moses and how his relationship started when God talked to him out of the burning bush. In chapters 3 and 4, God sai d He would bless Moses with the right words and actions, and constantly Moses protested to God and said he wasn't good enough. He really didn't think God would bless Him and keep His word. I think that was a good lesson for me to learn as well because it's sometimes hard to trust God in everything, even when I KNOW He loves me and wants to bless me. As a result of Moses not thinking he was worthy enough, God passes His blessing onto Aaron (Moses' brother). It's just a good reminder to always be listening for His voice AND following what He is guiding us to do because He always knows what is best...always. Okay, I'm done with my soapbox :)

We also got the opportunity to go to a disabled home the other day and help the nuns feed the people there. It was just a humbling experience and such a blessing. It was actually a home that Mother Teresa started in Nairobi while she was here on one of her trips. It's hard to explain, but I could really see joy in this place. There was a real joy by all the workers and everyone there. God continues to bless me by letting me experience so many different types of love all over the love. We have about two more weeks in Kenya and there are so many more experiences to share...can't wait!

Jambo!

Thu, 5 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

It's crazy to believe I am actually in Africa...the feeling is still sinking in. As soon as we landed at the airport at Nairobi International, I knew I was here. It just felt different immediately and I knew I was in a new place. I am so excited to see how these next 3 months in Africa will unfold and what kinds of ministries we will be involved in. Currently, my team and I are in Nairobi, Kenya working with Pastor Joseph at a local church. We have so many things planned from door-to-door evangelism to going to local schools to music ministry and a lot more. I am excited to reach out to a totally different kind of community and see the challenges that we will face this month.

I think one of the biggest things I have noticed is how Nairobi reminds me a lot of how things look back home in the states when you look a lot closer. There are really nice parts of town where everyone is dressed nice and things look a lot more western. There are also parts of town that are very poor and people live in these slum areas (one of the largest slums in Africa is in Nairobi, it is called Kibera). Although, slums here look a lot different than poorer areas back home. One thing that is also consistent is that there is always a need for Jesus everywhere I look. People get lost in their own religious ways of doing things and do not realize how important it is to have a relationship with Christ. It's not just about going to church or wearing the nicest clothes or having the nicest Bibleit's about knowing that Christ is your Lord and Savior and being born again (John 3:3-8).

I didn't realize until I got to another predominantly Christian country (the last one was 4 months ago in the Philippines), that lukewarm Christianity exists everywhere. I think one of my biggest prayers this month is that we really start to see a revival here in Nairobi and see people walk more boldly in their faith. We are already starting to see evidence of that and I can't wait to see what else we get to experience while we are here.

Things I would really appreciate prayer for:

Continued safety while we are in Africa for the next 3 months
To be led by the Lord's Spirit everyday
Accelerated learning of the Swahili language (we will be using it for the next 3 months)

Recapping an Amazing Month [video]

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

This month has truly been so amazing! I am once again lost for words on how awesome it really was. The friends I made and the people I got to interact with really made this past month incredible. I was trying to find a way to wrap up this month and share as many experiences as I could and I think that video starts to do that. It really contains so much from this past month and I hope this gives you more of a glimpse into what I got to experience. I hope you enjoy it! Oh, by the way, I am currently in Nairobi, Kenya and will start ministry tomorrow...so excited to be in AFRICA!!!

A New Kind of New Year

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I continue to be excited while in Cambodia, but at the same time find hard it to explain why in words. It's more like a feeling that I can't explain. It's like God has given me this raw emotion that I have never felt before and it is so amazing (I wish I could explain it better, but that's the best way I can describe it). Have you ever just made a noise that wasn't a word or sentence or anything, but it really summed up how you felt? Well, that's exactly what this is like. I am just so in love with this place and the people that it completely overwhelms me at times. How could somewhere that I hardly knew anything about, capture my heart so much? I think this just goes along with how great God really is and how amazing His plan is for us.

This past weekend was the Khmer New Year here in Cambodia and it has been really neat getting to learn about this holiday and how the Khmer people celebrate it. Just from talking with a lot of the guys here at the church, it is traditional for everyone to go back to their home village and meet up with family (I would kind of equate it to Thanksgiving for us, except their holiday lasts for 3 days). A lot of them that are Buddhist go to the temples and give food and money offerings to the monks there so that they can receive a blessing in exchange (side note: it's really interesting to me that blessings have a price tag on them sort of). They also have traditional games (the picture above is one of those games; sort of like hitting a pinata, but it is a clay pot full of money, candy, and flour) and dancing that go on during the 3 days. I was very privileged during this time to actually get to spend one day and night of the New Year with a friend here at the church in his village.

My friend Seyha invited me to his house to get to experience New Year with him and his family. It's weird because his whole family pretty much only speaks Khmer, but luckily for me, Seyha speaks very good English so that was very helpful as it should be no surprise that I do not speak any Khmer. I got to have a few traditional meals with him and his brother along with the rest of his family. We visited a few friends around his village and even got a chance to go to one of the local temples just to take a look around. It is so interesting how "religious" these temples can look. Sure, on the outside they look very unique and ornate, but on the inside they are of full of crumbling idols and people that really believe that good works equate to a better afterlife...thank God we were saved by grace and are not dependent upon works! Those kind of cultural experiences are great too because it helps me to see how the locals see. I was so blessed to get to spend that time with Seyha and wouldn't change it for the world.

We also got the opportunity during the New Year to go stay and stay at a local church that also has an orphanage as well. Once again, it's an experience that is really hard to put into words because there were so many great parts about it. I think it was easily one of the poorest parts of Cambodia that I have seen so far. There were people in the village that lived in houses that were made from bits and pieces of scrap metal and lived over this very dirty, polluted water. The family who ran the orphanage was one of the humblest families I have ever met. They fully support their orphanage on their own resources while supporting a family with 3 sons and other relatives as well. The father is also the pastor of the church there as well.

We were just so amazed with how gracious they were to us the whole time (we were the first group of foreigners that have stayed at the church)...constantly wanting to feed us amazing food or making sure everything was great about our experience there. They have about 20 or so kids there as well and they were amazing too. It's funny how quickly they warmed up to us (the little boys were constantly wanting to play with Josh and my arm hair...apparently it's hilarious). It's crazy how infectious their joy was to us and how much that was really needed to recharge our group as we head into Africa next month. We were truly blessed in more ways than we could really say and it was so great to see a family going after God's heart and supporting their ministry however they could.

I am just busting at the seams with experiences from this month that continue to show me how much love God has for his children. Even in the small things, God truly cares about His children that call on Him by name and have confessed Jesus as Lord (Romans 10:10-13). I wish this month could be multiplied because it has filled me with so much joy and strength I know I will need for the rest of this race. It's crazy how quickly our time here is quickly winding down. In less than a week, I will be in Africa and can hardly believe it. I know it is going to be so hard to leave this place, but I really feel God will bring me back here in the near future (have no idea what that looks like, but just a thought on my mind). I am working on just living in the moment and thanking God for the here and now...not to worry about tomorrow because tomorrow will worry about itself (Matthew 6:34). Can't wait to share more later!

I Love Being a Harvester!

Sun, 17 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Wow! I continue to be blown away by this country...it is easily turning into one of my favorites of this trip so far. I continue to meet new people at the church and in the community and am so blessed to be able to build relationships this month. It has given me a chance to see what life is like here and what kind of missions their local church does. This past weekend, part of our team got a chance to meet a local group at the church we are staying at called the Harvesters. It is led by an American named Heather and is a really amazing community of Cambodians that want to see so much for the Kingdom of God here in Cambodia. We also got the opportunity to go with them to a local church outside Phnom Penh the last couple of days and spend a few days there pouring into the community and painting the church.

It was probably some of my favorite days of ministry on this trip so far for several reasons. For one thing, I really enjoy doing work that you can build relationships while doing (reminds me of laying shingles on roofs at Salkehatchie). A lot of them know a good bit of English and really want to talk and interact with us (I've been told my Southern accent comes out more than I think). They also love to laugh and joke around and that always makes work seem so much easier to do. Another reason I really loved this group and their ministry is because of how much effort they really put into everything they do. They really want to further God's Kingdom and really witness to their local Cambodians.

While on this race this year, we have learned to perform dramas that have no words so that nothing needs to be translated. Our team did a few of the ones we have learned along the way, but we also got to see the Harvesters do one as well and I was blown away. It basically showed that Jesus took all our burdens so that we would not have to bare them and nailed them to the cross. It was so powerful the way it was done and to take Colossians 2:13-15 and make it come alive.

It's hard to really put into words how great this weekend was. I can't say enough how incredible the people are here. They are so on fire for Christ and I am so amazed to see how willing they are to go out into the local communities and preach the Gospel...especially when it is not the majority religion (Buddhist country). God continues to bless me and my team with so many great experiences and am so thankful the experiences He has allowed me to enjoy while on this trip.

Dusty, Dirty, and Excited

Wed, 6 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

We are once again in another Kingdom in Asia (Thailand and Malaysia both had kings as well) and are staying in Cambodia's capital city, Phnom Penh. It was quite a journey to get here too...we went through Singapore and Siem Reap (another city in Cambodia) and spent countless hours in airports. As soon as we got here, we met our ministry contact, Chris, and his family. It is always so neat to hear stories from other Americans on how God directed them to a particular country and how they are raising their family in such a different setting. I'm not sure if this is prophetic or not, but I can really see myself living in another country some day and raising my family there. Not sure about that still, but we'll see if that is where God is leading me in the future.

We are staying in a local church where we also teach and hangout with the kids that live at the church. We have a lot of opportunities for ministry this month that include teaching English lessons, youth group activities, going into local villages to evangelize, interpersonal ministry and many more. I can't begin to say how excited I am to get a chance to connect with so many people! I have realized how much I thrive on relationships and really love getting to know new people and hear their stories. Even seeing them worship and praise God in youth group or on Sunday morning is truly a blessing.

It may be dusty and dirty, but I absolutely LOVE the Khmer (pronounced ca-mai) people here. All the kids are so friendly and so eager to practice their English (not as common in other Asian countries) and learn more about Scripture. They seriously have a thirst for God's word and always have very insightful questions to ask (e.g. why did Paul never marry?). The hardest part so far is trying to remember names because they are so different than what I am used to hearing. I cannot wait to meet more of them and have conversations with them. God is continuing to pour more into me so I can pour more into others and I can't wait to share what I am learning next!

After the Father's Heart

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I have had an amazing (and growing) month in Malaysia and can't believe that we will shortly be flying to Cambodia (actually in the airport now). Sitting here and thinking about the past 6 months has been so awesome. There have definitely been some low points, but also a lot of mountain top experiences as well. Both are completely necessary and it is in both times that I have learned how to trust in God more and more. I want to fully be after His heart. I use that phrase a lot because I really want to know what God loves and what breaks His heart and I want those same things for me. I want to know what the creator of the universe loves and love those things in my life. Meaning loving the orphans and the widows, but also loving the people that are hard to love. The ones that aren't receptive to the Gospel. The ones that we are called to reach out to and love with no strings attached.

I think fully being after the Father's heart means that their is an outpouring amount of love evident in our lives. God is definitely love, among other things. I think sometimes I lose sight of the fact that I am supposed to love my neighbor as myself. That is actually a huge commandment when you think about it because we can love ourselves an awful lot and easily forget about our neighbor. Seriously, if we truly are after God's heart, we would have an abundance of love to pour out. Among other areas (listed below), this is something that I need prayer for (remember prayers are powerful and effective...last blog). I want this next month and for the rest of my life really to be me after God's heart and pouring out all that love on others. Can't wait to tell you what happens next in Cambodia!

Things I would appreciate prayer for in the next month:

Smooth transition to Cambodian culture
Growth in understanding and studying Scripture
Being in content in ALL circumstances and finding joy in them as well

Prayer Warrior

Sat, 26 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I have heard this term a few times on this trip and in my life, but not really known what it means. I pray, but what does it mean to be a prayer warrior? Are my prayers always powerful and effective? What about when I feel like I am just praying to the ceiling...does God still hear me in those instances? I think my view on prayer has changed a lot during the first 6 months of this trip and I wanted to take this opportunity to share what I have experienced and learned so far. Remember, first and foremost that these are my own thoughts and things I have personally experienced. I encourage everyone to look to Scripture and their own heart to see where they are as far as prayer with the Lord. My hope is that this blog will encourage you to seek out where your prayer life is with the Father and pursue it even more.

God has been increasing my knowledge of prayer this whole time, but it wasn't until this month in Malaysia where I really saw Him connect all the dots in my mind (I literally have 100 or so examples of God's provision, but will only give a few in this blog). I remember when we were in Guatemala (1st month) and were heading back from doing ministry in Coban (8 hour car ride). We had a great time reaching out to communities there and praying over families and were looking forward to some good rest in El Tizate ("home" for the month). We were about halfway home, when Marco's (our ministry contact) van started breaking down. The first thing he said to do was pray. Looking back, that was the most logical thing to do, but I remember sitting there thinking that it wouldn't do any good...little did I know. Within 10 minutes of us praying, some random guy pulls up next to our van and immediately starts fixing the car. He knew exactly what to do and what part we needed and everything. At that moment I started to realize how important praying really is because we pray to a Heavenly Father that hears every word we speak to Him.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 states "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me. When you seek me with all your heart." When we truly seek God with our whole heart, he will truly find Him, but what does that mean seek Him with our whole heart? To me, that means confessing everything that is on my heart and bringing everything into the light so that there no darkness there. Even in those times of confessing to God, I know He hears me because He shows me how faithful He is by showing me a way out of where I am.

When I say "God hears all prayers and answers all prayers," I really mean it. It may not always be the way I want to see it happen, but He DOES answer them. Matthew 7:7-8 states "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and to the one who knocks, it will be opened." Notice that there are three individual steps here: ask, seek, and knock. For me, I think I usually have the asking and seeking part down, but God is just waiting for me to knock. I also realize that God has given me a mind to use and that a lot of the answers to my prayers are literally right in front of me. I think more than anything, God gives me opportunities to answer my own prayers through His provision.

When we were in the Philippines, we had a lot of work to do on a planting sod for a soccer field there. It was hard work digging up the dirt because there hadn't been a lot of rain. We also knew that the less rain we got, the harder it would be for the sod to grow. One day when we were planting sod it started to rain and we immediately started to pray for more rain and thank God for everything He had provided. Within seconds later, it started to rain harder and harder. It sounds so simple looking back, but I know God hears all of our prayers...no matter how big or small (sorry for sounding so cheesy, but it really is true). Even being in Malaysia during the first part of this month, we really got to see a church that was willing to pray for the nations and for everything they knew God could do. It was so inspiring to see a church on it's knees praying for it's vision, for the lost Muslims around them, their lost friends and family, and anything else they could think of...it has totally changed my view on how fervently I should be praying everyday. From getting rides back to our ministry house in Malaysia so we don't have to walk miles to get there to having meals provided for us left and right when the budget gets tighter, God really does provide for His children when we ask, seek, and knock.

Speaking of provision, just a few days ago I officially became FULLY FUNDED for this mission trip!!! It has been such a huge answer to prayer and am so thankful to everyone that gave. It has really been an investment in communities around the world and in my own growth and spiritual walk. Seriously, everyone that invested in this trip has directly invested in furthering the Kingdom! So my encouragement to all of you is to continue to pray and know that your prayers are powerful and effective. The more we seek His will and knock, the more we realize how much our God can do and the more we will be a prayer warrior for Him!

Bamboo Marks the Halfway Point

Sun, 20 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I am officially past the halfway mark on this mission trip and it is so crazy that this much time has passed so far. I have been so blessed to have this opportunity and am so thankful for everyone who has supported me on this trip! I have had such an amazing time in Malaysia so far as well. I have really enjoyed this country so much more because God has been teaching me how to savor the little things. The friends we meet, the relationships we get to build, and even the hard work, there is joy and contentment in everything in life. I am learning more and more how to be content, whatever the circumstance because God indeed gives us strength to find joy and contentment in every instance (Philippians 4:10-13). Even on a bamboo farm where the hours are long and the work is hard...there is joy to be found there (my team thinks they're hilarious...which they are).

We have been working at an organic farm for the past week and will continue to be there this next week as well. The work has been everything from moving and cutting down bamboo out of a jungle (with more leeches and spiders than you care to see) to clearing land on the side of a very steep hill. It has been hard and definitely hot, but it is so great to see that this work is going towards building houses for workers and making way to grow more crops. I have really learned to let go of all of my expectations during these times of hard work as well. In most cases, the more expectations I put on things (people, situations, etc), the more likely I will be disappointed. Relationships will let us down, situations in life will let us down (of course not on purpose), but the one thing that is amazing through all of this is that God will not let me down (as cliche as that sounds...it is very true). He always blows my expectations out of the water when I least expect it. He never fails and from everything I have had to experience so far this year whether it has been fundraising or farming...God has been faithful, and will continue to be faithful (especially when I don't put expectations on Him and what He can do).

The more and more I progress through this trip, the more I realize how much God has used this year to change me in so many ways. He has given me a passion for staying in contact with relationships back home, building relationships wherever I am, becoming a more selfless person that concentrates less on myself, being more passionate about reading His word and going after His heart, and the list goes on. I want Him to continue to change me as well to be someone that is really like Christ to everyone I meet...seriously. I really have no idea what my plans are for after this trip, but I know He is leading and numbering my steps as He always does (Psalm 37:23). I really appreciate the continual prayers and support from everyone! If there is anything you would like me to pray for specifically, feel free to email me at matthew.williams87@gmail.com.

Selamat Datang

Tue, 8 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

After taking a LONG bus ride (24ish hours) from Thailand, we officially arrived in Malaysia's capital city, Kuala Lumpur. We spent a few days there before heading off to Kuala Terengganu, which is where we currently are and will be for the next week. It's crazy to think that in a few weeks, we will officially be at the halfway point of this mission trip. God has continued to teach me so many lessons about relationships and community and what Kingdom living really looks like and it is truly amazing. This past week at debrief was amazing too because we got to meet up with the rest of our squad and really rest and recharge. My passion for being in God's word and seeking after His heart is so much greater than it was at the beginning of this race too. It is really great to see how God is using this greater longing for His word and wanting to be closer to Him here in Malaysia.

We got to go to church this past Friday (that's when they have church here because that's when Muslims go to mosque) and it was so inspiring to see a Christian church full of so many different people (Indian, Malay, Chinese, etc) praising God. It is so different because mosques are everywhere here, as the majority of the population is Muslim (this picture shows one of the larger mosques in Malaysia which we got to see in Kuala Lumpur). Once again, it is very interesting to see how very religious people are and how things are implemented into society (women wearing burkas and men wearing skull caps). A lot of things are worn to show how much more religious someone is than someone else. We also have the interesting opportunity to hear the call to prayer 5 times a day, which means at 5 certain times of the day we will hear someone chanting in Arabic very loudly through the town (the hardest one to listen to is at 5AM). I do have to say though, even through all the religious stuff, most Muslims I have talked to are very friendly and some are open to talking about religion.

We are working with the pastor of the church that we went to this past Friday. There is a space across the street from the church that has a lot of old things that were used for the children's ministry that need to be moved out so they can be used for a college ministry in Kuala Lumpur. While we have been helping here, It has been great to hear the pastor's testimony and how the church here is certainly a light to this community that wants to know Christ. We also have the opportunity to get to know a lot of people in the church by going to Bible studies and church prayer nights. It has been such a blessing to continually see brothers and sisters of so many nationalities praise the one and true God around the world. It really keeps reminding me of how close we really are to them as they are in Christ with us.

Things I would really appreciate prayer for:

That God would continue to increase my understanding of His word
To learn more about what it means to patient and to grow in that
That I will continue to trust God to provide the remaining funds I need for this mission trip

Where I've Been and How to Help Me! [video]

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

It seriously has been such an amazing 5 months so far on the race! God has taught me so much and allowed me to be a part of so many awesome experiences. He has accelerated my understanding of His word and His plan for me in this season of my life. He has truly been faithful to me, as He always is (2 Timothy 2:13), and I know He will continue to be while I pursue more heavenly things to bring His Kingdom around the world.

I have now reached a point on this trip where I need to be fully funded within the next month. I have been blessed to have so much love and support this entire race, and am truly thankful for everyone that has given towards my trip so far. I have made this video to give everyone a recap of what I have been doing these last 5 months and encourage you to pass it along to as many people as possible. Please also prayerfully consider giving towards my mission trip so I can continue doing what God has called me to during this season on my life! Feel free to message me if you have any questions about to support me or just want to encourage me!

<----- Click on Support Me! to contribute towards my fundraising

Rejoicing with Brothers and Sisters

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I had the opportunity a few days ago to go to an ordination service for a local pastor here and it was simply amazing. In contrast to my last blog, I feel honored to get an opportunity to see a Gospel-centered church in Thailand. It is such a reality that, even though it may be in a small minority, the church is advancing in Thailand. It's funny too because I didn't know a single person at the service, besides my team, but I felt like I knew them all...like we were all family (probably because when the body of Christ gets together anywhere, we ARE family).

Before the church service, we all had a meal together too. Everyone sits at a smaller table with about 6 or 7 people and people come and serve you. It's family style too so you feel connected with the people at your table. Just as a side note, to show that you are full in Thai culture, you leave a little bit of food on your plate. Never clear your plate or they will always give you more food! It was such a good feeling to have this real sense of community in a place I have never been and with people I had never met. The respect they have for people in general is amazing. A lot of Thai culture is about honor and respect and it is truly a blessing to learn from them how they honor and respect everyone around them.

The actual ordination service was really great too, but it's harder to explain why. It was like a normal church service back home, but so different too. Although all of it was in Thai, we were able to follow along pretty easily. We opened with a prayer and sang a few songs in Thai, but we were able to sing them in English because they were familiar hymns to us like "How Great Thou Art." They recognized us during the service too for being missionaries in Thailand and spreading the Gospel around the world. People then went to front and told the new pastor how much they loved him and are excited to see him take on this new role.

The pastor that was currently at the church (one in the black robe) then confirmed the new pastor (one in the white robe). It was such a time of rejoicing for everyone there because something like this gives hope to fellow Thai Christians as well as others that do not know Christ. It is amazing to see the church grow like this, even in a place where it looks like there is little hope at time. God is truly shining through all these people and it is so evident in the way they sing and worship Him. I am constantly overwhelmed on how much God has let me learn and experience this year. I am barely halfway through this trip and He has already blown me away so far...as I like to say, I can't wait to see what He's got for me next!

There is a Difference

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

My heart has been in an interesting place lately. It's hard to explain how I have felt really because there are so many emotions there, but I'll try. Our group has been serving with a local pastor here in Thailand doing community work and pouring into his congregation on Sundays and it has really been great. Additionally, we have been teaching English classes and each of us in our group has had an opportunity to teach. Although the language barrier can be somewhat complicated at times, you would be surprised with how much can be interpreted when neither person knows the same language (charades has been a common form of communicating sometimes). I have gotten to know how the culture works here a lot better, but there has been something on my mind the whole time we are doing all these things. How do you reach a country that has never heard of the concept of a loving God?

I mean for me, saying God loves is a very true and simple statement, although it's easy to forget how much He does love me sometimes. God is indeed love and truly shows love to all His children. "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love (1 John 4:8). God cannot be anything other than love because that is what He is...plain and simple. How do you explain that concept to a someone who was raised Buddhist, believes in reincarnation and achieving nirvana, and does things based on karma?

It's funny too because the Thai culture is pretty open to other religions it seems. I think seeing temples, spirit houses, and monks everywhere has made things much more real of how much the Gospel is needed here. It also makes me very aware of how real spiritual warfare is in our world, not just in Thailand. There is definitely a sense of lust and darkness over a lot of this country (Thailand is a highly sex trafficked nation). So to me it would make sense that there is a need for real, genuine love from a creator that desperately loves us as well. I am so burdened for the people here and yearn to see them come to know the Lord. Pray for me as I continue to see God's plan for what He wants us to do while we are still in Thailand.