Hi all! I just got back from the Adventures in Missions headquarters in Atlanta, where we learned about the World Race Gap Year program in more depth than articles and phone calls. Our questions were answered first-hand, not to mention it made me even more excited to go! I wanted to share in more depth what it really is that I will be doing on the race and why it is so important. 

At the open house, one of the speakers said "this trip is more than just holding orphans and painting walls". Although that did get the audience to chuckle, it holds serious truth to it. Often people get caught up in the definition of a mission trip and underestimate the importance of the work being done. No, we are not going to fix all the problems that Africa and Asia may have. That is Godly work that is much bigger than us. God has called us to be His disciples and spread His love to any and everyone we can. The children in these countries have potentially never heard of Jesus, and we are entering their communities with the hope of sharing with them that they TOO are children of God, they TOO are part of this family, and they TOO can experience the love that God has to unconditionally offer them. 

Matthew 28:19-20 tells us to "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe all things I have commanded you". Yes, we will teach local street kids as much English as we are able. Yes, we will engage in reforestation projects while we are there. But our main focus, what God calls us to do, is to spread His love to those who haven't known it yet. This is not just holding orphans and painting walls, it is much much more.