It is no secret that I love to tell stories. I just love relating things about my life and my perceptions to others for their enjoyment and entertainment. Which is probably the biggest reason why I love blogging.
Earlier, Josh and I were watching a show that was on VH1, which counted down the 100 biggest songs of the 90's. There were many songs that I loved, and it got me thinking about that time in my life.
During the 90's, I was 2-12 years old, so I was definitely a child of the 90's. There are so many blogs and lists out there about being a child of the 90's, but I just wanted to share some of the things that stick out in my mind as fun and happy memories from that time.
Barbie was queen. At least to my sister, Jess, and I, anyway. We spent hours upon hours coming up with elaborate story lines (which almost all revolved around our Barbies fighting over our one Ken, lol), and dressing them up in our favorite outfits, which we always fought over. We had a Barbie beach house, Corvette, RV, Limo, and it was always the BEST DAY EVER when Mom or Dad let us pick out a new Barbie from the store. Probably our favorites were Baywatch Barbie and Jewel Hair Mermaid Barbie. We eventually got another Ken, but you cannot have two Kens, of course, so we named him Brian. We also, after being inspired by the Olympics (or maybe the Circus? I can't remember), created our own sport of tying a string to one of the bars on the underside of the top bunk, tying one of our Barbies to the string in an elegant pose, twisting it up as far as it would go, and letting her twirl down. That was probably my brainchild, haha.
Jess and I had a kareoke machine and a keyboard. A golden combination. We spent a ton of time turning on a beat on the keyboard, and writing and recording our own songs. Which, thankfully, probably will never be heard by anyone else. :)
Horses were my thing. My bff took riding lessons, and I wanted to soooo bad, but my parents couldn't afford another expensive extracurricular activity, so they gave me the choice of staying in dance class, or taking riding lessons. It was a tough choice, but I loved dance. So, I expressed my love for horses through model horses. I had like 25 or 30 I think. When my parents went to Mexico they asked me what I wanted them to bring back for me, and I said a model horse, and they found a ceramic one for me that I still have. I had this really awesome Barbie horse that was battery operated, and if you turned on a switch, she would "walk". Her front legs had joints, but her back legs just went forward and backward, so she couldn't walk on carpet.
SPICE GIRLS. Omg, we loved them. Even though me liking them was "copying" my sister (the ever present argument). We had both of their albums, the movie, and even got a pair of coveted platform shoes. When our friends came over, we would turn up the Spice Girls cd, turn on the strobe light, and dance around. Just about every girl in the 90's loved the Spice Girls, and everyone had their favorite. Mine was Baby Spice, and Jess's was Scary Spice.
All through elementary school, it was the goal, at least for me anyway, to get to 5th grade because we had Egyptian Day and Colonial Day. We would spend a whole unit leading up to these days learning about the period, and then we would all dress up and spend a whole day doing Egyptian or Colonial stuff. On Egyptian Day I was the main character in the "play" The Egyptian Cinderella (a teacher read the book while we acted it out), we got to wear makeup (!?) to school, and do Egyptian crafts. On Colonial Day, we wore Colonial dresses, made bread, played Colonial games, and had to eat lunch standing up and without talking. They were probably my two favorite days of elementary school.
Scuncis. Why in the world you pronounce it "scrunchies" I have no idea. They were not only for accessorizing your hair, but your arm as well.
Going to the Houston Museum of Natural Science. That place was awesome, and is still probably my favorite museum. They have a ginormous butterfly atrium, an Imax, a dinosaur exhibit, they had an Egyptian exhibit for awhile (not sure if it is still there or not), and a really cool science and physics area.
Ribbon Dancers. I got one for Christmas or a birthday, I think, and I thought it was the coolest thing ever. My little brother would sometimes try to play with it, and I would get so mad at him for knotting it up.
For several years, my sister and I had a bedtime of 9:00. That was also when M*A*S*H* came on tv, and to this day, the theme song makes me sleepy.
I remember when I got my first pair of flaired jeans. They had a smiley sunflower embroidered on them (or maybe those were Jess's? Alot of our clothes were interchangable), and I was SO glad to finally have the cool jeans. Also on the subject, Doc Martins. We never got real ones, but we did have knockoffs. Why in the world did we think that having 6 lb shoes on our feet was comfortable? The world may never know.
We came in on the very end of the popularity of My Little Ponies. We had a few, and one day Jess and I were in the backyard, and although we had regular ponies, we wanted to make them flutter ponies (the ones with wings). We were throwing them up in the air, and I suggested for some reason that we switch ponies. I accidentally (for real!) made hers go over the fence, into the unknown wilderness that was the neighbor's backyard. A few days later, the neighbor found it and tossed it back over, but not before their Basset Hound had chewed it all up. I still haven't lived that one down, haha.
Lisa Frank. Need I say more?
I had one of those little backpacks. You know, the kind that is like 1/4 of the size of a regular one? It was purple, with a Santa Fe style ribbon across the front, and had a suede flap with a cool latch. I also had a purple rabbit foot on it. I was pretty cool, let me tell you. ;)
Loved the movie Clueless.
We had bean bag chairs for a long time. I wish I still had one.
We also had inflatable chairs. We got them for Christmas. Jess's was blue and had styrofoam balls inside, and mine was clear with multi-colored feathers inside.
I loved to wear dresses with tights. We had this one dress that we especially loved. It was white with pink roses, and it flared out nicely as you spun around.
We watched all of the 90's Nickelodeon shows. Pete and Pete, Are You Afraid of the Dark, Salute Your Shorts, Hey Dude, Clarissa Explains It All, etc.
Jess and I also loved to play Antiques Road Show. We would pretend like we were the appraisers.
It was always exciting when we got to play outside in the sprinklers.
N*SYNC OR Backstreet Boys. You cannot choose both.
There are so many more memories than these, but I would probably be writing forever if I tried to list them all. I had a great childhood, and I am proud to be a child of the 90's. What are some of your favorite memories from the 90's?
I'll leave you with one of my favorite 90's songs. You just can't listen to it without it making you happy.
So, you know the movie that just came out (or is about to come out? I'm not sure...) called The Five Year Engagement? It is about a couple that gets engaged, but things keep happening that force them to extend their engagement, which eventually ends up being 5 years. Sometimes I feel like that is what Josh and I are experiencing with our preparations to go on the World Race.
We originally applied for the Race in May of last year. We were planning on leaving in January of 2012, but as it got closer, we realized that the timing wasn't right for us, so we decided that postponing until July would be a better idea. As soon as the July routes opened up, we were switched. The last several months, we have been preparing to leave in July, and up until about a week or two ago, that was still the plan.
Since we have to raise double the amount that most Racers do, we have double the amount to meet for our deadlines. So it has been more of a struggle for us to fundraise. You would think that since there are two of us, that we know twice as many people, which is sort of true, but we pretty much have the same group of friends. Fundraisers still make about the same amount, but the money doesn't make as much of a dent as it does for single Racers.
We had a deadline on May 5th, which we did not meet, but AIM graciously gave us an extension on the deadline. We needed to have the rest of the money that was needed for the deadline ($3,200) by Training Camp. Which was 2 weeks away. In the meantime, we had another fundraiser, which did not bring in much, but we were able to hand out lots of our cards and sort of talk to lots of people (more like yell at them, because there was a DJ booth right next to us, haha). We had several mind-blowing donations from friends and family (shout out! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!), which helped boost us closer to our goal. We made it to $400 from our goal, which is amazing, but it was still $400 away.
We also have this terrible thing called credit card debt. I never wanted to be someone with credit card debt, but when my car broke down (I think it was like 2 years ago), and the repair bill was over $1,000, we had no choice but to get one. We also had to put groceries and gas on it for a few months, after Josh got laid off from one of his jobs. So, the balance grew until it was I think $2,600 or $2,700 (I'm not sure...Josh takes care of the bills). We have been working hard to pay it off, but once the balance gets that high, the interest is killer, and we just weren't making much progress on it. I was really starting to stress about how we were going to pay it off before we left, with only about one month of working left. I don't think credit card companies take the "I'm not going to be in the country or have a paying job for a year" excuse. I was also worried about how we were going to save enough money to have as emergency money, enough to buy my contacts for the year, our plane tickets to the airport we would be launching with our squad from, etc, etc.
The rational side of me said postpone to September. The emotional side of me said no way. We have waited SO long, I love my F Squad family too much, it's not fair, yada, yada. Especially days from going to Training Camp.
Josh and I talked and prayed about it, and we decided, with heavy hearts, that it was best for us to change to September. The only thing holding me back was sadness to leave my squad that I now regarded as family.
I love making lists, and talking, writing, and blogging help me process things, so I decided to make a pros and cons list to sort out my feelings about everything. The pros list definitely outnumbered the cons list, but I noticed something interesting about both sides. The pros list definitely had a theme of time. More time to pay off the credit card. More time with family. More time to fundraise. And the cons list? Everything on it had to do with expectations that I had that all of a sudden I had to let go of. I had to let go of my dream (for now) of going to India. I had to let go of my expectation of traveling with my F Squad family. I had to face the fact that I will not be going to Training Camp next week.
The good folks at Adventures in Missions constantly tell you to let go of any and all expectations that you have for the Race, and missions in general. I was always like, I've totally got that down. I'm flexible. I don't have expectations.
Oops. Totally did.
But you know what I have found? Which each step of faith that we have taken, it has been terrifying from the point of the unknown, and sometimes I felt like a toddler stomping my feet, clenching my fists, and saying, "I don't want to do it! I don't want to!" But God has been, every time, the patient Parent that waits for the tantrum to subside, and then gently nudges us to move, all the while whispering words of reassurance in our ears. All we have to do is lift our feet to take that step. Once we do, we are excited, happy, proud. Um, ok, so I guess He really does know best.
So, all of that to say, we are postponing our Race until September, and we now have a new squad and Race route. Here is our new route, which is always subject to change, but we are really excited about:
Guatemala
A country rich in history and natural resources – fertile soil from the volcanoes help yield excellent coffee – Guatemala is the perfect place to initiate your World Race experience. Outside of its aesthetic appeal, Guatemala needs God’s touch. Gripped by poverty and bound to a spirit of religion, the people of Guatemala hunger for the kingdom of God to pervade their lives. You’ll have the opportunity to usher in the kingdom to this land and to these people in the form of relationships through incarnational ministry (read: living just as they do), reaching out to the people in the fringes of society, hard work, and maybe even a miracle or two.
El Salvador
El Salvador is the third largest economy in the region after Costa Rica and Panama and the smallest country (in land mass) in the Americas. A coup d’etat in 1979 led to civil war from 1980-1992 in this country. Oscar Romero, a Catholic bishop well-known known for supporting liberation theology, advocating for social justice in El Salvador, and protesting the government’s persecution of the church was assassinated in 1980 while conducting mass. Much of the country’s revenue comes from remittances. In a land whose name translates to "The Savior", you’ll be the signs that point to the one true Savior - not a better political system or economy - Jesus Christ.
Honduras
"Hondo" comes from the Spanish word for depth and there's lots of depth to Honduras. It's home to the Aztec and Mayan civilizations, whose ruins are still stand. Honduras is mostly mountainous and the weather's as tropical as it gets. What really runs deep in Honduras are its needs. Honduras is the third poorest in the region, after Haiti and Nicaragua. Like her neighbors, Honduras has had her of share political/military troubles, e.g., the six-month constitutional crisis in 2009. There's a need to reach out to the youth, not just to keep them out of trouble (e.g., gangs) but for them to know their worth and that they're loved.
Philippines
This Asian island nation, former Spanish colony then American protectorate, is a country in tension, trying to cross the threshold between the third and first world. It offers a variety of landscapes - beaches, mountains, volcanic lakes - and languages, with Tagalog as the national tongue. The Catholic Church is a substantial piece of the religious pie, however, and Islam is growing in the island of Mindinao. The Filipino people and culture love music, dance and community. While there, you may find yourself living with and giving hope to the destitute, caring for orphans, and challenging the growing number of Christ-followers to rise up.
Australia
From the Sydney Opera House to the aboriginal tribes of the Australian Outback, Australia is as exotic as you imagined it. World Racers will partner with ministries, churches and missionaries who are spreading the hope of Christ to the rich and poor alike. While Australia boasts a more westernized culture, the marginalized, impoverished, destitute and lost still exist and live each moment for the hope of hearing the good news. Here, you may minister to people, much like you would back home.
Malaysia
Enter a world entrenched in Islam. A people within the thriving metropolis of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysians still live in ignorance of the Good News of Jesus Christ. As you delve into this culture of works-based religion, strong self-discipline, and uncanny faith, you will have the unique opportunity to deliver hope and point the people to their Redeemer.
Thailand
According to the CIA, the kingdom of Thailand, known as Siam until 1939, is the only country in the region not colonized by Europe. Their 2000 census showed that 94.6% of the population is Buddhist, 4.6% are Muslim, and 0.7% are Christian. Approximately 600,000 people live with HIV/AIDS in Thailand. With nearly two million people estimated to be forced into prostitution, it has become one of the most popular places for sex tourism. Change lives in the city-where you, like Jesus, might befriend prostitutes-or in the countryside-where you may serve youth, care for orphans, and encourage a remnant of believers.
Cambodia
Cambodia houses one of the Seven Wonders of the World, Angkor Wat, a Hindu temple and monastery built during the Khmer empire in the 12th century. It later became a Buddhist complex a century later, and today, just over 96% of Cambodia is Buddhist. Almost 30 years ago, 1.5 million Cambodians died at the hands of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge regime. Today, Cambodia is a source, transit point, and destination of human trafficking. Unfortunately, the government is struggling to stop it. The people of Cambodia are thirsty for the hope you can bring.
Kenya
Who hasn't heard of Kenya in their lifetime? The Kenyan people are colorful, musical, artistic and hungry for the love of Christ. The Maasai bush, the Nairobi metropolis, and the Kibera slums comprise a country diverse yet unified in history. As a new era dawns in Kenya, so does the gospel of truth and faith. By meeting felt needs in the bush and the city, participants help bear lasting fruit with current ministry partnerships (ministries like evangelism, orphan care, and community development), and build foundations of future partnerships.
Uganda
Once a kingdom and British protectorate, for most of the later half of the 20th century, Uganda was under military rule, first under Idi Amin, the subject of the film The Last King of Scotland. Much of northern Uganda was also troubled by the Lord's Resistance Army, which heavily recruited child soldiers. Referred to as the Pearl of Africa, Uganda is diverse in topography and wildlife. You may find yourself in the north partnering with ministries that are bringing still-needed healing and reconciliation or in the south working with churches to evangelize and disciple the next generation of Kingdom workers.
Rwanda
Many who hear "Rwanda" immediately think, "genocide" - it was 16 years ago when 800,000 people were killed over the course of about three months. According to the U.S. State Department, Rwanda (once colonized by France) has the highest population density in sub-Saharan Africa; and like much of sub-Saharan Africa, this nation also is fighting hard against HIV/AIDS. This nation played a part of the genesis of this human rights organization and inspired this song; as you help bring healing to a country still recovering from this deep wound, God may birth a dream or vision in you...
I have said before, that even if we do not end up going on the Race, my life will forever have been changed by the spiritual journey that I have experienced during the preparation, and that on its own will have been well worth it. My faith, trust in God, reliance on my husband, appreciation for my family and friends, and love for my brothers and sisters in Christ have all grown exponentially.
Our next financial deadline is July 1st, which we only have $400ish until that is met! After that, our next deadline will be two weeks before we launch, so it will be around the end of August or early September, we will need to have $13,000 total, or $6,000 more. It feels good to be on track, or maybe even kind of ahead! We have already received so much love and support from family and friends, and we are so appreciative and humbled by the sacrifices that have been made to help send us to the mission field.
We update a lot on fundraising not just to ask for support, but to keep everyone informed. We get asked so much how we are doing on fundraising, and it is just as much to keep everyone updated as it is to ask for more support. It isn't easy asking for money, definitely not my favorite thing to do. It isn't our intention at all to make anyone feel like they have to donate, or that if they don't that they are somehow lesser, or that they should feel bad. Honestly, if the roles were reversed, I'm not sure if Josh and I could provide much, if any financial support to a friend or family member. So trust me, I completely and totally understand if you are not able to.Although the financial support is obviously crucial, the emotional and prayer support means more to us!
Thank you for sticking with this rambling blog for so long, and I'll leave you with something that a fellow Racer (Miranda Celestino) wrote in her blog:
'ENJOY, ENJOY, ENJOY and enjoy some more because the longer the wait, the sweeter the kiss.
In most cases God does make us wait for MANY THINGS and in my case almost everything(lol)
BUT in that process is where we find ourselves, where we find Gods love and mercy, where we find contentment and ease and where we find our growth in character.
Didn’t Ruth have to wait for Boaz?
Didn’t Joseph have to wait for justice?
Didn’t Jacob have to wait 14 years to marry the one he loved?
Waiting on the Lord can be painful and often enough frustrating and completely frightening
But think of a pearl and its beauty..
“A precious tiny jewel conceived from irritation, born of adversity and nursed by adjustments. Had there been no irritation there could have been no pearl.” –Chuck Swindoll'
1) You are so strong. With all the difficult things you have been through, you don't let them define you, you let them make you stronger.
2) Your sweet potato biscuits on Christmas morning.
3) You believe very strongly in your ideals, and you will fight for them.
4) You show me by example what it means to be a wonderful wife and mother.
5) If you want to do something, you are not afraid to do it. Learn piano? Done. Learn bass? Done.
6) In elementary school, when you would eat lunch with me at school.
7) You always faithfully took us to dance class, orthodontist appointments, Girl Scouts, etc, and I'm sure it was crazy busy, but you always made sure we had fun stuff in our lives.
8) You put your family first. Always.
9) You are gorgeous!
10) We are kind of the same. In a lot of ways. Proud to call you my Mom!
Mom In-Law:
1) From Day 1, when Josh brought me home to meet you guys, you have loved and accepted me.
2) You work so hard! Even when you are not working, you are making sure everyone else is taken care of, doing laundry, cooking, straightening up the house.
3) You love your boys (and me!) and you are always ready to support us in our endeavors, whether they are track meets, graduations, World Race fundraisers, etc.
4) We can laugh about the Mendenhall boys together (in love of course! ;) )
5) We can watch and get excited about Once Upon a Time together.
6) When Josh and I needed a place to stay for 2 weeks (which turned into 4 months), it wasn't even a question where we would go.
7) You love my kitties (almost) as much as I do!
8) I know I can make your day with anything purple.
9) From the moment Josh and I first told you and Phil about the World Race you have supported us (at least outwardly anyway, lol).
10) It's not an easy task being a Mendenhall wife. ;) I get to learn from your 28 years of experience. What an honor!
Sister:
1) Because we were kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiids together.
2) I never touched your radio again after I got in trouble that time for fast forwarding through Oats, Peas, Beans to get to the Hokey Pokey. Never.
3) We understand each other better than anyone else in the world.
4) You have always supported your sometimes crazy little sister.
5) You always put others before yourself.
6) You work hard, and it shows. I still do not understand how you went to college, worked like 4 jobs, and still graduated with honors.
7) You are constantly working on yourself to make you a better version of you.
8) You love kids, and you invest yourself in their growth, well being, and learning.
9) You have always given me someone to look up to. Admittedly sometimes with jealousy, but most of the time with pride.
10) I am so excited for you and Tyler to become parents in a few short months. You will (other than the 2 mentioned above) be the best Mom I know.
I am so incredibly blessed by the 2 families I have. Especially by the wonderful examples of mothers that I have in my family.
But not for the normal reasons that Racers do for training camp. I'm excited about the road trip to get there, meeting my squadmates in person (who I already love so deeply!) I can't wait to rough it in the backwoods of Georgia, maybe with showers, hike with all of my gear, get with Jesus and get rid of some of the junk I insist on carrying around in my heart, worshiping alongside my squad, and beginning the process of breaking down to myself so that I can be built back up in Him. I can't wait to be placed on a team, and learn who the immediate family I will be living and working with for at least part of the year, until team changes, will be.
But the reality is that we might not make it there.
Because Josh and I are going on the World Race as a married couple, we have to fundraise for two people. Many Racers cringe at the $15,500 that is needed to make it happen, but imagine doubling that. $31,000 is almost as much as Josh and I have in student loan debt. Every deadline means that we have to double the amount needed by most people. Sometimes the stress of trying to figure out how the heck it is going to happen is crippling.
But then I remember the God that I serve. He loves to surprise us and bless us, especially at the eleventh hour.
We need to have $1,600 more than we have right now in order to make it to Training Camp. Every inch of my heart is longing to be there with my F Squad family. I believe that it will happen.
But still, I find fear
creeping
up
on
me.
I don't want to be fearful. "The Lord is my light and my salvation-whom [what] should I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life-of whom [what] should I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1 (brackets are my addition).
*What if we don't raise the money?
*What if we have to leave our F Squad family and have our hearts broken?
*Am I stupid or naiive to think this is doable?
*If we make this deadline, how are we going to make the next one on June 17th? (6,000 more, or 13,000 total).
But you know what I noticed about every single one of these questions? They all have "I" or "We". "We" are not the ones who need to raise the money and shoulder all the stress we are putting on ourselves.
It's like a parent and a kid who have just checked out at the store, and the kid wants to carry all of the bags, including the gallon of milk, the bag packed with cans of veggies, the tub of icecream, and the 24 pack of sodas. There is just no way the kid can carry it all. So, the parent, in love and wisdom, says, "Sweetie, why don't you let me carry them. Here, you can carry the bag with the bread."
God can totally do this Himself, but He is letting us take part in His work because He loves us, and He wants us to be a part of it. I have to remind myself daily, wait, who am I kidding, about every few minutes or hour, that I can loose my tight hold on this. It is something that I want so badly, and we are so close, that I am afraid if I let go it will slip away.
Can you say control freak?
That is one thing that I am SO looking forward to working on and conquering with the World Race, and with whatever long term missions work we do in the future. I definitely could do it here as well, but the Race will help me along in that process, as well as to figure out how to do that while on the mission field.
Please consider partnering with us, and helping us to first get to Training Camp, then to launch in July, and I look forward to one day when I can shout that elusive F word from the rooftops..."Fully Funded!"
If you would like to donate to our Support Account to help us make the $1,600 to make it to Training Camp, the best way to do that is to mail us a check. We were given an extension on our deadline, so we have to bring the rest of the money with us to Training Camp. Please make it out to Adventures in Missions, with Josh and Jen Mendenhall in the memo line. Then mail it to our house at:
2104 S Candace St
Ozark, MO 65721
It may take a couple of weeks for the check to be cashed, because they will be at the camp for the week, too, and sometimes it takes several days to process.
It doesn't stop at the $1,600, though. We will need $6,000 more to reach the $13,000 mark in order to launch in July. You can donate online by clicking the "Support Us" tab on the left.
We have been given an extension on our deadline! As long as we can come up with the $1600 that is needed to reach the $7,000 mark, we can go to training camp (in 9 days!!!) and hopefully launch with our F Squad family in July.
We have a fundraiser on Monday night: a booth at Fitness 19's Member Appreciation Party. Please pray that it will be successful, and that we would be able to make lots of contacts and new friends!
There is also still time to donate. We have to bring the rest of the money with us to training camp, so the best way to donate would be to mail a check to our house:
2104 S Candace St
Ozark, MO 65721
Please make the check out to Adventures in Missions, with "The World Race-Josh and Jen Mendenhall" in the memo line. That way AIM will have your information so the donation can be tax deductible! It may not be cashed for a week or two, because they will be at the camp too, but it will ensure us a spot on F Squad (at least until our next deadline before launch).
If you cannot donate, we TOTALLY understand. Trust me, we have spent the last few years wondering where the heck the money was going to come from to make ends meet. It always has, though. We serve a God who loves to bless us, especially in ways we would never expect. Please help us stay with our F Squad Family! I can't imagine taking this journey with anyone else.
First of all, I want to let you know that we did not make our May 5th deadline. The fundraiser that we had that day did not have the turnout that we expected, so instead of the $2,875 we needed to make, we made $280, thanks to the generous donation of someone we just metwho wrote us a $200 check! (Thank you, you know who!)
So what does that mean as far as the Race goes? We are still kind of in limbo at the moment. We still want, with all of our hearts, to leave in July. Our teammates are like family, and we have been preparing for the Race for a year now. We have to get a hold of our mobilizer at Adventures in Missions to see if we can have a grace period to try to raise the rest of the money for the deadline, or if we will have to postpone to September. I will keep everyone updated as soon as we know.
Recently, someone I care about brought up some legitimate concerns that she had about Josh and I going on the World Race. I'm sure other people have some of the same questions and concerns, so I wanted to answer and clear up some of the questions.
Does any part of you think that you guys are not supposed to go on the Race, because you have had so many obstacles? What happens if you don't go?
At this point, Josh and I still feel very much that we are being called to go on the Race. However, that could change in a few months, weeks, or even tomorrow. What we do know, is that we will be obedient to whatever God is calling us to. If that is going on the Race, we will go. If that is staying home, we will stay. We have faced so many obstacles in our preparation, but with every obstacle, we have become stronger emotionally, physically, spiritually, and as a couple. We feel that the obstacles have been placed in our way by the Enemy, who is trying every trick in his book to try to get us to give up. If God was telling us no, we would know it was from Him.
As far as fundraising goes, if we decided not to go at all, the money that we have raised so far would (I think) dissolve into the organization. Because of tax rules, it is non refundable to the donors, and it couldn't go directly to the other Racers, but I think it could be used for general operating costs for those that work at Adventures in Missions. Which is still very important, because they are the ones that facilitate sending and maintaining hundreds of missionaries at a time. Again, we hope that this isn't what happens, because we have had so many people invest, financially and emotionally, in us, that we want to honor their sacrifice by completing the journey.
Emotionally, if we did not go, of course we would be upset, but life goes on, and God has a plan that is bigger than our understanding. Spiritually, I have grown so much during this period of preparing to go on the Race. If we did not go, the journey would have been worth it.
This has been a big part of our lives for the last year, but it is not the only part. If we don't go, it won't be the end of our lives. It will be the close of a chapter that we thought was starting, but the start of a new one. And that is ok.
Why the World Race? Isn't it kind of like a long short-term trip? How is that effective? Wouldn't it be better to stay here, and get things together to do something more long term and permanently?
Josh and I have known, since before we were dating, that we wanted to do something missions related as careers. Whenever we would learn about a missions opportunity, we would look into it and pray about it, but nothing ever really seemed right. We started the application process for career missionaries for the International Mission Board through the Southern Baptist Convention, but we got as far as we could with the application because we couldn't proceed until we had paid off $20,000 of our combined $40,000 student loan debt. Which realistically could take several, if not many, years, and by that time we might have kids, a house payment, etc. We wanted to take advantage of this time that we are relatively unattached.
When we learned about the World Race, it immediately clicked and felt right. We knew that we wanted to do missions, but we weren't really sure what that looked like. Josh likes Western Europe, and I like Asia, but that was about all the direction we had. The World Race gives us an opportunity to get our feet wet with many different types of ministry, as well as in many different places, so we can better figure out where we fit in.
Yes, the World Race is essentially a long short-term trip. I absolutely believe that long term mission work is more effective than short term. But that is not to say that short term is ineffective or unnecessary. If it is done right, it is absolutely needed. The two short term trips that I have been on, to Ukraine and Thailand, were primarily as support for the long term missionaries that were already there. The mission field can be a lonely place, and it is so neat to be a blessing just by being a familiar face, or to say, I am here to help. What do you need me to do?
Although I can't speak for their official stance on this, as far as I know, Adventures in Missions feels the same way. The World Race is only one of their programs. They provide the Race as an opportunity for young adults to jump in to a life of abandoment of materialism and selfishness, and to figure out what bringing Kingdom to Earth looks like in their lives. It is not looked at as the end all for mission work, but rather as a launching pad onto the next chapter of their lives. Many World Racers return to a particular place or ministry that they felt a connection or calling to, and work with the ministry or area on a long term basis. Many Racers go on to start their own ministries, domestic or overseas. Many return home to invest in their own communities and families, or go back to school.
So why did Josh and I feel that this was the direction to go, instead of working to pay off our loans now, and then doing something more long term? Like I said before, we didn't really have much direction on what exactly we felt like we should do. This gives us an opportunity to figure that out, before investing in a particular ministry or area blindly. We also would like to have children one day, and if we are going to move our family somewhere, we want it to be where we will be long term. It is not fair to make the kids turn their lives upside down, just to do it over and over again. We know that this life isn't for everyone, but this is what we feel that we have been called to.
With all of the focus and preparation that you guys have put into the Race, it almost feels like you are giving up your family and your cats for the Race itself.
We have given up so much to be able to do this. But, it is not for the Race. As cheesy-Christian as it sounds, we are making sacrifices because we are trying to be obedient to what God is asking us to do. Giving up time with family is HARD. One of the hardest things about the Race is the fact that I will miss the first year of my nephew's life. Not being here for Josh's dad's 50th birthday party, or his brother's high school graduation. We just dropped off one of our 3 cats at her foster home for the year, and we are looking for somewhere for the other two to go. These are all, and many others, things that I have agonized and cried many, many tears over, but when it comes down to it, God has to come first, even before family. When Jesus called the disciples, He told them to abandon everything. It is a high price, but one that is worth it.
Our families have supported us with love and grace. It is probably even harder for them, and their sacrifice doesn't go unnoticed. In the book Kisses From Katie by Katie Davis, who is a missionary to Uganda, she talks about how the heart of a missionary is never truly full, because one part will always be with your family, and one will be with the people that you love and serve. You will never truly feel at home, because there are pieces of your heart that are missing in each place. But that is ok, because this world isn't our home. Our hearts will never be full until we are with Him.
I hope this has cleared a few things up. I will probably add a few more as I think of them, but for now, it is 1:00 in the morning and my brain isn't really working right anymore. Please let me know if you have any questions about the World Race, why we are doing it, concerns you have, etc. You are as much of a part of this as we are, and we would love to explain, and learn about what you think about things.
I just wanted to give a quick update before we leave to set up for our fundraiser today. We have a booth at a Community Fair for a 5K/10K. We will be selling Threads of Hope bracelets, some handmade necklaces and headbands, and 50/50 Raffle Tickets.
If I did my math right, we need to make $2,875 today to meet our deadline (today!) of $7,000. We are praying to not only meet our deadline, but to exceed it! Please join us in prayer for today. We really do not want to have to postpone again, and to leave our family of F Squaders would be heartbreaking.
This is chump change to God. He can do it! If you would like to be a part of the miracle today, and you would like to financially support us, please click the tab at the left that says "Support Us", and you can give online with a credit or debit card. You can also mail a check to:
Adventures In Missions P.O. Box 534470 Atlanta, GA 30353-4470
If you send a check, please remember to write The World Race-Josh and Jen Mendenhall on the memo line, so they know which account to put it in! Also please email me at jen.r.mendenhall@gmail.com, so I know to calculate that in with the total, and we can let AIM know that the money is on its way.
This is one of those blogs. One that is really hard to write. One that I have had to psych myself up for, and to convince myself that there is nothing else to do than to have my heart bleed through my fingers on the keys.
When Josh and I signed up for the Race, we knew it was going to be hard. We knew we were going to have to make sacrifices, and I was ready and willing. Until it came to one thing: my cats. I was not sure what we were going to do with them while we were gone, but, like every other unknown we have had to face, I tried to have faith that it would work out, and an opportunity would present itself.
Many people have asked me, "Can't one of your families keep them for you?" While they would love to, they simply can't. My father in law is severely allergic to cats, and he has had asthma attacks from just being at our apartment for too long. My parents can't either, because they already have 4 cats and a dog.
We moved out of our apartment at the end of February, and the plan was to stay with Josh's parents for about 2 weeks, and then move in with a friend, where we would be able to have the cats with us. In the meantime, they were going to stay with another friend for a couple of weeks. Unfortunately, moving in with our friend fell through, and we are still at Josh's parents' house, and the cats are still at our other friend's house, 3 months later. The friends that are taking care of them are understandably ready for them to move on, as they have lots of other dogs and cats at their house, and it was only supposed to be for a couple of weeks. I have been frantically searching for alternatives, and asking literally everyone I know, but the only option that might work is a 12 hour drive away in Colorado, and they are worried that if our cats and their cats don't get along, that there won't be a plan B, so Colorado is a last resort. Also, a 12 hour drive with 3 cats is not a fun day.
For awhile, I was not even willing to give up the idea of spending the last few months before we left with them. At this point, I am willing to give that up, if that means that they will be taken care of while we are gone. I still can't even process the idea of giving them away. I think that would literally break my heart. It has been so frustrating and discouraging because I have asked, cried, pleaded with God to work something out, and so far, it seems not only like silence, but that pretty much every door has been closed. I feel like Abraham, after he has learned that God wanted him to sacrifice Isaac.
22 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.
2 Then God said, “Take your son , your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you. ”
Wait, what? You mean the one that I hold most dear? Surely not, God. Is that really what You are saying?
3 Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about.4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance.5 He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you. ”
I can imagine that during this journey, he was trying to stay calm on the outside, for Isaac's sake, but on the inside, his soul was crying out. Why would you ask this of me, God? You know how important he is to me! He's my son!
6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together,7 Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?”
“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.
“The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”
8 Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.
Isaac still doesn't know what is going on. All he knows is that he trusts his father, and that he wouldn't do anything to harm him.
9 When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.10 Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.
At his point, Isaac knows what his father intends to do. He is scared and confused. Tears pour down Abraham's face, as he raises the knife and finally lets out the torment of his soul. He loves his son. He has wished for him for years and years. He brings him joy, laughter, smiles, fulfillment, peace. A promise for a future of descendants. And he is about to give all of that up. Because God asked him to. He doesn't understand, but he does know that God has a bigger plan, although it seems obedience will cost him the thing that makes his world go round. And so he begins to bring the knife down to his son.
11 But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.
12 “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son. ”
13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a rama] caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. a] caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided. ”
He was stopped just in time. He can barely choke out the words, "Here I am!" God has provided a ram to sacrifice, instead of Isaac, because He knows that Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son in obedience to Him.
The Lord will provide. I try to remember that. The Lord will provide. But, from this side, it seems as though I am being asked to sacrifice (give away) my cats, and my heart cannot bear it. It is one of those things that is too painful to think about, so your mind tiptoes around it. Keep it locked away, and maybe you won't have to face it.
But I must face it. This is THE hardest thing about the World Race for me, even more than fundraising. Giving away my stuff was fun and freeing. Sacrificing comforts will be an adventure. My family understands and supports me. My cats can't understand. They don't know why I have left them at another house, and they will eventually (and have already started to) forget me after I am gone.
We are already sacrificing so much to be obedient, so why does He want me to sacrifice the ones (besides my human family) that are closest to my heart?
Maybe He will provide a ram in the bushes for me. Or maybe He really will ask me to give them away.
Honestly, I am definitely not to the point where I have surrendered everything, and I am not willing to make that journey up to the altar, and to raise the knife.
Please, if you or anyone you know would be willing to foster our cats, starting now and until we return to the States in June of next year, please let me know. Email me at jen.r.mendenhall@gmail.com, find me and message me on Facebook, or leave me a comment here. I am willing to drive them states away, if that will be what is needed to make sure they are taken care of. I love them so much, and I can tell you from experience, it is great to be the one being blessed by someone, but it is even better to be the one giving the blessing.
***Update 5/2: We have found someone to foster Willow (the tabby)! I am soooo thankful for the generosity and empathy everyone has shown us in this situation. Desmond (the flamepoint siamese) and Moo (the tuxedo) still need a foster home, and it would be great if they could stay together, because they are bffs. Thanks!***
P.S. Our first financial deadline is this Saturday, May 5th. We are in need of about $3,200 in order to leave in July. If you would like to support us financially, please click the Support Us tab on the left, or you can send a check to:
Adventures In Missions
P.O. Box 534470
Atlanta, GA 30353-4470
Make sure to write "The World Race-Josh and Jen Mendenhall" on the memo line, so they know which account to put the money in. Please also email me, because sometimes it takes several days for donations to process, that way we can let them know that the money is on its way. Thank you!
This weekend, we were able to go to my sister and brother-in-law's baby shower. It was at his parents' house, and my family was also able to come. It was the first time since Christmas, and probably the last time before Josh and I leave for the Race, that my whole family was together. I did my best to soak it all in and enjoy every minute of it.
Do you ever have a moment, when you look around at the people you care about, and try to imprint that moment in your memory forever? I had one of those moments this weekend. It was not long after my family had arrived, and we were all hanging out on the deck outside. My sister, Tyler, and his sister Whitney were walking down the hill, and they were all smiling, talking, and enjoying each other's presence. My sister, Shelby, was on the driveway practicing her hula hooping tricks (she is really good!), while Tyler's baby cousin watched and laughed in delight. My Dad and Josh were standing in the driveway, deep in conversation, and my Mom and my brother, Drake, were sitting next to me. It was one of those happy heart moments.
Here is a video that I put together to capture the moments of the day. It was such a fun and joy filled day, and I'm sure that everyone will remember it as a good one.
"I am convinced that love is the most durable power in the world. It is not an expression of impractical idealism, but of practical realism. Far from being the pious injunction of a Utopian dreamer, love is an absolute necessity for the survival of our civilization. To return hate for hate does nothing but intensify the existence of evil in the universe. Someone must have sense enough and religion enough to cut off the chain of hate and evil, and this can only be done through love."
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
Ok, so we all know that we shouldn't have idols. Particularly not human ones. But I probably come pretty close to idolizing Dr. King. During one of my last semesters of college, I took a class called The Life and Thought of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It was a fantastic class, and I learned so much great stuff. We read Parting the Waters: America in the King Years 1954-63, and I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the Civil Rights Movement.
It highlights the context of the world Dr. King was living in, and touches on his life. To say I have respect for him would be an understatement. As with any historical figure, we have a tendency to put them on a pedestal, and to forget that they were human. They were real, flawed people that sometimes made mistakes, sometimes said something that hurt someone, and let jealousy, anger, and egotism take over.
But that is probably one of the reasons why I respect him so much.
In spite of his very human mistakes, he still stood strong for what he believed in, and made a profound impact on the world. In the quote above, he said that the expression of love is not an impractical idealism, but a practical realism.
It's not this crazy, abstract thing that only happens in the movies.
It is real, practical, and a necessity. It is right here, for all of us to excercise, invest in, experience, and cling to.
On the other hand, returning hate for hate only perpetuates the cycle of destruction. This is where the Enemy lives and prospers.
During this class, we had to do a final paper and project, based on an ideal of Dr. King's or of the Civil Rights Movement. My group chose non-violence as our topic.I decided to write my portion of the paper on Gandhi and his views on non-violence, as well as what Jesus had to say about it. This was probably my absolute favorite paper I wrote in my college career, maybe because I believe so strongly in the ideals I was writing about.Here are some excerpts from my paper:
"At the outbreak of war in 1939, although it was the epitome of irony that Great Britain was fighting for freedom while still controlling India, and thus denying Indian freedom, Gandhi urged his followers not to wish for the freedom of India through the demise of Great Britain. About this, Gandhi said, "We do not seek our independence out of Britain's ruin. That is not the way of non-violence."
It was not only for Indian independence that Gandhi peacefully fought for. He also spent many years fighting for peace and cooperation between Hindus and Muslims. He spent several months in Noakhali, in Bangladesh, an area that was populated mostly by Muslim people, and was known for hostility and violence against the Hindu people in the region.
As with many figures in history who have stood for something, there are always those who hate them and wish to do them harm. Although Gandhi had worked tirelessly and fasted for peace between the Hindu and Muslim peoples, there were many people who were tired of waiting. They simply wanted to take action, but sadly, they took the way of violence. One day, as he was praying, a dissenter threw a bomb at him. The bomb missed, however, and Gandhi simply went on praying. Just ten days after this, on January 30th, 1948, he was ten minutes late for a meeting, which never happened, as he loved punctuality. As he was on the steps of the building, he turned to speak to his followers who wished to kiss his feet. As he did this, he was shot three times, at point blank range, in the heart. With his last breath, he spoke the words He Ram, the Hindi word for God."
"In his lecture, The Third Way, Dr. Walter Wink discusses several examples in which Jesus has taken a non-violent stance, and has urged his followers to do the same. Wink points out, however, that as a result of what he calls an “undertranslation”, for centuries readers of the scriptures have gotten the wrong idea.
In his first example, Wink discusses the passage in which Jesus speaks of turning the other cheek, found in Matthew 5:39, in the famous Sermon on the Mount.
“"You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile.” (Matthew 5:39-41 NRSV)
Wink focuses on the word “resist”. The original Greek word in this passage is antistenai, anti meaning “against”, and stenai meaning stand, therefore “stand against”. Rather than simply resisting, this word, when used in several instances in the Old Testament, refers instead to warfare, in which armies would actually stand up against each other, and advance until they collided. Jesus is urging his followers to react not with violence, or warfare.
The verse referring to “turning the other cheek” is one of the most famous verses which deal with non-violence. In his lecture, Wink brings up a very important point when considering this passage. When a person is struck on the right cheek by someone standing in front of them, the striker must have used his or her left hand, in order for the blow to fall on the right cheek. In Ancient Israel, the left hand was never used, as it was reserved for tasks considered unclean. In order for a blow to the right cheek to be possible, the striker would have needed to backhand instead of using a full blow. This was often used in a symbolic way, for instance, to symbolize a master having authority over a slave.
Wink also discusses the next verse, in which Jesus teaches that if a person is sued for his or her coat, they are to give their cloak as well. In Ancient Israel, the Israelites usually wore two garments. One, as a daytime overcoat, as well as a garment to cover up with while sleeping, and the other as an undergarment. According to the legal system, if a debt was owed, but the debtor could not pay with money, they could use livestock or possessions as collateral. If a person was particularly poor, he or she could use their outer garment as collateral. The creditor was allowed to take the garment during the day, but they had to return it at night for the debtor to use for sleeping. The next day, the creditor could return to reclaim the garment, and this would continue until the debt was paid.
Wink suggests that Jesus was saying that a person should not only give more than they are being forced to give. If they were to offer up the undergarment as well, they would stand in the court naked. Nakedness, in Ancient Israel, was seen as an incredible shame, not only to the naked individual, but to the people who see the nakedness.
His last example involves the Roman occupation of Israel. Roman roads always had mile markers along the road, set at every mile. If the Roman soldier was suddenly called somewhere in which he would need to travel quickly, he might make a civilian bystander carry his pack. Roman law made it illegal to force a civilian to carry a pack more than one mile, so if that civilian were to carry it another, he or she would make the soldier technically at fault with the law.
Wink uses all of these examples to convey his main idea—that Jesus is not only calling for passive resistance to violence, but to find a non-violent way to stand up. In the example of the backhand to the cheek, if the person receiving the smack turns his or her head to the right, or “turning the other cheek”, the nose is now in the way, making another such backhand impossible. Regarding the example of the garments, the person who is being sued is not only offering up more than they are being sued for, but is also creating a non-violent situation which will be uncomfortable for the suing parties. Also, in the example of the Roman soldier and the civilian, by carrying it farther, would make the soldier break the rules that he upholds. According to Wink, Jesus says that it is so important to find a way to stand up that is not violent, so that a person does not become the very thing that he or she is fighting. By upholding “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth”, all that is accomplished is that the hate and violence is perpetuated."
So what do we do when we see or experience injustices in the world? We fight with love. We fight for love. That is, after all, what Jesus did for us.
It is the most powerful thing in the world, and God has given us the capacity to love others beyond ourselves because He loves through us. Isn't that wonderful? God has asked us to take part in this wonderful romance of humanity, and we get to experience the joy of it.
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