I honestly thought I wouldn’t get emotional when it came time to say goodbye to my family. After all, it’s a natural part of life, children grow up and move away, whether just a few miles, to another state, or in my case, to another country for nine months. And at first, I was right. When my family dropped me off, I was excited to meet the other racers, and everything was going great, until that first night when it really hit me. I wasn’t going to be home for nine months. I wouldn’t see my family, sleep in my own bed, enjoy warm showers whenever I wanted, or have the simple comfort of going home whenever I needed.

That was hard. But talking it through with others who felt the exact same way made me realize I wasn’t alone, and it helped more than I expected. Of course, I’m still a little homesick and will always miss my family, but I know I’m walking in the Lord’s calling for me. I’m surrounded by others in the same season of life, and that makes this place feel like home too. Through prayer and God’s steady guidance, I no longer doubt, I know this is where I’m meant to be.

The way God is moving here is unbelievable. His presence is evident in everything we do. Within the first few days, several people got sick or injured, clear signs the enemy doesn’t want us to succeed. But with the power of prayer, nothing is impossible. One of my friends had such severe sun poisoning that he was stuck on the couch for almost two days. Yet after we laid hands on him and prayed, he was up and feeling better overnight. And it hasn’t been just once, I’ve witnessed sprained ankles, nausea, and migraines healed through prayer. At first, I struggled to believe healing could happen instantly. I thought it would take weeks or months of continuous prayer. But after seeing healing happen time and time again, my perspective has completely changed.

God is at work every moment. Just a few days ago, we were split into groups for a scavenger hunt meant to help us practice talking with strangers and getting comfortable with evangelizing. Along the way, my group met two women, and one of our tasks was to complete a random act of kindness. We decided to pray for them, but there was a challenge. They didn’t speak English. But, with the help of Google Translate, we were able to understand each other enough to explain what we wanted to do. When we offered to pray, their faces lit up with excitement. We prayed blessings and protection over them, and when we finished, they were overjoyed. Even with a language barrier, the power of prayer broke through.

If this is only the first week, I can’t imagine what the next nine months will hold. God is clearly on the move, and I’m grateful to be a part of it. Please continue to pray for me and my team as we follow His calling together as well as all the people we come in contact with, pray their hearts and minds will be open and that the seed we plant in them will grow. I can’t wait to share more of the ways He is working in and through us.