Okay, I KNOW I haven't blogged in a couple months. Im genuinely so sorry for that. I just didn't have the time, or probably more truthfully, I just didn't have the urge to write what was on my heart... Just being real. But lately, I've just been itching to get my next blog up. So again, I apologize. And I promise to stay regularly updated while I'm gone, without a doubt.
So anyways, I just got back home from Greece, and here's a quick summary of how things have been: I finish some homework, I take my finals, hang out with my friends, I graduate, go to a wedding, say bye to those amazing friends, and about a week later my sweet dog of 17 years passes away. He lived a wonderful life, I can only be thankful for his love and companionship, but my heart still hearts. So let me tell you... its definitely been a roller coaster of emotions coming back home from Greece.
But somewhere in the first few days that I got back, something awesome, yet incredibly humbling happened. All it took was the impact of two people on back-to-back days. I won't get into who they were and exactly what it was they said, but I'll tell you exactly what my heart started screaming at me...
That I'm ready to love.
Like, I'm ready to REALLY reach out and LOVE.
Not a romantic, fall-in-love-with-my-soulmate kinda love (but that'll be great one day, too).
I mean the kind of love that really seeks to touch and change lives.
I've gone through four years of college, made some incredible friends, and I know that I have loved them, and been loved in return.
But... what about those who weren't my closest friends? Did I go out of my way to serve them? To dig deep into hearts and try to help heal their hurts?
Did I desire to love my neighbor??
To be honest, I think I missed a lot of opportunities.
I think I waited around to receive love, rather than seek out opportunities to give it freely.
I know some of y'all will read this and say, "Come on Neysa, you were always nice to everyone."
I've finally realizednice doesn't exactly cut it.
It was a heartbreaking realization when I thought about how many people I was nice and helpful to, but I didn't bother to follow up and love them.
You know exactly what Im talking about. There's that person who's having a bad day. You go over and ask how they're doing. They confide in you some. You talk (or listen) for a few minutes, or maybe an hour or so. Then you tell them you're really sorry for whats goin on. You say "I'll be thinkin and prayin for ya, buddy". Give a nice pat on the shoulder, and be on your way. I'll give the benefit of doubt and assume you even prayed for them that night.
I did this so. many. times.
And unless I ran into them the next day, I rarely followed up.
Seriously? Was I so naïve to believe that was okay?
Apparently, yes.
I thought being nice was enough. Thats a negative, Ghost Rider... its not enough.
Sooo... now what?
Well, the easy thing to do is say, "I can't wait til I leave in July to love the world!!"
One of my favorite preachers (Clark Sims, for those of you from Alabama) gave an incredible illustration. I may get some of the wording wrong, but it goes a little something like this:
"A man once asked a friend of his when the best time to plant a tree was in order for it to grow big enough to give shade over his house. The man's friend said,'The best time was 30 years ago... But the next best time is right now.'"
So, I say again, now what?
I start loving like Jesus, today.
I didn't write all this to sound poetic, righteous, "holier than thou", or whatever you might be thinking. This is something I was literally crying about just few weeks ago. This is a genuine confession to those reading this that I know I need to make some heartfelt changes, and I ask that you pray for me in this. Being outwardly affectionate and emotional and touchy-feely just does NOT come naturally to me. But I know that sometimes, to reach out to someone, to love them, I NEED to be that way. I don't ever want to miss another opportunity because I can't get out of my comfort zone and love. Jesus never chickened out. I don't want to, either.
Okay, for those of you who don't know, I'm currently studying in Greece to finish out my last semester of college! I'm seriously living out one of my dreams. Our campus is located just a few minutes outside of Athens, and with the exception of the rain and cold weather, things couldnt be better. I've been able to see things that most people will only ever get to dream of seeing in person. From the Parthenon and other temples at the Acropolis to the Areopagus (Mars Hill) where Paul the Apostle spoke, I've had mind blowing experiences within the mere 7 days that I've spent here so far. You guys... I'm in Athens. The only city that is older than Athens and has truly maintained inhabitants since the day it was founded is Damascus. These are the same cities that we've read about in the Bible!! Its SO COOOOOL!!!!
So, as I said earlier, we were able to visit Mars Hill. The exact same Mars Hill that Paul spoke on that we read about today in Acts 17. Here's a snapshot so you can get a mental image:
We climbed up that rock, found a spot to sit, then listened intently as our professor read Paul's speech directly from scripture. Wow. I mean seriously... WOW. Think about it for just a second. About 2,000 years ago, Paul was standing RIGHT THERE on that rock speaking passionately about my God to the most scholarly of the pagans.
Let me set up the background for this situation really quick. Paul had just arrived at Athens while on his second missionary journey. He had been walking through the town of Athens looking around to see all the pagan temples and statues that were devoted to their many gods. The SAME statues and temples that we can see remnants of today. The same ones thatI've seen!
Acts 17:16 says "Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols."
His spirit was PROVOKED. So what did Paul do? He took action.
Acts 17:17-18 "So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. 18 Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said, “What does this babbler wish to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities”—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection."
So what happens next is that the elite scholars and philosophers of Athens then ask Paul to meet them at the Areopagus (that big rock in the picture up there ^^^). This is where the supreme court of Athens would typically have all meetings of any importance.
Okay, so at this point, Paul has officially made himself vulnerable. He's literally about to speak to the top dogs in Athens about this "new teaching" of his. And he's got one shot with them or else he'll be ridiculed all the way out of town.
Then he does it... he proclaims the Word of God with an unbreakable confidence.
So bear with me now. Here's what he says next:
“Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, ‘To the unknown god.’"
What?? They had altars to the UNKNOWN gods!? You wanna know why? One of the theories is that they had so many gods, that JUST IN CASE they left one out, they wanted to make sure they had an altar for him too!
Then Paul tells them straight up...
"What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. 26 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 27 that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him."
You know your unknown gods?? Yeah, well umm.. my God, He made everything. He never needed us as humans to set up some temples and carved images. He was just fine without us. But he chose to create us. And create us in HIS image! Do you have any one god that did all that? I didn't think so.
I can't even begin to imagine how awful it would be to have to worship an unknown god that I knew nothing about... He may not even exist! But thats not the case for us! GOD MADE HIMSELF KNOWN TO US!! He desires to have a RELATIONSHIP with us! He gave his Son to die so that we could live with him forever!! I'm not sure about you, but I've never studied about a pagan god that had that type of agenda!
Anywho... this semester in Greece is truly bringing the Bible into new perspective for me. Everywhere I go, scripture is coming to life. Paul isn't just a character in the Bible anymore. He was real. He sacrificed his pride and risked his life SO many times for what he believed in! My experience on Mars Hill will forever be with me. It will always serve as a means of encouragement and as a reminder to the fact that my God will never put any obstacle in my way that I can't overcome with Him by my side.
So I'm home during my winter break right now, and it's just a couple days after Christmas, and a few days before New Years. Let me tell you, I've had a LOT of time to think. And the more I think, the more anxious I get about a lot of things, particularly the World Race. It seems to be a common worry factor amongst all my teammates as well. Obviously the biggest issue is the money. It costs a lot. We get it. But as a friend of mine told me, God already has the money ready for me, its just a matter of unwavering faith and time. But aside from that, I've been thinking a lot about Christmas. This year, I get to be with my family and friends in my warm house, laying in my comfy bed, opening lots of gifts, and watching A Christmas Story marathon. I get to drink hot chocolate, play with my puppies, have mom cook for me (she loves it, i know...), and lounge around the house as I please.
But next year, I'm not gonna be here for that. I wont have my parents. I wont have my home. And more likely than not, I won't have a tree with lots of gifts under it. Like a lot of members on my squad, it's probably the first time ever that we'll be spending Christmas away from home. Even crazier, we'll be in a strange and foreign country that's probably the farthest thing from what we're use to. Yikes.
What did I get myself into. Who does that??
Well, let me tell you. My 70 teammates or so will be my family (they already are, actually. its pretty amazing). Someone in that country will be receiving us into their own home (or field... or church... or orphanage), and although it may not be like my house, it will still have a lot of love. I may not sleep in late in a big comfy bed, but I'll get to wake up early to get ready for a hard day of work for the Lord. I may not get to watch my favorite movie all day, but I'll get to sit and admire the world around me away from modern day society. I may not get any gifts this next year, but I can't even begin to tell you how much I'm looking forward to serving others and showering them with all the love I can give and that Christ can give through me. I get to spend 11 months with some of the most awesome, God-fearing people that I could have ever been blessed with.
Now THATS gonna be a Christmas break I'll probably never forget.
2 Corinthians 9:15 "Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!"
So you've made it to this page either through my support letter, facebook, blog subscription, word of mouth, or maybe just browsing through the World Race website. Either way, I'm super pumped you've made it to my blog!! So if you've heard about what it is that I'm doing, you're probably thinkin, "11 countries, 11 months. Neat, but how much is a trip like that gonna cost??"
And the answer to that is $15,500. Yes, thats a LOT to mentally take in...at first. But let me break it down.
The funds raised cover food, lodging, and air, land & sea travel. It also covers administrative, setup, coaching, debrief, and training costs prior to and at the start of the Race. Ultimately, these funds are providing the bare essentials. Someone calculated it a while back, and with the funds, I'll live off of less than $7 dollars a day with the money that is used specifically for on-field neccessities.
To give you an idea of the big picture, if only 26 people pledged $50 a month for 12 months, I would be totally funded!!
Its absolutely possible!! ESPECIALLY with God! He's taught me a lot of lessons through this World Race process, but the biggest ones have to do with trust and humility. He's taught me to trust that HE WILL provide for His children, I need only put all my confidence in Him. He's also taught me that I have to do my part as well, and that there is no shame in asking for some help :/ and in my eyes, one of the biggest forms of humility is asking for money. It's tough. I feel helpless. Even embarassed sometimes. It makes me feel like I can't provide for myself...and the truth is, I can't, not this time. So now I come to you all, asking for your help. As much as I need every single one of your prayers, I need some financial support too. So bear with me just a little longer on this blog.
Here are my deadlines:
$3,500 - Due 5/5/2012 (2 weeks before training camp) <--In Progress
$6,500 - Due 6/17/2012 (2 weeks prior to your trip)
$11,000 - Due 10/1/2012 (End of 3 months on the field)
$15,500 - Total Due 1/1/2013 (End of 6 months on the field)
However, I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to be FULLY funded by departure on July 1, 2012!! So I have six crucial months ahead of me!!
If you feel God calling you to help out with this cause, please do.
You can do so in two ways:
1.) By clicking on my support link to the left of this blog and donating online as a one-time gift or monthly donor.
OR
2.) Mailing a check to Adventures In Missions, PO Box 534470, Atlanta, GA 30353-4470
Just make sure you write "For Neysa Hernandez; the World Race" on the memo line!!
(mail checks only; for cash donations, email me at neysa.hernandez@gmail.com)
You can also contact me by email to talk more about it or arrange to make a donation in person. I'd love to meet with anyone that's interested in this cause and what it is that I'm committing to do.
Thanks so much for any and all financial and prayerful support!!!
Here's the countries that I'll be going to and spending one month in each of them!!
Ireland
Ireland boasts a heritage of Christianity through Catholicism. Yet the lifeless display of faith reveals that this nation is farther from God than ever. Rampant alcoholism and suicide rates reveal a desperate need for hope. Through sports, children's outreach, street evangelism, pub ministry, and the relationships that just happen along the way, the World Race reintroduces a life-giving faith to this beautiful, historic culture.
Ukraine
This Eastern European country is caught between its past oppression under the Soviet Union and the desire to be accepted by the West. People in the east tend to be more nationalistic than those in the west, where Russian is more commonly spoken. There’s a substantial orphan (social and full) population and human trafficking’s an issue here, too. Most people claim to belong to the Ukrainian Orthodox church, which is subdivided into three bodies. God’s desire is to bring hope, peace, authentic relationship with himself, and unity to this nation; you’ll find out how exactly you’ll participate in that!
Russia
Almost twice the size of the U.S., Russia straddles between Europe and Asia. Did you know that for two centuries, the Mongols ruled Russia before she became a powerhouse? There's more to Russia than Moscow and Siberia; there are beaches along the Baltic Sea, too and deserts out in the east. Cultural and architectural riches, e.g. the Hermitage, are found in the cities. Russia's been an intellectual and literary powerhouse, but since the fall of collapse of the Soviet Union of the 1990s, has been struggling with myriad issues like a declining population, human trafficking and organized crime. While 70% of people identify as Russian Orthodox, only 15-20% actually attend church; 10-15% of Russians identify as Muslim. There's plenty to be done, just start by showing up!
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.
Tanzania
Tanzania has a one-third split between Christianity, Islam, and indigenous religious groups. This diversity creates a colorful landscape of people and beliefs. Whether you are doing open-air crusades, door-to-door evangelism or visiting hospitals and orphanages the people of this diverse country will capture your heart.
Mozambique
One of the most beautiful countries in the African continent, Mozambique is a favorite location of World Racers for a variety of reasons: the people, the landscape, the ministry partnerships, the miracles that this country has seen, and more. The former Portuguese colony is seeing signs of redemption and economic recovery; because of, or in spite of, the extreme poverty gripping the nation, the church grows. You will teach, preach, and practice "true religion" with widows and orphans while you grow in your identity in Christ. One of your most interesting travel "days" may happen here.
India
With nearly a sixth of the world's population within its borders, India is a country bursting with people and culture. Home to a diverse array of beliefs from Hinduism to Islam, to a blend of folk religions and other faiths, it is a country of pluralism with twenty-nine languages spoken by over a million native speakers, multiple religions, cuisine, socio-economic classes, and political parties. India's struggles with poverty and crimes of human trafficking, forced prostitution, religious persecution, and more. You might work with local churches to encourage believers and most likely be challenged by their testimonies. Your presence'll bring hope and truth to those that society deems "untouchable."
Nepal
Home to Mount Everest, the world's tallest mountain, Nepal literally sits on top of the world. In addition to adventurous experiences you will have here, you may also visit widows and orphans in their times of distress and protect the innocent who are prey to human traffickers. This month of your World Race experience will submerge you in a culture that is desperate for an encounter with the living God.
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.
Challenge: Asia
Blaze a trail for your team and future World Racers. This will be the opportunity for you to continue flexing your faith muscles as you depend on a few words of advice from the staff and mostly God's guidance. With God, all things are possible and the possibilities are endless.
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.
Part 1:
Ever since I can remember my first road trip, my first airplane flight, my first vacation, my first boat ride, my first hike, my first scuba dive... I realized that God had instilled in me a ridiculously intense passion for traveling and experiencing everything this beautiful creation of His has to offer. Simple as that.
Part 2 (it gets a little more personal now, get ready):
Before the summer of my sophomore year of high school, I was lost, confused, and walking aimlessly with the rest of "the world"--but I didn't know it. You know how some people just hit rock bottom? Nothing is going right in their life and they just KNOW something has to be missing? That wasn't the case for me. I was really involved in school activites, my grades were great, I was playing 3 different sports, I had awesome family and friends, I wasn't being rebellious (drugs, drinking, sex, etc), I mean... I was a good kid and my parents were proud of me! What's wrong with that?
Then I went to summer camp. For those of you closer to my age, do you remember Bug Juice on the Disney channel? The best summer camp show ever?? I had ALWAYS wanted to go to a summer camp. Play sports, meet kids my own age, live in a cabin, so on and so forth. Long story short, my best friend invited me to camp with her that summer, one that she had been going to since she was a little kid... with no hesistation I said "Yeah!".
Here's the kicker, it was a Christian camp. Okay, sooo I'll wake up, have a bible study or two, then its sportsand playing outside for the rest of the day...deal!
Yeah, not exactly.
Lets just say that week of camp ROCKED. MY. WORLD.
Flipped me upside down.
Brought me to tears.
Tore me to pieces.
...Then God put me back together.
Yeah. The same God that had been screaming and shouting at for me for 15 years to come to Him. The same God I had been ignoring for just about that long.
I was baptized and saved on that Thursday night and haven't looked back.
God is awesome.
So back to the original question. Why the world race?? And again I say, why not??
For me, its just that simple.
God created me to have a passion to see the world. Check.
God asked me (and everyone else) to follow him. To love him. To glorify him. That's a "Check" in progress, but a "check" nonetheless.
The first time I truly read the Great Commission in Mark 16, I got chills.
"Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation."
Granted, I realize "all the world" also refers to the world right outside my front door, to my classmates, to my family, and to everyone else I see on a day to day basis.
But when this opportunity in the form of "The World Race" presented itself to me through a friend of mine (Lindsey Gay, shout out), I just couldn't resist. And I definitely haven't resisted. Or else this blog wouldn't exist =)
So if you've made it this far in my blog, I'd like to say thank you =)
It's going to be an equally long journey from now until my departure in July as my actual 11 month race will be.
But YOU can help me with that!!!
Here's how:
1) Prayer and encouragement. Yall, this whole ordeal gets awfully intimidating and scary at times. The devil creeps in and trys to tell me that I'm not ready to leave this world of comfort and security behind. I need all the prayer I can get.
2) Donations Asking for money is one of the hardest things to do...but I gotta do it :( $15,500 is a LOT, and I've got a LONG way to go in raising that. I'll write another blog REALLY soon to explain the breakdown of where it all goes. But for now, if you click on the left side of this page that says "Click HERE to Support Me", you can find out how to donate checks by mail (not cash), or donate online directly to my account. Or just contact me at neysa.hernandez@gmail.com if you'd like to send it to me instead and I'll deposit it into my World Race account (this way I can take cash).
$5,000, $500, or just $1...ANYTHING helps! But please, if anything at all, the power of prayer is truly amazing.
