A glimpse into What the past 11 months on World Race was like. This is a video of Dawn Gorczynski being baptized. It was such an honor to be asked to baptize her. Here is what happened.
This is a video of the kids at Sarah's Covenant Home. The children here love nothing more than a chance to go on a walk. Simple as that. These walks are grand adventures full of smiles, squeels and experiences that keep them smiling for hours and hours. Here is a short about one those adventures. This video was shot and created Kody & Katie Zenger. To learn more go to Share11.org. The LORD is doing amazing things here in India. Enjoy!
Picture yourself standing 145 feet above the Nile about to jump. Your
mind racing, thinking about everything you've ever done, frantically
trying to find anything that you can compare this experience to. As your mind continues to race and your toes hang off the edge, your thoughts are so loud you can barely hear the sound of the instructors' voices as they yell, "3… 2… 1… Bungee!"
Let's back up 336 hours: I'm
sitting on a bus on my way to Uganda, so excited because I have just
had one of the most rewarding weeks of World Race; debrief, a much needed time of renewal after a month of sickness. I have been refreshed and set ablaze by the Creator of the universe: a fire that can only be described as All Consuming.
As I traveled to Uganda along side my (shout out time!) incredible Squad Leaders, Scotty Barron, Shannon Ahola and the amazing other two members of the Logistics Team, Paul Bell and Brandi Jo Magee, we discussed things that we needed to accomplish during our time in Uganda. Through this discussion, I stepped up and agreed to head up and plan our squad rafting and bungee jumping trip in Jinja, Uganda at the end of the month. I worked on the details all month long over the phone, but it became necessary for me to physically speak with and meet my contact Dennis from Adrift, the all encompassing adventure location in Jinja, Uganda.
After another week of lengthy phone calls, it was time to meet up with Dennis. So Brooks and I climbed into a car, ready to head over to Adrift so that I could finalize some details for the squad trip. As I sat in the backseat and made small talk with Dennis, he very casually said "We'll have to get you a free bungee jump today, if the Jump Master's there." WHAT!? My entire face lit up. I turned to Brooks with a huge smile on face trying to contain my composure to the best of my ability. I couldn't.
We pulled up to Adrift and we're greeted by everyone as if we had been friends for years. As each second passed my excitement toward our squad trip at the end of the month grew and grew. I couldn't wait for everyone else to see the amazing campground that sat on a cliff which overlooked the Nile, next to the Adrift restaurant.
As I walked into the Adrift restaurant and stood on the balcony, Dennis asked me if I would like anything to drink. I replied "Yes! Thank you. Could I have a Sprite?" As I stood there drinking my free Sprite looking at God's breathtaking creation, I couldn't do anything but thank my Father for the gifts that He has given me. Then a man walked over to me and asked "are you ready to jump?" I replied with an astounding "YEAAAHHHH!". We made our way to the cliff where the metal tower stood about 30 feet off the edge. From where I was standing, this didn't seem that high. Then I got to the top and there was no doubt I was standing 145ft above the Nile. I took a seat in what they called the "Throne" and I started to get strapped in. After a quick briefing I was told to stand up and make my way to the edge. A few quick hops and…
There I was, standing 145 feet above the Nile, about to jump. My mind is racing thinking about all the times I've been cliff diving and skydiving, frantically trying to find anything that I can compare this experience to. As my mind continues to race and my toes hang off the edge, my thoughts are so loud that I can barely hear the sound of the instructors' voices as they yell, "3… 2… 1… Bungee!"
My feet left the platform and time slowed down. My body was floating 145 feet above the second largest river in the world and what seemed like was 2 minutes in reality was merely 2 seconds. I went from a moment of floating so high above the Nile to my body plummeting down into the Nile, only to be yanked all the way back up over and over again, until it was over. As I was being lowered into a raft, the adrenaline was still pumping through my veins. I made my way back to the restaurant to give Dennis a big thank you and tell him all about my experience. I felt so blessed. What a gift from God: a free bungee jump. Then I left Adrift with a giant smile and finished my day in Kampala with a vegetarian chicken pizza. I was so filled up from the amazing gift God had given to me. It truly was a 145 foot blessing.
After a long ride back to the house from my stage debut, my demeanor began to change. My attitude switched from an optimistic state to utter dismay. I went to sleep, only to wake up in the middle of the night, overcome with pain that pulsated through my body. I remember choking back the urge to vomit. As laid there, tiptoeing on the edge of misery, I thought about how earlier that day I had sang in front of thousands of people and now my body hurt so bad I could barley move. I was almost in complete disbelief that I could be going from such good place to such a bad one.
Once that terrible night was over, the morning creeped in and I had gotten little to no sleep. Pastor Ben came into my room and asked me how I was doing, and simply put, I was feeling horrible. I described my symptoms and his only response was "you need to go get tested for malaria". It was my second day in Kitale, Kenya and I was already sick. After a quick prick of a needle and about 30 minutes It was confirmed. Not only did I have malaria coursing through my veins, I was told I had the most stubborn type. How in the world did malaria take this tole on me when I had only been in Africa for a week? The doctor prescribed me some medicine and I headed home. I couldn't believe this situation.
To make matters worse, my progress seemed slim to none by the time week 2 rolled around. I never left the house for anything other than visits to the doctor, let alone leaving my room for visits to the toilet. I was one week deep in the belly of sickness and I had a seriously bad case of cabin fever. My spirits were low and my glimmer of hope was seeing my pill count diminish. I finished my medicine, went back to the doctor and found out that not only did I still have malaria, but I had typhoid as well. So, I opened my wallet once again, and looked in, I realized it was almost empty. As I handed the doctor what little money I had, I thought "Ahh, Come On!"
I spent the majority of my month in Kenya laying in a bed, my body writhing with pain. I wanted so badly for the sickness to leave me but every time I went to the doctor not only was I not better, but I would find out that something else would be wrong with me. My face had a staph infection and my stomach decided to get a bacterial infection. I was struggling. I spent so much of my time trying to find an escape, an escape from the pain that I felt. I tried to escape through movies, through doing logistical work, frequently calling my family on Skype, anything that would get my mind off the pain I felt. My heart turned towards relief that the world provided instead of turning to the LORD where true release comes from.
Looking back now, I realize how big of a mistake I made that month. My heart was in such desperate need for the faithful promise of unchanging love and strength in His comfort, but I looked away. All of the strength I could summon was spent trying to find happiness in the things of this world. The recovery from my illness was so slow because I chose to rely on what was tangible rather than what was faithful. I allowed the allure of entertainment, the simplicity of busy work and the comfort of my loved ones to defer me from the relationship I needed to be invested in. My emotions were not looking towards any shade of His light until the month almost ended and He absolutely baffled me with a blessing I was not expecting.
The final Sunday of our month, I was miraculously feeling better. I headed with my team to a Kenyan church service with my heart still tied to the misery of sickness. The service began with my spirits low, but the LORD filled me with words to speak to the congregation. Not only was I speaking to them, but Jesus was speaking directly to me. After a month mirroring nothing short of a missionary nightmare, my forever faithful and loving God was speaking in and through me!
The service drew to a close and I was sailing on a cloud. I got to drive myself and teammates to the hospital for my final inoculation and my treatment was complete. Even when I was at my lowest, my God delivered me from illness and once again proving His unfailing love and commission of trust to an undeserving me. My faith may have been slacking for my first month in Africa but my heart grabbed victory with my Savior. I may have made a mistake in turning my eyes towards the world but Jesus had already forgiven me before I turned the wrong direction.
So without further a due, here it is my newest blog!
Kenya...
How can I begin to tell you about my time in Kenya?
Well, upon arriving In Kitale, Kenya I met my contacts for the month, Ben and Christine. I've got to say, those people make one seriously awesome couple. They greeted me and my team with open arms, granting us a free pass to become part of their family. They were very loving and they took excellent care of us, almost like we were their own children.
As the month of May began, I was having a pretty good time. It was day two and we were on our way to a CD release party. The ride took about an hour and a half on through a treacherous road of extreme and sketchy potholes. As the van pulled up to the previously mentioned party, 6 Mzungus (Swahili for white people) spilled out and we made our way to the "special guest tent". I sat there and looked around and I noticed several thousand people staring at me and the other members of the tent, which included two members of the Kenyan Parliament and various Kenyan singers and celebrities. I continued look around and listen to the various musicians, and I couldn't help but notice someone approaching Brooks, pulling him aside and both of them disappearing into the crowd. My curiosity began to kick in, especially when I couldn't see the lone whitey in a sea of 2,000 Africans. Eventually Brooks emerged out of the crowd like a sore thumb and looked at me with a cracked smile. I knew the truth, but I didn't want to admit it to myself. These professionals to mine and my team's horror, wanted us to sing as a team.
They, professional singers releasing a CD, wanted the American Mzungus to sing on stage for them. This was not an R.S.V.P. invite, but a command. This was really going to happen. As nervous as I was, I couldn't help but smirk, swallow my fears and strut up to the stage with as much gust as the Holy Spirit was willing to give me. Team Rush AKA Team Feeny :) made our way onto the stage, in front of all of these people. We were handed 2 microphones while Brooks plugged in his guitar offstage. If this wasn't spontaneous enough, we realized that none of us no any of the same music. Brooks started to play and I had NO IDEA what song he was playing. I looked at Ashley, panicked and whispered under my breath "What is this?" She stared to laugh and said " Michael, it's Mighty to Save". I responded with a thankful smirk and I started to sing.
We might have started out a little awkward, but we kept singing song after song and had so much fun. Our experience basically turned into a World Race party. We finished our last song, we thanked them for letting us be a part of their celebration and then proceeded off the stage. We made our way back to our seats and enjoyed the show from a comfortable distance, hoping that we would be prepared if we were asked for an encore. As I sat there and watched the rest of the show while drinking an ice-cold (and free) Orange Fanta, I thought to myself "this is going to be a great month".
The reason I told you that I'm fully funded at the top of my blog is because I want you to experience the same feeling I had when I checked my support account!
God has taken me on a journey through my support raising. It has been a roller coaster of emotions, from me believing that He wasn't going to provide back to believing he would. I am so excited to get to tell you just how He did.
At the beginning of this month, our squad got a very encouraging email from our support coach. In the email she told us everyone who needed more support, so that the squad could pray for one another. She also gave us ideas and told us to contact her once a week to let her know what was going on and how she could help. When I received this email my mind started moving. I started to think about all the things that I could do to get the money (but I couldn't think of anything). It became about me doing things on my own again. I started to pray and pray and pray some more. As I knelt before the Lord, I heard Him say "don't ask anyone for the money, don't do anything other than pray".
Oh my goodness! The thought of this scared me so much. A part of me didn't believe that money was going to come in. But despite the way I felt I did what He said and I didn't tell anyone. All I did was pray.
Now when the halfway point of this month came, and I still hadn't told anyone, I was panicking. My heart wanted so much to believe, but my earthy mind couldn't grasp the fact that I would be fully funded without making it aware that I needed the money. I prayed and asked God what to do.
God said "Okay, write a blog, but don't ask anyone for the money".
I titled that blog 'Journey. Part 4'.
In that blog, I did exactly what God spoke to me, I expressed my heart, I told everyone my thoughts, but I didn't ask anyone for the money.
Once that blog was posted money started to come in.
On the 19th God provided $220
On the 20th God provided $100
On the 21st God provided $230
On the 22nd God provided $40
On the 23rd God provided $260
On the 24th...
When I checked my email, I had an email from my church telling me that they had been talking and praying and had decided that if by the 30th I wasn't fully funded that they wanted to pay the remaining balance owed. When I read this I fell to my knees and started to thank God. I get to go to Africa! I was so excited, but I felt like I needed to check my support account. When I did I saw that..
God Provided $3,145!
When I saw that not only I wasfully funded but I was over funded I was absolutely blown away by God's faithfulness. I was at a loss for words! All I could do was thank Him. God always provides.
Words cannot express the excitement I have, not only that i'm fully funded, but that I know I serve a God that is bigger than any and everything I understand. A God that is constantly expanding on what I think I know. A God that Is faithful.
Thank You Father.
I also want to thank you. Oh yes, I'm talking to you. Thank you for your support. Thank you for reading my blogs. Thank you for reposting them and for posting my blog link, for getting the word out. Thank you for partnering with me on this journey. But Ultimately thank you for your prayers.
Right now in my support account, I have $11,212. If by the end of March I'm not fully funded ($14,500), then I will be going home and this journey after only six months will end. If this happens I won't be going to Cambodia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, or India. If the money doesn't come in, the World Race for me will end and I'll get on a plane and fly back to Georgia. To be honest, all of this terrifies me. I believe that I have been called to a journey that is to 11 countries over 11 months, not 6. I want so badly to trust and have faith that the money is going to come in, but everything I've learned from american culture and from just being human says otherwise.
Here's a look inside my head and what i'm thinking at the moment. When March 31st comes around, and my squad and the family that I have grown to love and have spent everyday with over the past 6 months will get on a plane and fly to Cambodia, while I stand in the airport and wave goodbye to everyone. Then I'll hop on a plane back to Georgia. Trust me I do not want to believe this way.
I'm at war! and I don't know what to do.
A war between my flesh and my soul. I want so badly to choose to have faith and believe that God is going to show up and blow me away through this support. I mean I believe and have seen God show up so many times and provide for me during this race, why can't I believe that He will provide my support? Instead I have let myself sit in fear, wondering whether or not I'm going to get to finish this Race.
These are the facts:
If I'm not fully by March 31, then I'm going back to the USA.
I am lacking $3,087 to be fully funded. $14,500
I don't know whether or not I'm going to be fully funded by the end of this month or not. What I do know is that I am not going to waste the rest of this month that I have. What I am going to do is continue growing, continue to surrender and serve God fully. I am going to take advantage of every single moment I have on this journey. But more than anything I am going to continue to pray, and ask God for a miracle.
