Why World Race Gap Year?

Hello everybody!

I understand that you may have many questions about what world race is, and why I am doing it. I want to use my first blog post to explain what lead me to this decision, and why I am so excited for this experience. 

What is World Race Gap Year?

It is a gap year program for high school graduates ages 18-20 where participants leave for nine months and do mission work in three different countries, spending three months in each country. The organization World Race does a verity of different trips from semester trips that could only last a month going to one country, to the 11 in 11 trip where the participants travel to 11 countries in 11 months doing service work in each location.

Why are you taking a gap year?

So as many of you probably know it used to be my intention to become a professional actor, and so my plans were to attend a university to study acting. The majority of the time I spent outside of school was spent doing something that would help me with my acting, I was in dance, vocal, film, and college audition prep classes almost every day. I loved theatre and everyone I did it with, however I started to lose my drive for it. I started to remember how much I loved service work and all the missions I had worked with. With time and prayerful consideration I decided that I would change my path to mission work. I am still in love with preforming, and I am fully intending on still doing some theatre, however it will no longer be the focus of my work. The only thing about this change is that I was back to square one, I was not sure what exactly my future would look like or how to prepare for it, so I started considering taking a gap year.

Why World Race Gap Year?

I discussed with my parents what a gap year would look like however there never seemed a solid plan that made sense. It was near the end of last June when my mom sent me a link to this program telling me that a woman from work’s daughter was doing it this year. I became obsessed looking at racer’s blogs and vlogs and did as much research as I could in the next few days. This program would give me the opportunity to experience a verity of different types of missions and I would get to engage with so many different cultures and worldviews. I would not say that I necessarily felt a calling to do this, but I was reminded by a blog that we are all called in the great commission to make disciples of all nations and to share the love of Jesus with everyone. Because of this I prayed for something to tell me no if this was not the right fit for me, so I applied! Ever since things have made their way showing me that this is the right choice.

Where are you going, and why did you choose these locations?

The three locations I will be going to are Guatemala, Ecuador, and Nepal. We were given a selection of different routes that had different combinations of countries. At first I was drawn to route 5, Romania, Costa Rica, and India. However after looking at the ministry opportunities in these locations in comparison to route 1, I realized that I was drawn to route 5 as a vacation, not a mission trip. When I looked at the ministry work in route 1 I felt very lead and inspired by it. In Guatemala we will be doing a lot of work with kids and after school ministry. In Ecuador we will get to work with a ministry that helps victims of human trafficking and providing aid to refugees. In Nepal we will support work for the churches in nepal and evangelical work. 

How is this being payed for?

As a participant I have to raise $16,000. This money will go towards my teams travel, food, lodging, and health insurance for the nine months. All donations can be made tax deductible by donating right on this website. 

If ya’ll have any more questions let me! I am so incredibly excited for next year and all it may hold. Please keep me in your prayers as I prepare and embark on this Journey.