Debriefing our World Race team
We took off from the Phnom Penh airport and as I write this we’re on a Korean Air 747 somewhere over the north Pacific. We spent four intense days debriefing our 32 member World Race squad. Last month they’d been in Viet Nam, living on the top two floors of a hotel-brothel, a great vantage point from which to pass out roses to prostitutes as a way of saying “God loves you.” They prayed a lot while they were there and their schedule seemed to fill to overflowing with ministry to university students and to special needs babies.
They’d liberally poured out their compassion, but compassion needs the breathing space of a debrief or it becomes fatigued. So they headed for Cambodia’s beaches where, as their coaches, Karen and I had the job of speaking life to them.
We met with their small teams of six. One of the teams was experiencing something of a crisis. Whereas they’d seemed too perfect before, they were struggling this time and their situation resisted a quick fix.
We met one-on-one with team members. If you read some of their blogs (from Lindsay, Kira, Josh, Pamela for starters), you can get a more specific sense for the kinds of issues they wrestle with. Tough stuff, life-changing stuff, and sometimes a surrogate mom or dad can help them sort through it all.
One morning as I was running on the beach, I heard the Lord say, “Rent a boat and go explore the nearby islands with Josh.” So I found a boat for $30, grabbed Josh, and we had a blast snorkeling and exploring the beaches of Bamboo Island. I don’t often get that kind of personal time with a racer, so this was a gift.
The next day we repeated the excursion with the whole squad. I had a vision for grilling a barracuda on the beach. We bought a huge one for cheap and had a great adventure. The whole thing cost less than if we’d taken them out for hamburgers at McDonalds.
As the boat chugged along, we talked about their dreams and how much God delights in making them happen. And on the four-hour bus ride back to the capital, we told jokes and stories. When the bus pulled over to drop us at the airport, we told them we loved them, and they said the same.
If many had arrived tired from Viet Nam, it seemed the light had returned to their eyes. We left them ready to take on the next set of challenges and heartbreaks. It’s a great ministry for empty nesters like us who love to disciple.
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Hey Seth,
My heart just felt so full after reading this 🙂 Thank you for everything you and your wife do with the ministry God has birthed in your hearts!
Every day I look forward to reading your posts. Every day my hearts breaks for the things that you share and so often my faith is challenged (in a good way!)
So I just wanted to say THANK YOU.
I pray that God would refresh you and Karen and continue to pour into you. May your cups never run dry as you remain in Him. He is the Living Water and our Daily Bread!
Blessings in the name of our Lord!
Jessica K.
Jessica just expressed my sentiments exactly.
What a great journey you guys are on.. The Lord Bless and strengthen you both through the joys of ministry.. What you shared on this blog displays the “joys of ministry”…
Thanks to you and Karen for being there to help us sort through all the good and the bad and make sense of it all. We love you guys! And besides snorkeling, and barracuda, and island beaches… who could ask for more fun or better relaxation?! We are feeling energized and ready to take on the challenges and all the Lord has to show us in Cambodia. Love you all!
Reminds me of Jesus cooking breakfast on the beach for the disciples just before He restored Peter in John 21 reading this. Eminently practical, Jesus still does the same restoring, refreshing stuff through other people’s hands and feet.
God bless you guys in the teams as they carry on to their next challenge, and God bless you and Karen as you head back home again too.
Love being able to share something of the journey of the World Racers. Can’t be there but love to hear about it :)))
lol Carol xxx
I love it Seth! I love the ‘just living life together’. I LOVE that ministry is no longer separate from everyday life. This is so beautiful!
Its so good to read about that! I love that you are challenging people in their dreams and in who they are. That’s one of the things I miss most about the world race, someone saying, “Go for the dreams God has given you!” Keep it up, I’m glad you are getting to challenge this group!
you always so willingly pour yourself out, i love you dad!
This was a GREAT day…look forward to seeing yall soon!!!