http://amandadums.theworldrace.org The World Race - Amanda Dums en-us Fri, 4 Jul 2008 14:02:20 GMT 30 http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=revival-on-my-mind http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=revival-on-my-mind My community here in Cairo started almost daily watching the Lakeland Revival live online a few weeks ago and just had to hop planes down there to check it out in person. After five days there I can say that I'm quite taken with what God is doing. The healing testimonies are outrageous, but it's God's presence that is such a draw for me. Seth wrote a blogwith some good links and a video from Todd so check that out for more info. Here are some of my thoughts from my time spent with 15,000 despera Wed, 14 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=its-like-i-never-left-the-world-race http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=its-like-i-never-left-the-world-race If you think the World Race stops once you hit American soil, well you've got another thing coming. I think I may have slept on more couches/random beds since being back in the US than I did around the world. Wellperhaps not, but it would be a good toss up. Needless to say, since being home I've been quite the little traveler. I guess it takes awhile to get it out of your system? Here's a shortish rundown on where I've been and what I've done since being home post race. Enjoy!___________________ Tue, 29 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=the-waves-of-reentry http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=the-waves-of-reentry November 19th, 2007 marked the end of the World Race for me. I flew into LA with the rest of the squad and said final goodbyes as we grabbed our luggage at the baggage claim. One final passport check and custom line to stand in and it was over. I gathered my bags and said hi to some racer's parents who had picked them up in LA and soon headed to the terminal where I'd catch my red eye flight to Minneapolis. It was then that it hitthe first wave of tears. As I walked to my connecting flight a Mon, 28 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=a-few-top-tens-and-a-squatty-tour http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=a-few-top-tens-and-a-squatty-tour The World Race wouldn't be complete without a few final Top Ten lists from the year.  I mostly post this for some fun and to let you in on a bit of my processing time during our debrief.  I think it's always good to know what you love, what you'll miss and what you're walking away from with a smile! Top Ten Things I miss from HOME: 10.  Secret deodorantthese roll-ons around the world just don't cut it! 9.  Fructis ShampooI just love that smell and haven't seen it in 1 Sun, 18 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=i-survived-china-whew http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=i-survived-china-whew I survived CHINA!! ...and...I've made it back to Hong Kong!!...and I made it in one piece! We've got limited internet for the next few days while we're here at the YWAM base in Hong Kong so expect some blogs coming your way soon about our time in China, but be patient as it may be a few days to get everything together. God was surely faithful to us in our time there--He is working in huge ways in that country. Wow. Our final debrief is in full swing and it's hard not to count down the Tue, 13 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=signing-off-for-china http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=signing-off-for-china Our last month of the World Race is going to be in China and we fly out of Bangkok tomorrow afternoon.  Many of you knew this and were anticipating it, but what you may have not been anticipating is the soon to be almost complete lack of communication from China on this blog. For security reasons none of us will be able to access the World Race site from mainland China because the government monitors all internet usage and we don't want to send red flags about what we're doing there. Wed, 10 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=frolicking-through-the-world-race http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=frolicking-through-the-world-race Another month on the World Race has ended and I can hardly believe that there's only ONE month left! Our most recent month in Cambodia was such a growing time for me. As I suppose anyone would feel after 10 months of ministry, you feel poured out and emptytruly feeling the effects of loving and loving and loving and loving people in a continuous succession of places around the globe. We all joked that the World Race really was meant to be a nine month trip, wasn't it?! Wasn't it?? anyone? Buelle Wed, 10 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=the-tears-fall-hard-the-struggle-of-compassion-pain-and-myself http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=the-tears-fall-hard-the-struggle-of-compassion-pain-and-myself My heart has once again been ripped out of my chest. In the midst of seeing other people's pain I find myself looking more and more selfish. Ah, we're never quite perfect are we? Let me explain this day We pulled up to the orphanage today in our little red tuk-tuk like we always do every morning at nine. Before we could even get out the kids had jumped into our laps squealing "Mommie!" in delight and practicing their favorite English phrase, "How are you? I am fine, thanks. And you?" I Tue, 2 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=asian-persuasion http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=asian-persuasion A true "Asian" pic of our little team at our house at New Life in Christ Church in Cambodia.  You've just gotta frame your face with your hands or give a peace sign--what's a picture without that??           We're partnering at an orphange here in town and the kids are SOOO adorable.  I want to pull an Angelina Jolie and take one home with me too!  This particular orphange (we've been to lots throughout the year) Sun, 16 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=he-who-has-an-ear-let-him-hear http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=he-who-has-an-ear-let-him-hear Revelation 1:17-19     Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.   Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this.   I've been studying the book of Revelation a bit these days and was in Mon, 10 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=do-you-see-this-woman http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=do-you-see-this-woman I'm currently in Cambodia after a fantastic 5 day debrief on Koh Samet Island in Thailand and an awesome bus ride from Bangkok to Phnom Phen.  (when I say awesome, I mean long and bumpy and loud...welcome to travel in third world countries!)  We're just getting settled here and are living at a church called New Life in Christ.  We'll be teaching english classes at the church and partnering with an orphanage...but I'll expound more on that in blogs to come.  For Sat, 8 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=teen-angst-rebellion-leading-to-redemption http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=teen-angst-rebellion-leading-to-redemption Teen angst. I see it swirling around me as I spend the afternoons at Center 1 of the Well. It almost makes me laugh. Seeing a beer can with cigarette butts being carted down the stairs from one of the girl's rooms and Daddy Jim's concerned face just floods the memories back for me. I was there. My parents found the cigarettes I hid in my dresser too. I had that conversation. I was in their shoes. I see it all unfold before my eyes and it brings a bit of a smirk to my face. I shake my head Tue, 21 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=her-name-is-si http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=her-name-is-si Her legs cross as we walk by. I notice her and wonder at her sullen stare, but pass on with the rest of my group into the bar complex of Soi One. It's a slow night being a Sunday and Mother's day here, nonetheless we once again went to investigate the scene in the red light district of Bangkok. The bars are mostly empty except for the girls who line the walls and various bar stools, some looking bored and others chatting and passing cell phones back and forth with giggles. We head Mon, 13 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=world-racer-uprooted-part-1 http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=world-racer-uprooted-part-1 I don't really understand what's going on with me right now. I am moody and upset and happy and grumpy and loving and mean all at the same time. I feel like a lot of things are falling apart in my life. Maybe who I am is falling apart, or is it who I was? Is it just that God is making me into someone new and I'm having a hard time adjusting to myself? Change is hard for me. I like getting settled in a place, you know, really make the space your own. I like having familiarity Thu, 9 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=the-cry-of-bangkok http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=the-cry-of-bangkok I look over at the clock. One hour. One hour before we leave to go again on an outreach to the Nana District of Bangkok. A fierce resistance rises in meI don't want to go. I hate it. Even now, the pit in my stomach and the lump in my throat tell me this is not what I want to do. The tears streaming down my face and the cry of my heart can't be stopped. These girls. These precious little girls. 13 maybe14 years old. Babies, just babies! Molested. Raped. Forced against their will by hug Thu, 9 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=surprise-surprise-at-soi-cowboy http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=surprise-surprise-at-soi-cowboy We walked to the end of Soi Cowboy, one of Bangkok's most notorious red light districts and a little inkling in my brain said, cross the street.' I figured the three of us could sit by the phone booths there and pray or proclaim some freedom over the lawlessness of this street and its patrons... but God had other plans. We hadn't even reached the curb yet when I spotted him walking towards me. One of the many Western men who frequent this area looked dead set on having a convers Thu, 9 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=world-racer-uprooted-part-2 http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=world-racer-uprooted-part-2 This is the second blog in a three part series. If you haven't already, be sure to read the first part here: World Racer Uprooted: Part 1 People said this year would change me. (I didn't really believe them.) I didn't know I needed to change so much. I didn't think I was any sort of messed up head case or anything like that before I left. I still don't think that, but the change I see in myself is quite drastic. Just living life like this has taught me so much. So m Wed, 8 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=world-racer-uprooted-part-3 http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=world-racer-uprooted-part-3 This is the final blog of a three part series. The initial posts are found here: World World Racer Uprooted: Part 1 and World Racer Uprooted: Part 2 Going into the race I didn't even know I had any roots. Garden looks pristine, right? After spending seven months with a group of people though, those roots are bound to start surfacing sooner or later. And when they do, it's best not to wait around until month seven to dig up the thing that's popping up from the dirt. It just gets Tue, 7 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=lost-with-no-translation http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=lost-with-no-translation If you haven't heard the news yet, The World Race is currently in Bangkok, Thailand!  I thought pictures would really let you know how things are going with me and tell of some of our adventures...like getting lost in a city of 10 million!  yes, million. A skyscape view of the city with the Thai flag o'course.  Yes, it's even bigger than it looks. WELCOME!  Sawatdee!  (which means hello in Thai...and is also the name of my favorite Minneapolis Mon, 6 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=forest-nostalgia-meets-the-hand-of-god http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=forest-nostalgia-meets-the-hand-of-god This morning I woke up in a cave. We cooked biscuits and boerwurst sausages over an open flame as the sun went down last night. We proudly introduced the fine art of S'more making to the seven little Taiwanese boys, their leader, Becky and our South African guide, Peet. I love the land out here in this little forest haven tucked away in the mountains of South Africawhat Trumpy calls his backyard.' It is all so rustic, and yet these people sure have perfected camping, complete with Tue, 24 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=the-kitchen-table http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=the-kitchen-table This is probably my favorite part of being here in Mozambique againjust sitting around the table sipping tea and telling stories. Well, mostly listening to stories, but you know how that is, when you're in the presence of wisdom sometimes you just need to take ear. I have such a great time listening to this man tell us about his life. He's honestly done it all it seems; a multi-millionaire rocket scientist who used to "commune with nature" and then God got a hold of him at 39 on a beach i Fri, 13 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=painting-pros1 http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=painting-pros1 Since we've been in Nelspruit, South Africa we've been working with Michael and Lynn Laubscher.  They are awesome servants of the Lord and one of the projects they're involved with is empowering locals who have great visions but limited resources achieve their aims.  One of these is a preschool started by a woman who cares for over 150 kids out of her house.  Obviously the facilities were very limited for the number of kids and so Michael and Lynn acquired some funds to add Fri, 13 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=my-video-debut-mozambique http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=my-video-debut-mozambique Well, here you have it...my first shot at making a video. It may not be professional, but it's the best I could do with my Windows Movie Maker! It's basically all the sights and sounds from our time in Mozambique--the church, the orphanage, the outreaches, and all the kids! I had fun putting it together and I hope you enjoy it! A BIG thank you to Michelle McBeath, Mallorie Miller, Tana Turner, Stephanie Fisk, and Shawna Spratt for all your video and photo footage! I hope you don't mind... Fri, 13 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=if-it-werent-for-jews-i-wouldnt-be-a-missionary http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=if-it-werent-for-jews-i-wouldnt-be-a-missionary I put this on my blog because it's mine and I can do what I want, right?   There are no pictures, just some words with color (it's really the best I could do for lack of expression) but then I think, the bible doesn't really need pictures does it?   It says the words never return void. As I was reading in Romans a few mornings ago I began to realize how much credit we as Christians should really give the Jews, or the Israelites as th Wed, 4 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=the-body-in-action-support-update http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=the-body-in-action-support-update I love that God is faithful.  I knew from the beginning that I was supposed to be on this trip--that He was calling me to the nations for this season...and I knew that I had to trust Him for the means to get there.  Support raising has never been my favorite thing (I mean, who really loves it??), but I've never seen God provide in such amazing ways than I have with this.  I shared before that I was very close to the cut-off point--the place where I'm dangerously low on Mon, 18 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=god-speaks-through-men-named-tom http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=god-speaks-through-men-named-tom I don't even really know this man. I've seen him around as we've been here in Swaziland doing our monthly debrief. There are tons of people around though so he blends into the crowd. All of Squad A and B are here, plus now the June racers have joined us, the top dogs and all their wives are teaching, and there's another group from Colorado that's been pouring into us as well, so it's no wonder I don't really take notice of this one obscure man who's been publicly announced once in a ses Thu, 14 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=hunger-is-fed http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=hunger-is-fed The word of this month for me is hunger'. God's been teaching me a lot about it, and surprisingly through many different means. The most obvious being our food outreaches where we load up a flat bed truck with 120 lb. bags of pop', an African staple, much like rice, only tastes more like Malt-o-Meal. A few church members at Arco-Iris and our crew of World Racers climb aboard the mounding piles and head to the villages where we'll present the gift to the chief and dance to some kickin' Afro-b Thu, 31 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=you-brought-the-rains http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=you-brought-the-rains Our first real day in Dondo. I wake up to about 25 boys ranging in age from around 6 to 21 playing on the tire swing hung only yards away from my tent. I peak through the screen door and smile as I watch themno wonder I was awakened by their noise. Boys are definitely not the quietest of the sexes. I walk past them heading for the bathroom and am warmly greeted, "Buen dia!" "Good morning!" "How are you?" As I pass by, I smile back and wave, "Very well, thank you! Good morning!" I call to the Mon, 14 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=fully-alive-in-africa http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=fully-alive-in-africa I am sitting in my freshly fashioned tent at Iris Ministries in Mozambique taking a bit of reflection time. After a 36 hour bus ride a shower and lying down sound really nice. Currently I have effectively conquered both. Being in Africa again is a little funny. Everything is familiar in a sense: the people, the culture, the scenery, selling things through the bus windowsbut oh, how I've changed since that last trip to Ghana. I was such a baby, just a young little college girl thinking I coul Mon, 14 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=heartbeat-of-africa http://amandadums.theworldrace.org/?filename=heartbeat-of-africa Every sound has a beat. There is a rhythm here that is purely African. A shovel to the dirt provides the back beat. Children singing and clapping songs over the big cement wall at Iris creates a far-off melody that soars above the sound of the laughing boys around the tire swing. The sound of a hammer clinks against metal in the distance sounding like a woman with a soulful solo. The occasional rooster crow shakes things up and yet sounds so right, so natural. I love this sound. The heartbea Mon, 14 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT