Ending the World Race

Hello friends and family,

I am writing this from back in America! It’s so strange to see familiar brands and familiar faces from training camp. It’s even stranger to re-enter into the same country with a changed mindset.

The five-day debrief consisted of lessons on readjustment/ culture shock, maintaining the lifestyle and mindset changes that occurred in the race, and re-entering society in a loving and uplifting way. We were also able to say goodbye to our teams, thank our leaders with a song and cards, have our last few days of worship together, and prepare to go back home after four months.

My squad and team have been such a huge blessing to me. They have been so kind, understanding, and loving towards each other. They have created an environment where you can admit weakness and find strength in God and others. They push others to become more Christ-like in such a loving way. I am so blessed to have met each individual on my squad, and I love them all dearly. Thank you, God, for putting them in my life. It is so strange saying bye to people I’ve seen and worked side by side with every day for four months. But (as one of my squadmates said) each one of them was in my life for a “season, a reason, or a lifetime.” I am so grateful for the impact they had on my life.

Going home is very intimidating. School can be an easy distraction and all-consuming if one is not careful. I hope to balance school, work, and fun better. I have a lot of goals coming out of this mission trip but my main one is:

To continue to prioritize God above all else

If I can continue to spend daily time with God, and try to live in a Christ-like manner, then everything else in my life will fall into place. I can have peace and reassurance knowing that His love is all-encompassing and that His plan is better.

Thank you all again for your financial support and prayers! This experience has truly changed me. We were able to impact many people, and through the blessings of your financial donations, I was able to have this experience. Thank you from the bottom of my heart! I will continue to pray for you all. Blessings!

What’s next?

I will return to Biola University in the Fall to continue pursuing my Bachelor of Nursing Degree. In Eswatini, I interviewed and was accepted into the clinical program! I will now have two and a half years of school. During the summers I might pursue domestic or international missions. I hope to return to South Africa within the next few years to rekindle the relationships I made while I was down there. After, I may pursue becoming a PA, go into full-time missions, become a travel nurse, or pursue part-time medical missions. Whatever I feel God is leading me towards. Although, I am holding all of these plans with open hands as God can change them at any time. These are merely ideas, but they make me excited for the future, and I’m excited to see how God will continue to see me to further His Kingdom.

Thank you all again for everything! Blessings,

Kate Bowdoin