After…
11 months.
(July 6th, 2011-June 9th, 2012)
(Which is 47 weeks.)
(Which is 333 days.)
Spent in 54 cities.
That are in 20 countries.
(Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, USA, Turkey, Albania, Italy, Kosovo,
Macedonia, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Qatar, South Africa,
Mozambique, Swaziland, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, China)
On 5 continents.
(South America, North America, Europe, Africa, Asia)
That resulted in 49 new passport stamps.
After traveling by way of 18 airports.
(Philadelphia, Orlando, Miami, Quito, La Paz, Santa Cruz,
New York,
Istanbul, Tirana, Bucharest, Doha, Johannesburg, Bangkok,
Phnom Penh, Kuala Lumpur, Beijing, Los Angeles, Houston)
And 100+ bus rides.
Totaling 400+ hours in transit.
On 20 modes of transportation.
(With only 2 non-airplane seatbelts worn/available.)
Totaling 33 total travel days.
And after meeting 100+ lovable orphans.
Experiencing 1 adoption.
And 44 precious girls saved from trafficking.
And gaining countless friends from all around the world.
After trying to learn 16 languages.
(English, Spanish, Quechua, Kichwa, Turkish, Albanian, Italian, Romanian, Hungarian, Qatari, Zulu, Portuguese, Swati, Thai, Khmer, Malay.)
After 66 showers, including bucket.
(16 of them with hot water)
After 5 sermons preached.
3 castles explored.
3 mountains hiked.
1 ancient cave painting discovered.
And 317 cups of coffee to get through it all.
After swimming in 7 major bodies of water.
(Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Lake Titicaca, Adriatic Sea,
Persian Gulf, Indian Ocean, Gulf of Thailand)
And filling up 2 moleskine journals.
After 6 doctors visits.
And 3 teammates with dengue fever.
After 11 major holidays spent away from home.
And 4 seasons passing back home.
After ‘sleeping’ in 38 ‘beds’.
And accumulating 14 foreign currencies (that are currently) in my wallet.
After becoming family with 56 squad mates.
And living with a total of 17 team mates.
On 3 teams.
After writing 113 blogs about it all.
And after flying literally 360 degrees around the world on 17 flights…
It’s time to
come home.
Stephanie,
Talk about running the race and finishing well! You are about to cross the finish line and I know we can all say well done. Thank you for being a good and faithful servant and allowing us to share, through prayer and your blogs, in this great adventure. Now another adventure is about to begin; and we know God has a great plan for your future!
Can’t wait to see you and praying for safe travels home for you and the team.
Love and blessings,
Sue
Hmmmm. Why is this my favorite blog yet? 89 1/2 hours. What a ride you’ve just experienced during the past year!!! May the Lord guide you home and lead you on His way when you get here. Love, Dad
Love you, Steph.
Glad you’re coming home to us safe.
Looking forward so much to coffee with you & getting to hear your thoughts in not-blog form.
Father,
Protect them all in their homeward leg of the journey. May Your Spirit be upon each one as they adjust to their own unique environments. Give them strength and patience … and contentment in You and Your new direction and purpose for them. In our Lord Jesus. AMEN
Welcome home my Sistah!! It’s been a journey of many miles and many souls touched by Jesus! Man, your prayer list is going to be about 1,000 feet long!! Stay well, Stay safe! See ya VERY soon!!!
Love, Susan
I’m SO beyond excited for you Stephanie. I’ll be praying that the transition goes as smoothly as possible.
I am amazed at all the things you’ve seen done and experianced. It reminds me of some of Pauls Missionary experiences. And seeing the Love Of God through it all.
Stephen
“There’s no place like home” and there are none other than those who journey around the world on the World Race who know more than Dorothy herself just how good that feels!!
Your journey has been such a blessing to me and I can’t wait to hear more about it!!
Like Betsy, I pray for the Lord to be with all of you as you travel home and with you as you transisition back to “home” as well as where the Lord will lead each one!
In His Service,Traci
You’re coming HOME already!!!! Sometimes it seems like you only just left. I guess because you have kept us in your back pocket the whole trip and we were able to’see’ the world and ‘experience’ the joys and the trials and the laughter and the tears WITH YOU!! THANK YOU for how you have changed all of our lives. And ditto…can’t wait to hug you and see that beaming Stephanie smile in person!
GOD HAS BEEN LOVING ON YOU and it shows. Love…..iris