Approximately April 2009, Justin was working at Carpenter's Church in Lubbock, TX, which is a church that caters to the homeless population in Lubbock. On a random day, a young girl of 20 came into the church with her 1 year old daughter. Immediately, Justin and the girl hit it off. He spent the entire day helping her work out some legal issues and was able to hear her story. Like many homeless women, this girl had a horrific story that included being given up to the foster system by her mother who was addicted to crack, an emotionally/physically abusive family system, a current boyfriend who beat her, and a new daughter that was born weighing 1lb6oz, that had amazingly survived. They were so desperate for help.

Prior to this meeting, we had been very convicted with the fact that we had an extra bedroom in our home. The reality of working with the homeless on a daily basis and living in a house too big for a single married couple began to not mesh. So, after a string of events, the young girl and her daughter moved in with us. We have always felt like real change in people happens when you are able to live life alongside them and serve them in a more communal, intimate way.

So, they became a huge part of our life. We functioned as a family system and for most parts, life was so good. As time progressed, we began to see serious red flags that worried us when it came to her parenting style, her habits, and her patterns for destructive behavior. She too also began to understand that life didn't have to be in a state of constant chaos. On many occasions, she would tell us things such as, "Wow, I never knew that married people didn't cheat on each other." Or "Wow, when you guys disagree, you don't yell at each other and call the cops." She began to see life very differently, and we began to understand where she had come from. But, we still proceeded to help her restore her life and try to get out on her own.

In the course of us working towards her independence, she found out that she was pregnant. After the fact, she did not see her boyfriend and she carried the baby while living at our house. She gave birth to him and I, Kristan, was able to be in the delivery room right by her side as he came into the world. The whole process of our life was very connected to this family and we loved them just as if they were our blood relation.

However, as time progressed, we felt an increasing dependence and sometimes her tendency to take advantage of us. For example, after the baby was born, she would say that she was going out for a few minutes and come back hours later, with the assumption that we would take care of her children while she was gone. We began to feel an unhealthy relationship building and so we began to encourage her to work on becoming independent. She had managed to save some money and after about a year, she moved into her own house. (Side note-the house was next door to ours. :) )

We thought it was the best decision for her at the time. However, as people who are use to chaos do, she began her cycle of destructive behavior. She began drinking excessively, neglecting the children, and hanging out with guys that were not good.

On the other hand, we began to realize how much we had parented her children, and we began to miss them like they were our own children. We would make them stay the night with us when she was drinking, we would buy them food or clothing when she wasn't, and we really felt the need to get them away from her behavior.

So again, through a series of events, we became more serious about our actions and even became their full time guardian. She also, on more than one occasion, made comments that we should adopt them because she didn't want them. This is all going on as we are feeling the desire to come on the World Race. So we began to battle back and forth with ourselves to figure out if we should pursue keeping the children or leaving for the World Race.

Then in the summer of 2010, after 2 months of us having the children full time, she made the decision really easy for us by just leaving with the kids. She told us that she was moving in with her mother, the same mom that had given her up for adoption, and she was going to pursue life on her own. As you can imagine, we were devastated. We had let ourselves get too attached to babies that we thought could be ours. We were playing house with these two beautiful children that were eventually taken away from us with nothing left to do.

So, we felt like that was our cue to pursue the World Race and start our life fresh away from the drama of that situation. Even at training camp, the World Race staff asked us about the situation and encouraged us to think about what we would do if the opportunity came up to adopt the kids. At training camp, we were so burnt out from the situation and seriously did not think that it would ever happen. So, we told them that we didn't see that being a reality, but we hoped that our support system at home would rise to meet the need even if we were on the World Race.

Now, moving on to the reason for the email: approximately 1 month ago, while we were in India, our parents emailed us that this girl had signed away her rights to her oldest child, who is now three. And, the little girl was living with my (Kristan) parents. My mom went to pick her up and packed all her toys and clothes and took her home. As you can imagine, we were immediately confused about why this would happen now. We immediately told our team the situation because they had been filled in on the whole story from the beginning. We continually prayed that things happen or didn't happen so we would know how to respond. However, as we began to talk with my parents, they asked us whether or not we wanted to become the parents of this little girl. Our first and confident thought is "Yes." We had wanted that even before we left, but we honestly didn't think that it would ever happen.

Since then, we have followed the story closely and have fleshed out the situation with our teammates, our families, and each other. After many tears and advice, we feel confident in the decision to leave the World Race to begin the process of adopting the oldest girl. Our teammates are more than supportive and after knowing the situation and walking with us through it, they too think that it is the best decision. We feel embarrassed to go back on our commitment to AIM and are so heartbroken to leave team Rapha. They are four of the most quality people that any person could ask to serve along side. As we made this decision together, they cried with us and spoke so much life into our decision that we feel confident in their continued love and support.They are our advocates and some of our dearest friends now.

We have great support at home and our parents have even offered to keep the little girl if we want to stay on the race. We have thought about that option, but if she is to become our daughter, we want her to know that she is more important to us than staying half a world away. She deserves the best parents that we can be. When we speak to her on Skype, we can't imagine parenting her for the next nine months through the computer screen when internet is available.

The great thing our teammates have said is that they feel like the World Race is a tool that will make its racers more aware of the injustice that goes on and change them into people that live missional lives, even after the World Race ends. They told us that they feel like we already get that and are going home to minister as well. We are so humbled to serve with them and so encouraged that they see that in us. 

We would love to hear your thoughts about the situation. We truly love the way that the World Race forces you to change and think outside yourself. We couldn't have made this decision without the constant support and love of our teammates.

Justin and Kristan Gibson

(Jan 29-Feb 5)

This was largely a week of travel and debrief. We left Hyderabad Wednesday morning and flew to New Delhi. It was difficult to say goodbye to everyone. I (Justin) had made a good friend with the translator, Samuel, and it was really difficult to move on. India Christian Ministries has great personnel and incredible local support. Not enough time to express the gratitude we have for their support. When we flew into Delhi we had a twelve hour layover and then the fun began. We made it to a train station at the right time only to figure out that we were at the wrong station and had to go across the city. With an hour before departure we shoved everyone into a compact van and made a 45 min. trek to the other train station. We broke the X-ray machine at security and they eventually waved us through unchecked. Needless to say we boarded our train with about 2 min. to spare. The train was 16 hours long and then we caught a bus from there to Kathmandu which was a 15 hour ride. In brief the bus was the scariest ride I have ever been on, including theme park rides. It was dark, extremely bumpy and exhausting.

Kathmandu has been an interesting place. It echoes the spiritualist/hippie movement of the 60's and 70's while maintaining an air of mystery and pilgrimage. Nepal is the birth place of the Buddha and rife with sacred places and sketchy tour guides trying to make a buck. It is a place of crafts, trendy shops, dreadlocks and good eats. We have also begun to see that like some counterpart cities in the states (Austin, San Francisco, Denver, Las Vegas) all that glitters is not gold. There is an overwhelming sense of moral relativism, despair and cover up as you begin to really look around. It is a challenge for us to keep being faithful and bold in the midst of a comfortable, eclectic and entertaining place.

On the flip side we will not be in the city that much and will be more in the suburbs where things are not so hyped up. We will be spending the month teaching English as well as leading bible studies for women who have been rescued from the sex trade or have AIDS. It is a ministry that tugs at the heart strings and brings to the surface that Kathmandu is as broken a place as any. The making of a place like this leaves every man/woman for themselves and under the veneer of good times and night life are the hidden faces. We look forward to sharing life with these women and their kids for the next month. Pray for our ability to not be fooled, be bold and edify these women in the tenderness of Jesus.

(January 21- January 28)

When the World Race promises to give you an experience with the people, they follow through on their promise. This week (about 10 days), we lived with the people in every aspect.

While most people would see these conditions as awful, it was very refreshing to live a life where there are no distractions except for the people staring you in the face. We were dirty and smelly, but we had a chance to experience what life is like for the small group of Indian people. The villagers around us were mainly rice, peanut, or cotton farmers. This too was quite an experience because "farming" still means that you do everything by hand. Living on the farm in Dalhart is a huge contrast when the John Deere Combines are bigger than the village houses. (I'm not exaggerating.)

Overall, our team had such a bonding time and really had a chance to view people through God's eyes. On more than one occasion, I would stop and be overwhelmed with the thought that our God knows and loves each of these people by name. We had the privilege of praying for each person and leading nightly gospel meetings. (Small side note: During my preaching night, I was telling a story about Jesus and this drunk man began yelling about why we would bring Jesus to this village when they already have their own gods. I was slightly scared but it was a real experience and made me think about what past missionaries have experienced. I doubt it is the last time we experience this.)

India is a beautiful country but in such disarray and hopelessness. The Christians there are truly faithful to God and face continual persecution from the people around them. Their faith and belief is so humbling and make me want to be a better follower of Jesus. Pray for the Christians in India and pray that God continues to call each of His children by name.

India was been a challenge and God is continuing to form our ideas on whom He is and how He loves ALL His children.

                     (Laundry Day- My least favorite thing on the race!)

 

                     (Our shower: The bucket is full of cold water!)

For this blog, I want to make some cross cultural comparisons that have helped me while I have been in India. To me, it seems hard pressed to find a people that do not hold on to some sense of honor and adoration. Most of the Indian adoration seemed very foreign to begin with. For instance, a lot of houses have one of the gods, like Ginesh, on the fences of their house or just enshrined by the gate. I don't know what all the symbolism means, but I think at least to some small degree it provides a public icon to some kind of love and affection the Indians have. In America, I have seen lots of houses that have some kind of sports team banner hanging in front of the house or even high school mascot cutouts with kids' names on them. I may be stretching too far for a comparison, but most of the time, I tend to think people are the same everywhere with just a little different flavorings.

There is more to this thought, however. I am amazed at the ceramic and gold statues that are put up in every town of people who are now gone. You see public officials, religious leaders like Gandhi and Mother Teresa, and people I presume to be national heroes. In Amarillo, we have statues of Rick Husband in other places of soldiers, fireman at ground zero, and of an empty saddle in Dalhart, TX.

While I have been here, I have been reading Gandhi's autobiography. I have never really known that much about him, but it has been fascinating to read about him. What is impressed on me about him is his ethical conscience. While arguing with merchants, the merchant tell him that business is all about making money and religion is for religious days. Basically the merchants say that there is no such a thing as ethical practice in business; the only goal being making money. Gandhi abhorred this thought and spent the rest of his life bringing ethical truth to all aspects of human life. As I said before, Gandhi is an honored hero in India. We also have to argue to get a fair price for a cab every day.

The point of this thought is to point toward the reality that even though we honor and glorify great men and we put their statues and crosses up in our homes we don't often strive to become like these great men. We go about our day and are more pressed to make a buck or just make it through than we are to live in the stream of faith that we esteem. Maybe you have never noticed the symbols in your house and the icons that give you some sense of love and adoration, but take a moment to look at them. Are they just pieces of wood, and metal, and brick? Or does the heart of their meaning guide us to be better every single day?

P.S. Lots of love from India! Word of the month: Wandanalu (means praise God in Telugu).

We will be moving tonight to a smaller town where we will be for the next ten days. The site will be more primitive, but we look forward to spending more time with kids and working closely with the local pastors. Our next contact will hopefully be as soon as we get to Nepal. Thanks for the continued prayers and support. Even the smallest comment and email lifts our spirits and reminds us of the awesome support we have at home. We love you all and we'll update from Nepal!

 

                           

(This is one of the many statues that are all over the area. Justin was really excited about this one!)

We are only finishing the 2^nd week in India but it truly feels like we are a world away. The second week started off great because we were able to meet our ministry contacts and see the place we will be working.

          

                                    

The reason this is so incredible is because of where these children came from. Theresa told us that most of them were abandoned at birth in the hospital, left on church door steps, left at the train stop, etc. So, when the state found them, their thought process was, "Well, the "normal" children aren't being adopted, so there is no need to even show these children." Therefore, they were put in one room to lay and wait for truly nothing. According to Theresa, their condition was unthinkable. For example, 50 children were in one room, all laying on the cold floor, rolling around in their own waste. No conditions for any child, much less children who need special attention.

However, as God does, He found a person who would be willing to act on such bold faith and speak with the Indian government about taking all the children and making a home especially for them. So now, the home is a busy, joyful home of 83 children and about 60 Indian workers to keep up with all the needs. They are truly a joy and so loving even from the first time you meet them. It is still a fairly new ministry and they are desperately in need of helping hands to keep the place going. Also, they are working on the paper work so that children will be able to have international adoptions! I will post more information and more photos as time goes on.

The second half of the week, however, was not as good as visiting the home. On Sunday evening, Justin and I both began to feel a little weird. We decided to go to bed early but our sleep was quickly interrupted by about 8 bathroom trips through the night. It felt like we were tagging each other saying, "Your it!" This (diarrhea) continued for approximately 48 hours. Then, we began to both get horrible, intense stomach pains that made us feel almost nauseous.

 Our fearless leader Kristin Kendall suggested we already pay the doctor a visit. Usually as a world racer, you can expect to visit the doctor at least once on the race, but I think the 2^nd week could be a new record. So, both Justin and I were admitted into the hospital, connected to an IV of antibiotics and saline. Needless to say, we feel MUCH better. The doctor concluded that we ate food that was badly prepared, and therefore, we had some type of stomach/intestinal infection; along the lines of dysentery.

NOT fun but any experience in India is one to write home about. Justin and I couldn't help but laugh and say, "This is the World Race version of a date for the married couples." And honestly, we were very happy that we at least had a bed to sleep in. J

                                     

 (This is the random new born baby that was placed in my arms, at the hospital, by the Indian cleaning woman. She felt compelled to share him with me even though he wasn't hers. India...you are a different place.)

Once we were able to sit and think, we quickly realized that we were totally emotionally wrecked. Leaving home, for some reason was a lot harder than we had anticipated. Once we left the heartfelt goodbyes, we sat on the plane thinking, "What in the world are we doing?"

Justin looked at me and said, "It is hard to imagine that there is something better out there when you have some many people who love you at home." This is so true. And the longer we were here, we kept thinking of all the things that we could have been doing. Justin also said, "We could be at home watching LMN with Kalise." This made my heart sad. (LMN is Lifetime Movie Network and a favorite activity with KaliseJ)

There were some initial reminders that we weren't in America that hit us right from the beginning. Of course, the traffic was insane and Justin might have said his first cuss word as we dodged a road sign. Also, the smell of waste and sewage is an immediate reminder that things are different. For some reason, this time around we aren't as shocked as our fellow team mates. Instead, we kept thinking about home.

It is our catch 22 because we long to be in the company of our family but we are propelled to continue such a journey because we have had nothing but love and support. I just wish I could put them in a little bottle and carry them in my pocket and let them out when I need them. We are selfish beings and I want both to follow where God leads me but keep all my comforts within arm's reach.

We have however seen how thankful we are to be together. We know this has to be one of the best ways to strengthen our marriage and the dependence we have on each other. I can't imagine being here alone. God has created this time and our marriage to benefit each other. For that we are thankful.

I joking wrote in my journal, "Most married couples sign up for a weekend retreat, in an air conditioned building, with Jimmy and Karen Evans with a cute title like, "Rekindling Your Romance." We sign up for a year long trek away from all comforts, away from our loved ones, in hopes that God shows up and changes our hearts." 

 

The reality of The World Race is breathing down our necks. In TEN days, we will be sitting somewhere in India about to embark on one of the craziest, most adventurous things we have ever done. (Maybe only second to marriageJ)

Usually when we begin to tell people about The World Race, their first question is, "How do you pack for a year?!" This too has baffled me at times, but as the launch date comes closer, I have a more pressing question that I am afraid to find the answer for. "How do I say goodbye to my mom, my two sisters, my supportive in-laws, my wonderfully huge Mexican family, and all our beautiful friends for an entire year?"

 

 

My mom and I, in some regards, grew up together. I was born when she was 18 years old and we have always had a relationship like the best of friends. Even after I was a married woman, my mom and I still talked on the phone 1-2 times each day. Usually, it is just enough to hear her voice or ask her the most trivial questions, and I feel like life is better. Also, since we decided to do the race, Justin and I have been living with my parents. So, our attachment has only become greater. She truly is a hero in my eyes and as I get older, I continually realize the sacrifices she made to love me and my sisters, usually as a single mom. However, I worry about leaving her. I worry that she won't have someone to talk to when she is having a bad day. I worry that my sisters won't treat her with love because they realize that she deserves the utmost respect. I worry that she will busy herself to distract from being sad. I worry about her health. I worry...

I once told someone that I feel like the glue that keeps my immediate family together. I realize that this is kind of self centered and I know they can survive without me, but I guess I worry about surviving without them. I want to be in their life and them in mine. Someone also told me that God provides glue in our absence. I pray for this. I pray that our absence deepens our love for each other. I pray that we draw closer to what God is doing in each other's lives. I pray that the awesome group of people who have supported us will rise up to loving my family.

May God be with us all in our absences. And the next time we post a blog, may we be ready to embrace the challenge and change of this idea of The World Race. Oh, and we will be in India. J

Advent from the Monastery

            This last week we were able to spend three days at Christ in the Desert Monastery, which is north of Santa Fe, NM. The experience was incredible and getting to explore the lives and rhythms of the Benedictine brothers was transformative as well as life bringing. We were a part of a retreat group focused on Advent and so I'll offer a few reflections:

Christ of the Night- Advent is intentionally celebrated around the winter solstice for those in the northern hemisphere. The solstice symbolizes a time of the year when all is barren and night is at its longest. In the time of darkness comes the salvation of the world. Light is breaking through the darkness in the form of a new born king.

The Wilderness Awaits- The liturgical tradition devotes two of the four weeks of advent to John the Baptist. He is our guide. Most would like to put him at the distance of a crazy wild eyed uncle, but he is at the forefront preparing the way and calling us deeper. The early mystics of the church knew John well, and they went head first into the desert being naked and hungry. In this they reflect the new born in their desire to be renewed and pure feeding on nothing but God.

A Mother for the Ages- The Abbot at the monastery said it well when he told us that Mary is not removed from creation but through her createdness brings all of us to God as servants willing. Probably none of us will be asked to carry God's child, but one woman did. She did so with the same fears and worries that all of us carry around. She also did so with the same ability to say "Yes", to be humble, and to love as we are granted. With Mary as a semblance of our faith we are continually led to be a servant of God and respond with a humble and loving "let it be with me."

We hope that advent finds you longing for God, seeking renewal , and responding with a dedicated "Yes" to the king who has come!

O come, O come Emmanuel...

          

            As training camp kicked off, Justin and I both realized that we had spent a lot of time preparing for The World Race in a much different way then what was coming at us. A trip of this magnitude requires constant work from the moment you are accepted. As a slightly obsessive detail person, I began immediately checking tasks off the list, and with much success. However, as we sat in worship with two hundred other peers, we realized that we hadn't taken a second to look inside ourselves and figure out what it was that was calling us towards such a journey as The World Race.

Let me clarify. Justin and I both pride ourselves on being the oldest child, who by nature is the over-achiever. Also, we both would describe ourselves as rational, logical people. In fact, when we argue or have marital disagreements, we hardly ever resort to immediate anger or lashing out. On the opposite end, we both formulate the best plan of attack that will "obviously" show that our side of the story is correct and we both work very hard at articulating the point until the other gives in. Ahh, it is truly exhausting, but it is how we work. We are both thinkers...over thinkers. So, when we translate this into our relationship with God, we both rely on a God "that makes sense."

We are both graduates of a private Christian university, and of course, God is easily explained through textbooks, textual criticisms, theological debates, and the best scholars $20,000 a year can buy. At least this is our skewed perception of God. So as you can imagine, training camp immediately rubbed us wrong. We started hearing about how God works in miraculous ways and it didn't "make sense." For example, we heard countless stories of racers "casting out demons" in the name of Jesus. Immediately, we rely on what we think to be true and can only explain demonic forces as an untreated mental illness. "Of course someone in the bush of Africa acts like they are demon possessed because they have a chemical imbalance in their head and they have not ever had the chance to visit a doctor so they can give them pills to fix themselves." This was our train of thought, repeatedly. Training camp had a way of continually asking you to let go of what you think you know and rely on God to shape what is truth. So, reluctantly so, we began to let our guard down and trust God, in the sincere hope that He could meet us where we were and show up in a big way. God, please save us from the fiery furnace that is our logical brains and self-contrived truth.

So back to the question of, "Why pick a journey like The World Race? My answer might come as a desperate plea to God, but I have to believe, with all my heart, that the God I have experienced in the 23 years of my life, and in the small Texas town I am from, and the small group of "Christian" friends I always had, is bigger than I can see right now. I have to believe that what I've experienced as religion is a mere shadow of what the God of the universe is capable of. If I don't open myself up to the possibilities of being blown away by God, then what is the point of being a different Christian than the millions who sit around looking out only for themselves? I refuse to believe that because I was born in America, speak English, and have been taught about Jesus since childhood, that I am just somehow luckier than all the other people who have to wait around and hope that someone comes to "save" them.