http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org Jackie Zuiderhof - The World Race 2007 en-us Thu, 28 Aug 2008 21:06:50 GMT 30 http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=a-rash-decision http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=a-rash-decision  I want to start this blog by saying that rash decisions are not something that I make. I have made a few like buying a keyboard piano and a camera, but usually I think things through. I weigh the cost, figure out if it is truly worthwhile, and take a couple of wee ks to decide. It took me three months to decide to get my tatoo. It took me at least 2 months to even apply for the World Race. My team and I decided that we would go to an island for an extravaganza event before our final debrief. It would be a time for rest and relaxation. So when we arrived on our island, Utila, that is all I was thinking about. I had no idea what was in store for me in the two days I would live on the island. We took a ferry ride to the island and someone told us of a great hotel to stay at. It was actually a hotel/diving school. Right away people asked if we wanted to get certified to dive. In my head, I was thinking, no way would I ever want to do that. It is a waste of money. We went out to eat Fri, 18 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=my-amigo http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=my-amigo   When we left Panama, I had no idea what we were going to do in Guatemala.  I just knew it had something to do with a hospital for disabled children. The one place that I am not comfortable with is working with children, let alone disabled children.  I welcomed the ministry because I thought there would be other options. When we arrived in Guatemala, we were taken to a house to stay for a few nights.  We were then taken to Antigua where our ministry was going to take place to see the ministry and find a hostel to stay at.  The first place we visited was the hospital. I knew right away that this would be my most challenging ministry location.  I get uncomfortable around disabled people in general and even more around children.  I started to pray right away for God to take away my fears and change my heart for the children.  Little did I know that this would be one of my better moments on the race. My group (Lindsey, Colleen, Sarah, Krystle Mon, 23 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=laudry-day http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=laudry-day  I had one of the experience of is this really happening to me.  It happened on the last day we were in Arriajan.  Every time my team leaves a place, we are faced with the dilema to try and find a laundry mat.  I personally do not like to travel with smelly clothes and so I make sure that this happens. I had decided that the day to clean clothes would be on Monday.  I told the team and asked them to have their clothes ready to go to the laundry mat in the morning.  Lindsey was going to go with me, but had to babysit Mateo at the last minute. Mateos brother was sick and had to go to the doctor. The parents did not want to take young Mateo with them. I told her that I would head to the laundry mat and she could join me when Mateo had left.   I headed out for the laundry mat at 9:00am. The laundrey mat was only a 10 minute walk away and I knew I could handle walking that far with laundry for 6 people.  I had Colleens large laundry bag wi Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=a-passion-for-teaching http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=a-passion-for-teaching   For those that have been reading my blogs and do not know, I was a high school math teacher for two years. I was the example of a burnt out teacher when I left my school district last year. I just did not know that is what you called it at the time. Most people that go into teaching at the present moment only last a maximum of 5 years. It is a statistic that is true, but there are exceptions. The exceptions turn out to be the best teachers. The one thing I love about this year is that I have been able to be in many different schools. I have visited an elementary in Thailand, a preschool in Cambodia, an elementary in the Philippines, a preschool in Africa, and a high school here in Panama. When I signed up for the world race, I did not think I would visit schools at all. The one thing that I was burned out in God provided opportunites in most countries to do. It has helped me to have healing in my heart for the things that were hard during the time I taught. When my team c Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=welcomes http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=welcomes   Panama is one of my favorite countries. It is a favorite in a different way from Botswana and China, where I witnessed God in a way I had never seen Him before. I love Panama for the people and the cluture. I love to go into a room and get greated by a hug and a kiss. It makes you feel so welcome. When I came to Panama for set up, I left discouraged. It was a tough week because I did not feel welcome in the place we were staying. God worked through me in that week by giving me peace that I needed to finish strong. God showed me things that made me understand that God will show me things in His own time and not mine. God changed my opinion of Panama this time. The time we stayed in a house and were truly welcomed. The family loved being around us and talking to us. I felt like I had lived there my whole life even though it was only a few days. I am going to leave wishing I had more time to just spend with our family. I am now reaching a point of new struggling. I only have a Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=a-financial-responsibility http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=a-financial-responsibility Every team has one of us. We are Becky, Pam, Krystle, and myself. AIM calls us the finance people. We take care of our team's finances. Even though we are called the finance people by AIM, our teams call us other things. I have been referred to as "sugar mama" a few too many times. I get to hear, ' Mom, can I have some money?' every once in a while. My teammates feel like they get an allowance from their mom each time I distribute money to them and they tell me "thanks, mom, for the money". They have told me that I need to live near them after the race so that I can do their finances the rest of their lives. I have a purse that my team calls the team cash purse. I keep a calculator for the times that I am told it is this much a person. I even have a notebook to keep track of places that I cannot get a receipt. The team cash purse had been a great addition to my purchases and it keeps the money safe. AIM, our covering organization, has told our team that we cannot have any relation Sun, 25 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=gods-timing-is-amazing http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=gods-timing-is-amazing  My time in Panama can only be called discouraging.  At least this is how I have felt most of the time here.  Its is not as easy as I thought it would be to set up ministry contacts.  I don't know why it has been difficult, but I know that each of us here, Aaron, Christie, Krystle, and myself have learned from this experience.  When we first arrived in Panama, we were taken to the YWAM base.  The base is approximetly a 30 minute drive outside of Panama city.  It is difficult to get into town and it takes a long time to make it to any place.  We decided to stay at the YWAM base because it is a great organization that has lots of contacts. We knew that YWAM would be helpful in the set up process.   The thing that happened is we had a difficult time at first explaining what our pupose was.  We told them that we were in a larger group of 26 and were coming in a few weeks.  We were trying to set up ministry opportunities and Sat, 17 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=a-missing-piece1 http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=a-missing-piece1 I am now in Panama City with Aaron, Krystle, and Christie.  I arrived Saturday morning very early on an overnight bus from Costa Rica.  My squad is different from any previous squad.  We have been out for 8 months without being separated from our individual teams.  This means that other than debrief times, I have done everything with my team.  This is my first extended time without Colleen, Kyle, Sarah, Lindsey, and Danny.  I feel like a part of me is missing.  It is like reality is hitting early and I am glad that I get to be around some of my squad members while adjusting.  I would like to point out that when I left to come to Panama, I did not think I would miss my team.  I miss them so much.  I am amazed at how the 6 of us work so well together in ministry settings.  I miss the fact that when I do something, people understand me.  My teammates know about my afterthoughts, my sleeping habits, my eating habits, the things th Sun, 11 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=hidden-pain http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=hidden-pain  Lord I trust you fully. Fully: I wonder what that means. Do I trust you completely all the time? Lately, I have been in pain both physically and emotionally. I will explain the physical side of things first. When I was in college, I lacked sleep all the time. I suffered from migraines on a daily/ weekly basis. I got used to having them and could live a normal life with the pain. This year has been great. I have not gotten that many until now. For whatever reason I have been plagued with them lately. Part of the reason may be the fact that I live in a room with 15 other girls. By the end of the day I am in pain from the migraine. I would go to bed in pain and wake up with a headache, which would turn to a migraine by 5:00 in the afternoon. I finally got rid of the migraine two days ago with the help of prayer first then medicine. The emotional pain is just living with 25 other people brings things up. Everyone has hidden pain and hurts they don't want others to see. I know I ha Tue, 6 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=alajuelita http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=alajuelita All I can say right now is God is good or maybe I should should shout GOD IS GOOD.  I am now in Costa Rica.  My hear is starting to be broken for the people.  The last week has been uneventful, except for one event.  The month or I should say three weeks of Costa Rica are going to be spent in San Jose.  The squad has decided to not break off.  This means I will spend my time here ministering alongside 25 other people instead of my five other teamates.  It is great to be around the squad and to minister with others.  The other morning, Wednesday, I was standing staring at a map of Costa Rica.  I felt God calling me to go and pray in a poorer area of San Jose. (I will stop to tell you that we are staying in San Fransisco, the richest area of San JOse).  As I was looking at the map, Caitlin came by me.  I asked the daily question of "What are you doing today?'  She said that she wanted to go to a slum area in Alajuelita.&nbsp Fri, 2 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=the-power-of-prayer http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=the-power-of-prayer My time in Africa is done. I remember when I arrived on January 23rd and it seems like just yesterday.  My heart is sad to leave.  I am sitting in an airport in Switzerland sad.  I am glad that I got to go to four countries(South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique, and Botswana). I am sad that we had to leave.  I just know that it was my time and season in life to be in Africa.  I pray that God will allow me to go back one day. God changes people.  I believe that this race is not about the countries.  I could change in any place I live.  Because of the intense situation I am in, I am changing faster.  I don't know why God changed me in Africa.  I just know He did. I think back to the day I know the change started. It was my birthday and Krystal prayed for me.  I should say God spoke through Krystal to me.  The prayer Krystal prayed changed me.  I do not even remember what she prayed.  I did not know that Krystal's praye Mon, 21 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=friday-night http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=friday-night As I sit in church on a Friday night, I wonder what I would be doing at home. Would I be at a game, watching TV or hanging out with my friends?  Instead I am in the capital city of Botswana praising God with some wonderful Christians.  This week has characterized a life I have not seen yet on the race.  My team arrived in Botswana thinking we would be in the 'bush'. Much too all of our amazement, we live in our own private mansion.  At least that is what I will call it. Joyce, our host mom, told us it was too dusty to sleep in the first night because it is under construction. If only she knew how we have lived for the last month and a half. It has been a nice change to live in a room with a bathroom instead of in my tent. I have felt God calling my team to Botswana or Namibia since the day we arrived in Swaziland from Mozambique.  I did not know why.  I just knew that we needed to go to one of the countries.  When our original contacts fell throug Sat, 5 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=obedience http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=obedience I have been debating typing this blog. I grew up in a conservative church which has made me debate writing this blog. When I was a few months old, I was baptized into my church. The reason for infant baptism in my church is a commitment on the parents to raise their child on the values and beliefs of God. I will say that my parents did an excellent job of this. I know this to be true or else I wouldn't be on this race. I have been reading in Acts lately. I started when we arrived in Mozambique and have been going through it ever since. When I arrived in Acts 2:38, which Peter tells the new believers to repent and be baptized, I felt God calling me to do be rebaptized. I went through a debate in my head. I had been baptized as an infant and so I wouldn't need to be baptized again. I asked several teamates what their opinion on baptism was. I got many answers and kept thinking about it. I kept praying about it and asking God what he wanted me to do. I was fasting at the time. My fas Sat, 29 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=nsoko http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=nsoko The last two weeks have been amazing.  My team decided to go to a place called Nsoko. We knew that we wanted to do ministry in that area, so we went. The time started by visiting some care points.   A care point is a place set up to educate the children of a certain area and feed the children.   It helps out the families and guarantees at least one meal a day for the children.  We visited 5 care points our first day in order to decide where we were going to stay.  I really liked the last care point and so did Sarah.  Our team had previously decided to live at homesteads while in this area.  We split into pairs.  Sarah and I ended up going to MButu(not sure of spelling).  The day we arrived, we felt very welcome.  The family came over and helped us set up our tents.  It is a little harder to set up my tent with 4 people helping.  We got a nice meal and some tea that evening.  Everyday Sarah and I would walk Mon, 24 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=solar-naught2 http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=solar-naught2 As I sat in my tent, feeling bad for myself, I knew I had messed up.  My teammates and I had decided to go snorkeling for the day.  I was the most burned that I have ever been in my life and my stomach was not feeling well since I was dehydrated.   I only had a coke and 3 glasses of lemonade all day.  I had not eaten anything because I am fasting during the day.  I was in rough shape and feeling pity for myself. I started to think back to the beginning of the day.  I was given a warning. I was told by Jaco and Maria to make sure I kept sun screen and drank plenty of water.  It is so easy to get a warning and to not follow it.  Part of my reasoning was that I wanted to get rid of my farmer's tan.  Well, I know now to not use that as an excuse ever again in my life.  The other fault was Solar Naught. Solar Naught is a sun screen that my teammates had bought.  We bought it when we got to Vilanculos since we did not have any.&nb Sun, 2 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=orphanage http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=orphanage Imagine living without water, electricity, or any modern convenience; walking for a quarter of a mile for water two, three or more times a day; or getting to eat the same meals day in and day out. You don't even have a sanitary kitchen to cook in. The last two days, my team took a trip to an orphanage run by our hosts, Jaco and Maria.  We brought our tents and went without knowing anything about what we were going to do. We had bought food to make the children spaghetti or the closest ingredients to it. It was a great experience and it was great to be around the children.  The thing that amazes me the most is the children.  I kept wondering who they were or where they came from.  I don't speak any Portuguese or the native language so all I could do was smile at them and play with them.  I even had some brush through my hair. I wish I could have just communicated with the children more.  During our time there, we got to cook a meal, play with the childr Sat, 16 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=reflections http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=reflections Before I came on the World Race, I was asked what is it?'  I had no idea on how to answer that question.  I am not sure I can fully answer it even at this point, but I can try.  The first thing I want to say, the World Race has more down time and you have to have more flexibility than most times in life.  I think of the day we left our place in China for Beijing.  We left on January 15th to take a 30 hour train ride.  All of my teammates were in the same cabin.  We got to have some incredible time just to bond and relax. Upon our arrival in Beijing, my team left for the Great Wall.  My team was split up since we were the last to arrive. We had a few minutes to choose who was going to different parts.  We had to choose 4 go to the lost wall and 2 to go to the tourist part of the wall.  I ended up going to the lost part.  We found out that day that our train to Hong Kong would not leave on the day we had planned. The train was all Wed, 13 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=following-god http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=following-god I have been in Africa for a week. I have been travelling for around five months.  I can honestly say God has transformed me.  I am afraid to go home in five months because of seeing my family.  I wonder if they will truly understand me and I wonder how I will relate to them. This blog is personal to me, but I feel like I need to share it.  I am writing about God's transforming power in my life.  I grew up in a very reformed church.  I never heard about people speaking in tongues, prophesying, praying for healing, or any of the spiritual side.  The World Race is about all of these.  I am learning so much about the spiritual realm and listening to what God is telling me.  I hope I can explain it. The day we left the Philippines, I had no idea what God would do to me in China.  I was nave and struggling with a personal issue.  I know that I was even mean to some of my squad members because I did not understand God's voice.  I w Sat, 2 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=a-trip-to-chinga http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=a-trip-to-chinga The following is a blog I wrote on January 7. Upon going to bed on January 2nd, I thought I had a full day of rest the next day. I really did not want to do anything all day.  I found out that I was wrong when molly came in before I fell asleep to tell me that we were leaving tomorrow night.  I thought okay find by me.  I will just spend the day differently'.  The thing about the World Race is that things change daily(sometimes hourly).  I woke up the next morning at 9:00am.  I ate breakfast and was slowly getting moving.  I was told at 10:00 that we had a team meeting.  I hadn't even gotten dressed.  I went to the courtyard of WYAM to find out that my team was leaving at noon now.  All I thought about was I have 2 hours to do all the things I had wanted to do.  We had a quick orientation on China and how to get to our location. Part of the instructions for us was to pray for an angel.  It was 11:30 when we finished and as Tue, 22 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=so-rise-and-shine http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=so-rise-and-shine I wrote this blog on January 13th. When I leave the places where I am staying to do ministry, I have no clue on what will happen.  Last night was one of those nights.  I was dealing with stomach pains from food I ate.  I believe I was suffering from gluttony at the time because we ate American food and I could not help but overeat.  I truly did not want to go on the outreach because I had been in bed all day with my stomach ache, but I felt that I should go.  All I knew before leaving was that I was going to a church. When I got downstairs to go eat, I thought to myself I will see how my stomach is after dinner'.  The thing that happened was Danny got a call telling us that we were leaving right away to go.  Colleen and Sarah stayed behind to go to an English corner while Danny, Kyle, Lindsey and I headed out to meet our contact of the time.  Upon meeting her, we found out that we were going to go to a Three Self Church here in China.  She Tue, 22 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=philippines-overview http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=philippines-overview Lately I have been thinking about what I will say when I get back.  The main reason I have been thinking this is that during debrief, we are asked what was the highlight of your month.  I wonder, when someone asks me what the best part of my whole trip was, what will I say?   I decided to write my highlights of the month. The best part of the month for me was traveling to see my sister-in-law's family.  The day could not have turned out better.  I want to take time to thank Sarah and Lindsey for taking part of the trip with me.  I will be the only one of my family members that will be able to meet Rhose's family. My parents were going to meet Rhose's parents at Christmas time, but it did not work out.   I am so thankful that God allowed this to happen and I still smile thinking of the day. The days we went to the basketball games were so much fun.  I will never forget sitting in the bleachers while two bands and a DJ were competing to Tue, 1 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=debrief-and-christmas http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=debrief-and-christmas At the end of a month, we have a time called debrief.  My original thoughts about what a debrief was going to be like is not even close to what happens.  I have learned that you better get plenty of rest heading into the debrief time.  If you do not get some sleep or rest, you will be exhausted by the second day.  Debrief is full of meetings and time to just figure out what happened in the month; a time to digest and to think through everything that has happened. Ending the ministry in Manila has been strange.  The September teams arrived to rest and relax in Manila.  Usually we go to a place that no one has ministry in, but the teams came to where I had lived all month.  My team still had a few things left in ministry.  My team had to go to a Christmas party at the school and be the parent' figure to the children's home kids.  We were to go swimming with the children and have a sleepover.  My team also still wanted to hang out with th Mon, 31 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=corrigador http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=corrigador The last two days have made me realize, I am not the only family member to have visited Asia.  My grandpa, who I admire with my life served in Asia during World War II.  My brother served in Japan for three years and now has a house in the Philippines.  My team was able to visit the island of Corrigador.  Corrigador is one of the last stands for the Americans had to keep the Philippines.  It was a major battle between Japan and America. I mentioned that I admire my grandpa.  I love him so very much.   I even have a picture of him and I feeding birds at South Padre island in my Bible.  It is the only picture I keep on me at all times.  When I am at home, I always make it a point to go and see him.  I have been able to do a lot of things to bond with my grandpa.  My grandpa is the head of the American Legion in his hometown.  Two years ago, he had to add crosses to the cemetery that represent the people that have served Sun, 16 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=family1 http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=family1 The day that I heard that my team was visiting the Philippines in September was exciting to me.  I knew that no matter what I would try to visit my sister-in-law's family in Manila and my brother's house.  It was a dream of mine.  I never thought that I would know someone in a country I would visit and this was my chance.  The only thing is, I had no idea of how this would happen.  That is until I found out that my ministry was in Manila.  I then anticipated the day to meet Rhose's family. This morning, I woke up excited.  I had been planning to visit my family (or more my sister-in-law's) for a week.  I was told that they lived in Quezon City and we would meet at a place called the Mega Mall.  I was hoping that everything would turn out.   The reason for the meeting place was that it was across the street from church that we sometimes go to here in Manila.  It took a lot of text messages to set up the meeting.  I got Sun, 9 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=a-day-at-school http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=a-day-at-school My time in the Philippines is never spent in a typical way. The only thing that does not change is the fact that I go to the CCC(Cuatro Community Center) to help Teacher Mariam.  I get to spend 2 hours at the CCC from 8:30 to 10:30 every day.  The day starts by going to the children's home.  Colleen and I head up there at 8:00 to get the children ready for school.  The job has been easy, until recently.  On Saturday everyone at the children's home got new shoes.  Before this point, anything the children wore to school was fine.  Now we need to make sure that they have their new shoes and socks on before they can leave the gated area.  This has been a problem.  The new shoes are great, but no one wants to get socks to put on and the boys really liked wearing sandals to school.  It has been a struggle to get going on time this week. Once the shoes are on with some help on the tying part, we head out the gate for our 3 minute walk to sc Fri, 7 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=living-for-god http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=living-for-god "Teach me to do your will, For you are my God; may your good Spirit, lead me on level ground" Psalm 143:10   I came upon this verse the other day.  I was praying for clarification in something that I was struggling with.  I believe that I am always to do what this verse says.  The last two years of my life, I have lived out this verse.  Every time that I came up with a plan, God would squash it.  The reason I am on the World Race is because it is one of my lessons of truly learning God's will in my life.    I am posed a question in each country that we go to.  How would you like to come back when you are finished with your year?  I would love to say yes, but I am not sure where God wants me at right now.  I was posed the question today.  I was asked if I would like to teach high school math here in the Philippines next year.  The reason I was asked is because I have been persistent on helping out the school by tu Wed, 28 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=my-american-philippines http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=my-american-philippines My living environment for me in the Philippines is almost surreal.  It almost does not seem like I am on a trip for a whole year.  It is great having American toilets, wireless internet, three meals a day delivered to me, and a bed with sheets.  At times I almost forget where I am at.  Since the ministry is ran by Americans who want us to feel like we are at home, I even have American activities that have been done by my team.  The one activity that I have done in the last week is going to a basketball game that I was chauffeured to.  My team never drives anywhere and has not had to take a public transportation yet.  We got to drive a total of an hour to get to the game.  Our host Jeff Long has a child that goes to college here in the city.  Jeff's child was playing in the game and we were invited.  It was strange to sit in a bleacher cheering on a team.  The basketball game was not quite the same as an American game.  It wa Fri, 23 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=an-afterthough http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=an-afterthough The past few months have been difficult. You think you are just getting used to things and then something happens. You see a naked child, a person peeing at the side of the road, or the insane lack of road rules. The one thing that does not change is the fact that I miss something from home at least two or three times a week. This blog is about something that I have been struggling with. When debating going on the race in April, I wanted to sign up for January 2008. The reason being my sister was 8 months pregnant when I left in September. I knew that I would miss the time of her having the child on October 9th. I was even told the name of the child was going to be Grace Harmony. When arriving in Thailand, I was counting the days until Maria would have Grace. All of a sudden in Thailand, I was e-mailed that Maria would be induced a week early. I was never told why and then I was without internet for a whole week. I waited very patiently just to see a picture of my new niece. It was Wed, 21 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=childrens-home http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=childrens-home I love how God stretches and grows us almost daily.  I have been through this most days of the trip and being awkward is a daily part of my life.  It seems like daily, I am laughed at or I have no clue what is going on.   The language barrier and the fact that I look completely American does not help my case.  Today was a stretching day for me.  This afternoon, I truly wanted a nap.  I will not lie.  I was lying down thinking, I do not want to go and do our activity.  I complained a little to other people, but went reluctantly.  The activity was going to a children's home, just 100 meters down the road, to play with the children outside.  When I got there, I felt out of place.  Feeling out of place around a bunch of children is not new to me.  I am fine playing with them, but I would rather not.  I just sat there for a long time, just watching.  Every few minutes I would get up and walk around.  This is a Sun, 18 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=grace-and-truth http://jackiezuiderhof.theworldrace.org/?filename=grace-and-truth As I wake up in the morning at the YWAM base in Thailand, I see a tree.  When I first saw the tree, I never thought anything about it.  Then I thought I knew it from somewhere, but could not figure it out.  I figured out where I knew the tree from. The tree reminds me of the movie What Dreams May Come.  The tree reminds me of a scene when the character of Robin Williams has just died.  He is in heaven' and he sees a tree across the field.  The tree, like my tree outside the window, reminds him of a part of his life.  He talks about wanting to visit the tree with his friend that is with him.  Robin Williams asks how he can get there and his friend says that there is a specific way to get there.  You just have to want it enough and imagine it.  Robin Williams takes off right away and ends up falling off a cliff.   He did not do very well on his first try.  His friend explains again that he needs to want it enough to get Sun, 11 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT