Hello everyone,

I hope you all are doing well. Here is an update on my World Race journey. I have deferred to launching in January due to Covid-19. I had to choose a new route. On January 7th, I will hopefully leave to start my journey in South Africa and end it in Indonesia. 

The countries i will be in are: South Africa, eswatini, Zambia, Ethiopia, Nepal, South Asia, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

Why did I change from an expedition route to South Africa to Indonesia? 

When I had to chose between the expedition or classic route, I saw that the classic was going to spend five months in Africa my heart leapt. I truly love Africa and the people and the culture. I feel very called to Africa but also to the World Race. Less than a month ago I was in Tanzania, Africa and felt at home in my heart. It broke my heart that I would not be able to be in Africa for over a year. That trip reassured me that Africa is where God wants me. When I saw that I could be in Africa and other parts of the 10/40 window I knew it was for me. I am not saying it was an easy decision, but I felt so much peace when I committed to launch in January on the classic route. 

A little bit of what I do when in Tanzania is work with a ministry called The Living Water Local and Global Ministries. 

The Living Water works alongside Operation Mobilization on the ground in Tanzania. Therefore, we work alongside the missionaries on the field to reach the unreached. We go to very remote, spiritually dark villages and minister to the community - especially the witch doctors. In two different villages, we have put in wells so that there is free, clean water that is accessible to everyone. We use this to build relationships with the Muslim communities; thus, giving us an opertuiniy to talk about “The Living Water, our Father in heaven”. This is just a few things that the Living Water does in Tanzania. They also work in Lebanon, the Amazon, Indonesia, and Jordan. 

I am excited to see where God takes me and what He shows me over the next year.  

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
Proverbs 3:5-6

Thank you for all the prayers,

Lydia Strickland