"Welcome Home". These were the first two words uttered to me by the immigration officer at the Nairobi Airport. "Welcome Home."
A quick flip through my passport showed him I had been in and out of Kenya twice before, so he was simply making conversation with the nice Mzungu (white girl). But there was such a deep resonating in my spirit that I could only smile and try not to cry.
My three months in East Africa were life-changing for me last year. You can read about my African Love Affair and see how much I LOVE Kenya and Uganda. It really was like I was coming home. It is hard for me to even try and sit down and explain why I love it. There really aren't words to describe the smell: BO mixed with burning trash, or the sounds: chickens, honking horns, singing, or the sights: a slow-moving busyness that doesn't really make sense to us, giant buses crammed way over capacity. It is just Africa. And it felt like coming home.
My week there was a quick whirlwind. We did 5 days and nights of teaching, one FULL day at church and hopped right back on the plane. In a blink it is over and I am freezing again in my bed in Michigan; greeted again with more 'welcome homes'.
Always a great conversation starter; or a conversation ender. Never can tell what kind of response I might get.
Here is the deal: I really do believe it. I believe Matthew 10:9 when Jesus says: "raise the dead". I believe it when Jesus says that if we have faith in Him we will do even greater things. (John 14:12) I just believe it.
I haven't seen it happen yet. I practiced once, but the lady was old and we are pretty sure that she was resting with Jesus and he wanted her to just hang out with him. But we still gave it a whirl.
I still wrestle with the "why should we want them to come back to this earth? Aren't they better off in heaven?" argument. I really am not sure how I feel about a lot of things these days. But I just know in my knower that one day Jesus will raise the dead through me. I just know.
"So, I am going to raise the dead"
I have started a few conversations this way lately. I kind of use it as a litmus test of sorts. I can almost immediately tell how the rest of the conversation is going to go. You know all those fancy psychology tests that are floating around? The theories discussed in books like the Outliers and Blink? yep. This is like my own personal litmus test.
I have had 2 semi-blind dates lately and both times I have tossed the ole' "so I am going to raise the dead" out there. And yeah...both times I have not gotten called back! ha! A smarter person may stop using the line, but not me! It actually kind of keeps me going. I know I want to date someone that may go on crazy, dead-raising escapades with me, so might as well toss it out there.
I was teaching recently at the World Race launch in New Zealand. 110 brand new racers. May have been a little early to toss around the "dead-raising" plans, but at least they know who they are working with, right? There were a few stunned faces in the crowd. And there were quite a few that were right there with me.
Friends and family have pretty much given up trying to figure out my wild ideas. So they just kind of nod and smile.
But Jesus, my Jesus, He is sitting up there cheering me on and screaming "get on with it!!!!" And His opinion is really the only one that counts.
Posted in ...WR... by Allison Johnston on 1/21/2010
Last year i stood on the side of a mountain near Mianyang, China and wept at the devastation of a earthquake. I held the hand of a woman who had lost everything; sons, daughters, home, job, etc...in that earthquake and cried with her. It didn't make sense then and I am not sure it makes sense now. I will never forget her looking up at me with tears in her eyes and asking me "Why?" I didn't have an answer. I am not sure anyone could stand there overlooking an entire city that was destroyed, countless lives lost and come up with a coherent answer. Instead I cried with her. I prayed with her. I hugged her.
As reports of the loss in Haiti just keep coming my heart feels that same familiar tug. I have cried for the people of Haiti and all that they are living through. It truly is a nightmare. I have had numerous conversations this week with family, friends, and people in my community. Somehow the conversation always leads to "why?" and there still is not an answer.
I personally am horrified at some of the seemingly pat answers that many Christians are giving. "Jesus will come back and make this right", "Haiti asked for this", "God is punishing them" have all been heard/seen on recent news or in articles and that may just break my heart even more. I don't believe we can just give nice Sunday school answers and nod our heads while we sit in our warm houses with cabinets full of food.
I KNOW my God to be GOOD. He is a GOOD GOD and a faithful God. I can't even imagine how His heart is breaking for the people of Haiti. But I also know He has asked ME and YOU to be His hands and feet on earth. He has asked us to partner with him and dig into His people.
We have been working all week to develop feasible options to serve Haiti.AIM is launching a huge effort to make a
long-term difference. Creating opportunities for short-term teams will
take a lot of details and information that you can't get unless you are
there. Somebody has to go in first.
I've been working with many people to organize a team of World Race
Alumni to go into the country, and they are leaving this Thursday.
They are going to pray. They are going to minister to those they meet. They are going to tell their stories.
And this is only the beginning.
Will you help us? Will you help send this team of Alumni out to help pave the way?
We have asked each Alumni who is participating to buy their own
plane tickets to the Dominican Republic. They are getting friends,
family, and supporters to help them with that. In order to cover ground
costs and ministry needs (any opportunities to meet immediate needs
like food, water, and blankets) we have set up a special project to
accept donations. Please pray and give! We need your help to pave the
way. Please give to this project to help this team of Alumni!
Once
you're on this page, change the program on the drop-down menu to a
"World Race Project." A new box will appear, for a description of the
project. Please have supporters put WR HAITI as the name of the
Project.
We're asking that all Alumni help us raise money for this
Project. Reach out to your personal networks of family and friends. If
you've watched the news, read the blogs, and wondered what you can
do... please do this. We absolutely need you to make this
happen. Please give abundantly and sacrificially.
In addition to financial support, this team will need a special
covering of prayer. Pray for safety. Pray for open doors and clear
communication. Haiti has always been a spiritual battleground as
well. There is a war in the heavens for this nation and they are sure to
experience it firsthand in the coming week.
Posted in ...WR... by Allison Johnston on 12/29/2009
There once was a girl having a very grumpy day. It seemed her phone rang off the hook day and night, she had bazillions of emails, and she got to make a lot of hard decisions. She LOVED every minute of it, but sometimes she was overwhelmed. And in the dark quiet hours of the night a little doubt snuck in about what she was doing and why. Those pesky little voices saying nasty things like "why don't you get a real job?" and "you know this really isn't making a difference"...you know the ones. Those nasty doubts that we all battle in some form or another.
One afternoon she arrived back home and to her surprise she had a giant envelope. Filled with notes of love and encouragement!! Not only notes of encouragement, but notes of TRUTH and FREEDOM. Notes of changed lives. Notes of making a difference.
There was a funny story attached about dark, cold nights in Israel and crappy handwriting because of hand cramps. But there was LOVE in that envelope. It literally seeped into the rest of the day and week. It invaded and BLASTED out every doubt, every dark thought. It brought tears of joy in place of tears of frustration. It brought a sense of peace into chaos. LOVE changed everything.
The END.
You guys absolutely made my day, my week, my year!!! I can not begin to express what simple notes of encouragement did for me. Thank you for speaking truth, loving well and making my day. I have never been so sure of what God is doing in you and through you. Thank you for being a squad that honors so well.
I just heard a sermon on how a miracle culture can not exist without a culture of honor. You guys are living it. You are a culture of honor and I so believe in you. I BELIEVE you will raise the dead! I BELIEVE blind eyes will see. I BELIEVE freedom will come to everyone around you. Get out there and do the stuff. I am prophesying some BIG stuff into your time in Africa. I can't wait to see you and hear testimony of what God has done through you.
Colossians 1:3-14 is what I am praying for you guys right now. Love you!!
Posted in ...videos... by Allison Johnston on 12/21/2009
If you have read blogs for any length of time you know that the World Race kind of has a culture of it's own. Language, clothing, food, etc...all is really kind of strange to the typical American. We use funny words "kingdom" "press in" and "intercession". We definitely don't dress like normal people; earrings make a whole NEW outfit, and one pair of pants is plenty for 11 months! And food, well, let's just say that peanut butter is a delicacy and REAL coffee is to die for!
All that being said, Christmas on the WR is anything but normal. 2 years ago I was on a beach in the Philippines. Pretty sure we ate cat for Christmas dinner and I beat Brady in a Korean-chicken fight for a chocolate bar! Desperate times call for desperate measures.
Last year I returned to Kenya for our squad Christmas celebration on New Year's Eve. We had a "snowball fight", a sing-a-long,and of course...Santa!
This year I am celebrating at home and enjoying every Peppermint Mocha, snow-covered car, and delicious cookie I can find!
World Race culture is nothing if not famous for making ridiculous videos in all our "spare time". Thought these might entertain you this year. Merry Christmas!!
Your biggest questions answered. All the details that are confusing. The BEST part of the story.
Last week I was able to share a little peek into my heart and what has been happening and what God has been doing. It has been glorious and difficult all at the same time.
The details of my actual daily activities are similar: difficult and glorious! Here are some frequently asked questions and some answers!
WHERE do you live? I am currently living in Port Huron, Michigan at the World Race house. The WR has a house in PoHo (as we affectionately call it) that serves as both office and living staff for many of our staff. Beginning in January we will have about 12 staff living and working in the house. I share a bedroom with the awesome Kelly Chadwick (www.kellychadwick.theworldrace.org). It has been really good for me to move back into a community environment and begin to live out so many of the lessons I learned on the WR.
WHAT are you doing? Since returning to the US in March I have been on WR staff serving the Field Support and Leadership Development areas of the Race. I handle most of the inbound and outbound communication for the 200+ Racers on the field. I get to personally be involved in their challenges and victories. I also handle development and support of all our squad leaders and team leaders--everything from recruiting, training, and caring for these amazing leaders. I have NEVER worked so hard or been so busy, but it is the most rewarding job I can imagine.
WHY do you travel so much? I love airports! Just kidding. Airports and I actually have a love/hate relationship. I LOVE them because it is one of the only times I allow myself to drink Starbucks. I HATE them because I am constantly stuck in them, missing flights out of them, and sleeping in them. :) In all seriousness, my travel schedule has been ramped up as I travel to many of the launches of new teams on the field and out to debriefs for teams currently serving on the field. While traveling I encourage, rebuke, challenge and train many, many racers. The BEST part of my job!
WR staff friends in Ireland
The June 09 Squad at the Awakening event in Romania.
HOW do my support dollars help you? It is no secret that I continue to raise support to work with the World Race and count on you lovely readers to help me. I have been STUNNED by the way you continue to love and care for me financially. Every dollar that you give towards my support account helps me to continue to serve around the world on WR staff. Money raised through my account allows me to have a salary that provides for my basic needs: food, gas and general living expenses. My travel expenses are not paid for by your dollars, but are provided for by the teams that I am serving. My support goal of $20k per year allows me to earn a annual salary. (link on left sends a tax-deductible donation to my support account).
WHO are you serving? RIght now in the field there are close to 200 racers with another 110 waiting to begin in January. Each of those racers is supported by the WR staff in multiple ways (logistics, marketing, field support, etc...) By serving as support staff I am allowing the racers the opportunity to impact hundreds of lives. Hundreds of racers touching hundreds of lives = thousands of lives changed around the world. Supporting me has the ripple effect of serving thousands of people. It is a beautiful process to be a part of and I am constantly humbled to be counted among those chosen to serve.
The best part of this story is the community aspect. I absolutely can not do this alone. The Racers need us. The nations of the World need us. The Kingdom of God needs us. I need you. I need your prayers. I need your financial support. I need your cheerleading. Every single one of us is an integral part of the story. What is your part of the story?
Please comment or email me at johnston.allison@gmail.com if you have more questions I can answer. I realize how remiss I have been to share with you some of these important details and am so grateful you have continued to be a part of this story with me. I plan on a new and improved version of blogging to continue.
As I wandered through my journal looking for an empty page I went on a journey thru the past few months. I began this new journal almost exactly 6 months ago and it is life-giving to me to wander the pages and see the places the Lord and I have walked these past few months.
I would be lying if I said it has been an easy season. I feel like the "re-entry" we prepare all the Racers for hit me like a ton of bricks. 2 years of the World Race and I was trying to sort through a normal life, whatever that is. Someone asked me "what do you like to do?" and I didn't have an answer. I don't know what I like to do. I know what the old Allison liked to do. And I know what the World Race Allison liked to do. But this Allison. Who knows what she likes to do. Somewhere between delicious American food and clean clothes I guess I forgot to ask her.
Anyways, I wandered the pages of the journal and I saw a few underlying themes: intense travel schedule, hunger for Jesus, and the FAITHFULNESS of God. I was all over the map the past few months. Figuratively speaking and quite literally all over the map. I don't usually intend to share my journal with perfect strangers, but it seems to be a good representation of where my heart has been lately
This week I want to share what's on the horizon, where I live, what I am doing, and answer all your questions, but this is a really great place to start.
5/14/09 Heathrow Airport: "I want to be more in love with Jesus. I want the intimacy with the Lord that the late, greats write about. I want more teaching, more anointing, more impartation."
5/20/09 Romania airport: "Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised." Romans 4:20-21
5/26/09 Plane ride to Atlanta: 2 Corinthians 1:20 "For no matter how many promises God has made, they are YES in Christ. And so through him the AMEN is spoken by us, to the glory of God." What are some of God's promises to me?
**He will pour out his Spirit. Joel 2:29
**His love will not be shaken, or his covenant of peace removed. Isaiah 54:10
**He hears our prayers. Psalm 65:2
**He has loved us with an everlasting love. Psalm 46:7
**He comforts his people and will not forget. Isaiah 49:13
6/24/09Home! "I am making some life decisions and they seem hard. I just know I want more Jesus. At the end of the day it is not about going one way or another. It is not about the answer. It is about the intimacy that the relationship will create. More Jesus!"
7/3/09 Plane to Guatemala: "I have been begging Him to take me to new levels-to love him in a new way-a deeper way."
8/7/09Gainesville, GA "I feel like I can't find my footing. Everything around me is shifting, but I know tat God is my rock-steady and un-changing."
8/31/09Costa Rica "I will always show you where to go, I'll give you a full life in the emptiest of places-firm, strong muscles and bones. You'll be life a well-watered garden, a gurgling spring that never runs dry." Isa 558:11
9/29/09Bucharest, Romania "For no matter how significant you are, it is only because of what you are a part of."
Have you wandered the pages of your journal lately? What has God said, what is he saying? I am learning so much about his goodness and faithfulness, even just writing this blog! He has so much planned...I can't wait to share!
Happy Thanksgiving!
**Feel free to hit the SUPPORT ME button on the left side if you still want to get in on the $31 special!
In a few short days It will represent the number of years that I have had breath in my lungs.
It represents the kind of woman I want to become (Proverbs 31)
It represents one of my favorite verses of all time : "BE BRAVE. BE STRONG. DON'T GIVE UP." Ps 31:24 MSG
It represents the number of countries I have visited.
It represents the number of World Race Teams we currently have serving on the field.
31 is a special number.
This year for the first time in 3 years I will celebrate my birthday in the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!!! I can't begin to explain how excited I am that I will NOT be in China eating an unidentifiable object posing as a birthday cake. The past 2 years I have somehow found myself in China for my birthday and let's just say CAKE is not their specialty. 31 is the number of funfetti cupcakes I plan on eating in the coming days! I will sit in my Mom's kitchen and eat delicious cake and celebrate with my amazing family. We will talk about the past 31 years and all the crazy things I have done (raft the Nile, anyone?), and all the insane ideas I have had (WR 2 times, anyone?) and all the ways the Lord CONTINUES to blow my socks off! We will honor him for every breath, every idea, and every moment of insanity!
31 is a special number.
This year for my birthday I am asking Him for 31 X 31 more years of life. 31 X more of HIS presence, 31 X more supernatural power and provision, 31 X more of HIM. I want HIS dream for my next 31 years.
31 is a special number.
I hope that 31 can be a special number for you, even if just for a minute. I am going to ask that 31 of YOU to put 31 $$ in this account on the left. 31 dollars a month from 31 of you will almost fill my account each month and allow me to continue training, equipping, empowering and serving the 31 teams of World Racers.
Can 31 of you give $31 each month for the next year?
Can 31 of you do it today as an extra special birthday surprise?
I sure would be 31 X 31 super appreciative!
31 is a special number!
PS- the real day of my 31st birthday is Nov 25th. :)
PPS- I really thought that by the time I got to the end of this blog and typed 31 a billion times I would come to terms with the fact that I was going to be 31, but HOLY COW!!!! How did I get to be 31 years old?!?!
PPPS- feel free to add digits behind the 31, like $131 :)
The book of James talks of the power of life and death in the tongue. We can SPEAK blessings or curses on people, nations and movements. On the field we teach about SPEAKING life to ourselves, our teammates, and the places in which we minister.
The nation of Swaziland has been under the shroud of death as HIV/AIDS rocks upwards of 50% of their population. This week we have the June squad in Swaziland and they have had the unique priveidge of SPEAKING literal life into a little one.
I had just sat down on one of the mattresses in the common area of
where we live to watch an episode of "The Office" with some of the
girls. I had never seen it before, and thought a little mid-day bonding
over popcorn and a show sounded pretty good.
Five minutes into the show, William and Matt walked in the room and
asked the question... "Are there any girls who would want to go with
Pastor Gift to deliver a baby?"
I think after the initial shock wore off... I jumped up faster than I
ever had before. I looked at Erin who had also jumped up and started
pumping my fists in the air and screaming with so much excitement.
Within a few moments, six of us girls were piled into White Chocolate
(the old white van we drive around) and ready to go.
We picked the mother up from her home. Her name is Gamane. She was
already in a lot of pain and could barely walk. This is her story: Her
mother was a prostitute, so she is a direct product of that lifestyle.
Her mother was born again and now looks down upon her daughter,
disowning her because of the lifestyle that SHE has now chosen... the
life of a prostitute. Gamane, only 25 years old, is now pregnant with
her 5th child, and has no idea who the father is. She is HIV positive,
and has no money or food for the baby.
So we get her into WC (White Chocolate), and started comforting her.
Erin, Kelly, Hannah, Kimi, Cori, and myself began to ask her questions
to try and take her mind off of the pain. Erin suggested that I sing to
her. So I sing. "You are the source of life, and I can't be left
behind.. no one else will do.. I will take hold of you. I need you
Jesus to come to my rescue. Tell me where else can I go? There is no
other name by which I am saved, you capture me with grace. I will
follow you." She was put at ease for a few moments. The hospital was about 45 minutes away... and we were making good time.
Her contractions were getting closer and closer together. Kel started
to time them, and they were about 1 minute 45 seconds apart. Kimi
checked and said she wasn't that far along, and literally 30 seconds
later, I look down... and see half of the baby's head!
Every one screamed "THE BABY IS COMING!" and hardly even 10 seconds later.. the whole baby was out. It happened so fast!
Pastor Gift was yelling to us to shut the windows, and wrap the baby
up. We didn't have anything! Luckily, Hannah had decided to layer that
day (so fashionable, that girl). So she took off one of her shirts and
we wrapped the baby up.
A girl. A beautiful, beautiful baby girl.
I was crying. Bawling. Harder than the baby. It was the most beautiful... disgusting... thing I had ever seen.
Pastor Gift told us to get the baby to suck on something, so Cori stuck
her finger in the babies mouth, and she began to suck on it. Everything
was normal, the baby was healthy. Then Gamane's cousin grabbed my hands
and told me to help her push. We had to get everything else out of
her... the umbilical cord, the amniotic sac... (I will spare the gory
details for those that can not handle it). It was insane.
We asked her what the baby's name is going to be, and she said that she
didn't know. Then she told us that we could name it for her. We all got
SO excited. We talked and prayed about it for a few minutes, and then
decided on HOPE... which is Litsimba in Siswati (the language here). The reason behind it is obvious. We believe that there is hope for
her life. Hope for a NEW life, and that she is going to bring that Hope
to Swaziland. Gamane loved it.
A few minutes later, we pulled over on the side of the road. There was
no buildings around us, no people... just cows. A lot of mountains, and
a lot of cows.
We had a flat tire.
A young woman laying on the back seat of White Chocolate, fluids and
blood everywhere, a baby bundled up on the blanket, six girls who have
no idea what to do, and a flat tire. And a lot of cows.
Pastor Gift changed the tire... with a tire that was even more flat
than the one that was on it before. We tried to flag a couple cars
down, but no one would stop.. so we did the only thing we could do.. we
drove. Welcome to Africa, friends.
From the moment we puledl out, you could see the lines from the rim of
the tire grinding into the asphalt. 15 minutes later, we arrived at the
hospital and handed them over to some professional care.
She is HIV positive, so she can not breastfeed. We walked to the store
and got some milk. Gamane asked who was singing to her in the car. I
told her that I was. She said that she didn't know what was going on
around her, and that all she could hear was the song, and that it
helped her through everything. I cried again. We prayed over Gamane and
Hope. We prayed for her little life... for God to invade her heart,
then said our goodbyes. We couldn't fix the tire, which was shredded at
this point, so we hitched a ride in the back of a truck and headed
home.
I was thinking about the beauty of life. The miracle that it is. And
then I was thinking about the tragedy of her situation. There were so
many thoughts... so many emotions. It was so beautiful, and so sad. Pastor Gift is looking for a family to take care of the baby. They
may have found a home, but I ask that you all pray for Gamane and baby
Hope. God has a plan for her. And Gamane saw God's love through us in a
way she never had seen it before. I could see the glow of the spirit
all over her. Pray for redemption in her life.
I don't really understand it all. Life. Death. Struggles. Victory. Hardships.
But I do know... God... is in the midst of it. Of it ALL.
He was there. He is there. He sees Gamane. He sees Hope. He loves them. He has a plan. A purpose. He does for everyone.
We are blessed.
Because we are alive.
And we have Him.
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Last year i stood on the side of a mountain near Mianyang, China and wept at the devastation of a earthquake. I held the hand of a woman who had lost everything; sons, daughters, home, job, etc...in that earthquake and cried with her. It didn't make sense then and I am not sure it makes sense now. I will never forget her looking up at me with tears in her eyes and asking me "Why?" I didn't have an answer. I am not sure anyone could stand there overlooking an entire city that was destroyed, countless lives lost and come up with a coherent answer. Instead I cried with her. I prayed with her. I hugged her.
on recent news or in articles and that may just break my heart even more. I don't believe we can just give nice Sunday school answers and nod our heads while we sit in our warm houses with cabinets full of food.
WHERE do you live? I am currently living in Port Huron, Michigan at the World Race house. The WR has a house in PoHo (as we affectionately call it) that serves as both office and living staff for many of our staff. Beginning in January we will have about 12 staff living and working in the house. I share a bedroom with the awesome Kelly Chadwick (
stuck in them, missing flights out of them, and sleeping in them. :) In all seriousness, my travel schedule has been ramped up as I travel to many of the launches of new teams on the field and out to debriefs for teams currently serving on the field. While traveling I encourage, rebuke, challenge and train many, many racers. The BEST part of my job!
HOW do my support dollars help you? It is no secret that I continue to raise support to work with the World Race and count on you lovely readers to help me. I have been STUNNED by the way you continue to love and care for me financially. Every dollar that you give towards my support account helps me to continue to serve around the world on WR staff. Money raised through my account allows me to have a salary that provides for my basic needs: food, gas and general living expenses. My travel expenses are not paid for by your dollars, but are provided for by the teams that I am serving. My support goal of $20k per year allows me to earn a annual salary. (link on left sends a tax-deductible donation to my support account).