Hey Everybody!

Just wanted to give you a quick update on how that last couple months have been. Last month in Cambodia we were paired up with another team. We all stayed in the bottom floor of a house with 3 bedrooms, one bed, one bathroom (if you can call it that, lol), a fan for each room, and that's about it! I started off the month sick in bed for the first few days. It was hot and mosquito infested. I layed under a net, feeling like a prisoner to it, the heat, and the bugs. There was no where to escape. Needless to say, I was miserable! But, I made it through, Praise God.

Our ministry contact was an American that started off in YWAM and did his outreach to Cambodia. After his stay there, he felt a calling to go back and start his own ministry (The Rock Foundation). His heart is to go out and reach the people that no one else wants to reach and to go to the places that no one else wants to go. So that is exactly what we did. We went to a rock village, dump village, partnered with a church, helped teach English, fed the poor, ministered to widow's, loved on some dirty children, and built relationships with people in the local villages. There were a lot of things I loved about last month, but honestly, it was very hard for me. I don't do well in extreme heat (with no AC) and bucket showers with stagnant, bug infested water, mice, tarantula's, termites, etc (you get the point). I complained a LOT and just wanted to leave. But in the midst of all of this I was determined to let God use every circumstance to teach me and make me a better person. And He did! I was sad to leave the people, but not sad to leave the living conditions. I know that I can do just about anything now, even when it's hard and I don't feel like im going to make it, I can!

Now, our time is almost up in Vietnam. I am sad to leave. This month has probably been my favorite. After last month, this month has been so refreshing to me. Our accommodations have been more than luxurious. Swimming pool, workout room, AC, washer AND dryer, hot showers, delicious food, and the most gracious host's! Of course I LOVE all of this stuff, but its not the reason why this month is my favorite. For our ministry we work in a coffee shop. They have what they call “Speaking Rooms” for the local people to come to practice their English. But it's so much more than that. They are like a family. Some people have been coming for years, and come 5 days a week. They have been so welcoming to us. We have had dinner cooked for us on more than one occasion, been taken out to eat, and rode around on motos all over the city. They are interested in us and our lives.

People have a perception of what Vietnam is like because of the war, but it's not like that everywhere. I have made some of the best friends that love me for me and see something in me that they want! Some have never heard the gospel. They are hungry. The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few! This HAS to change.

For the first time I have had the thought that I could come back here. While this is a closed, communist country, there is something so free about this place. There is so much potential. I see hope in a place that most would say is hopeless because of natural circumstances! I want freedom for these people, in their hearts and spirits. I want them to know Jesus more than anything. I want them to know their creators love for them. I believe it is going to happen soon!

This month I have learned how to pursue people, how to love people. To be bold and speak up when I feel the Lord prompt me. To speak life over people. I have learned how to use my discernment and trust the Holy Spirit to use me and speak through me. I have learned to be intentional. I have learned how to be a friend!

Vietnam will forever hold a special place in my heart! Please be in prayer for God to send people here to reach out and disciple the Vietnamese. There are so many who have never heard of Jesus here.

I love you all so much and again am so thankful for your continued support and love. Please know that your support for me is enabling me to touch lives all over the world and my life is being forever changed. I am now over half way thru the race! Five more months to go. Next stop...Malaysia! God bless you all

Hey everyone,
        I wanted to catch you up on my life here on the race.  I have not been blogging nearly as much as i want to or thought i would, so i will do my best to fill you in now.

        Central America was so amazing. I went on the race expecting to have to “suffer” through the first three months in Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua because I was so excited about Asia and Africa. Little did I know that I would fall in love with those people and their culture and love the entire time. God did so much in me and thru me and I am truly amazed at how much I grew and learned to love people like my father loves me.

        At the end of ministry in Central America our squad met up on a little island off of the coast and spent some time in community, worship, and maybe a little rest and fun! Up to this point I had done ministry with the same team (Beautiful Feet) and we had become a family. We learned so much from each other and really learned to love, honor, and respect each other for who God had created each one of us to be. So when we found out we would be having team changes on the island, we were very anxious and sad to be split up. We all knew that God had a unique and special plan for our lives on the race and that it would include doing things we did not want to do or did not understand. I am proud to say that my leader, Kayla, got raised up to be our whole squads leader and another one of my teammates was raised up to a team leader. The rest of us got split up on other teams. It was sad and exciting all at the same time. I now had a whole new team for a whole new continent! I have to say that I absolutely love my new team. I know without a doubt that God had this team planned for me from before the foundations of the world. I have now been with my new team for almost a month and I love each and every one of them and what they teach me every day! We decided to name our team Siloam which means “Sent” because we are sent to the nations to bring hope, healing, love, peace, joy, and most importantly Jesus.

        It has been a major adjustment to switch continents! We are all still speaking spanish to the Thai people and that doesn't really work, but it sure is funny! Learning Thai is difficult because it is a very tonal language. One word can mean five different things spoken in different tones. But, we try and we get laughed at and we laugh a LOT and it is just fun. We love Thailand for so many different reasons. The food here is amazing, everything is so cheap, the people are so warm and friendly and the country is so beautiful. We are staying with a pastor this month and have done a lot of home visits out in villages to encourage believers and share the gospel with unbelievers. Being in Thailand has made me realize just how blessed I am to be in a country founded on Christianity. There are very few Christians here. A bible has to be special ordered from Bangkok, unlike America where you can drop in any book store and get what ever color, size, and translation you want. Thailand is desperate for long term missionaries to come and disciple them. They are so open to the gospel, but a conversion can only last for so long. My prayer is that God will hear my cry for people to be sent here to pour into them and start a revival in this country!

        We will be leaving Nakhon Phanom in a couple of days. I know that our time here has been effective and that we have broken ground here for the Kindgom. We are headed to our translators home town to ride some elephants and do some other fun stuff. Then back to Bangkok to meet up with the rest of the squad to head out to Cambodia! We will be having our four month debrief there where we will lose our squad leaders that have been with us for the last four months and the new squad leaders from within our squad will take their place as the new leaders that will take us into the next eight months of the World Race. Lots of changes coming up, but you if there is one thing you learn on the race, it's to be flexible, expect change, and go with the flow!

        I just wanted to thank everyone again who has supported me on this journey. It is truly the best year of my life. God is doing so many amazing things in me and around the world and I am so honored to be a part of it. Thank you a million times over for being a part of this vision. We are changing the world, one soul at a time!

        Feel free to browse my pictures on Facebook. I put a lot of time and energy into my pictures because that is how I tell my stories! Here is the link...http://www.facebook.com/jaimefloyd?ref=tn_tnmn

        Meet my new teammates and please read their blogs, follow our journey's, and be in prayer for us and the ministries we will be a part of over the next few months.
http://jeremyandkatcearbaugh.theworldrace.org/
http://bennycoppock.theworldrace.org/
http://kellydecaster.theworldrace.org/
http://danmatundan.theworldrace.org/
http://lauragamble.theworldrace.org/
 

Hello Everyone!

I'm sorry it's taken me so long to blog, but life has been pretty crazy for me lately. I left home a few days early to meet up with some squad mates in L.A. and have a little fun before leaving the country for 11 months. We had a great time and made some really special bonds. We got a chance to go on the game show “Let's Make a Deal” with Wayne Brady. It was a super cool experience! Then we went to the Hollywood Walk of Fame and did a little sight seeing. The last day we basically hung out at LAX and welcomed our remaining “B” squad mates. Around midnight we were ready to head out to Antigua, Guatemala for a few more days of training and getting to know each other.

Launch was very surreal for me. Up until then I felt like I had been on vacation, or maybe I was just in denial. Either way, I knew that this was very real now. The World Race staff held sessions for us on topics such as positive attitude, prophecy, and the presence of God. Unfortunately, I became very ill the second to last evening and missed out on an entire day of training. Thankfully, whatever was making me sick ran it's course pretty quickly and I was able to hike the Pacaya Volcano with the rest of the squad our last day in Antigua. We hiked 3 hours up and roasted marsh mellows at the top. It was definitely a bucket list experience! Antigua is an amazingly beautiful place. Volcanoes, mountains, cobblestone streets, and amazing architecture! A great place to start off the Race!

Our first ministry is about 30 minutes outside of Antigua. This month we are at a orphanage with 32 children. So far we have helped pick beans, shell beans, do yard work, build a sidewalk, organize rooms, and sort through bags of donated clothes. We are also taking over the role of house parents for some of the workers to get a vacation. There is one floor for girls, one for little boys, and another house for the big boys. The four of us girls are staying in the house with the little boys and 2 babies. That definitely makes for an interesting wake up call! They are wild, but I love it! Our day usually starts around 7 with breakfast, cornflakes, then at 8 we start working. Around 10:30 we get a half an hour break to drink some “atol” which is a warm drink that consists of milk, sugar, and either oatmeal or rice and it is delicious. Lunch time is around one and it's something different every day. Then dinner is around 6 and is either rice and beans or beans and rice. We get hot water every other day(ish) when the boys start a fire to heat up the water heater. Baby wipes and baby powder have become two of my favorite things...EVER! We have a washing machine but no dryer. Normally that wouldn't be a big deal, but it's rainy season now so drying clothes is nearly impossible! Thank God for Wal-mart!

I'm totally loving on these kids! They are so awesome. It breaks my heart to see how amazing they are and to know that someone could just give them away. At least 8 of them are infected with HIV and have to take medicine two times a day. Most of them don't even understand what HIV is. They have had cases where some of the children have been prayed over and taken back to the hospital for more tests that came back negative. The doctor's are amazed at the miracle! Some of the children here are adoptable in country and some are orphan's that will stay until legal adulthood. Some have brothers and sisters here with them, and some have nothing and no one but this ministry. The children are such a joy to be around. They are so beautiful and just keep reminding me of why Jesus tells us we must be like them to enter the Kingdom of heaven. I absolutely love being here with them and am honored to love on them for a short month of their lives!

Our team is really just getting to know each other. We are in the process of telling our “stories” so that we can really know what makes each person tick. We have six different personalities and sometimes six different opinions so we are in the process of learning how to work with each other and honor each other and honor God at the same time. This is all still very new to us and we all come from very different backgrounds so it's exciting to see God unify us and use us all in different ways!

Here are a few random thoughts for you...

Things to be thankful for...hot water...all the time, a dryer, toilet paper, being able to flush toilet paper instead of throwing it in a trash can that will stink really soon, the convenience of going to the store every day, eating different things for dinner every night, baby wipes for your baby, not being woken up to dogs barking at 3:30am, heat and ac, and internet at your convenience! I don't say these things to complain, only to help others realize just how good we have it and not take things for granted!

Some things to pray for...

My whole squad and our leaders...every ministry that we are serving here in Guatemala...my team...our health and safety...unity for us...the country of Guatemala...the people in our ministry and the kids...their healing....our next ministry in Honduras....our spiritual growth...our faith to be expanded and enlarged! Also be praying about supporting this ministry in Guatemala or coming to serve. I'm going to post some info on how to do so if anyone feels led. This is a great ministry worthy of our time, effort, and money!!

Here is some scripture that I was reading and was convicted so I thought I would help convict you all by sharing! LOL Seriously though, it's time for us to stop talking and start doing. To make a lifestyle out of it, not just a once in a while thing. This is the Christian walk my friends!!

Just to let you all know, it's difficult to be on the internet because of lack of time and slow internet. So please don't be offended or think i'm slacking, we just do the best we can. I mostly check in with my family and let everyone know i'm okay! I'll upload pics as soon as I get to a place that it doesn't take so long and doesn't cost money!

I miss everyone dearly, but am happy to be where God wants me! I am growing and being stretched in every way already! Please continue to keep me in your prayers. I Love you all and think of you often!! God Bless :)

Faith: Women set off on mission to 11 countries in 11 months

By Roger Greene
For the Coastal Observer

Chrissy Robertson says she has never been all that spontaneous. Jamie Floyd says she was born with an adventurous spirit.

Personality traits aside, the duo – both graduates of Waccamaw High – are bound by a desire to serve a higher calling and to aid those in need. The next 11 months will provide ample time to do both, as the 23-year old Robertson and Floyd, 31, will participate in World Race, a mission trip that will take them to 11 countries before its conclusion.

“I grew up in Pawleys Island and went to college in Columbia,” said Robertson, a 2010 graduate of the University of South Carolina. “I’ve only really lived in South Carolina and never traveled overseas. Being spontaneous is out of character for me. But my belief that being on this mission is exactly what I need to be doing is covering any fears and doubts I have.”

“I’ve been on four missions before and the last one I was a part of, during April in Mozambique, completely changed my life,” said Floyd, a stylist at Allure Salon in Myrtle Beach. “I’ve always had a compassion for people who are less fortunate, especially children. I believe mission work is my true calling.”

Started in 2006, the World Race challenges young adults to abandon worldly possessions and a traditional lifestyle in exchange for serving the greater good. There are 53 participants in all, and during the trip they are equipped with only a backpack, carrying just necessities like clothes and basic supplies. That Robertson and Floyd were called to the challenge for somewhat different reasons, and in somewhat different stages of life, is irrelevant when compared with their shared vision of serving others.

“After I graduated, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do next,” said Robertson, who goes to Pawleys Island Presbyterian Church. “I talked with my roommate who has been on a mission trip before, and when I started researching, one of the first trips I looked into was the World Race. It took about a year for me to decide that I wanted to do it. I’ve had a couple of part-time jobs, but I feel like this is what I’m being called to.”

“When I came back from Africa, I felt lost,” said Floyd, who assists with her father’s private ministry. “I knew I wanted to do more mission work, but wasn’t sure how that could happen. Not long after that I was talking with a friend and the World Race came up. I knew then it was what I was supposed to do.”

Robertson and Floyd will start their journey on Oct. 7, departing Los Angeles for the World Race’s first stop in Guatemala. They will then visit Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Malawi before their trip concludes in Asia, at a location that has yet to be determined.

Though both are Waccamaw High alums, Floyd graduated in 1998 and Robertson is a member of the class of 2006, so their paths never crossed prior to an eight-day training camp during July in Tennessee. Both agree they bonded quickly, not only with each other, but other team members as well.

“I went in sort of hesitant, not knowing what to expect,” Robertson said. “But it is such a great group of people. I didn’t know any of them before. Now, I probably get a call, an e-mail or a text from someone in the group every day.”

“In a group of 50 some strangers, I didn’t expect to meet anyone who had gone to Waccamaw,” Floyd said. “The amount of unity was unreal, right from the beginning. I guess that is due to our having a common goal.”

The cost for the World Race is roughly $15,000 per person, with participants responsible for their own fundrasing. Half of the money is due before departing on Oct. 7, and the remainder by April.

“When you first look at it, you ask yourself how you are going to get $15,000,” Floyd said. “But one of the most amazing parts of the process for me has being seeing how generous people are. I’m probably just a couple of thousand short of the entire amount. The amount of support I have received has been wonderful.”

“I’m over halfway there,” Robertson said. “You run into people who wonder what you are thinking when you tell them about the trip. But most of the people I’ve talked to have been excited for me. Many of them wish they could be doing something like this.”

Having been on missions before, Floyd’s advice for first-timers like Robertson is simple.

“I tell them to have fun,” she says. “There is nothing I can say and there is no picture I can show them that will prepare them for some things. It’s just an experience that they need to have.”

And, just as the mission to Africa changed Floyd’s life, Robertson believes the World Race will alter her own.

“I’m definitely going to find things out about myself,” Robertson said. “But more than that, this is about building relationships with those we encounter and showing them there are people who care.”

Guatemala
Guatemala is a land in indigenous history and natural resources -- fertile soil from volcanoes yield excellent coffee! Beside the beautiful landscape, Guatemala needs God's touch. Gripped by poverty and bound to a spirit of religion, people hunger for the kingdom of God to invade their lives. You'll change the spiritual climate wherever you find yourselves. You'll have the opportunity to extend God's kingdom by sharing their lifestyle/living conditions, reaching out to the fringe people of society, working hard, and maybe being a part of a miracle or two.

Nicaragua
This location is always a World Race favorite. Full of wonderfully warm and caring people, participants leave impacted by the new partnerships and friendships. Hopelessness, addictions, destitution, and poverty, however, plague many in Nicaragua. There are orphans who have grown up without knowing the love of a parent and families who survive by scrounging for scraps from the city dump where they call home. In Nicaragua, you'll have the opportunity to bring God's love through slum ministry, door-to-door outreach, children's outreach, and more.
 

Costa Rica
Costa Rica is a hot spot for surfing and just enjoying "pura vida" - literally, "pure life", it's a concept of a "chill," relaxed, laidback way of life. The beautiful beaches that line both coasts are the perfect setting. Among the Central American countries, Costa Rica ("Rich Coast") lives up to its name. While the natural beauty attracts lots of tourists, there are still large pockets of poverty and family brokenness. Because of its relative affluence, Costa Rica also draws in immigrants from neighboring countries, like Nicaragua, who don't fare much better than they did before. You might help feed their physical and spiritual hunger - and discover other creative ways to give new meaning to the concept of "pura vida."
(We will be celebrating Christmas this month)
 

Thailand
According to the CIA, the kingdom of Thailand, known as Siam until 1939, is the only country in the region not colonized by Europe. Their 2000 census showed that 94.6% of the population is Buddhist, 4.6% are Muslim, and 0.7% are Christian. Approximately 600,000 people live with HIV/AIDS in Thailand. With nearly two million people estimated to be forced into prostitution, it has become one of the most popular places for sex tourism. Change lives in the city-where you, like Jesus, might befriend prostitutes-or in the countryside-where you may serve youth, care for orphans, and encourage a remnant of believers.

Cambodia
Cambodia houses one of the Seven Wonders of the World, Angkor Wat, a Hindu temple and monastery built during the Khmer empire in the 12th century. It later became a Buddhist complex a century later, and today, just over 96% of Cambodia is Buddhist. Almost 30 years ago, 1.5 million Cambodians died at the hands of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge regime. Today, Cambodia is a source, transit point, and destination of human trafficking. Unfortunately, the government is struggling to stop it. The people of Cambodia are thirsty for the hope you can bring.

I will be celebrating my 32nd bday this month...EPIC!!
 
Malaysia
Enter a world entrenched in Islam. A people within the thriving metropolis of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysians still live in ignorance of the Good News of Jesus Christ. As you delve into this culture of works-based religion, strong self-discipline, and uncanny faith, you will have the unique opportunity to deliver hope and point the people to their Redeemer.

This East African nation was once an autonomous kingdom and British protectorate. During most of the later half of the 20th century, Uganda was under military rule, first under Idi Amin, the subject of the film, The Last King of Scotland. Northern Uganda was also troubled by the Lord's Resistance Army, which heavily recruited child soldiers. Often referred to as the Pearl of Africa, Uganda is diverse in topography and wildlife. You may find yourself in the north partnering with ministries that are bringing still-needed healing and reconciliation or in the south working with churches to evangelize and disciple the next generation of Kingdom workers.
 

Kenya
Who hasn't heard of Kenya in their lifetime? The Kenyan people are colorful, musical, artistic and hungry for the love of Christ. The Maasai bush, the Nairobi metropolis, and the Kibera slums comprise a country diverse yet unified in history. As a new era dawns in Kenya, so does the gospel of truth and faith. By meeting felt needs in the bush and the city, participants help bear lasting fruit with current ministry partnerships (ministries like evangelism, orphan care, and community development), and build foundations of future partnerships.

Tanzania
Roughly a third of the population in Tanzania consider themselves Christian, another third, Muslim, and the final third adhere to indigenous religions. In addition to the religious and demographic diversity, the relatively stable nation also houses Mount Kilimanjaro. Whether you are doing open-air crusades, door-to-door evangelism, or visiting hospitals and orphanages, Tanzania will capture your heart.

 
Malawi
Known as "the warm heart of Africa," Malawi is definitely a place that you visit to ignite yourself with the fire of God. This country has a beautiful landscape and an even more beautiful culture and population. This month, you'll be helping plant churches, raising up leaders, and infecting the people with the love of God. Chances are you won't want to leave.