We encourage parents (and Racers) to be in prayer about the trip. We also highly recommend reading Seth Barnes' book, Kingdom Journeys. It will give you a good picture of our heart for missions and discipleship at Adventures in Missions. In addition, we encourage you to read Seth Barnes’ book The Art of Listening Prayer. We may be practicing listening prayer by spending time listening and waiting for God to speak. These books can be ordered from Amazon.
Remember that God will place people in your path everywhere you are. You are going to love on people and encourage missionaries. Please don’t overlook the people who provide services, other parents and Racers, leaders, everyone who enters your space.
If you want the Trip Facilitators to be aware of any specific family situations, concerns, or general spiritual questions, please feel free to contact them. (Closer to the trip you will receive their contact information.) Please let them know what you’re most hoping for and what you would prefer to avoid. Things that might make some people uncomfortable can include: praying out loud, listening to God (& expecting him to speak), raising your hands during worship, etc. We want to respect personal preferences.
Racers, what do you wish parents would have known before coming?
It is okay if they are not on the same page as other parents or racers. It is okay to not know Jesus. We still love them.
We need our space for alone time, time with the Lord, and time with our teams. This isn’t our typical schedule and it may throw us for a loop.
If you are confused about how to process a day of ministry or something you heard in session, it is okay to talk it out with your Racer.
You will see and experience hard things. You will see poverty from a new perspective. You will be challenged in a really healthy way.
Your Racer has been in community for almost a year now. They LOVE these people around them. Jump in and get to know them. It shows that you care about their new family.
Please do not think you’re above relearning your child. They have grown. Interactions will be different. Their responses to you and others will be different. Their needs have changed. Ask questions and stay humble.
Do not leave expectations unsaid. If you expect something of your Racer, let them know beforehand. No one knows how you feel unless you tell them.
It is perfectly fine for you to go off on your own, with just your spouse, or even other parents. We have been traveling for months. The novelty of new cities isn’t as fresh. We don’t have the stamina to explore like y’all do.
Prepare some SPECIFIC questions to ask your Racer. What was their favorite ministry? How did they handle a challenging team situation? Have your passions changed at all on the Race?
Please do not ask your Racer about their future plans. If you do, be sure to set the culture that it is OKAY not to know right now.
Do not be afraid of ministry. Your Racers will take the lead. They want you to jump in and experience it with them. They do not have expectations that you can’t meet. They just want to see you experience their life.
Parents, what do you wish you would have known before coming?
“I wish I would have known how many people I would meet and fall in love with.”
“I wish I would have known that we were staying in one place so I could have packed less.”
“I wish I would have known to bring you and your friends some sort of treat to make your day more special.”
“I wish I would have known I was going to take back more than I could ever have brought to the table.”
“I wish I would have known that it would be so hard to say goodbye to everyone, especially you, so I might have been more prepared.”
P V T E M E R G E N C Y N U M B E R : 877.356.9266
A D M I S S I O N S A D V I S O R : 770.744.4542