Posted in General Posts by Lacey Malcomson on 7/11/2011
24 June 2011
7:03am– I am awakened loudly by my former teammates Jeannie and Theresa who just arrived in town and are staying the night at our house, Casa Shalom. They both give me a hugs. I’ve missed them.
7:10am- I greet the rest of their team and my own team who were all woke up by team Zion.
7:50am– I lay in bed trying to decide if I should get up or not . I’m wide awake now but still tired. I could finish packing but that doesnt sound fun.
9:45am– I eat, shower, and get dressed for the day. I really want some cute Romanian boots I think to myself.
(Part of town)
10:30am– The team and I get in a taxi to do some last minute shoe shopping. Don’t laugh. I’m not all the way packed , but I tell my self I have all afternoon.
12:45pm– Finally in a taxi on our way home...Exausted somehow. But I bought a really cute pair of pink flats.
1pm- Other teams have arrived at our house. They are all meeting here before leaving to Ukraine.
2pm- Lunch time.
3:30pm– I try to write a blog about Romania but it’s going nowhere. The Romanian boys that help out at the house keep coming up the stairs yelling over each other for our attention. They’re so loud and obnoxious but they’ve grown on me. They have yet another chocolate bar for each of us. ( They always buy us chocolate and ice tea)
5pm- The taxis arrive to take us to the train station. I interrupt a soccer game to get Cornell,one of the boys to help carry my outrageously heavy bag to the car. We say our goodbyes to Becky our contact, the girls we’ve lived with and the boys. We also say goodbye to the other teams, give hugs to all our Romanian friends and take some last minute photos.
(Niko and I before leaving)
5:40pm- We make it the train station . Four girls with four 50 pound bags, purses, pillows, and huge groccery bags of food from our contact. We are travelling on our own for the first time as an all girls team and already we have drunks trying to offer to help. I begin praying.
6pm- We make our way with numerous trips to our train lane after inquiring from a number of people if we have the right spot because nothing is in English. We say a prayer for safe travels.
6:15pm - Leyna realizes she has forgotten her phone charger and the phone is dead. She and Emily take off to find a place to buy a new one and possible charge the phone. Shan and I are left with the bags and while sitting there passing the time, we realize that we both forgot to grab our laundry off the drying racks. Now we have half the amount of underwear we had before
6:37pm- Our train arrives, Leyna, Emily and I take some of the bags and go to find our car, it takes us forever. Walking back and forth trying to find numbers, or someone to tell us which one to get on. They all look the same. No one speaks English.
6:50pm– I stay in the car Emily and Leyna return to Shan, out of breath, to let her know we are the furthest wagon away. At this point we still have 3 big bags to move and only 5 minutes before the train leaves
7pm– Everyone makes it on, no thanks to any of the train workers who just sternly told the girls to hurry as they all struggled by with the bags. We are all out of breath and sweating as though we are back in India!
(Em and I sweating buckets)
7:20pm– The train starts moving. With much difficulty we have managed to organize our bags and now desperately try to open our window. We discover that ours is the only one on the whole wagon that doesn't open. Shan and I make our way to another window to cool off . It helps the sweating a bit and I put my arms out the window.
(Shans sweaty leg)
8:30pm- We meet our neighbors, they are a youth group from Ireland heading to Moldova on a mission trip, their leader is actually Canadian but lives in Ireland with his family, what a lovely surprise.
10pm– I eat some snack mix for dinner. Somewhat cooled off we decide to put on a movie. I pass out somewhere in the middle
25 June 2011
3:30am- The Irish/Canadian youth pastor is standing at our door with a man in uniform translating that they are asking for our passports. Groggy and tired from lack of sleep and travel we search for them and give them to him, he checks them stamps them and hands them back.
3:45am- The pastor comes back to our little cabin and says he's not sure if he got his translation right, but either we are going to be stopped for 3hrs or we need to show our passports 3 times. We thank him. What would we do without his help.
4am- Leyna sits up in her bunk and tells me that Michael had called her a few hours ago. Cornell and Vali had put a salamander in my purse before I left. I hear her wrong, and say in shock - "There's a sound chip in my purse? They're recording everything I say? Why would anyone do that?" Leyna tells me, "No, a salamander" I finally calm down and says "oh" I continue to eat crackers . A sound chip would bother me more then a Salamader. Yes at 4a.m. I’m awake and there nothing else to do.
8:30am- Shannons alarm goes off, its time to get ready to get off the train. We struggle to get all the bags in a place where we can grab them and wait. I wish I only had my little back pack.
9:15am– We get off the train and look around. We are in Moldova, and its freezeing. We thank the youth group from Ireland for their help carrying our bags off the train and dig for our fleece jackets in our pile of bags.I put on a few extra layers. Its cold and rainy out.
9:30am- Leyna and Shan leave me and Emily to watch the bags, as they go try to figure out our next train. They told us afterwards that as they arrived at the information desk, they were rudely informed that the lady only speaks Romanian, Russian and French and there is no one who speaks English so no she cannot help us. They come back to Em and I to get Ley’s pad of paper with what we thought our train schedule was. With Gods help they find a girl that speaks English and Romanian, she agrees to help us.
( I travel light)
10:45am- After a very painful process including withdrawing Moldovian Lei to pay again for tickets that we had already purchased before we left Romania and a lot of eye rolling by the information lady we finally have it all figured out.
11am- The train arrives, Emily and Shan, tickets in hand and big bags on our shoulders go to find our wagon because we cannot read our ticket. They get sent back and forth, back and forth not really sure where we should go.F inally someone decides on wagon 9, so Leyna and I make our way over. Only to have 3 or more people (including the information lady) arguing over what we are actually suppossed to be doing. Theres a lot of yelling and pointing going on. I just smile because everyone is being rude but we cant undersand any of it.Our English speaking friend has left and all we have is a girl who just keeps saying our tickets are bus ticket
.
11:35am- The train is about to leave and we have still not found our wagon or got on the train .The train workers are still arguing. After waving them off we decide just to get on the train before it leaves without us. We pile onto wagon 9 with no help form the 10 or more onlookers. Just in time! As the train is pulling off and we are sandwiched between the wagons we find out we should be in wagon 25!!! We sigh Ley, Em and I take all the small bags and start walking to number 25 as Shan stay with the big bags. It doesnt sound like that many, but trying to fit through small isles with numerous bags in impossible. It Takes forever to get through all the doors leading into each train while getting stuck and hitting people in the head with purses.
12pm– I sit with our stuff exhausted and frustrated at this point in a random empty bunk while Emily and Leyna return to shan. We only made it to wagon number 16 and we all think we should just take our stuff to empty spot to a closerwagon. 25 is still 9 cars away. Leyna stays with the stuff in wagon 11 and Emily and Shan walk to 16 to find me and the small bags. At this point I’m talking to some guy who's telling us to go with him to other Americans who will help. Shan follow this guy all the way to wagon 25! We arrive and there are two younger guys one is American, and thank the Lord, he can speak Russian really well. We explain our situation for him to interpret and that we would really rather just stay where we are because our bags are so big and there is an empty spot. They kindly inform us that we absolutely have to come all the way to wagon 25 as the train separates and if we are not on the right wagon we will go to the wrong place.
12:05pm We discover the not so nice lady at the information booth in Moldova sold us tickets to POLAND! The two english speaking guys kindly offer to help us with our bags, we readily accept their offer. It’s like carrying dead bodies.
1pm– And hour and a half later we are finally settled in our compartment in car 25 - we are all so tired and upset with the mornings events! We take time to pray and thank God that we have made it onto the train and for all the people that helped us. We spend the rest of our afternoon reading, sleeping, eating and just trying to relax. The train stops at the border crossing we get another stamp in our passports as we enter Ukraine.
9pm- we begin to get ready to get off the train, dreading what this transfer will look like, its pouring rain and its dark outside
9:55pm- the conductor on our wagon has been super nice and helpful, and he points us in the right direction as we got off the train. We have managed to organize our stuff now that we can carry it all in one heavy trip.
10:15pm- We find ourselves in the same dilemma as the last train station - no one speaks any English at all and there is a crowd at the info/ticket window. But thankfully the lady at the window is very sweet and really trying to help us. Then a lady with very limited english appears next to us. With alot of hand and body motions we finally straighten out what we need. Only to discover they need more money from us, there are no ATMs or exchange places in sight, we are stuck! The lady with the limited English kindly offers to exchange our USD from her own purse. What a blessing. We think we are all set until we see that it doesn't tell us what lane the train is going to be on, they inform us we just have to listen to the speaker, they will announce it over the PA 30min before it leaves, this is a huge problem as we know no Russian or Ukranian, so our kind limited english lady attempts to teach us #1-5 in both languages to try help us.
( Creepy night time)
10:40pm- we have found some shelter from the rain right in front of the staff lounge as we pray we will be able to understand when they call for our train. We get quiet and listen everytime we hear a voice on the PA.
(Shan and I goofing off to pass the time)
11:10pm- We think that we haven't heard them announce our train yet until a man in uniform indicates for us to follow him, he takes us through an underground tunnel to a track that I am sure we wouldn't have found on our own. Thank you Jesus. We wait for a couple minutes in the damp weather. As soon as it pulls up our helpful train worker takes us right to the wagon we need to be on.
11:47pm- The train is leaving, and there is confusion as to where our beds are, after more yelling and pointing on their parts, they finally they put us in 3 different compartments with strangers and all on top bunks that you can't do anything but lay down in. A really kind gentleman helps us all put our huge, heavy bags on the top shelves, and then he made our beds.
26 June 2011
12:30am- I curl up on my bed in a compartment full of strangers and Ley.
(Squished in my bunk)
8am– I wake up to realize I cant do anything most of the day because I have a top bunk. You can only lay down. I listen to my ipod, Ems Ipod, and Leynas. I nap a bunch trying to pass the time. We have a scary man and an ocd lady in our bunk. Ley is across from me on the top also.
12pm– My neck and back are begining to cramp up in my tiny bunk . Shan visits us and so does Em. We get down and walk a little. I decide to finally use the disgusting bathroom that dumps all the sewage straight onto the tracks because I cant hold it any longer.
(Leyna trying to get up into her bunk)
3:30pm- Anxiously we get ready to get off of the train and to have this journey over with.
4:10pm– I have a random guy help me with my bag. He could just run away with it but I decide to trust Jesus. My team and I walk the platform looking for our contact. I over hear someone say "Americans? English?" and turn to see the friendly face of the man who is our contact for the month. We pile into his van and drive through a storm to get home.
(Home sweet home this month)
7pm– YAYYYY! A few days later we arrive at the house that will be home for the next month and are greeted warmly by the family and warm bowl of borsch and our travel days are finally over.
( The Fam)
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Posted in General Posts by Lacey Malcomson on 7/2/2011
I woke from a dream last week with a wet pillow and slow tears streaming down my face. I had dreamt I was back home in America. And it wasn't a happy dream.
(A few of my besties the night I left for the Race)
The dream shook me up for the rest of the day. In the dream, I had come home and was hanging out with a group of my friends at one of their houses. They were all having a blast, but I didn’t fit anymore. Things were different. I felt different. So I found a room furthest from everyone and began to cry .
For months I have wondered what it would be like to come home. But it has finally struck me.What if I am home now? Was home in the Phillipines? Or in Kenya? I am fearful of coming back to America because I have hyped it up so much. Worries are creeping in now like what if it isn’t how I really pictured it. After the heart surgery God has done on me this year, will I feel different about things. Will I see things differently?
(LAX airport. About to leave America and fly to the Phillipines)
These past nine months I have been preparing myself for culture shock when I arrived home in America. I wasn’t expecting it last month. Arriving in Europe has already started it. Just a few weeks ago I constantly sweated while sleeping on top a truck stop with no fans, and no air. I showered with a bucket of cold water and ate white rice and noodles every day. Arriving in Europe felt like home. There was no litter, no smelly pollution. People gave me space, and drove on the right side of the road. Around every corner and bend is a store or mart. There are malls within bussing distance, salons and movie theaters. We’ve been eating amazing food here. Soups, buttered bread, deserts and pasta. I laughed to myself crawling into my bed the first night in Romania. It was the softest thing I have felt the whole race . I pulled up the baby blue down comforter and sunk into the cozy warmth of the bed. It was actually cool enough to snuggle with a blanket. It was almost unfathomable after our month in India. I woke up the next morning to the smell of freshly mowed grass and had cereal for breakfast. The weather was like a warm summer day. There were puppies to play with, lush grass to walk barefoot in , and a play ground and trampoline for when we felt like being kids again.
The reality of America is sinking in. This month my plane will be landing on the runway. I will see my friends, eat all the foods I missed, and sleep in my own bed. But it’s becoming bittersweet. This season of my life is ending. My home in America will not resemble what I have seen this year. The people I have spent more time with then almost any friend back home will be physically gone from my daily life. Its hitting me what I’m about to experience. That culture shock. The re-entry process has finally begun.
(Somewhere in the world.)
In almost every country people speak of America as if it were heaven. All around the world America has been placed on a pedestal. Last week in church I began to dwell on it. Truly, am I blessed for being born and living life in America, or am I cursed. Because now I know how good I have it compared to others. I know that it’s much easier for me to live my life, than anywhere else in the world. What if God had placed me in a mud African hut for life. Would I be more thankful, not knowing really how much more I could have. Would I have more joy, be more content? What if I had been born in India, as a woman. What if I had been born and orphaned in the Phillipines. Would I have been better off there? I realize that living in America is a dream for many. They think we have it all, they think we are rich, and have easy lives where nothing bad happens. When kids see our white skin they use the only English they know to ask us for money. Somewhere they have figured out that Americans have it. They have lots. Teenagers everywhere tell us their dream is to come to America.
(Leaving the country with my empty passport)
I have discovered that we Americans idolize comfort. We’re not ready to give it all up for Christ. If we were there would be more of us giving and serving, even at home. Becky our Romanian contact just had a flea market last month and raised over four thousand dollars the first day. A few days after the sale we asked her how much she had made and she shared that it was already gone. She had given most of it away. I was blown away. What if we truly lived with the mentality that what we have isn’t really ours, it’s a blessing from God. And what if we gave it away so that other people could experience that. I think it would change our community, it would change lives.
I’ve realized that I’m jumping around a lot, but its just a peek into my mind. As America, and what I call home is coming into view my mind is fluttering around a lot of subjects. Its asking a lot of questions. And I wanted to ask you the same questions out loud. I dont really know how I feel about this whole re-entry thing.
(Helping with a feeding my first day in the Philippines)
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Posted in General Posts by Lacey Malcomson on 5/29/2011
Welcome to the World Race version of
e-harmony.com
So as many of you are aware, our time on the world race is coming to a close. Which also means that we will all be available again. Yup, you heard right, available. So here we are, single and ready to mingle. (there’s a no dating policy while on the WR, but in 2 months we will be finishing) …read on if you are interested in taking any of us out to dinner or are seriously considering dating us…I mean who wouldn’t want to.
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 Name- LACE FACE (Lacey Malcomson)
Age-21, old enough to drink …except that I don’t. So don’t worry about it.
Height- About as tall as a giraffe
Weight- A thrillion pounds
About Me- I believe in energy conservation, therefore I have not showered in a few days. When I do shower I use a bucket. I also go all natural and don’t wear deodorant some days. And sometimes when I let my hair down its so knotty I look like a lioness. But don’t be disgusted by that. I know how to put on a childrens program at the drop of a hat…and I can bring a song anywhere and anytime. Worship or Rap, your pick. I often spend my days in remote villages catching serious diseases. I like to live on the edge though so I don’t mind. I know how to spend $1 to feed 8 people…and I can dance like no body’s business. But usually it draws a crowd so technically it becomes everyone’s business. I then sweat enough to bottle it and sell it, but maybe that’s a bit too much info right away.
My style- I keep it real up in here. The more mismatched the better. My motto this year is never leave the house without ROY G BIV. It’s like I’m a new colorful masterpiece everyday. Sometimes I spice up life with a pair of earrings or a sweat rag.
Weird quirks/hobbies- Hanging out in homes where they don’t speak my language. (you get to use lots of hand gestures). I enjoy wearing bugspray to bed so the ants, and flies and mosquitoes don’t eat me alive. I collect scars. Currently I have some new ones forming. 10 new bug bites from sleeping on a roof, gashes from building a church in a thorn field, and a blistering exhaust pipe burn from learning how to drive a motorcycle.
Occupation- Soul saver. I tell people how much Jesus loves them.
Looking for-. I don’t have a type, I just love men. …. They must be very flexible since I never know what may happen next in life.I could be climbing mountains, swimming oceans, moving houses, saving lives…and I cant wait to do it all together. *sigh*
Contact : Send inquiries by mail on a donkey to-
1234 Rooftop Sleeping Mat Villas
Hottest, noisiest street in town, India
773H
Or comment below...
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 Name: REECES PIECES (Theresa Duffy)
Age-22 years of beauty
Height – Taller than the average Indian man, shorter than the average African
Weight- 70 Kilos
About Me- I like long walks on the poop covered roads, dinners by headlamp, and cramming as many people into one van as possible. Anything less than 50 people is unacceptable.
My style- Anything easy to hand wash.
Quirks and hobbies- When asked to bring a song, I bring it. Like Whitney Houston. The World race has taught me that the world is my stage. I also enjoy cooking over stones and fire. My specialty is Ramen and veggies. My perfect day includes, going for a run and having everyone stare and make comments, a bucket shower, wearing the same clothes I wore yesterday, and having 30 dirty children following me wherever I go.
Occupation- Whatever the magic 8 ball tells me.
Looking for- Non-english speaking Males. (Keeps it more interesting) Must know how to build a structure using bare hands and nothing but nature. Must own a MO chair.
Contact: Send mail via parrot to
6433 F it’s Hot Here rd.
Wild Animals won’t even live here, India
40987
Or comment below ...
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 Name- SHAMU BABY FACE(Shannon Mayall)
Age-23…. perfection!
Height- The ideal height….duh.
Weight- Just right.
About Me- I have amazing hair that looks like a fro most of the time because I don’t wash it. I have blue eyes that can pierce any mans soul. I love saving souls day after day, its basically a hobby. I watch glee on a regular basis, and I can’t wait until I save up enough to buy me a pair of shape up shoes. ( I find it soooo attractive when guys wear them too) I hate blue. Ok, I don’t hate it, I just don’t wear it. I am a geek. I also got a perfect score on my SAT….then I came on the world race and my IQ dropped 47 points. I think it’s right around 70 now…. I have buns of steel. Don’t be jealous now, I worked hard to get them like that. I love a man who works out. And last but not least, my hair has doubled as straw feed for animals on this trip. Crisp and crunchy.
My style-Anything that doesn’t match. The more stripes the better. Life is too short to coordinate outfits. I also wear nasty nasty beaten up, worn down, flip flop type shoe things that I love to death and won’t get rid of until they fall apart.
Weird quirks/hobbies- Running up 10 flights of stairs for fun. Digging holes.. I love throwing little children around and making weird tomatoe salads. I love pronouncing words differently than everyone else does, like Zebra , vitamin and banana.
Occupation-I professionally powder peoples sweaty butts with talc. And I love every second of it. Something about a butt fascinates me…oh wait, maybe that should go up in the quirk section.
Looking for- Spectacularly sculpted midgets.(This has been prophesied over me.) Must spend his monthly check on really nice shoes, and be able to sing me to sleep. (I’m afraid of the dark)
Contact : I can’t wait to hear from you by monkey at,
123 Get me out of here drive.
Going crazy, India
12345
Or comment below...
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 Name: EMMALICIOUS( Emily Fagerstrom)
Age-23 years young. And totally getting better with age.
Height – Taller than Michael Perez’s sleeping mat
Weight- If you can lift me, I’m yours.
About Me- Hey there good looking. We havent met yet, but I can just sense it. You’re a babe…and so am I. So guess what? We already have that in common. I am smooth if you can’t tell. I enjoy trying to communicate with people who don’t speak the same language as me. The challenge is exhilarating. My eyes are refreshing pools of blue hope just welcoming you in. I also enjoy watching men intensely eat curry , rice, and curd with their hands. Oh and sometimes I smell but I don’t care at all, because as soon as I shower I smell again.
My style- Unlike my other team mates, I enjoy matching my shoes and my shirts. So I only wear pink, grey, black.(dont mind that I have blue on in my picture, I never wear blue)
Quirks and hobbies- I enjoy hanging out at foreign truck stop/hotels. When I’m feeling feisty I wear shorts that show my knees, and get plenty of lengthy staring. Secretly I want to destroy the gods of India. I often frolick with goats on my days off. Just imagine, we could frolick together.
Occupation- It changes every month.
Looking for- I have this thing for giants. Or anyone over 6’5. The skinnier the better. If you look like a bean, you’re my type.
Contact: Please reply by giraffe to-
1111 Sweat dripping from my face lane
Fan me you idiot, India
98767
Or comment below...
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Posted in General Posts by Lacey Malcomson on 5/23/2011
I want to be vulnerable with all of you, so I’m sharing a day this past week I had. I am going to be extremely honest about how and what I was feeling. Not everyday is full of rainbows and unicorns on the race....
MONTH 9-Monday
I tiptoe past Shannon sprawled out on the floor napping and quietly lock the bathroom door behind me. I sit down on the pastel green toilet seat and lay my dripping face against the wall tiles.
“God, I hate this. I’m not going to make it through this month . I am so tired of everything and everyone,” I mutter under my breath. I wait for the tears I’ve been holding back for days to spill out now that I’m alone but they don’t. They can’t. My body is trying to reserve every bit of water. I’m frusterated and wish I could just run far away. But the heat easily discourages me from doing that. I don’t want to be in India anymore. I’m sick of constantly being wet with sweat.I’m sick of living with 13 people in one small room. I don’t want to be in this place any longer. I can’t make it until next Sunday. I’m sick of the flies landing on me, the ants spilling from all the cracks in the wall and crawling all over me. I’m sick of eating tomatoes and noodles everyday. I absolutely hate tomatoes! I am so sick of the constant awkward staring at us, and seeing people use the road as a bathroom. I hate that the power is constantly off and you never know when you will run out of water. I’m sick of the blasting idol worship; the honking horns. I hate wearing the same 7 shirts for a year. I hate that I’m stuck here with nowhere to go. I haven’t been alone for a day in over 9 months. I’m going crazy and I just want to be done here. I have such a bad attitude that there is no way I can be making a difference.
“ God!” I cry, “ Father why am I in this God forsaken place."
“It is not forsaken, I am here with you.”
I want to laugh aloud. During lunch I make a rude remark to my team mates. If God spent more time in India he would realize how hot it is and cool it down. It is unbearably hot here. I stand to get a drink and my vision goes black for the 3rd time today. I grab for the kitchen sink and wait until it passes. Filling up my bottle with water warm enough for a tea bag I feel like crying again. I consider not drinking water so I could just pass out. We have to go door to door though, then work on building the church this afternoon in the scorching sun, then set up and show the Jesus film tonight. A full day I can’t skip out on.
A full week, a full month, a full year.
I struggle as an old man hands me a coconut to drink as we visit his hut. I force a smile. I can’t do this God. I told you I’m done. They ask me to share so I tell them about the race and Jesus half heartedly feeling like I’m making no difference. I want to yell. I want to tell them I miss my family, my home,and being normal. I miss being clean, feeling girly, drinking real milkshakes, driving my car and painting to music. I honestly don’t know what’s happening to me. I just know I am unable to do this anymore. I don’t want to even talk to God because I know he’s not going to answer me the way I want him to. I want to curl up alone in a ball for an entire week. I sigh under my breath at the thought of sleeping on the loud, hot roof, getting eaten by bugs again tonight .
“I’m done. DONE. Jesus give me a break.” My chest aches as if my heart is breaking
I breathe in and out slowly as we walk to the new church property donated to us by a healed lady we prayed over. Streams of sweat are pouring down my chest, back, and face as I tell myself I just have to make it through today. We must clear the land which is full of thorn bushes, boulders, weeds, and feed for water buffalos. I take out all my emotions on the bundles of feed for the animals. We move them to the neighbor’s property and pile them up. I pick up huge bundles and throw them as hard as I can. My muscles try to refuse the work. I step on thorn after thorn, stabbing through my cheap flip flops. I get cut, scratched and stabbed until I give up and stand off in a corner. I am sweating like crazy but it feels good to be doing something while sweating. After 2 ½ hours of clearing grass, dancing with the children, and shoving huge boulders into a ditch I want to be done. I’ve drank all my water and we still have to go home, cook dinner, eat, and get back out to set up the screen and show the film.
I flop on my mat face down when we arrive home not worried in any way of suffocating. The heat is certainly more suffocating. I want to refuse to go show the film. I’m having a battle within my soul. I wait for dinner as I fight my attitude. After dinner I’m aching to shower but we must show the film.Eventually though its decided we’ll do it another night because we cant find a DVD player to hook up and use. Thats what I kept saying from the beginning, I think to myself. After I’ve showered off all the fuzzy weeds, dirt, and grime I join a conversation with reese and Shannon. Reese asks why I’m feeling the way I am , why I am having such a bad day and my tears start flowing. I can’t answer the questions she’s asking and I just want to be alone. I cover my face with both hands and tell them I need to cry alone. Of course the tears come when there’s people around. So I walk up to the roof flop on my mat and sob out all my worries and complaints to God until I can only lay there exhausted.
God what are you trying to teach me? I better be learning something. Why do I feel this way? Why do I have such a bad attitude about everthing. God , am I supposed to be here? I miss everything about home. I miss having my own space. I miss quiet. I miss my family and friends. I miss my church. Why on earth am I here building one?
I roll over and stick my i-pod in my ears realizing its actually comfortable weather tonight and there’s a breeze. It’s the coolest night I’ve felt the whole month…I can actually put my sheet over me. I laugh in my head at the comment I made earlier. God is in India, and he’s cooling it down. For me though, not for himself.
“Thank you for not leaving me to do this alone Jesus.Thank you that this is exactly where you want me, and where I need to be. Some days are hard, but completely worth it. Thank you God for staying by my side”. Sometimes I don’t understand why he chose me. I’m so human. Or why I am here. Because some days are terrible, and I don’t feel as if I make a difference. Either way, somehow he decided I needed to abandon myself and this is where I’m at…still learning day by day to make my life about him, not myself. I can’t base how I feel off my circumstances, but just remember that the joy of the Lord is my strength . I need to press into Jesus, and press on in life.
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Posted in General Posts by Lacey Malcomson on 5/14/2011
True or False: God doesn’t do miracles anymore.
I’ve heard people say that God used to do miracles. They say that was only back in bible times, he doesn’t do that anymore.
.
False. The woman above is proof.
God is moving and healing. He was the same then, now, and forevermore. I get to be a part of the story, I get to see God heal day after day. I’ve seen miracle after miracle this year. The blind seeing, the deaf hearing, and the lame walking. Tell me again, that Jesus doesn’t do miracles today.
This week alone I have seen 4 healings.
The first one we were going door to door and arrived at her hut late afternoon in the scorching sun. She was outside sitting on the ground beneath the shade of her house. Struggling to stand up and greet us took her several moments and she stood stooped over. Then she sat back down slowly. We began to share with her about God. She had no clue who Jesus was. Emily, Jeannie, and I shared with her who Christ is and what he had done for her. I asked her questions and we told her some of our story. We shared who our true God is, and how we ended up in India.
She told Naomi our translator that she wanted to know this Jesus, she wanted to talk to Jesus. She wanted Jesus in her heart. Laying hands, I led her to Christ, rejoicing at another sister joining the kingdom forever.
After asking if she had any prayer requests she told us she has back and leg pain and wants to go to church but cannot get there because of it. The three of us girls glanced at each other and smiled. Not anymore, “Tell her Naomi that Jesus is going to heal her.” We prayed again. Then asked her to stand up. Naomi helped her up and she took off walking. I could only laugh, seeing God at work again. Her pain was gone. She was standing straighter and walking quickly for an older woman. She made several laps back and forth with us watching. Hallelujah, Amen. She was completely healed. We told her once we build a church she better come now that she can walk to get there. She nodded. We said goodbye and started off to the next house, thanking Jesus for showing up and for healing his wonderful daughter.
The others who were healed? Feel free to ask me…there’s just too many to write about.
(Below: here she is up and walking around)
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Posted in General Posts by Lacey Malcomson on 5/13/2011
 
Take the hottest summer day you have ever felt and times it by 3. Then pretend you had to go to work for the day and left your nice black car in the sun for about 8 hours. Coming out of work you decide you want to go on a 4 hour road trip. So you get into your car, keep the windows rolled up and drive. It will be sweltering and you will probably not be able to breathe. Welcome to India.
 
God has been hard at work on my heart these past few weeks. He has completely been changing my attitude. As you may know, I never wanted to come to India. I had no desire to be here. It’s smelly, full of disease, and the people are rude. But God asked me to be here, he called me. I’ve actually been enjoying door to door and look forward to it and building relationships with the people here. Talk about surprising, I wasn’t expecting that. God is quickly turning my dis-like for this country into love.
 
Its spiritually intense here. The devil is trying to get India in the palm of his hand. Many houses have gaudy photos of Satan attached to their cement walls, or stick huts. They worship so many gods, making sacrifices trying to earn their favor. They sit in silent awe when we share that our Jesus talks to us. He wants a relationship with us and doesn’t want any sacrifices. This is more than just us sharing Jesus, it’s a battle for lives. We are in the middle of a war zone where we will win, because we have God on our side. We may end up wounded, but for another life, it’s completely worth it.
  
Usually our day looks like this. I wake up between 4-6a.m. to idol worship blasting over a loudspeaker to the village. I’m already sweating when I wake up on the roof and head downstairs for breakfast and time with God. Then about 10a.m. a team will go out to the streets to spread the word of Jesus. We come back home for lunch and lay on the floor in a puddle of sweat until it’s time to worship. In this heat, it’s almost unbearable to move.(May is India’s hottest summer month) After prayer and worship we all hit the streets again, only now its warmer. We go door to door introducing people to Jesus Christ, many of who have never heard his name. We share with them how we ended up in India and how we are going to build a church in their village. A few already know God, but they tell us there is no where to go to Church. They tell us that if there was one, they would attend. Over the course of the day we chug warm water, sometimes 3 or 4 liters before lunch trying desperately to stay hydrated. After spending the afternoon hours going to houses we come home and eat dinner quickly before going back out once again to have a church meeting in the street, singing and worshiping until a crowd gathers. Then we share a message. Or we show the Jesus film. Many people want to know Jesus, and accept him into their hearts. After hiking all the way back home, we shower, get out of the shower sweating, and read or listen to our i-pods until we fall asleep on the roof of the house. Usually the hot cement of the roof that we sleep on, honking from the highway, and bugs keep me up for a while…but I become so exhausted I eventually fall asleep.
 
As you can see we stay quite busy, but it’s a blessed busy. We are doing with our lives, what God has called us to do. Share the gospel.
However, I consider my life nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me – the task of testifying to the gospel of Gods grace. Acts 20:24
 
(These pictures are of adults and kids who literally came to our house , sat on our porch and asked us to tell them about Jesus)
God is moving and healing, he is healing India from the inside out. Numerous times this past week , and the week before we have seen God healing. Lives, hearts, and bodies. People are meeting God face to face. Soon all of India will hear of his name, and will praise his name. So much has been happening this month that I can’t put all my thoughts down. People, situations, challenges, community, moving houses, relationships, healings, love, sweat, blood and tears. God’s love is changing India, and I’m seeing and experiencing it firsthand.
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Posted in General Posts by Lacey Malcomson on 5/13/2011
Last month, before going into Nepal I decided I wanted to fast from Makeup. Sure I go a few days at a time without it, but could I go longer? Could I let myself feel beautiful with God alone?
For 21 days I didn’t wear a drop of makeup. I usually wear it at least once a week on our day off. At first I was sick so it was easy at the beginning of the month.
No mascara, no eye shadow and no cover up. Nothing.
Trust me, I wanted to but I didn’t. I couldn’t. Eventually it did become difficult for me. Three weeks straight, and nothing to change my face with. Sometimes I have gone a week or two without it on the race, but there’s always the comfort that I can put it on at any moment. It’s funny how badly you want to wear it when you can’t. A few different times we went into town with the kids and touristy areas on our off days where I was tempted to put it on so I didn’t feel gross. Without makeup I feel blank. Bland. Plain. I feel ugly. But God created me perfect. I am still trying to understand why I have felt so gross all these years without it when he created me just the way he wants me. So I suffered, and worked through things within my heart…
I depend on make up to feel pretty.
When I’m not wearing it, I feel different. Disgusting.
People will still talk to me if I am not all done up. I worry they won’t if I look so plain.
My confidence is in God, not how pretty I look or feel.
I am beautiful just the way God made me.
These things I am learning may sound simple or silly, but to me it’s a huge step. A cage I am being freed from. At home I only feel pretty when my hair is straightened, and I’m wearing makeup.But that’s not when God finds me beautiful.
People love online chatting, or acting in plays, because they can pretend be someone different. People aren’t satisfied with who they are. I am not. Yet I want to be. I want to love who Christ created me to be. Make up is one way I escape. Trying to feel pretty. Beauty is much much more than putting on makeup though. A gentle spirit, joy, humbleness, an unending love. These things are considered beautiful in Gods eyes. Not something we decorate ourselves with.
Some days with lots of prayer I really did feel naturally beautiful with a fresh face, and some days I didn’t want to look in a mirror for fear I would cry. I discovered though that makeup doesn’t make me who I am, doesn’t complete me. Only God can do that. Make up changes nothing about who I am. Who is in my heart. Who I live for. It only changes my appearance. Accentuates how I look.
Imagine painting a spectacular picture, and then while admiring it, having someone come along and completely painting over it and changing your masterpiece . I wonder if that’s how God feels when we try to change how we look, or who he made us as.
So I challenge the women and girls I know out there to fast from make up for any amount of time, even a day, and find your true beauty in God. He created you and loves you just the way you are. Find your confidence in him, not by hiding or covering up your face.
You were created in His Image.
You were created beautiful.
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Posted in General Posts by Lacey Malcomson on 5/13/2011
MOM...
A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie.
Tenneva Jordan
I love everything about you Mom. Your wisdom, your joy, your encouragement, your laugh, your smile, your creativity, and the way you endlessly love.
Making a decision to have a child--it's momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.
:Elizabeth Stone
You truly are the best mom in the world. You gave up your own life when you had kids. You fixed our boo boos, dried our tears, baked us cookies. You let us be creative, and messy.You taught us how to live life freely.You introduced us to Jesus. You are the best Mom in the world.
When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child.
Sophia Loren, Women and Beauty
Thank you for the sacrifice you made for us kids. For the smile always on your face. For being my mom, and best friend. Thank you for never giving up. Thank you for teaching us to have courage and hope, to forgive, and to love Christ. Thank you for constantly praying for us and with us.
I know what love is by watching your life mom.
Thank you for loving me just the way I am.Thank you for everything you are to us. Thank you for all the fun parties,holidays and amazing food. Thank you for teaching me to be creative and have an imagination. Thank you for being selfless. Thank you for filling our minds and hearts. Thank you for helping me pursue the world race. Thank you soooo much for everything…you have done and do as a Mother.
I hope you have a blessed Mother’s Day. You deserve it! Relax and feel special. Today we honor you Mommy.
I LOVE YOU!!
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