11 countries in 11 months proves ‘hope is alive’

An article Tara wrote for the Big Canoe newspaper the Smoke Signals

By Tara Bruce

Two years ago my husband and I lived in Canton, where Josh was a special education high school teacher and I was the Children’s Ministry director at Watermarke Church.

We had just bought our first home and were planning to start a family. But, after going on a short term mission trip to Kenya, we came home and decided to sell everything and go on the World Race, a Christian mission trip that travels to 11 countries in 11 months. Participants live out of a backpack, survive on a limited budget, and find themselves in situations where faith is the only reality to choose from.

In partnering with existing missionaries and ministries, World Racers develop relationships with the “least of these”, and through acts of service see communities and nations transformed all over the world.

During our World Race we witnessed miracles of healing on four continents, saw many people come to know the Lord—285 just in Malawi—trained pastors in Mozambique, worked with orphans in Guatemala and Swaziland, developed feeding programs in South Africa, worked with girls rescued from sex-trafficking in Thailand, ministered to Vietnamese students, and loved on Cambodian street children.

We spent the year sleeping in tents and tree houses and eating all sorts of unidentified foods including bugs and worms. We witnessed poverty, devastation and brokenness first hand and despite the abandonment and lack of comforts, we would do it all over again.

Our lives have been transformed and we have seen places of chaos restored into places of Eden and the hope and love of God is alive all over the world. After what we have lived and seen we can no longer settle for the typical status-quo life. We have been wrecked and are committing our entire lives to activating, facilitating and releasing others into their God-given destinies. If you would like to read more about our experiences in detail please visit our blogs: www.tarabruce.theworldrace.org and www.joshbruce.theworldrace.org.

While on the World Race I got pregnant and after we came home for three weeks we decided to be a part of the G42 Leadership Academy in Spain. After three months, we returned home to Big Canoe, where both of our parents live, so that we could have our daughter, Isabella Grace.

We are currently living in Big Canoe and are now in the process of returning to Spain to be full-time missionaries working with G42 to fulfill our vision to help leaders realize their unique voice (where their gifts, talents and passions intersect with a need in the world).

We will help these leaders develop a plan of action to actually go out and live their dream by creating ministries and businesses all over the world.  Besides mentoring leaders we will plant a church in Mijas, Spain, and work alongside friends who are creating a ministry to restore women rescued out of sex trafficking.

I will never forget that little girl that gave sex-trafficking a face nor will I forget the laughter that echoed in my ears as I held the nine-year-old girl, knowing that hope was still alive and that although her innocence was stolen it was not lost.

“The television shows these videos of crying babies and children with swollen bellies and flies on their faces,” says Josh. And yes, we did see these things. But what they forget to show you is that despite all of that there is hope. And, we have seen hope in Guatemala, Mexico, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, England, South Africa, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, Romania and Ukraine.”

Daddy’s Here

I was holding my daughter while she was a little fussy and whispering in her ear, daddy’s here. Then I had a small epiphany that in our time of greatest happiness and deepest hurts God is whispering that in our ear. Many times I do not hear him because I am distract by my circumstances. However, when I allow the circumstances to fade I hear the Father whispering daddy’s here, daddy’s here. Just as that statement brought my daughter comfort and safety; when God says it a world is lifted, nothing else matters and there is supernatural hope that invades our life.

Father may we silence the noise and listen for your voice speaking to us daddy’s here, daddy’s here.

The Joy’s of Fatherhood

I have only been a father for 6 weeks now but it has been an amazing journey so far.  It has been filled with many firsts, some disgusting, but most absolutely adorable.  There have been times that I did not want to end and others that have made me feel completely helpless and frustrated.  However, the most amazing thing is to look into my daughter’s eyes and see the desire to be needed.  The desire for her father to give her the love she needs.  When she curls up on my chest I know that she feels the love that I have for her.  I think somewhere deep in her spirit she knows the greatness I desire for her.  Those moments bring me joy beyond comprehension and words.

This time has also helped me gain understanding of the way our heavenly father views us.  He smiles down on us as we curled up in his lap.  He whispers love and grace into our ears.  When he sees us he sees the epitome of his creation and he takes delight in it.

Thank you father for your greatness and your desire to always be with your children.  Thank you for not getting frustrated with us and extending grace every time.  Thank you father for first loving us.  Thank you for allowing us to share in the joy of fatherhood.