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Posted in General Articles
by Ali Page
on 5/12/2008
2008 July Race Route
Of course this is all subject to change...but as of now this is the route we (the squad of 35) are planning to follow!
July - Central America - Mexico (Palenque)
August - Central America - Guatemala/Nicaragua
September - South East Asia - Thailand
October - South East Asia - Cambodia
November - South East Asia - Vietnam
December - Southern Africa - South Africa
January - Southern Africa - Swaziland/Mozambique
February - Southern Africa - Swaziland/ Mozambique
March - Eastern Europe - Romania
April - Eastern Europe - Moldova
May - Eastern Europe - Ukraine
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Posted in General Articles
by Ali Page
on 4/25/2008
We were asked to write an essay called "This I Believe" about what really matters to us, as preparation for this world missions adventure called the World Race. This is what I believe...well... a small piece of it anyhow.
 We all have an empty void within ourselves. A hole. We try and fill it with different things. I myself have tried filling it with rock climbing gear, make up and high heels, chocolate, good deeds. These things are not bad, but they were not filling me. I thought if I just had the newest skis, or J. Crew sweater I would be satisfied and fill the void. If I could just love people better, be prettier, or do nicer things, then I would be satisfied...not so.
We are disconnected and we know it. We always want more and nothing is ever enough in this world. We obsess about things and once we get them, we are left feeling empty and confused. Then, we are off looking for a new addiction or obsession to try once more. Thus repeating a visious pattern and downward spiral. I believe we try and cram stuff into this hole, but nothing fits.
Actually something does fit. It is a God shaped hole, and only He can fill it! He wants us to grow in Him. We are him with skin on! Okay but I am not saying, "You believe in God and then you are fine, and life is easy and fun and you never desire anything worldly ever again." No, I am definitley not saying that! But God desires to fill us as much as we can be on this earth, His way, not ours. I met a great man (Andrew Shearman) who said, "Yes it is hard, and yes it hurts, but that's what makes it so great!" I agree. He also said, "Rise up man/woman of God!" Sometimes we have to cleanse all the junk from our lives that we were trying to fill our lives with, but it just doesn't fit.
I believe in a God who fills the void that nothing else can.
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Posted in General Articles
by Ali Page
on 4/18/2008
 
I never fully realized what role evil plays in our minds.
Last week, I was in Gainesville, Georgia for training camp. The staff at Adventures in Missions put us in different teams throughout the week, gave us challenges in those teams, and would observe us. They did this so they could chose the most healthy team formations possible.
I was asked towards the end of the week to be a team leader. One challenge given to the team in which I was leading was suprisingly frustrating. We were given a scenario in which "we had crashed our spaceship on the moon and had a list of official NASA materials in which we had to priortize the most importent to the least importent, in 10 minutes." I found myself not knowing what to do or how to lead this activity. Some thoughts I had.....
"You are letting your team down!"
"You cannot meet their expectations!"
"You can't do this!"
"What a horrible leader you are!"
"Why do you think you can do this?"
"You'll never measure up!"
"You are letting everyone down"
After the activity was over, a panel of staff debriefed by asking us questions. I declared to my team and the staff observing us the list above, outloud. I cried and felt so unlike myself. I would usually never say these things, and this is ceratinly not the way God speaks to us!! So where did these thoughts come from?
The Enemy.
Evil tries to plant thoughts in our heads, but unlike God, evil cannot read our thoughts, in reaction to what he tells us. Evil sees our reaction. Evil saw me declare the lies he whispered to me. After the activity and debreif was over I went to think and pray about what had just happened.
I had to call Satan out. I had to tell him outloud that he has no place in me, because of who I am in Jesus and I recognize that those lies were him and i do not accept it. We have authority in Christ to tell Satan to go back to Hell and shut up. He left, Satan couldn't touch me.
"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the Heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God..." Ephesians 6:12,13a
I asked God, to reveal any other lies which had been planted in my thoughts. I kneeled on the ground and asked him what He wants from me. I heard a small whisper in my thoughts, "Alison, you are to be a leader!" I felt peace that transcended understanding. He affirmed what everyone else on staff and on my team saw. I couldn't see this or believe it. Satan thought he had me, but he was wrong.
"For though we live in the world we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not weapons of the world. On the contrary they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
I am so very honered to be the leader of team 5 Alive. I love my team and I recognize that God has given me the power and boldness to lead. Satan has no place or authority! Thank you God!!!
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Posted in General Articles
by Ali Page
on 4/17/2008
Training Camp comes to a close....teams are announced. Excitement explodes in the crowded room of missionaries to be....Ali Page, Melanie Barber, Amy Mcallister, Sara Ellis, Natalie Montgomary!
Our team, our family, our community. These are the amazing people that make up team 5 Alive and I will get a full 11 months with these women!
As we were released in our teams for the first time we were asked to return 2 hours later with our team names and to go create our first memory. In my head my thoughts exclaimed, "A first memory....kind of like a precious moment?" We decided "Team Precious" was not fitting. (Don't ask me why I thought that or where it came from!)
After driving to the closest "coffee shop" to camp in Gainesville, we had some fun at a thrift store. We made some memories laughing and enjoying each others company for the first time as an official World Race July '08 Team. Us 5 girls cleared our heads after some fun and went to sit down and get serious about naming our team.
We started to read 1 Peter 2:4-5 (we looked up "precious" in a concordance, this verse had been underlined in my Bible).....
"As you come to Him, the living Stone - rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to Him- you also like living stones are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy preisthood offereing spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."
After much discussion and creative thought processes to decide on the perfect name...(precious stones, gems, living stones) I believe Natalie shouted out, "5 Alive!" It sounded great to the ear and there are 5 of us who are more alive in Jesus than we ever have been, after a transforming week of training. Plus David chose 5 smooth stones to use as his weapon against Goliath. (see 1 Sam 17:40) We are 5 women which God will use in a powerful way to defy evil and to glorify His name!!!
WE ARE 5 ALIVE
 P.S. Five Alive is a line of fruit juice blends created by Minute Made. The name refers to the five fruit juices each variety contains. Five Alive's slogan is currently "Feel Alive!" Okay but my team....we dont just feel alive, WE ARE ALIVE. And my God is not just about feelings, He is about being.
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Posted in General Articles
by Ali Page
on 4/7/2008
Have you ever heard of ATL? It stands for "Ask The Lord."
Before training camp I had not really heard of this concept. When one is seeking guidance in from Him...just ask. Ask what The Lord's will is and where He wants you to go? Who does He want you to minister pray for? Then wait and see what He does. You could be given a vision, a still quiet voice, a sense of urgency, scripture, or sometimes you will get nothing!
Now, I am not one of the people in this world who has heard God's audible voice, but I have been listening. I have been listening for him extra hard this week at The World Race Training Camp. In this instance, I didnt ask...but HE spoke!
Today we were given the freedom to leave The Adventures In Missions campus for lunch. Myself and 3 other girls loaded up into Chad's car and we were driving back to campus after a nice lunch at a Mexican Restaurant. One of the girls wanted to stop quickly at a gas station for a pack of gum. This is where it gets interesting....
I am waiting in the car with the others for Jane to come back and I am looking out the window. I see a gruff looking large man with a big beer belly, bushy beard and glasses come out of the gas station convienience store and walk to his truck. In my head, my thoughts I hear, "Pray for him." I close my eyes and ask God to bless him and whatever he is going through. And open my eyes, thinking.."Okay I prayed for him." But then in my thoughts I hear, "Pray for him."
Timidly I interupt the rest of the car's conversation and say, "I think we are supposed to pray for that guy over there. "So we all bow our heads, and I ask the Lord to bless this guys once more. We raise our heads, and I got the feeling, that God wanted more. About this time I am noticing he is not getting in his truck to drive off. This man is lingering.
I said to the rest of the car, "Should we go and ask to pray with him?" And Valentina says, "I feel like we should." Natalie jumps right in and says, "Okay! I'll go with you."
I am thinking...."Whoa God! I mean if you are sure..."
Natalie and I hopped out the car and approach this some-what scruffy man. And I tell him that I believe God is asking me to pray for him, and I am sorry if that weirds you out but can I?
He hesitated, but I could tell this man was receptive and wanted it. He told us he was a little weirded out but yes we could pray for him. his name is Ronnie. Ronnie said, "I have 2 daughters about your age." As if he was touched that WE would to pray for HIM. I asked him if he was a believer and he said he was. He held out his hands, and right there, in the middle of the gas station convieience store....we bowed our heads.
Now Ronnie didnt share a whole lot about his life. But he knows now that God cares and I care. I know a seed was planted in Him. I am wondering what he thought about the rest of the day. I know I was thinking of Ronnie. I know the spirit was working in his heart before I appraoched him.
How many times in life have I missed out on something likes this? I could have easily ignored my thoughts and continued about my day. I will probably never know what Ronnie was really thinking or going through, but I know I need to continue listening to that still quiet voice of the Lord my God!!
I know this is only the beginning of a wild ride. I can't wait to see what God has planned next!!!
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