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Posted in General Articles
by ryan stewart
on 8/30/2008
I received an email from Tara Stephenson (the leader of team J.O.Y.) about their day of looking for Justine. And instead of paraphrasing it all and certainly botching key details, I'm just going to copy & paste most of her email to me about it:
Hey there,
So ya totally found her. We documented the whole day and took
some video. I can't tell you how amazing it was to go on this journey
not knowing what God was going to do. So expect a blog soon too.
The day goes like this:
So we start off to Livingston. All we know is what you told me
sooooooooo turn left before the big hill and walk down that road to a
naz[arene] church. We went and grabbed a bite to eat before and ran into a
German named Birdie. So then we went back
down the hill, prayed for God's guidance and went.
As we were walking down the road, Maithili [part of team J.O.Y.] asked if we could stop
and pray for a woman on the side of the road. As we were praying,
people were starting to gather. One guy was the woman's grandson who
happened to be a leader in the community. He knew everyone. WE asked
him if he knew of this naz church. Of course he did. He led us down
the street to that little rocky path that goes down a hill and there it
was. The CHRUCH. We were so excited. I saw a man come out "Are you
Pastor Marcos" and when he said yes, I about flipped.
I knew if we could find him the puzzle would come together.
So Birdie------ we had ran into him again before we had prayed for
that lady. We were asking him about Justine and pastor Marcos. he
knew nothing of them but as I started to explain Justine, it clicked.
He started to describe a lady that begs on the street every morning. I
really thought that it was possibly her, but by that time it was the
afternoon.
So back to Marcos. We met his whole fam and mentioned your name.
The older boy got so excited. He ran and got this orange piece of
paper with your whole team drawn out. Pretty cool to see it knowing
you guys were there. So we set off to find Justine which they
pronounced Christine. So here we were walking back down the street
with three Guatemalans and the team. We walked back up the hill and who
did we run into again, yep, Birdie. I had the pastor and Birdie
compare notes and the girl Birdie was talking about was Justine.
Yesss!!! So excited at this point. I knew we were going to find her.
So Birdie hit the road with us. Birdie was definitely needing Jesus,
so Zach was able to minster to him on the way.
We got to Justines house on the ocean and she looked rough. Just
like your picture. She was on a mattress and her foot was wrapped. We
told her that God sent us. We told her that you were the one who
wanted us to find her. She was confused at first but then it all
clicked. Her English was broken but we were still able to ask her
questions. We asked if we could pray over her. We asked God for
healing, for a peace and guidance. a lot!! Before we had started to
pray, I could hear Birdie and Zach talking outside about her. Birdie
was mentioning her drug addictions and how much money she does make in
the streets. It made me pretty sad to sit there and see this broken
child that just desperately needs Jesus and is stuck in this
addiction. Prayer was our only weapon for the battle going on within
her. More needs to come.
She didn't have any food for that night, so we went to a local
hole and got some beans bread and water for her. We told her it was
from the Lord too. We walked back and said goodbye to Birdie and then
to Pastor Marcos. We got his contact info to for future WR's!
Ryan, I have no doubt that God lead us to her. I also know that
he is still doing a work in her there. I want to thank you for putting
that request out there. I learned so much about the Lord that day. He
showed himself to be quite alive. He also showed me that He cares
sooooo much for His lost sheep, like Justine. Only he can give her
wings to fly. I believe one day he will. I think there is still work
to be done. I hope that your faith is not lost but restored for her.
Know that the pastor was with us and hopefully will visit her in the
streets. She knows where to go for help to be healed, to be freed. It
is coming.
Thank you again. I am right in the beginning [of the WR] and see how
much I have to learn. But the cool thing is understanding how big God
is. He took your team and led you to Justine and a year and half later
took our small team of 5 and led us to her as well. ok God what are
you doing? Here we go!! Can't wait to see God's faithfulness come
alive through stories like this one. Be encouraged today. Would love
to hear back.
Your hermana in Christo,
Tara
So yeah....that's that. I think the thing that i am most grateful for (after the fact that she is still indeed alive! holy crap!) is that pastor Marcos was with them to go see her again. I'm not sure at all if he and pastor Salvador have continued to keep up with her since we left, like I thought they promised, but maybe this time they will.
I'm gonna keep praying...hopefully it's not another year and a half until i hear something or visit her again myself. so yeah......
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Posted in General Articles
by ryan stewart
on 8/28/2008
HOLY CRAP GUYS..........
JUSTINE, who i met in guatemala a year and a half ago, ...(SEE http://ryanstewart.theworldrace.org/?filename=justine )
HAS BEEN FOUND!!!!
i heard through stephanie fisk (the july '08 squad leader and who was on my jan '07 trip) that one of her teams was headed to puerto barrios for the month. she put me in contact with that specific team's leader, tara. we emailed a bit and i asked them if they were at all able, to find her and see how she is.and i hadn't heard anything for like at least a month. and just now i was going through all the world race pictures from august for the 'top photos' blogs i'm doin every month for AIM...and i saw this picture! and i'm like holy crap!
so uh...i don't know anything else at this point...i'm gonna find out though for sure and update you guys. but i am....happy that she is alive....but pretty saddened at the same time that she looks pretty much the very same as when i left her a year and a half ago and it looks like in the same 'house'...and more of her foot is gone (which i'm not sure is good or not) ...and i was hoping and praying (SOOOO MUCH...even now) and envisioning that she would be doing really well and that someone would've totally taken her under their wing or something.
WOW...........i'm not sure i should be happy or what.. it's kinda bittersweet at the moment.
i'll keep ya posted........
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Posted in General Articles
by ryan stewart
on 8/27/2008
A lot of people have asked me about and/or expressed interest in me putting together a photo book from my time on The World Race.
Just to give you all an progress report on that little project...I'm workin on it, however slowly it may be taking.
And so...I thought I'd wet your palate a tad by giving you a sneak peek of what the back and front covers will probably look something like.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
And I thought I'd give you a little update on me as well, while I'm at it.
I finished up that camp internship in minnesota about 10 days ago. That also kicked off my almost month and a half road trip out to oregon for the 1-year internship I'll be doing at another YL camp. (it starts october 1) So far, I've spent time with friends in minneapolis, des moines, kansas city and now boulder, colorado. From here I'm going to go to colorado springs and visit a bunch of my fellow world racers. From there, I'm gonna head to arizona by way of some national parks in utah I think. Then san diego and up the pacific coast highway to oregon.
If you're roughly somewhere along that route and I don't know it and you'd like to get together...LET ME KNOW!
The summer in Minnesota went pretty well. It was nice to be back in community again and the YL camp atmosphere. I'm pretty sure that God took me up there to just pour into some people...three especially. As I may or may not have expressed during my time on the race, discipleship is my 'ministry forte' or gifting or whatever you wanna call it. I didn't really get to do much of that on the race, so it was pretty cool to have that opportunity this summer. And one of those three people has fully applied for the Race and is pretty gung-ho about it.
And i tell ya, the opportunities to share about the Race keep coming up...which i love as well!
I guess one of the themes in my life at the moment is a bit of a struggle i'm having: sighhhhh........i feel kinda weird opening up about this sometimes, but its a huge thing with me right now...and the more prayer i can get for it, the better. I have been looking forward to finding and being united with my bride...since like the latter parts of high school man! just to be able to share life with someone on every level!!! GAAHH!! :) but anyway, i feel like i need to stop stressing about it (and i thought i was doing that, er not doing it...but my brother brought to my attention yesterday, that I really am pretty overcome with it all still) and just let God do what he's gonna do! and like i know he knows me and what's best for me, better than i do...but it's just one of those things that like...as of right now, I would be rather angry at God if me being married is not in His plan for my life. SIGHHH...so yeah, that's my thing right now.
and i read one of rusty jackson's (rustyjackson.theworldrace.org) blogs a few hours ago and it really spoke to me. he was talking about INdependence versus dependence (dependence on God). And for some reason, i have never thought about the word 'independence' as simply the opposite of 'dependence'. I WANT to be fully dependant upon Christ. I want to fully trust in HIS plan. and i WANT to be able to fully relinquish to Him my desires to get married. but right now i'm just too overcome with 'my desires' with this one. ........i am just failing at this right now.
so uh...prayers por favor. advice? anyone?
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Posted in General Articles
by ryan
on 6/4/2008
Maybe 3 nights ago I heard that as a camp (there's about 80-90 campers here right now) we were going to be eating just rice for dinner. I didn't think they were serious. The intention was to get these second-time campers more aware of the rest of the world and how they live. They also are taking the saved money from food costs ($730) and giving it to 'Feed My Starving Children'. (www.fmsc.org)
I was intrigued about it the moment I heard the notion. The next night I heard that they were for real doing it. I soon thereafter thought about a picture I took while at a care-point in Swazi a year ago. It's of a boy eating a hand full of rice...mid-bite. It's a good shot.
The night before rice night I had this thought of talking to the camp speaker (rice night was his idea) about if he could possibly use that picture for his purpose of rice night.
I get really excited about the possibilities of sharing my pictures for things and especially powerful things like this rice thing...and I am always willing to talk about The Race to anyone and share what I've experienced & learned. Sometimes I worry I'm too prideful about doing the race...that I somehow am this super-christian now that knows more than everyone else...but with that said...I do believe that I have a lot to offer young christians, especially young American christians. So I get excited to share my "wisdom".
So anyway...I went up to the speaker after lunch today to introduce myself and offer my picture to him. He said yeah, and I brought it to him. He ended up showing it and mentioned me a little during a short shpeel he gave after lunch. Then afterwards him, and two of the other camp leaders/ directors offered me and wanted me to share something at dinner about my trip and that picture. :)
SCORE!
So...I was able to share in front of everyone for a few minutes about things I saw and how it changed me and then encouraged them and challenged them to follow God's calling on their life.
I'll admit I was nervous before hand. I just get self-conscious...and with that my thoughts don't always come out clearly when I talk. But I prayed that God would just speak through me.
After I shared one of the camp directors caught me and said that it was perfect...and exactly what they needed to hear.
I felt good.
And then tonight at club he mentioned me a couple times again. And a girl asked me after dinner if I could talk with her about the Race some more...and another guy wanted to hear more about it tonight.
I'm on the AIM bandwagon man. I love sharing about the Race and doing a little bit to help people come alive to their calling in Christ. I love it!
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Posted in General Articles
by ryan
on 5/17/2008
I will write some more in the coming days hopefully, but just wanted to update everyone on what's going on with me. I am leaving tomorrow afternoon (sunday the 18th) for Castaway Club. It's a Young Life camp in northern Minnesota. (Young Life is an international ministry to teenagers)
I will be a maintenance intern up there until August 18th. I'll be doing fix-it jobs and building projects, etc...
I'm really excited to get back into the YL atmosphere. For those of you that don't know, YL was the vessel that God used to ultimately bring me to Him for good. I'm excited to be back living in community, like the World Race, and to be back around like-minded people my age (like the WR) and get to partake in some worship again. (like the WR) It's just going to be great all around.
........and if you haven't noticed, I really miss the World Race and that lifestyle...and just being alive.
I've been back at home with my parents in the house I grew up in, these past 6 months. (first of all...i can't freakin believe the Race has been over for 6 months!!!) It's been tough to be back here after being around the world having the time of my life, and not really having many friends to spend time with. (one of my very best friends lives like 40 minutes away...but he's got a full-time job and we just haven't gotten together that much unfortunately) But I'm trying not to complain about my last 6 months, and it has been good overall to be able to spend some time with my parents before I head back out again. And I'm finally realizing that God has had me back here at home these last months for a good reason, and I'm quite sure he's been teaching me even more about being content in an unideal situation and trusting in Him that he will do what is best for me.
After this summer internship in Minnesota is over, I will have a month and a half before I have to be at the YL camp out in Oregon where I will start a year-long internship. I'm gonna take a nice long and casual road trip out there via Colorado Springs, Flagstaff, Phoenix, San Diego and the pacific coast highway.
So yeah...that's me right now. I'll keep you posted on how Minnesota goes.
And FYI, I am slowly working on a book of my year on the World Race. It will contain lots of my photos from the year and some journal entries as well. Let me know if you are interested in a copy...whenever I finish it, I do not know, but tell me anyway.
OK...that's it!
that's up where I'll be
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Posted in General Articles
by ryan
on 3/26/2008
In my last post I said that I was gonna be going to Texas to interview for a 2 year internship with Young Life down there.
I went down there for a few days and interviewed for it and all that, but ended up not being offered the job. I ended up being a little too honest with them I think, by openly sharing that I absolutely just wasn't sure if this was where I was supposed to come or not. I expressed that I definitely have a heart for the nations and Japan and that I wasn't sure I wanted to commit to 2 years in Texas or America still. (But at the same time I made it clear (whether they were convinced or not) that if they offered me the position and I felt God wanted me down there, I'd commit to the 2 years for sure)
After I came back to Michigan, I realized that my extreme honesty and openness may have been driven by fear. Fear of...committing to something that may not be the absolute best thing for me right now and therefore somehow wasting 2 years of my life. Fear of failing at the job once I got down there. Stupid stuff really.
Now...I see it more as God was probably keeping me from taking that job because it probably wasn't where he wanted me right now. I'm learning though too...that there isn't a utopian job or utopian place in life either. I think my standards might be too high sometimes.
Since then, I do have one thing nailed down. Starting October 1st, I will be doing a one-year internship at the Young Life camp in Oregon, called Wildhorse Canyon. It's a work thing, getting discipled and mentored, living in community and just getting closer to God. I'm really excited about living in community again and getting poured into by like-minded brothers in Christ. I just wish it started earlier than October.
I'm in the process of applying for a different camp internship for the summer now too. But we'll see what happens. If you guys have any ideas or know of any summer jobs ANYWHERE, please let me know.
Before I end this blog, to anyone who reads this...I need prayer. I don't really like to ask for prayer still, especially on something as public as this, but I desperately need to trust God more all the time!! Trust that he will provide the things I need in life and put me where he wants me. I can be very indecisive and discontent sometimes....like it's me that has to have everything figured out on my own. I'm too fearful, not faithful.
I appreciate your prayers
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Posted in General Articles
by ryan
on 2/21/2008
This is me 3 days ago...
...you could say that my demeanor in this picture effectively illustrates how in my head and in my heart...I REALLY MISS the life I had on The World Race.
Now, by saying, 'the life i had' I don't mean in any way that that life is gone and is never to return ...because I know that isn't true. I know for a fact that God still has AMAZING things in store for me! Huge things! I'm just in a place in life right now (as I imagine many of my fellow racers are) where it feels like no other experience could ever measure up to the high I was on during The World Race.
But I'm reminded of Philippians 1:6, "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." God began a good work in me way back before I was even thought of, but he REALLY began a good work in me during The World Race. And it's just cool to see and hear one of his promises that, yeah even though the world race is over, and all the experiences, challenges and growth that came with and through that are 'over' in one sense...I can't forget that even though one thing is in fact over, that IT is far from over!!
I mean shoot man, discipleship is my gifting and calling and I haven't even dipped my toes into the vast ocean of real discipleship. And I haven't been to Japan in almost 2 and a half years! There is so much more awesomeness yet to come.
I think it all just comes back to living your life to the fullest, and recognizing what God is calling you to in life...and obeying that call. Taking a risk and going out on faith sometimes, if not all the time. And with being back in my hometown for 3 months now after the trip of a lifetime, just doing typical routine and mundane things that are NOT my calling in life...it's just hard to be patient sometimes. Times like this are definitely necessary, but I am just hungry to be FULLY ALIVE IN CHRIST AGAIN!
Moving right along...
It's full-blown winter here. These are some pictures from the park across the street.
Last night I got to share about the race at a local church. I showed a bunch of pictures and talked about them, answered some questions and stuff. I met a girl from the college here who was really interested in the world race. She asked me all kinds of questions about it...and it just felt really good to share my experiences last night with her, and a bunch of people I didn't know, but were really interested in hearing it.
Lastly, I want to ask for your prayers about something. I am flying down to Texas on sunday, for a few days, to interview and meet with people about the Young Life internship there that I applied for. I've been praying about this for about a month now, and this particular internship in Texas sounds like a great fit. I'm really hoping for it.
And also, I got word via email that Jaco, (our contact from Mozambique) has caught malaria. Please keep him and his family in your prayers also.
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Posted in General Articles
by ryan
on 1/18/2008
The bulletin board at church on my first sunday back
So, I thought that I was done with blogging on here. But I thought it would be a good idea to at least update you guys (however many people will still read this) on what has happened since I have been back. In some ways it's been as I would've expected, but in some ways things haven't happened as I thought they would.
I sit here now...actually just a day shy of 2 months since I left Hong Kong...and I guess it has flown by. Not sure if that's a good thing or not. But I sit here...at home in the house i grew up in...on a friday night...with nothing to do but blog. :) Again, I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not.
I'll just cut to the chase of what has happened, then I'll talk a little more about what it's actually like to be back home...in this American culture.
First of all, I left everyone by saying that I was really planning on moving to Branson, Missouri to be around a girl. Well...to make a long story short, those plans have changed. I went to Branson for a visit in early December to check things out then saw her again for about a week, just before new year's.
Maren in Branson
blowing a glass ornament in Branson, at the house of the family I was going to live with for a few months
I just strongly felt that I wasn't supposed to be with her. We prayed about it a lot...and I broke it off. The first time I've ever had to do that....and it wasn't fun. But in hindsight, it has totally been for the best! God's got our backs for sure. I feel good about it, and I actually just talked to her this evening and she is doing really well also...which was great to hear.
For Christmas, my family and I, along with my grandparents, drove up to the thumb (of michigan...for you non-michigan folk) to see my 95-year-old great-grandmother. It was a 4 hour drive each way, so it was kind of a long day, but it was good see her and I'm sure that the surprise of seeing us on Christmas day meant a lot to her.
Whenever I've been home since I've been back from the race, I've been working again for my friend Jeff making plexiglass display cases, packaging them and taking pictures of them. (If you've read my blogs from even before the race, I did a post on this back then)
I also shot a wedding in Knoxville for a family member of one of my best friends, John.
I've also done some family portraits for a family from church...
I went to a Detroit Pistons game
Antonio McDyess
The other noteworthy piece of news is that......I bought my first car ever. Kinda scary at first, but it's all good. It's a '99 Honda Civic and it's treatin me just fine so far.
From here...I've applied for 8 different internships with Young Life. (from Texas and further west) It's a two-year commitment, and kind of acts as a training period for future YL area directors. I'm a tad tentative about committing to two-years, because of my strong desires to go back to Japan, but I think it will be ok. I just don't want Japan to become one of those things that I really want to do, but keep pushing it back and back. This internship would be great and worthwhile experience though for sure and it's totally something that I will love doing. And it will be great prep for being better equipped to do YL in Japan. We'll see if someone ends up hiring me though to begin with.
So being back in America...at home...where I've lived most of my life............................................I don't know really where to begin to explain how it feels. I am so ready to move on and move out and do the next thing. I'm not gonna lie when I say that there has definitely been a let-down factor with returning to life here versus the life I had for most of 2007. But that was totally expected I suppose.
I've gone back and read through some of my journals from the year, and some of the blogs I put up on here....and oh man the memories!!! TALK ABOUT THE TRIP OF A LIFETIME! It's almost as if that concept is coming even more into focus now looking back on it.
In a sense, it has been tough to re-adjust to day-to-day life here. There's just so much to do all the time it seems like. Not that we didn't have all kinds of stuff to do on the race all the time, but it's different now. It's been really tough to find and set aside time to spend with God, I'll tell ya that much. And I mean it's not like I haven't had the time...cuz i've definitely gotten sucked back into the reality of the fact that I can once again get on the internet WHENEVER i want. And it sucks to be back in the mindset of 'I've-got-to-make-as-much-money-as-I-can' again. So just re-figuring out how to manage my time again.
If you want, just pray that God will totally direct me in what to do next. And that I will make more of an effort to seek him out every single day.
Not sure if or when I might blog again on here....so....yeah.
ryanstewartphoto@hotmail.com
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Posted in General Articles
by ryan
on 11/24/2007
I am home now...and it's weird. So many things are exactly the same as when I left...as if this past 11 months was just a figment of my imagination. I know it wasn't though.
I'm ready for the next adventure.
I've had a lot of people say stuff to me about my pictures. 'There awesome...you have such a gift...you should put together a book..' etc....
So what I'm going to do for now at least, is offer prints for ANY PICTURE I have ever taken!
If you saw a photo on my blog this year, tell me which one it is and what kind of print you want, framed, dry-mounted, or just the print...and i'll send it to you. The price list is above. Either leave a comment on this blog, or email me at ryanstewartphoto@hotmail.com
ANY PICTURE!
Here's some from this trip (and some not from this trip)...to entice your aesthetic senses
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Posted in General Articles
by ryan
on 11/18/2007
Gary blessing our last night's banquet and the meal
bush at the final banquet
Josh and I
Jimmy, Chad and Clinton...thank you so much for all you guys did and sacrificed for all of us this year!
Andrew Shearman, Lisa & Gary Black...just some of the amazing people that have invested and poured into us all year long.
Seth is obviously the man that has invested in us and the world race the most…he's traveled all over the world to many of our debriefs. Seth…thank you can't even come close to accurately expressing how grateful we are for all you have done and for what God has showed us thru the world race.
January 14, Palenque, Mexico - A & B squads in their original entirety
April 15, Lima, Peru - the current A squad at that time (minus Andrew & Katie)
May 30, Vilanculos, Mozambique - The current A squad at that point (minus Josh & Clinton)
September 2, Ko Samet, Thailand - The entire A, B & C squads
November 16, Hong Kong - The final shot of A & B squads (minus Jenny & Erin
Just to give you all an idea of what will likely be next for me...or what I am at least planning on doing in the near future...I will be back in Hillsdale on Thanksgiving day. I'll be around there until soon after New Year's, when as of this point I am planning on moving down to Missouri. I have a friend down there named Maren that I've known for about 7 years now, and am really excited to get to know her a lot better and to see what the future may hold for the both of us.
Within the next couple of years sometime, I'm pretty certain that I will be back in Japan. I envision my first year back there to be spent teaching english at a high school, while learning the language and getting to know my students. Ultimately, I have a hunch that being involved with Young Life (probably in Japan, but who knows) will be a huge part of my life, as well as photography still.
Thanks to all of you who have read my blogs this year and supported me financially and through prayer! I appreciate you so much!
I intend to get a website up someday soon for my photography, so keep a look out for that.
And I would love to keep in contact with whoever is willing. My email is ryanstewartphoto@hotmail.com
PEACE OUT.....and GOD BLESS!!!
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