I’m Drew McKinney, and this is how I’m living deeply. 

“My senior year of high school was incredibly tough. I had a falling out with one of my closest friends. Another came out as transgender. All that shook my world and challenged my faith. I didn’t want to go to college -I felt lost- but I knew I had to something. My parents are missionaries, so choosing the World Race seemed like something they’d accept. A friend, Sarah Badgett, had just finished and encouraged me to go. I was scared, though- not of the physical challenges, but the relational aspects. The thought of living with people for a year -people I might not get along with- was terrifying. But I knew I needed a change, so I took the plunge. In September 2023, I left for training camp in Gainesville, Georgia. For a month, I slept in a tent and learned to survive outside. From there, our actual Race started in Cambodia for six weeks, then moved to Thailand, South Africa, Lesotho, and finally Guatemala. Nine months total. Lesotho was by far the toughest. We were in the middle of nowhere, no communication- and the physical challenges were intense. Our water filters broke the second day, so we got sick (I threw up eight times!) from drinking unfiltered water. We also had to carry heavy wooden beams up a steep mountain to help build a church and a toilet. Our ministry host drove some heavy stuff halfway up, but we had to carry the rest. I remember one day we were halfway up, already exhausted, when we saw three men carrying a huge water tank. Our host asked me to help them, and I thought it was just for a short distance. But we didn’t stop until we reached their village- an hour and a half later! There’s a video of me asking if anyone knew when we’d stop. We never did. Halfway through, I was praying, ‘God, give me strength.’ And somehow, I made it. But then we had to go back down and help everyone else. It felt like the movie Hacksaw Ridge: ‘One more, God. Just give me strength for one more.’ Even though I’m usually the kind of person who would sleep till noon if I could, I kept going back for more logs. That night, on dirt, in a tent without a sleeping pad, I had the best sleep of my life.

The relational aspects I feared turned out to be the biggest blessings. My team -six guys and a leader- became my family. We had conflicts and hard times, but the organization equipped us with tools to handle them. Every week, we had feedback sessions where we’d point out one way someone didn’t look like Jesus and one thing they did well. It took humility to accept and give feedback, but it was vital for our growth. My team showed me the value of true biblical Christian community. They pointed me to Christ, held me accountable, and supported me through everything. By the end of the third month, I realized Jesus was very real and wanted a relationship with me. I’d heard it my entire life, but I didn’t internalize it until then. Seeing the joy and faith of people who had endured unimaginable hardships, especially in Guatemala, was eye-opening. Their thankfulness in the face of adversity was something I couldn’t explain with logic. It made me see how God works in ways that defy human understanding. My senior year of high school had been so tough: the broken friendships, no community, faith struggles. I was depressed, even suicidal. But God changed my perspective through the World Race. It wasn’t about me anymore; it was about using the gifts He’s given me to serve others. At training camp, we were constantly involved in worship, sermons, and Bible studies. It transformed me- helped me see the importance of community, got my focus on what truly matters. My team became my support system, and we fought for each other. Throughout the Race, I learned to give everything to God. I had struggled with the idea of faith, wanting a tangible sign of God’s love. But I realized He works in the quiet moments, which actually requires me to pay more attention to what He’s doing around me. Worship and laying everything at God’s feet became my starting point. I’m biased, but I think everyone should do the World Race out of high school. It taught me life isn’t about comfort but about stepping out in faith, embracing challenges, and relying on God. So push past your fears. Embrace difficulty in God’s strength. You come out a better person.”