UTM alumnus Brent Acker from Picayune, Miss., and UTM alumna Mary-Katherine Hill from Collierville, Tenn., are living the big life these days traveling all over the world.
Traveling to work with those in need in 11 different countries in 11 months while only being allowed to take along what can be carried on one’s back might not be considered living it big to some; however, to those like Acker and Hill who feel compelled to run The World Race, it truly is living big.
“The entire purpose of the trip is to partner with people that are out in the field doing the work of the Lord,” Acker said.
According to The World Race website, “The World Race is a stretching journey into 11 countries in 11 months to serve ‘the least of these’ while amongst real and raw community. This unique mission trip is a challenging adventure for young adults to abandon worldly possessions and a traditional lifestyle in exchange for an understanding that it’s not about you; it’s about the Kingdom.”
Young adults who decide to take on the challenge of running the race are required to raise funds to pay for their travel expenses and meals before beginning his or her journey. The exact dollar amount varies depending on the particular route the squad he or she is assigned to will be taking.
Acker, who was assigned to O Squad, and Hill, who was assigned to M Squad, each needed to raise $15,500 on their own before beginning the race.
Hill threw herself into fundraising full-time after graduating UTM in May 2012 with a degree in Early Childhood Education. She worked as a nanny, a substitute teacher and a photographer until late December in order to supplement the donations she received to finance her race.
Acker soon moved to Florida to work for Jacobs Technology Inc. at Eglin Air Force Base after graduating from UTM in December 2010 with a degree in Business Management. When he decided in 2012 to run The World Race, he began holding various fundraisers and received support from local churches, friends and family to finance the necessary funds for his race. Acker’s family consists of his mother, two sisters and one brother.
Although Hill could not have known everything that her 11-month journey would involve or mean to her, she was definitely not a rookie where missionary trips were concerned. She went on her first mission trip to Guatemala in 2008 when she was only a senior in high school. That’s also when she and her family started sponsoring a little girl named Sarai. Since then, she and her mother have led a group to the same children’s home in Guatemala seven times. Hill’s family, which consists of her parents and younger 18-year-old sister, often vacation together and they recently spent the Thanksgiving holidays in Guatemala visiting Sarai.
Encouragement is a big part of the work that is done by those running The World Race and Hill’s encouragement skills were nurtured and put to good use during her years at UTM.
“My favorite experiences at UT Martin were always the Homecoming and Greek Week activities. I always love big activities and being able to cheer all of the different groups on,” Hill said.
Hill’s humanitarian attitude and the importance of community participation were also evident during her years at UTM. While on campus she was an Alpha Delta Pi, a TOMS campus representative, a Garnet Girl for Pi Kappa Alpha and she participated in the Spanish Club and Habitat for Humanity.
Acker’s community participation was also evident during his years at UTM. While on campus he played middle linebacker on the football team, was a part of Interfaith, worked with H.Y.P.E. (Holy Young People Empowered) a ministry through Oak Grove Baptist Church and was a member of FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes).
Hill’s squad left Washington in January and so far has worked in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Rwanda and is currently working in Uganda. Acker’s squad also left Washington in January and so far has worked in Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, Kenya and is currently also working in Uganda. That makes eight different countries in eight months, leaving three more countries in three more months still to go.
“The best part of this trip has been the opportunity to give up everything that I have known in my comfortable Tennessee life and go out into the world completely willing to do whatever God brings my way. I am traveling alongside 50 other people who are just as willing and it is amazing to see what happens when you hand over that independence and see where He leads you. I’ve found new depth and meaning to life out here and the ability to love people like Jesus has called us to do,” Hill said.
While Hill had to leave many things behind in order to do the race, she was very fortunate that she could indulge most of her hobbies while on her journey and was able to acquire a few new ones along the way. Hill enjoys traveling, photography, watching sports, meeting new people, enjoying old friends, participating in anything outdoors, sipping a nice cup of coffee in the mountains of Central America, dancing with orphans in Asia and running on the red dirt roads of Africa. In her missions, she could indulge most of those hobbies, along with gaining some new ones.
“My favorite parts of this project have been traveling the world and helping people, growing more into a man and understanding what it means to be a man, and living in [a] community, which has been great but also difficult at times,” Acker said.
Acker also had to leave behind many things in order to do the race, but because he gets to help people, he has the added bonus of knowing that he helped to put a smile on someone’s face, which always makes his day. He also enjoys playing basketball, football, golf, going to Bible studies and being a mentor to high school students.
“In every country we have a contact that we work with in that country. So, we don’t have a specific thing that we do from month to month. Some months we have done manual labor, [such as] building a dam for a tilapia farm, moving rocks, tearing down houses and building rock walls. I have worked in churches, orphanages, schools, communities and done street evangelism. Basically we do whatever our contacts ask of us,” Acker said.
As for current college students, Hill advises them to soak up the experience.
“Live it up! I always took it as a grain of salt when people would tell me how fast college flies by, but it’s so true. I cannot believe that I was in Martin for four years. Appreciate the small town and the simple joys. Don’t complain that there is ‘nothing to do.’ I’m in the bush of Africa right now and let me tell [you] … there’s plenty to do in Martin,” Hill said.
Visit Acker’s blog www.brentacker.theworldrace.org to follow his squad’s progress and visit Hill’s blog www.mkhill.theworldrace.org to follow her squad’s progress through the next three countries they will visit while they finish The World Race. To learn more about The World Race, visit www.theworldrace.org.To view more pictures of both Acker’s and Hill’s travels, go to: http://www.thepacer.net/the-world-race-brent-acker-and-mary-katherine-hill/.
