I would not have made it through the year without this amazing man of God, and the Lord knew that. Funny, how he continues to take care of me without me ever realizing it; over and over again.
March 2007 was the first time Sean and I ever talked and I was sitting on the beach on family vacation and freaking out about having to buy a tent. NEVER in my life had I ever had a need for a tent or backpack and I was truly shuddering at the thought of living in one for a year. Enter Sean. All I knew was that he was some sort of camping wizard or mountain man, or something like that. He talked me off the ledge from the beginning and laughed to himself at how completely clueless I was. He instructed me to buy the biggest sleeping mat I could find (praise GOD!) and my back has thanked him all year. I may have toted the biggest sleeping bag and mat of anyone all year, but I was for sure comfortable! I can’t begin to imagine what he thought of me in Mar 2007, but I know that I pretty much figured he was going to make fire, carry heavy bags and kill bugs. I laugh now. Sure, he did all those things, but only after insisting I learned them myself first and I am forever grateful.
I was initially the team Leader for Team Awaken and from the very beginning Sean and I developed a really easy relationship of co-leading. I was completely unsure of myself and he was a great sounding board and friend. The team quickly gave us the “mom and dad” nicknames that have unfortunately stuck all year, but there is definitely some truth in it. We have very much led together and leaned on each other a lot. When I became the squad leader in South Africa it was a unanimous decision to have Sean step into the role of leader for Awaken. He is a natural leader and easy to follow. There is no way either of us could have predicted the ebb and flow of this year nor how much we would count on each other as we went along.
We have shared MORE than our share of laughs and cries. Poor Sean always managed to show up on the scene just about the time I needed a nervous breakdown. He has sat through many verbal processing sessions and always points me in the direction of truth and grace. We have shared talk-time on the couches of Bangkok, beaches of Philippines, sidewalks of Nicaragua, and everywhere in-between. 
Not only has he provided emotional support, but has an uncanny ability to make me laugh hysterically. We always seem to be on the same wavelength and can’t count the number of times we have taken the words out of each other’s mouths. He is a FIERCE competitor in cards and there was this one time in China where I smoked him on a train in rummy, but other than that I am usually the loser. I am still NOT a good loser, but he is working on it.
My absolute favorite moments on the Race were two weeks we spent cooped up in a hotel in China. Jane, Sean and I shared a living space and there was never a dull moment. Sean is the big brother we never had and we picked on each other and laughed constantly. It should be illegal to have that much fun.
Sean, thank God this is just another beginning and definitely not the end. Thank you for everything–I really don’t have the words (sound familiar?) but, thank you for laughing, crying, praying, supporting and taking care of me all year. I really am not sure I would have made it. The Lord has put a HUGE calling on your life and I am proud to stand by you as walk in it. Your faith, courage, boldness and passion inspire me.
