It’s 3:00 am.
Teammates are piling into vans that are too tight to fit them all.
Bags are being stacked on roofs.
The thought of another 30+ hour travel day racing through the minds of the people all around me.
The vans start their engines and begin their journey…
Except, this time, I’m not in the van.
This month, our Guatemala base hosted a World Race Gap Year team for most of the month of November. This squad consisted of 50+ 18-21 year olds, traveling to 3 countries in 9 months.
For those who have missed the last year of my life, I just got off the world race, traveling for 11 months to 11 countries.
With that being said, watching these “kids” was surreal.
I saw them herd together for “team time”.
I observed as they worshipped the Lord together.
I heard them chattering about potential team changes.
It was as if I was staring in a looking glass at my life a few months ago…except it wasn’t my squad.
During one of the sessions, I broke into tears at the thought of my squad.
Many of my G-squadmates are sprinkled throughout the world, walking out re-entry in different ways. Some are stepping into professions, others are being trained up to do future ministries, and others are back out in the missions field. However, they each are walking out real life while still acclimating to life after the world race.
So here I am, gazing at what looks, sounds, and (yes) smells like the World Race. Except this time I’m not the racer.
It was a wild ride being a mentor for this group of racers.
We spent hours talking through issues, shepherded as groups sought the Lord throughout Lake Atitlan, and translated through one of the most EPIC experiences of my life involving an emergency surgery. (click this to read more). (But seriously click that link)
From the time the squad arrived, the Lord spoke a maturity and unity in the Spirit over them. What a sight on the last day when 25+ were baptized, each starting a new season in their walk with the King.
Freedom was had in a 3-week period. Sons and daughters were awoken in that 3-week period. A squad was unified in that 3-week period.
Except this time, it wasn’t my squad. It wasn’t G squad.
And it was there that I saw my re-entry, a season that has passed.
I am not a racer.
