Being a team leader isn’t the easiest job, so our amazing squad leaders and logistics team put together a leader retreat for us at the end of the month. I have to admit, I didn’t want to leave Busia early and I really had no idea what to expect on this “retreat.” I didn’t know the other leaders very well and I was so exhausted from life on the Race, however, this past week is one that I will always remember.
No I didn’t get as much rest as I wanted and no all of the leaders are not suddenly best friends now, BUT I do feel encouraged, connected, and not so alone. Over the past few days we’ve been able to do and see some incredible stuff. We went to a monkey park in Nairobi where they literally jump all over you! We laughed, and yelled, and Tim got peed on. We ate really good food at our hostel and shared stories about home and life as a leader on the Race. We also got to spend a night out in the bush with legit Maasai warriors – you know the ones you see on the cover of National Geographic who kill lions at age 15 to assert their manhood? Yup we got to hang out with them and track animals in the wild.
Looking back I feel so incredibly blessed, and I don’t want it to end! Being on the Race you almost forget what it’s like to live a normal life, especially as a team leader. But coming on this retreat I could make a decision for myself and not the whole team; I didn’t have to meet with a contact and then relay information back to anyone; I wasn’t figuring out the day’s schedule or assigning tasks to anyone. I COULD JUST BE ME. And that was probably the best thing about this whole leader retreat. On the Race it’s so easy to get caught up in what you’re doing and lose yourself. God is constantly changing and molding you and everyone else around you. Your own identity is stripped away and while God is bringing you closer to Him, you’re moving farther and farther away from what’s familiar. It’s a painful and messy process. And while I’m still in the midst of all this, it was nice to just take a break.
