A & U
Unite
Last weekend my squad was given a unique opportunity. It was one that I whole-heartedly loved and embraced. After being at our teams’ respective ministry sites for only seven days, our squad came back together in Chisinau to meet with the January 2011 U-squad. They are on their last leg of the Race, finishing in Moldova before heading back home mid-November.
What a blessing to meet 41 other Racers! There’s something special about the Race and fellow Racers, whether current or alum. I honestly feel as though we’re all family and we are all brothers and sisters in Christ. My squad is my family, and U-squad was like a group of cousins or something. What a party, all 93 of us in a hotel in Chisinau for the weekend. Even though we don’t know one another, our squads had fun together and swapped stories. We prayed over one another and spoke truth to one another.
Sunday night we had a 3-hour worship session. Remember how the last story I told you was about my drumming? Both squads, some prayer, several people + their guitars, a mandolin, a ukulele… put all of these things together and it becomes the best part of the weekend, hands down. After awhile, when I realized I was most likely bruising my thighs by hitting them so hard, I moved to the side. Conveniently, there was a little ledge just big enough for me to sit on.
Some time passed. I was happily beating away on my ledge when a U-squader came up to me. Does God ever have to repeat things to make you actually believe them? He did for me in this instance. When we had worship as A-squad when we first got to Moldova, someone told me that my beat literally changed the atmosphere of the room. Which was cool, but I was a little skeptical. So, a week passes, and we add U-squad to the mix. The woman that came up to me told me the same thing: that my beat was releasing things off of people, that it changed the room. That it wasn’t just fun for me, but that it was essential for others. I smiled and thanked her and giggled to myself. If that isn’t confirmation that I need to be drumming, I don’t know what is. Okay, God, I get it, thanks.
It was hands down the best moment of the weekend.
Other highlights include:
– Finding a fellow A-squader and U-squader to watch (and quote) Eddie Izzard with
[shout outs to Peter and Chelsea]
– Getting a shower and washing my hair for the first time in 12 days (bonus: hot water!)
– Seeing fellow badger, Jake Morris
– Having internet and calling my brother
– Seeing my entire squad after only a week of being separated
– Washing my socks
