We arrived in Kenya for a squad debrief. We were all ready for some good rest and fellowship. The debrief turned out to be anything but that. The first day, two squadmates (who incidentally were on the same team) made the decision to leave the race. It came as a surprise to most of the squad. After we said our goodbyes, we had some minor team changes. This included adding another member to the team I am on. Even adding one person will always change team dynamics drastically, so my team spent some time trying to adjust. Later that day, a huge bomb was dropped on the squad. One of the team leaders was faced with the reality of having to leave the race. This team leader was very much loved by the whole squad and there was a spirit of brokenness that covered the squad.
During our worship time that night, the anger, frustration, confusion, and hurts of the squad began to pour out. One of the people I am closest to on the squad was broken because his best friend on the squad had been sent home and he did not have the opportunity to say goodbye. I did my best to pour into him as we sat together in a very unworshipful worship circle and listened to the questions from other squadmates. One member of the squad ended up leaving the group and my friend stepped up. He put his own hurts aside to take care of his teammate. Unknowingly, this was the moment where things began to change. Our squad began to come together as one that night. Little by little, as one of our team leaders strummed the guitar, people began to stand and sing out to the Lord. At the end of the night, there was a small group of us left. We were singing from our hearts in a tiny circle. The words we were singing were not from known worship songs, but were the words the Lord was putting on our lips. It was a time when the brokenness was turning to comfort. We were putting people in the middle of the circle, laying our hands on them, and praying and prophesying over them. There was also intense private worship with God. People were playing tambourines, egg shakers, dancing, singing, praying in tongues, and just being intimate with the Lord.
The next night, we worshipped. God had shown up and healing had taken place. The entire squad was rejoicing together as a family. There was dancing, singing, and the playing of various musical instruments. On one of his last nights with us, our alumni squad leader Garrett, played his infamous “Burn and Burn” song and we ended the night singing Will Reagan’s “Climb” accapella. What a difference 24 hours with the Lord makes.
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.” Ecclesiastes 3:1,4
