I started working for Adventures in Missions just a few months ago. I have been mobilizing two World Race squads and supporting them as they prepare for life on the race.
As I started building relationships with participants, I was going deeper and loving harder than I imagined I could through emails and phone calls. I was forming bonds with people I had never met. With fundraising deadlines and training camp approaching, I spent most days in June talking to my Gap Year squad who is launching in September. They were on my mind constantly and I prayed over them consistently. I now see that the Lord was using that time to deeply root me into their journey.
On June 18th, I wrote in my journal, “…I am afraid God is going to tell me to squad lead this gap year squad…”
(Squad leading simply means loving and serving participants on the field and acting as a liaison between the Adventures home office and participants. For our Gap Year squads this means spending all 9 months with them.)
I like to imagine God was laughing as I wrote those words.
I am not sure why I wrote that I was afraid. I think in the moment I didn’t feel like I was ready for it.
9 months, 5 countries, over 40 eighteen to twenty-two year olds.
It was slightly daunting. And I had just moved to Gainesville, so not much of that really made sense to me.
They came to training camp on July 7th and I immediately fell even more in love with them. I think I probably scared them with how excited I was to see them, but it was so great! Seeing the faces of the sweet men and women I had been talking to each day. Getting to spend time laughing, crying, and dancing with them. I was so full in each of those moments.
(I know, this is all mushy and gushy and gross, but seriously, I LOVE THEM!)
I continued to ask the Lord if I was meant to continue this journey with them. Well, the short version is, HE SAID YES!
I get to spend 9 months with some of the most wonderful people I have ever known. I get to be a part of their journey with the Lord as He grows them, changes them, and uses them.
Much more info to come on this, but for now just take a look at some of their lovely faces:
