The end of month 4 brought big changes to M squad. As we all packed our bags, said our good-byes to our Nicaragua families, and headed to Costa Rica for debrief, questions roamed through our minds at the mention of team-changes.
I had mixed feelings about team changes:
On the one hand, I love my team Rayos. Since we have been doing life together for the past 4 months, I have grown accustom to our way of doing things. I know these girls; I know their pet peeves, their favorite foods, their love languages, and I know who shines at which types of ministries. I know how to encourage them, and they know how to encourage me. That being said, it was a hard thing to process through knowing I would be separated from them. I will dearly miss these sisters!
On the other hand, I knew that if our leaders could prayerfully orchestrate this beautiful team, they could surely do it again! I knew what I had signed up for; I knew that team changes were bound to happen. I knew the adjustment of “starting over” with a new team would come, and I knew of the beauty that forming new relationships would bring.
Debrief was such a beautiful break. Our awesome logistics leader, Josh, set us up at a cute little hostel, stocked with a kitchen and A/C, just a short walk from the beach (spoiled!). Debrief was a time of catching up with friends, doing some soul-seeking, and of course, surfing the waves!
Day 3 came around and it was time for team changes! It was an emotional time for all. But I am so thankful for this small M squad, as there are no strange faces amongst us.
I am humbled to announce that I will be leading these 5 beautiful ladies listed under my new team: Libertadoras.
When I was first asked to team-lead, I remembered my thoughts before I left for the Race. I hope they don’t ask me to be a team leader. I hadn’t had these thoughts since I began this journey. Seeing my squad-mates shine, I never imagined they would ask little old me to lead. And so, when I heard the question, I was completely humbled. And, as my insecurities started to race through my mind, I took it to the Lord in prayer. I remembered talking with a former Racer who told me back before training camp, “If they ask you to team-lead, know that it is because they believe in you. They see your heart for the Lord, and they have prayerfully made this decision. You have the option to say, ‘no,’, but know that this may be the Lord’s will for you and you may be turning it down. Don’t say, ‘no,’ out of fear. Don’t miss out on the ways the Lord wants to work through you,“. And so, I decided to take the plunge and I said, “Yes!”. I said ‘yes,” to serving this beautiful group of women, I said ‘yes,’ to diving out of my comfort zone, and I said ‘yes,’ to allowing the Lord to stretch me in ways I have yet to see.
Libertadoras = Liberators (feminine)
In history, when groups would invade Central America, they would come in as Conquistadors (conquerors). Our goal as a team is not to come in and take over a culture (a way of life, or religion) by force, but rather, let the Lord use us to proclaim freedom in love. We want our words and our actions to portray the hope that the Lord promises, and in doing so, bring freedom into lives of those in bondage. Personally as a team, we are also seeking out this freedom. We want to be women who are pursuing liberation from past hurts, and from the parts of ourselves that are not the Lord’s design for us. Libertadoras is a team of strong, deep, lovely women who are stepping into the hard places for something greater.
I am so excited to serve these 5 sisters in Panama this month, and I hope you will read their bios and blogs and get to know them as well.
I am beyond blessed to have received over $12,000 in my support account! Praise the Lord! Thank you all for your continuous generosity, your prayers, and your encouragement in my life. I cannot express how truly grateful I am for every person who has made this mission possible in my life. My last deadline is coming up next month (June 15th), and I am only slightly over $2,000 away from being fully-funded. Amazing! If you, or someone you know, is interested in supporting me financially, please follow this link: support me!
