You know how when you have a roommate or get married or something and you have to learn how do actually live with dealing with people in your personal space all the time?
Thats kind of like the race except not only are you coexisting with another person, you’re doing it with multiple people. And it’s not just mornings and nights. It’s every second. Of everyday. Every single day.
Basically, you get to know every little thing about each other. And sometimes those little things are cute one minute and then one month later… not so much. Example: my team probably thought my constant singing was endearing the first week. Ha. Not anymore.
Once we get to Africa we won’t know if we will all be on the same team again, so there are a few things I want to share with the world about the incredible four people I did life with this past month.
Brandon: He has the weirdest random facts but they are, in fact, cool. Sometimes he talks as though he’s living in a Shakespeare play. You see him holding his Bible thrice (a term I learned from the man himself) as many times as you see him holding his phone. His passion for Christ is so on fire. It truly has been an honor to get to know this patient, gentle, and insanely intelligent man. I am very excited to visit his self-sustainable farm.
Ross: Disclaimer: I didn’t want to be on this guy’s team. Plot twist: I’m actually gonna miss him a lot. Our friendship is weird because it started off as super surface level coexistence, but has now turned into me casually plucking his nose hairs for him. And honestly… what kind of woman doesn’t like a man who enjoys chick flicks. He brings joy and laughter to every conversation, and he’s taught me so much about personal intimacy with Christ. Go Ross! Good job, good job.
Austin: Oh Austin. We are most likely the two most opposite people on our squad. That being said, I have admired watching this man grow closer to God (even if when he gets too excited he talks too fast and I can’t understand him with his accent) I can still appreciate the perspective he brings to me and the team. Austin is one of the most solid people I know. He brings wisdom gracefully and can receive correction with an open attitude. Also, he happened to be the only one with me during my two mental breakdowns, and he handled it pretty well, too. Good job, good job.
Emily: My sweet, dear, Emily. Over the past 3 months, her and I have spent probably 22/24 hours of the day together…everyday. One hour is apart because I wake up earlier than her and the other is an accumulation of shower time and using the bathroom. This girl reminds me of a sour patch kid. Not in the sense that they’re destructive, but because she speaks the truth to people and sometimes the truth hurts and feels sour to us, but that’s the natural, good process of iron sharpening iron (Proverbs 27:17). Truth is hard but it’s also what sets us free. Her sweetness comes from her insanely huge heart. When she sees a kid at ministry who is sad, she’s the one to sit and wait until they feel better. If a kid wants to sleep, she’s that person that lets them sleep on her. If a kid just wants some attention, she’s that person who will play with them all day. She’s that amazing friend who never says no to picking through my hair for hours looking for lice. She and I have spent so much time together that we know which “fine” means “I’m okay” and which “fine” means “I’m not okay.” We’re the only two girls living with 3 guys (YIKES) doing ministry with a 15:1 male/female ratio (DOUBLE YIKES), but because of that we have built a friendship centered on Christ and life-changing experiences. I can confidently say that I will never have any other relationship like the one Emily and I share, and I wouldn’t want to have it with anyone else.
In summary, I have had a great set of human beings to experience life’s ups and downs with during my time in the guate. I love them all dearly. I am thankful for how they have shaped my time here, and I cannot what to see what more God has for them.
