I’ve made it half way through month eight! Asia has been amazing and has exceeded any expectations I may have had before arriving here. It may just be the drastic difference between living on a compound in Africa and having all of metro Manila, one of the largest cities in the world, for exploring. Either way, the Philippines have found a place in my heart.
Something else that has found a place in my heart is Team Audacity. I wrote a blog a couple months ago about how I felt as though our team had finally become a team. After some tough work in our first month together in Zambia, we came out united in new ways and a better team because of it. What I failed to mention in that blog and all subsequent others was that I was still not happy on this team.
I thought I was being open minded in how I approached this new team, but I was actually doing the opposite. I set up in my mind a list of qualities I thought were the best a team could be and set about trying to make Team Audacity fit into that particular shape. What I didn’t think to consider was that every team will have its own shape, and I can’t just try to shape it into what I think is best. God is the shaper of every team and I am most certainly not God, nor do I have the knowledge God has to create the perfect team for what comes next.
When the team and I failed to reach these impossible goals, I began to hold my love for the team hostage. I was unhappy and I hurt every single team member in an attempt to describe my feelings. Telling people you don’t love them is never a good thing, even when said with polite words. And then, for the hundredth time on the Race, my squad leader, Paul, kicked me in the butt. There are no conditions to love. I had to get it together!
Unfortunately, it took me three months to finally turn it around. What these last two weeks of Team Audacity have been for me is an opportunity to fully realize my love for every member of this team, and for the team itself. It comes at a time when our team may never be the same again as we split first for Parent Vision this coming week followed by a month in Thailand with the promise of a different set up. By the time Burma comes around the corner, team changes may be in the works. Here I am, just figuring out how much I’m going to miss these people.
Seeing as Valentine’s Day was yesterday, I thought this blog would be the perfect opportunity to share with you how I love each of my team members.
Allison Edwards
Allison is the team leader for Team Audacity. From the moment she stepped into my life, Allison has done nothing but pour love into me. From hugs and coffee in Honduras to buying me wine gums when she goes to the store, Allison does everything to show her love to me and each team member on Audacity. She leads confidently and with compassion. I’ve seen her walk toddlers patiently through the African bush and spend hours worshipping God with her headphones and journal. She speaks life into me every single day and I miss her so much now that she’s off adventuring through the Filipino islands.
Alyssa Boyles
Ms. Boyles once lied to our entire team on accident about her personality profile. We spent two and a half months believing we were the same person, only to discover we were anything but. She has a brilliant head for math, which comes in handy teaching math to junior high students. Her honesty in every situation keeps me on my toes and entertained. She’s not afraid to tell perfect strangers just how it is and usually with an attitude that can only be described as Alyssa. I’ll never forget the first real conversation we had at our very first team dinner in Antigua where she demonstrated the proper position for giving birth in the booth of the restaurant. She always asks the hard questions and she can always make me smile.
Beth Montgomery
At first, I could never really get a handle on Beth. I knew she liked to exercise and loved coffee, but everything else was a bit of mystery. Over the months, I have come to see Beth in many situations and the best word I can come up with is poised. She’s quiet and thoughtful. She’s also the best servant I have met in my entire life. If you don’t know where Beth is, she’s probably doing your dishes, making you food, or supporting someone else’s adventure off into the city. Finally, she has a wild streak in her that comes out when you really get to know her. You don’t really know Beth until you’ve been yelled at, jokingly of course, and usually about food.
Jamie Rae Besier
Jamie Rae is the type of girl who looks mysterious on the outside, but it’s because she lives in her own world. Her world is full of adventure, imagination, and compassion. She has a heart that can’t walk past a single child on the street without talking to them. The Lord speaks to her in amazing ways that have placed this team on the path God is calling us to walk. A single vision of a smoky mountain led us to wandering about an old dumpsite and finding a woman doing amazing ministry in the middle of it. At the same time, Jamie Rae enjoys pretend sword fighting in Asian parks and never ending photo shoots that produce fantastic images, capturing precious moments.
Kelly Franke
There exists on this planet no two humans that are more opposite and more alike at the same time than Kelly and I. We have very similar paths that God has placed on our hearts, but everything else is completely different. Kelly has been gifted with a strong mind and a strong will. Nothing will ever stop her from accomplishing the dreams God has given her. Kelly will go out into the world as a missionary and affect change her entire life. She has a brilliant mind for theology and challenges everyone to think critically about what they believe. I truly admire not just her knowledge, but her dry wit as well.
Team Audacity
We named our team Audacity because we felt God was calling us into a season of boldness. When I first saw the list of names that would become Audacity, God gave me a vision of a waterfall. A river first appears slow moving and then flings itself off the cliff in a gorgeous and powerful way. Now that I’ve taken off my blinders, I see all these things. We are a steady team who’s never had much drama, but who truly seeks the Lord and jumps off the cliff to follow the call together. We are bold women, not afraid to speak truth into each other’s lives and not afraid to walk up to a stranger and share the love of Christ. This is the team I love and regret not allowing myself to love sooner.
