So, a LOT has happened in the past few weeks. B-squad spent the New Year at the beach saying good-bye to Nicaragua, Central America, and their old teams. Mike and I also invited 3 of our former team leaders [Kayla Spencer, Ryan Banko, and Thomas Wensil] to take our place as squad leaders when we leave the field at the end of the month. We left Nicaragua on January 4th, and after 4 flights, 3 lay-overs, and a truck ride (70ish hours of travel), we have finally arrived in Bangkok, Thailand! Here’s a little glimpse of what our last few days in Central America and travel looked like:
January 1st
9pm- blindfold Kayla, Thomas, and Ryan, walk them down the beach, share our hearts with them and ask them to become the new squad leaders
January 2nd
2pm- announce new team leaders, team changes, and squad leaders
7pm- get a call from Noe saying that 4 of the people on our squad are more than likely going home because of lack of funding.
January 3rd
9am-4 girls head to town to send emails and write blogs
4pm- God provides more than $8,000 in 24 hours! 3 of the girls are able to stay.
7pm- guy on the squad has 103 degree temperature, Mike & Kelly pack, leave early, take him to the hospital & find a hostel
January 4th
4am-Wake Up, eat breakfast [pancakes “to go”…weird], load the horse buggy with bags, make 3 trips to the canoe, cross the “river”
7am- load School Bus with everyone’s bags, bus doesn’t start the first 3 attempts, then head to Leon to pick up the sickling and Mike & Kelly
8am- sickling is better, head to Managua Airport
10:30am- arrive at airport
10:35am- Shanna can’t find her bag, we search for it and decide it may have gotten left behind or fallen off the bus
11am- lunch time, find her bag
Noon- go through security with Andrew & Ryan, Ryan goes back to get the rest of the squad because the line is ridiculously long, Andrew & I go through…Andrew places his wallet in his shoes, then thinks someone stole it. Security guard checks under the conveyor belt and finds it.
1:30pm- board the plane for Atlanta!
1:30pm-3:30pm-sit on the plane because of an equipment malfunction, look around and see B-squad chatting it up with strangers on the plane and sharing about the World Race/what God is doing in their lives [proud moment]. The captain gives a shout out to the squad over the announcements.
4:35pm- de-board the plane to get dinner
5:30pm- re-board, finally leaving Nicaragua!
10pm- land in Atlanta!
11pm-3:30am- head to the hotel that someone graciously paid for, eat some delicious Chik-Fil-A that a local restaurant donated for us (again, amazing provision), open packages from family and try to rest
January 5th
4am- head back to the airport
7:45am- flight to LA
9:30am- land in LA
Noon- head to Target and the mall for lunch
3pm- mail things home, meet a cab driver from Africa and talk with him about the World Race
3:30pm-10pm- hang out at the aiport
10:45pm- board flight for South Korea
January 6th
technically didn’t exist because we crossed the International Date Line
January 7th
5:30am- arrive in Seoul, South Korea
6am-3pm- Starbucks, Italian Food, and Rest
3:30pm- perform team introductions in the airport
5:45pm- fly to Bangkok, Thailand
9:30pm- arrive in Thailand, drive to YWAM base
Finally back in Thailand! We arrived jet-lagged and running on a few hours of sleep, but overflowing with joy to finally be in Asia. I’m so excited to see what the Lord has for the squad, and for me personally, in Thailand. Please be in prayer that God would give me a more defined sense of direction with my heart for human trafficking 🙂
