Hey Everyone! Meet my team – "RISE UP!" We'll be working together and living in community for the next 11 months! I can't wait to see how God will grow us individually and as a family. Please pray for Team Rise Up! and for those we will minister to all around the world. Here are my wonderful teammates…
Our Leader – Jill Jones from Hanson, KY
I graduated in 2010 from Transylvania University (no, it’s not just for vampires) in Lexington, Kentucky with a double major in both mathematics and psychology. I’m 23 years old and go to work each day as a bank teller, which I truly love – my coworkers are some of the funniest and friendliest people I know. I am a member of Southland Christian Church, where I am lucky enough to be leading a group of awesome high school girls and can occasionally be found volunteering as a greeter at Sunday night services – it’s like being a Wal-Mart greeter minus the smiley face stickers, plus Jesus and programs. 🙂
Mallory Martin from Seagrove Beach, FL
I am 26 years old, and I currently live in Seagrove Beach, FL. I was born and raised in South Alabama & Nortwest Florida by 2 sets of loving parents. I also have three younger brothers and an older stepbrother & stepsister. I grew up attending a medley of churches including Southern Baptist, Methodist, and Episcopalian. I attended Savannah College of Art & Design, where I received a BFA in Architecture & Masters of Architecture. I have always been a hard-working & driven student, but with that has come feelings of necessity to be an overachiever and strive for perfection. I am constantly reminded that perfection is not a possibility for anyone but God and that I continuously fall short of the woman I aim to be, but if I seek the Lord with all of my heart I will receive the mercy and grace to grow into who He designed me to be.
Kelly Gauthier from Kansas
I grew up in a family that was not demonstrative. God was not talked about much at home nor were there outward displays of affection, although I am pretty sure we all loved each other most of the time. I am a naturally outgoing and demonstrative person so I felt a little out of place. The expectations for me were extremely high and I felt as though I could not live up to them. I was also bullied relentlessly my entire life. I was made to believe that I was unlovable because I was not pretty or popular and told that I would fail at anything I attempted.
I have joy in the Lord now and have discovered the difference between accepting Jesus as my Savior and making Him the Lord of my life. I have learned that it is okay to be who I am and not who others think I should be.
Sarah Ruplinger from Delavan, WI
Hey everyone! My name is Sarah Ruplinger. I grew up in Delavan, WI with my mom, dad, younger brother, and a whole slew of different pets. I am now in Madison, WI where I recently graduated with a B.A. in Psychology. I've always enjoyed traveling and adventures so I'm pretty stoked to leave my little bubble for a whole year to experience God's creation. Other things I like: swimming, card games (Sheepshead anyone?), dancing like a fool, talking for hours on end about anything and everything, baking, spontaneous and wacky adventures with friends, making dorky craft projects, and playing/ministering to children. Oh my goodness do I have a heart for children. I'm ridiculously excited about ministering to kiddos on the Race.
Steve Ticknor
from Middleton, WI 
Name: Steve Ticknor
Nickname: The Stevester
Occupation: Student (is that really considered an occupation? I mean I’ve seen it as an option for occupation.)
Eye color: Blue (Like a wolf’s….. I think.)
Hair color: Light brown with blondish tints (not like highlights, just a blondy shimmer)
Height: Not tall enough
Weight: Fluctuates with digestion
Hobbies: Having tea with friends, thinking (about the meaning of life and whatnot), conjuring up movie ideas, stargazing (for hours and hours and hours), exercising, adventuring in the great outdoors, playing a little ukulele, kicking it with little kids, and living life. Ya know. The usual.
Religion: Come ask me. We’ll talk about it.
Relationship Status: Girls stink. The only ones you should trust are your mother and sister. (Just kidding. But really. Girls are trouble.)
and all the way from Canada…
Frank Sawatsky from Abbotsford, British Columbia
I'm 21 years old, and yes, Canadian… contrary to popular belief, we don't all live in igloos, and we don't ride reindeer or caribou to school. Anyway, I was born and raised in a Christian home here in Abbotsford B.C. (about an hour away from Vancouver ~where the 2010 Olympics were held) I've got 2 sisters and 3 brothers, (all who will be married by the time we set off on the WR) and I'm an uncle to 6 little rascals; strike that, some of them aren’t so little any more… Currently I'm working in construction, (pipe laying) but I've tried my hand at working in restaurants, kids bible camps, finnishing carpentry, and framming. I love playing the piano, and if you can't find me in the kitchen cooking, or in the garage building/creating something, you can prolly find me tampering around with some sort of instrument trying to figure it out.
And me of course 🙂
I'm 22 years old and I graduated from Gardner-Webb University in May. My home is in a small town called Stony Point, North Carolina. I have two older brothers and one younger brother, so sports are a part of my life. Church has also been a huge part of my life and I thank my parents for teaching me about the love of Christ at a very young age. I am still learning what it means to follow Christ. He has become my purpose and my life and I continue to realize that He is the only thing worth living for. As this journey continues, I'm following him one step at a time.
Our Team Name:
We chose the name "RISE UP!" because we want to be open and obedient – allowing God to help us to RISE UP into the men and women he's called us to be. We want to RISE UP to spread the name of Jesus to the nations, to bring hope to the hopeless and healing to the broken. We want to help others RISE UP out of their oppression into the overwhelming love of God.
