Today is February 1st, which means I have officially been in Colombia for a little over three full weeks. Crazy…though just 23 days, these past few weeks have felt like an eternity. For those unfamiliar with the nature of the “Fusion” World Race route I am on, we host our squad’s Training Camp in our first country instead of having it in Gainesville, Georgia. Our TC was hosted in Medellin for the first two weeks here in Colombia. Days were jam-packed with teachings, activations (tangible exercises that are relevant to the work we’ll be doing), building relationships, engaging with the local community, enjoying food, fun, exploration, worship, and adjusting to life out on the field. It has been a challenging and beautiful transition entering into this new season.
At the end of our Training Camp, our teams began praying about where God was sending us within Colombia. To give you some context as to what this next 6 months will look like…last year on my Race, our teams were assigned to a different ministry in each country that we visited. We had a host and accommodations setup for us in advance. Overall, my trip was much more structured. This time, my time on the field will look much different. We do not have assigned ministry, lodging, or food. For those of you who followed me last year, it’s similar to my experience in Jamaica. The goal this year is to live out the concept that “life is ministry and ministry is life.” There is no distinction between the two. As followers of Christ, we can live each day as ambassadors for the Lord no matter where we may be…both in the extraordinary and the seemingly mundane. The objective is to listen for God’s guidance, and then walk in it. In essence, I have no idea what this year might look like. Only God knows, but it’s an amazing opportunity for God to blow our expectations outta here. No boxes. There is a tension that comes with giving up control of predetermined details or schedules, but it is a good tension.
Ironically (but really not so ironically… haha), this concept of living missionary naturally in daily life was one of the key things I took away from my own Race experience. It was something I wanted to grow in as I returned home. Now, I am co-leading a trip that is going to challenge me and take me to greater depths in this area. So far, I have already experienced moments of incredible discomfort…instances where internally, I honestly don’t know what to do…or what comes next. But God is showing me daily that I don’t need to know everything to walk in His will. I simply need to look to Him moment by moment, day by day. I may feel vulnerable within, but the Lord equips me with wisdom, insight, and understanding just as I need it. Though I may feel as though I’m out of my element, I trust and have faith that the Lord has me exactly where I’m meant to be. And those moments when I feel most uncomfortable produce in me a more earnest reliance and hope in the Shepherd and Overseer of my soul. At this point, we have had one full week out on the field in our smaller teams. The team I’m leading team contains five members (2 guys/3 girls): Jesse, Joshua, Alex, Akelea, and myself. It’s an incredible group, and I’m excited to spend this next month with them in Ecuador. This bunch is full of zeal and passion, and they are going to do some big things this year! After Medellin, we moved to a city called Cali. We’ve had some really neat experiences in the city – so more to come on that a little later.
Thanks for following my journey!
Much love,
Em
