If you would have asked me 6 months ago if I could see myself back on the race as a squad leader, I would have said not in a million years. I loved my race, but my perspective at the time was that it was a once in a lifetime thing for me. The race was good, but hard and I was over living out of a backpack and in such intense community. I was ready to get home and have consistency in my life again, but here I am sitting back in Haiti struggling to find WiFi, surrounded by people, sleeping on the floor, sweating, eating a lot of rice and living out of a backpack. I’ve found myself back living the life I was over…wasn’t 11 months of it enough?
I’m back on the race and I couldn’t imagine my life any different. I have no idea what I would be doing if I was at home and I have no desire to be there right now. There are things and people I miss, but I have never felt so content before. I know this is where the Lord has me and I can already see Him moving.
I’m back on the race and my eyes have been opened. I took this life for granted, the community, the deep conversations, the prayer warriors, the people that became my family, the weird situations that would pop up and so much more. World race life is not normal, but through it I gained a new normal. I wasn’t phased or in awe of things anymore as these strange things were a part of everyday life, but here I am again laughing, smiling and remembering just one year ago how I felt at the first sight of things. The memories that come flooding back as I am asked hundreds of questions, that I once asked our alumni’s, or the first time I experienced playing a game of real life frogger as I navigated crossing crazy traffic praying I make it to the other side. I watch these new racers experience these things and they make me smile. I smile because it brings back great memories, but also because the Lord chose me out of so many different people. He chose me to be a part of the leadership team of this squad and now I’m laughing right along side these new racers as they experience these things for the first time and my heart has been opened to love on 40 more people. My heart has been opened to living on the field again. To opening up to 42 strangers and letting them challenge and encourage me in new ways. I’ve come back on the race expecting to pour into a new generation of racers and walk beside them through this crazy journey, but instead they have given me new eyes for this journey.
Never would I have thought I would be back out here in a leadership position. I had so much doubt in my mind of my leadership capabilities and feeling under qualified for the job, but also wanting to begin life back home. My eyes turned to myself rather then to the Lord, but being back out here on the field I remember. I remember why I am here. I remember why the Lord called me back out and I can see that He has a plan for my life. I see Him in so many things. I see Him in the way this squad loves each other and the way they serve their ministry hosts. I see Him in this beautiful country and the people that live here. I feel Him when I interact and build relationships within this squad and the people we are serving with. In times where I felt under qualified and not at all excited to come back out to the field, He gave me an overwhelming love for people I had never met before and now that I am living with them, doing life with them, He has confirmed that I am right where He needs me to be. He has qualified me for this job and He is going to do big things through this squad.
The Lord has called me back out to the field to teach me more about who I am and I can’t wait to see what he teaches me in this new season He has called me to. My job is to never grow weary, to always keep my eyes on Him, be obedient to where He calls me and to look at things always with a new and different perspective.
“Discovery consists not in seeking new lands but in seeing with new eyes” – Marcel Proust
I am still in need of financial support. I ask that you would pray with me for God to provide. He has called me here and I know that he will provide. If you feel like God is tugging on your heart you can donate through this page.
– If you are American go ahead and click on the donate tab at the top right hand corner of this page, all donations are tax deductible.
-If you are Canadian and would like a tax receipt, please send an e-transfer to [email protected] with a follow-up email stating my name (Quinn Diaz), your name and your address. Need help refer to this blog of mine.
I am also in need of prayer. Prayer is the most important support. I believe in the power of prayer.
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