Team changes: One very exciting and very scary thing about the race. I’ll be honest the one thing I really didn’t want at the beginning of team changes was a co-ed team. I really just wasn’t ready to share a bathroom with them if I’m being honest.
So at the end of Zimbabwe we had a week long debrief to get recharged and ready for the next part of the race, but the biggest part of this debrief was the fact that our first team change was coming. I was excited but continued to hope that I wouldn’t be on a co-ed team. Another change is that our squad leaders (Drew and Lindsey M.) will be leaving the field after Botswana and two of our very own (Chelsea and Lindsey K.) will be taking on the roles of raised up squad leaders. We are super excited as a squad to see how these two grow in confidence as leaders!
So Chelsea and Lindsey were in charge of handing us cards with our names on them, praying over us as a squad, and then we turned our cards over to see the word that was given to our team, and then were to look around and find everyone that had the same word as you and that would be your team. My card had the word “Shalem” on it which means safe. As I looked for my teammates I turned to my friend Jonathan and we had the same word. I thought okay I can handle a team with two of the guys this will be fine. I continued to look around and was excited to see that Megan was not only on my team again, but would also be taking the role of team leader for this team. After I hugged Megan and Ashlyn I turned around to see Jonathan not only standing with one guy from our team but standing with all of the men from our squad.
My heart kind of freaked out. I wasn’t only on a co-ed team but I was on a co-ed team with ALL FOUR MEN! I’ll be honest, I know the Lord wants to teach me something through this, I just haven’t decided what it is yet.
Our new team name is Fuerte All Day. Fuerte means strong in Spanish and we believe that is what we want this team to embody. My team includes Megan, Ashlyn, Zach, Mack, Ethan, Jonathan, and myself.
In our first week together I have learned while living with them is that they never put the toilet seat down, and never want to claim it if they have left it up. They eat way more then an all girls team does. They make a lot of jokes that don’t make sense to me a lot of the time. They also use all the toilet paper and then leave the roles in the bathroom. (If anyone can explain this one to me PLEASE do because I don’t understand why). They are really good cooks when they want to be. They really like energy drinks and one of them, not going to say names *cough Ethan cough* eats a ton of ice cream. They like milk with like every meal.
A few things I have also learned about them in this first week is that they are really great at making us feel welcomed and valued as team members. these guys are funny and I am excited to see how we all can grow through this new season and new change. We are also excited for the countries coming up and how the Lord will use us in so many different way.
This month in Botswana we are living in Gaborone working with Campus Crusades for Christ (CRU) on the University of Botswana campus. We spend four days on campus evangelizing, we have a mens and women’s bible studies, and CRU meetings on Thursdays. We will also be doing a hike and picnic with CRU student volunteers and students we invite in the coming weeks.
So here’s to month five of the race. To lots of new changes happening and all the changes that are coming. New continents, new friends, and new ministries. Pray that we continue to grow together as a team as well as lots of growth as individuals. To working on being vulnerable with each other and growing as a strong christian community. We don’t know how long this will be our team, but we want to make the very best of it while it lasts. Go Fuerte All Day!
