Let me set the scene for you: you just got home after a long day of ministry. You walk in to the kitchen and see that the sink is overflowing with dishes that aren’t yours. You then go to the living room and 15 people are scream-singing “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” for no reason so you quickly walk out of the living room and towards the stairs to go to your bed. When you get to your room, it looks like a tornado ripped through there and dropped a bunch of other people’s stuff everywhere. You tip toe over everyone’s stuff and make it to your bunk. You lay on your bunk and praise God for your 33 roommates.
Living in community is the best and worst part of the World Race. Alone time is a myth and privacy is an illusion. I think Racers need to talk about the ups and downs of living in community because it is such a big part of the World Race itself.
I live in one house with 33 people, do I need to explain any further? So many different personalities all cooped up into one house with nothing to do from 4pm to 8am everyday. People leave their crap everywhere, people disagree, people take your stuff, people have different sleep schedules… you get the point. Personally, my least favorite part of living in community is that when one person gets sick, the whole squad goes down (I have an immune system of steel, it’s month 5 and I still haven’t been sick. Parasites…bite me).
As much as it might stink, the positives out way the negatives by a long shot. Just like a normal family, you don’t get to pick them. They’re just handed to you and you grow to love them. I didn’t get to pick my squad or my team, one day they were strangers and the next day they were my family. It wasn’t easy but I wouldn’t have it any other way. These are my people and they make me want to rip out my hair sometimes but I’d do anything for them.
Living in community has taught me what healthy communication looks like. It teaches you how to address conflict in love and how to keep your people accountable. It teaches you vulnerability and patience (lots and lots of patience my friend). It teaches you how to intentionally seek out time with the Father.
And just an extra bonus to community… I have 34 wardrobes! When one person gets a new shirt, the whole squad gets a new shirt! Fun fact: most of the clothes that are “mine” are actually just clothes I got from other people because they were planning on getting rid of it. Shout out to the drop table (if you know you know)!
Personal update:
Hey people! I just wanted to give a little update on me since its been awhile since I’ve posted a blog:
As you know the holidays are over, which means I made it through the hard part of the Race! I’ve been away from home for over four months now and yeah, Christmas was definitely the hardest day of the year. It was so cool that I got to spend Christmas with my squad on top of a mountain in Ecuador (it’s gonna be a cool story to tell). But that also means that I wasn’t with my family. It was hard seeing people my age home for Christmas while I was in the middle of no where.
Christmas reminded me why I am here and that the Lord was the one that brought me here. It reminded me of the “true meaning of Christmas.”
I’m doing great now! In about a week I’ll be half way through the World Race and in less then two months my parents will join me on the field for a week! I love Ecuador and I love our ministry (one day I’ll write a blog talking about what I’m doing here but today is not that day). I love ya so much! See ya!
