2019 threw me some real curve balls from leaving for the race to my grandpa passing. It was more crazy from August to the end of the year, August 7th I left for Word Race training camp in the heat(?) of Gainesville, Georgia. I put the question mark next to heat cause I’m pretty sure it was hotter at home than Georgia. The first few days were great, until Monday when I got the phone call from my dad telling me my grandpa had passed. At first I was kinda numb about the whole thing, not really knowing how to feel after finding out. I knew it was coming, I also knew of the chance that it was going to happen while I was away, which actually was the one thing I didn’t want to happen. The next day it was the first thing on my newsfeed. It was out to the world that the earth had lost another amazing man. That was when it hit me and I knew it was reality. I came home after training camp and went through the rest of the mourning process at home. Then next thing I knew I was getting sent off by my church family. There was a prayer night for the trip just that these next 11 (9 now) months go by and I grow and touch more lives than I can even comprehend in my mind. Then came my last night at home where we all ate dinner together. My sister and her family came over and my grandparents. We just sat and talk and I said my final see ya laters to them. The next morning my parents and I left at 5am for the airport some of the elders came over and prayed over me one last time before I left for Atlanta, Georgia for launch. Then the following day I ate one final lunch with my amazing parents. We went up and just spent an hour just the three of us watched planes take off and land (we can be very easily entertained) and then just prayed over each other for peace as I left for 11 months. Then we went back downstairs and said our final see ya later til April in India. Then I launched to Medellin, Colombia where we worked with recovering drug addicts, kids and handed out “agua panella” which is just sugar water. Then we were off to Baños, Ecuador for a debrief where we relaxed and my squad mentor and coaches came in. At the end of the week on our way to Quito is where I sprained my ankle. I learned so much from my ankle. In Ecuador we worked with private schools and helped teach English. Got to love on those kids and just see how much they loved us just for being there. All the teachers were great. My teacher, Santi, taught my patience both classes I would help him with could be a little wild but he was always so patient with them. When they would get loud he would stop talking and wait for them to quiet down. In Ecuador we had thanksgiving, my host made the turkey and we all made sides. We went around the table and said what we were thankful for in the present, future, and the person next to us. Then we went to a mini debrief in Cuenca, Ecuador, caught up with the rest of the squad and learned what they did for the month. Next we were off to country number three! Peru!! In Peru we worked with a tutoring program for children in poverty who are almost orphans and just loved on them (even though they insisted on picking up butterflies and killing them after they were told thats what they’re doing ??). We also helped clean out a room and cleaned the gate onto the property, an old orphanage, where we’ve been living. I am now gearing up and packing to leave for Lima, Peru where well be flying out on Monday for South Africa, with some layovers, Madrid, Dubai, then Johannesburg spending the night there and then off to Lesotho!!!! Thank you for all your prayers over this past year, I can’t wait to see what the Lord does in 2020! ????
