Dear Kasey, Mantha, Elsie, Angie, and Katie,
It’s now been six months since we all met each other and were told that we would be living life on the Race together. I have to admit, at first I was not happy about that. I wanted to be on a team with certain other people, and (sorry, love you) I thought I’d never get along with Kasey or Angie. But, I decided *cough cough* to try to make this work, and thank the Lord that you did as well.
Even before we left training camp, you showed me that you were interested in hearing my stories. That my life wasn’t too nondescript and I wasn’t so bad of a storyteller that you didn’t want to listen to me. You showed me that you care about me.
And then, during Launch, you showed me that you care enough about me to cry over my sorrow when I cry, and trust me to cry when you cry over your own sorrow. You showed me vulnerability and trust.
Then came the true difficulty: the actual Race. Through facing separation and abandonment of home, through missing family and loved ones, through hot countries where the sweat never stopped, through difficult hosts who make every action confusing, through drama and inappropriate behavior that hurt one of us, through boredom, through holidays and birthdays away from home and tradition, you were there. You were there to give me a hug, a laugh, a treat; to offer rest, alone time, movie night, sleepovers; you were there poving me well and fully.
I told you that I have trouble letting people know myself, and trusting them to listen and actually HEAR my story. Even just telling you that was a big step for me. But you understood me and you honored me. You learned how to love me well, and you did a great job of that.
So thank you. Thank you for loving me and accepting me, and for being my family in this home away from home. Thank you for the memories, like:
-our sausage gravy and biscuit breakfast
-the Kragga Kamma game drive
-the Good Night market
-my birthday dinner at the Santo Domingo airport
-eating chocolate together just because
-having coffee at Mary Magdalena and Bernabe’s house
-playing team-specific trivia
-practising water pong as part of a challenge to stay hydrated
These are just a few of the many reasons why I love you all dearly, and part of why I will cherish forever these four months of daily life, upliftment, and learning from you.
I pray that your next team loves you well, and teaches and empowers you to grow into an even wiser, kinder, and lovelier daughter of the King. May the Lord bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you and give you His peace.
To the moon and back,
xx Alexa
P. S. Don’t forget to write…
