Jesus wears a Tie-dye Holy Cow T-shirt
How to unify a team (Holy Cow style)
Team Holy Colors of the Wind has lots of team pride. We like to think that we are pretty great. Some form of Jesus magic happened when we became a team. I have to say that we truly do love each other.
How do we do it? Well here are 11 ways that we have unified our team.
1. Pick a name that you want to say and be known by. We love being team Holy Colors of the Wind or Team Holy Cow. At first, we just thought it was cute and funny but as time goes on we find more and more meaning behind the name. We have learned that we really are becoming a true master piece of God, as we become the women that He has created us to be.
2. Make every place you go Home, complete with decorations… even on trains. They say that home is where the heart is, and your heart is where you are, so make it a point to love every new place like it is your home and give it your all. Even if that’s homes form of toilet it a squatty potty.
3. Hike mountains together. Our first day as a team we found ourselves on an unintentional rock climbing venture. From that day on we have learned that whether it is a real life cliff or just a life challenge, we have to do it together. We have to learn from each other and trust each other enough to be real. We fight for each other, and let each other fight for us.
4. Give each other haircuts. It was also that first day that we found out that our team has limited voice of reason (at least in the crazy ideas department). We have no check. We have no one to tell us that yes, in fact maybe cutting your teammates hair with craft scissors will not end in you looking like a Revlon commercial model. But here’s to whimsy and making rash decisions together. Here’s to bonding over the desire and prayers to make your hair grow back faster.
Please check out the You tube video about our hair cuts. Its Golden.
5. Learn a pitch perfect dance together. One thing that I can say about the team Holy Cow is, if we are going to do anything, we are going to do it to the best of our ability. We are a group of all or nothing people. This is great when it comes to doing ministry together, but also it comes in handy when there is a squad talent show at debrief. We learned all the steps to the final dance of Pitch Perfect. I was always about one beat behind the team, but I have to say it was quite a hit. Beka, our team leader is still upset we did not win.
6. Form your own language of sorts. We have made it a point to document the ridiculous things that come out of our mouths in a “quote book”. Also, once upon a time we decided that for a weekend we would only speak in strange accents. “Accent weekend” has made its way into everyday life. So we are speaking in strange voices in sayings that only we understand.
7. Find Shirts with your team name on them and “roll up to travel day” wearing them. Sometimes fate lends its hand to tell you that you are in the right place. As soon as we got to Cambodia we found a restaurant called Holy Cow and knew we were in the right place. And yes, they did have t-shirts and we did all wear them to Africa. We are quite certain that God wears a tie-dye shirt that says Holy Cow on the back, He is our biggest fan.
8. Be in an African Music Video. The thing about expectations is that it is best not to have them. We never expected to find ourselves in an African music video but that is where we were last Monday morn. We have gotten a lot of dancing in as a team.
9. “Moonlit” swims in the ocean. When there are $6.00 bungalows on the beach in Cambodia it is not something that you want to pass up, neither is an ocean swim late at night. Shortly following that swim was the night that the rat ate my hair. We have learned that there is almost always trouble in paradise.
10. Christmas in July. I truly believe that Christmas miracles happen all year-round. All month we have been celebrating Christmas in July complete with a viewing of Elf, hot chocolate, popcorn, secret Santa’s, and singing “Joy to the World” on stage in front of the church.
11. When it comes down to it, Team Holy Colors of the Wind has found out what it looks like to live and love in community. Our team works because we are truly learning to honor each other and see Christ in each other. It works because we are all reaching toward the same goal of getting closer to God and loving the people around us. Through all the craziness of this thing called the World, we have found that true community and love can make all the difference.
This month team Holy Cow is living in Uganda working at a school and loving on some sweet sweet kids.
Keep us in our prayers.
Much luvs
Nika
Nika translated in Ugandan means Underpants… Always an Adventure
