My teammate and friend Sharon Mosley wrote a fantastic blog about 11 things you might not know about the World Race. I think a lot of these points will give you a reference and a frame of what my last year has looked like!
11 things you probably didn’t know about the World Race:
- Journey Markers: Three times a month, our team gets together to have a bible study like activity called Journey Markers. We usually watch a video by the Bible Project (an excellent resource for understanding the bible better.) We then answer 3-4 questions based on the video. It’s an easy way to get us talking and usually have a great conversation with our teams. We upload our answers to a google doc, and leadership will then respond remotely to our responses.
- Debriefs: After Months 2, 4, 7, 9, and 11, we meet up with the whole squad and our leadership to debrief our time with the ministry partners. It’s a time to pause, “catch our breath,” reflect, and check-in with the squad and leadership.
- Contract: We signed a contract at Training Camp (back in August 2018) that we would honor our squad and leadership by submitting to their authority and discipleship. (Numbers 4 & 5 & 6 were a few of the 20ish things on the contract.)
- Dress Code: We (ladies) can not wear short shorts, spaghetti straps, or racer-back tank tops. We are to dress modestly and honor the dress code of our hosts, which often means ankle-length skirts/dresses at church in Africa.
- No driving allowed: No motorbikes permitted either. This one is about safety, as they are responsible for us while we are abroad. I have not sat behind the wheel of a car in over nine months.
- Feedback/Team time: Multiple times per week, each team sits down to give and receive feedback from each other. Feedback means we call each other higher to look more like Jesus. Team time is just family time and looks different every time and for every team. Team time can often be playing a game or watching a movie together or having a serious and deep conversation as a team.
- Structure/Leadership: Squad: a group of (generally) 25-45 Racers split into teams of six to eight Racers, who travel together on the World Race. Once a squad reaches its country for the month, the teams will typically spread out to different ministry sites and then coming back together to travel to the next country. Squads are based on a specific route. My squad, 5th generation O squad is 37 people, 7 guys, 30 girls.
Squad coaches: Coaches are married couples who are parents of adult children, have experienced life, understand discipleship, and have a heart for the Racer generation. They bring wisdom and vision to the squad. Coaches travel to a few of the squad debriefs throughout the 11 months. Most are volunteers and must have the ability to travel approximately five weeks per year. We met our coaches, Mike and Charlene Benson, at training camp and then at some debriefs. They also frequently read and comment on our blogs and Journey Markers.
Squad mentor: Our squad mentor, Amy, works out of the Gainsville office. Squad mentors have typically been Racers and then Squad Leaders. Although they do spend time on the field with their squad, they are the primary liaison and advocate for their Racers stateside. Squad mentors come to the majority of our debriefs.
Squad administrator: Squad Administrators typically serves more than one squad at a time and oversee, from the main office, financial and logistical aspects of the Race for the squad.
Squad leaders: During the first few months of the Race, two alumni Racers lead the squad on the field. Squad leaders oversee the spiritual health and progress of the entire squad. Also, they help navigate risk and safety issues. After the first few months, 2-3 Racers are identified and trained by the alumni Squad Leaders and Squad Mentor and assume leadership for the remaining duration of the Race. These are called Raised up squad leaders.
- Team Changes/Roles: I was on my first team, Team Tigress, months 1-4. My second team, Team 7th Heaven, was months 5-7. My third and final team, Team Level Up, months 8-10. Month 11 is ATL (Ask the Lord), so we are working with people who are interested in serving the same people group. I will be on a team with nine others serving Venezuelan Refugees in Ecuador.
Team: a group of six to eight Racers who do life together: community-living, ministry, travel. They build each other up and hold each other accountable. They get real and raw with each other to stretch, change, and grow. Teams are initially formed during Training Camp and change during the Race.
Team Leaders: a fellow squadmate who has been chosen by World Race leadership to lead six to eight peers. Team leaders change periodically, just like teams do.
Treasurer: Each team has one treasurer. I was the team and squad treasurer for the first seven months. This means I worked in conjunction with the Squad Administrator to use the allocated budget wisely for team food, travel, lodging, supplies, and keep track of everything.
Beauty for Ashes coordinator: There was one on each team. They were trained to facilitate Beauty for Ashes retreats. Retreats allow women to hear from God and experience healing through sharing their story with other women in a safe, nonjudgmental environment. If you’ve never heard of Beauty for Ashes, click the link to learn more!
Intercession coordinator: This one person on each team facilitates times of worship and prayer for the team. I am currently the Intercession coordinator for Team Level Up.
Worship coordinators – These two people were chosen at training camp. They facilitate worship for the squad during debriefs.
Storytelling leader: This person on each team makes sure we are blogging as often as possible. They are also a sounding board for creativity or whatever we need related to storytelling.
Safety coordinator: This person on the squad monitors the safety of a location in conjunction with the home office and relays information to us. They are also our go-to for insurance questions.
Logistics coordinators: We have three squadmates with this role. They coordinate the logistics of getting the whole squad from country to country, as well as setting up debriefs. I’ve been on a team with all three of them, and they are all amazing.
- Border crossings: Sometimes, we drive/walk across the border, or we fly into a country. There have been some interesting stories with a few of our border crossings!
- Denominations: The World Race is a program of Adventures in Missions, which is an interdenominational missions organization. Everyone on my squad comes from very different spiritual backgrounds/denominations. Most would call themselves “non-denominational.” All say they have a relationship with Jesus.
- Hosts/Ministries: Right now in month 10, so far, I’ve worked with 13 different ministries in 10 different countries. The ministry/host is the team’s assignment while in a country. Ministries vary from country to country and can even change day to day while in-country. Examples of ministry opportunities include working in orphanages, mentoring street kids, door-to-door outreach, manual labor, teaching English, feeding the hungry, praying healing of the sick, and so on. Some of my ministries were orphanages; farming, college ministries, some were established, some were starting up. They all have one thing in common. They are bringing the love of Jesus to their perspective communities, whether it is feeding impoverished children or sharing the Gospel to engineering students. Overall, I’m honored to have worked with 13 different Jesus Loving Organizations.
Thanks so much for reading this blog! I hope you learned something new about what the past year of my life has looked like! As always if you have any questions, feel free to reach out!
Ashley
