Greeting from Serbia!
It is crazy to think that I am in month 7 of my World Race journey, and country #2 in Eastern Europe! I am loving it here in Serbia, and I am actually enjoying my ATL experience here in Novi Pazer where my team and I are serving this month, but more on that to come in a later blog.
P squad arrived in Belgrade Serbia for our month 6 debrief before splitting off into our teams and heading straight into ministry for the month 7. What was different about this debrief was that it was only P squad and our squad coaches (or more lovely called our squad parents), and it was also the first big debrief that squad leaders were also more involved with leading as well. It was 5 days of rest & relaxation, sightseeing in the city, being poured into by our coaches and squad bonding time.
The theme of this debrief was freedom, and to everyone freedom meant meant something different. For me I finally felt that sense of freedom once again that I had in Belize, and I also finally let go of things that were weighing me down in terms of who I am not only as a Christian, but as a overall person, and accepted those things because I should not be afraid of my true self, and who I am inside. I also saw just how blessed I really am to have 32 siblings in Christ, and I am amazed at just what did I do right to deserve them all as I love them all like family.
Also what was nice about this debrief was the fact that we had so much more personal/free time to explore the city or relax. One of the ways that I rest is actually by exploration so I had a blast walking around Old Belgrade, and seeing the Belgrade fortress. I also had the opportunity to learn how to shoot a longbow, and I took full advantage of that chance as I haven’t done any kind of archery since church camp back when I was in middle school, and I have always wondered if I have improved since then especially after having eye surgery a few years ago (check out the video below).
Besides the vast amount of free time, we also had to meet as a squad for sessions to debrief the last month in Albania. These sessions were led by our coaches, and they also would give us an encouraging message as well in order to fill us up so that we could be recharge to go out and serve the people wherever we would be this month.
As a team we had our team debrief with our coaches & SQLs to discuss the previous month, and what went well, and what didn’t, and our feelings heading into month 7. There was also time for us to meet one on one with either an coach or SQL of our choice. This time around I had my one on one with Jimmie, one of our coaches.
I had another one on one with my awesome friend and SQL Kaitlin. One of the things that made me feel good was when she told me that she was honored that I chose to have my one on one with her. But in all honestly I felt like it was an honor to have that one on one time with her since with her being a SQL and I’m on a different team, I cherished every time that I get to speak to her or find the time to hang out with her as that is something I miss plus I am worried that I might lose my friendship foundation that I have built with her being on Team Surrendered since that is something that is near and dear to my heart-my friendship with her. Anyways we had an awesome talk about various topics, and I told her what plans that God has reveled to me post race (she is the first on the squad who I told my future plans to). So that time with her was just an awesome time of encouraging each other.
As a squad we also filled in the rest of the time of debrief with more sessions, worship, men’s & women’s time, and we had a movie night where we watched Aquaman. So I am finally happy that I got to see that movie as it came out while I was in El Salvador.
So there you have it, month 6 debrief is in the books, and as I mentioned above my team and I are in the town of Novi Pazar for ATL month.
Til next time your fellow sister in Christ,
Bonnie
Team SC
P Squad
Psalms 18:2
YOLO
