WORLD RACE LAUNCH 2013!!
If you'd rather watch than read, here's Launch through my eyes:
>> VIDEO <<<
Launch is an upscale version of training camp. Instead of sleeping in tents on a wet dewy ground, we rest comfortably on white linen sheets and cool hotel pillows. We have air conditioning and clean showers to use any time we want. We have a laundry room and a pool. It's like a vacation. I think its sort of cruel we are in such a nice hotel immediately before living the exact opposite environment for the next 11 months.
Like training camp, we are prepared for the World Race in many practical ways. We spend a lot of time getting to know our teams of six and practicing healthy community. Like training camp we have tons of fun just hanging out with each other, complete with (of course) dance parties of sorts.
We are told that on the race there will be some days where there isn't any ministry arranged for us so we'll need to find our own ways of serving others. We are challenged to go out out to the streets of Atlanta and create our own opportunities to minister.
We have a time of prayer before we set out and a few people in my team have visions of a swan and a window and a wooden bench. Totally random right? Even more random, I have a vision of a fish bowl and a fish but I keep quiet because it sounds stupid. So, I pretty much think we were all crazy because none of these things sound the least bit prophetic but rather completely strange. We go to town and come to a residential area. We walk by gorgeous old houses and pass a big yellow house with tons of nicknacks in the front garden. Kristina stops to notice the mailbox stand carved from wood in the shape of a swan. There are benches out front of the house and as we walked to the door, a stone figurine of a fish bowl. Coincidence? I think not.
Three of us walk to the front door with no real plan. The other three stay past the driveway to intercede. We ring the doorbell and knock. No answer. We stand outside of the house and pray over it instead. We leave a note in the swan mailbox saying that they are loved and that they were prayed for. We also leave a link to the World Race website and sign the W squad.
We spend the rest of the time walking around the neighborhood and praying for strangers.
[Another team from W praying for people on an Atlanta street]
They tell us that the race has already started. We are now officially Racers. Crazy! I still can't believe it and it still hasn't hit me. I keep thinking it will as soon as we reach a different country. Stay tuned to read about Guatemala!
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