I’ve blogged about ministry in several countries and what God has done in my life this past year, but there’s a gaping hole that I have yet to mention, so let me give you some insight in about 40 photos or so. I’ll be spitting out a great deal of my year, so forgive me for the lack of proper grammar.
LOGISTICS.
Let’s rewind to training camp. I get asked to go to a meeting. I arrived, and they said to go to our respective groups. I didn’t even know why I was there. Okay, there’s a list–it says I’m going to a logistics meeting. I look at the guy next to me. Josh. We didn’t volunteer for this. We are given an overview and list of responsibilities. Totally. Completely. Overwhelmed. I am certainly not qualified for this. And Josh has never even left the country. But if people saw something that prompted them to ask us to serve the squad in this way, I guess we’ll give it a try. Look at us…so young and naive.
In a slew of pre-launch logistics preparation, we found it was absolutely necessary to have nicknames. Thanks to a scientific quiz found online, I am now officially Pink Dolphin, and my counterpart is Emerald Dragon.
Launch: Number one lesson learned–every situation is different. You’ll learn as you go. Perfect. Thankfully Gmail can handle the millions of emails about spreadsheets that will soon come. We also met our SQA, Matt. He also needs a nickname. We’ll call him…White Fox.
Below is a photo of us the night before travel telling the squad how it is without knowing how it is. Typical. It is essential that you take note of the length of our beards in order to see the amount of growth that we had this past year.
Travel Day #1: Atlanta > LA > China > Philippines. Below you’ll see us looking all young and naive again. Aside from a group going to the wrong terminal, unexpectedly paying for domestic travel luggage, a squadmate passing out on the plane, another squadmate two rows ahead with appendicitis and worrying all the Chinese flight attendants, and a few hours at the Manila airport wondering why we never got SIM card training, I say it was a pretty successful travel day.
It was suggested that we make a joint email account for easier planning. Josh was on it. Naturally, the sender name is JoCindy Chauson. For everyone who is still confused to this day, Jocindy is NOT my full name.
Okay, next up, our first debrief will be in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Annnnd Emerald Dragon doesn’t really have Internet. Not sure how it all came together. If only the Thai hotel staff would stop hanging up on me. But somehow it gets done. Coach hotel room. Check. Squad mentor hostel room. Check. AIM staff hostel room. Check. Transportation for everyone from airport to lodging. Check. Squad hostel. Check. Meeting space. Check. Check. Check. PRAISE THE LORD! All thanks to White Fox, past Racers, and the internal wiki (known as the LOG) for providing guidance…and God 😉
Note: Don’t pack duct tape in your carry-on at the Manila airport unless you put it around a water bottle or something to confuse security.
We landed in Thailand, and in a daze, we calculated the amount of Baht we needed to withdraw and MADE IT to Soho Hostel…one of the best places we stayed at all year! I’m grateful for my teams who hauled my luggage around for me on travel days.
Luckily after debrief, it’s all-squad month in Thailand, and we can figure out logistics together. Like our next task…DHL. Every receipt written is checked by our finance coordinator, Audrey, also known as Purple Penguin. She’s AMAZING. I cannot imagine having to deal with everybody’s budgeting and financial problems every month. After they are checked, JoCindy goes on a treasure hunt to find these offices around the world to send the receipts back to the Adventures office every month. Here’s Emerald Dragon on our first DHL outing. We have no idea where we are going and nor does our songtaow driver.
We get dropped off in the general area, ask around, and wander until…we find it! AND it’s air-conditioned. May we linger until the DHL receptionist kicks us out.
And sometimes we go to the non-legit DHL…
It’s only month two so we kind of still like one another and hang out aside from our logistical duties. Like celebrating my 27th birthday with cake and a zoo outing. Thanking God for our shared interest in eating and animals..and eating animals.
All-squad month means unreliable wifi. Can’t tell whether it’s from our end or the office. At this point, I don’t know much about this man except that he gives excellent hugs and may be just as ridiculous as JoCindy. I find out during our two-hour Skype convos throughout the year that this is indeed true. God really knew what He was doing in putting this team together.
He’s so cool that sometimes we pretended that he was with us. Group selfie!
Before travel, we would send out detailed emails to team leaders. I like to think it’s pretty clear, but sometimes questions arise…
Also, we need 50USD per person or an item of equivalent value for a logistics corruption fee. You WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BOARD THE BUS until you have paid the fee!
Take care suckas!
For all you travelers out there, note that there is actually a corruption fee at the Cambodian-Thai border and a piece of cardboard that spells it out for you at the window.
Note: Don’t ever leave your passport in your big pack on travel days.
OH THAILAND TO CAMBODIA. Our first ground travel between countries. Good thing you happened early, so nobody can complain the rest of the year. We checked. We double-checked. We worked with somebody who have helped World Racers in the past. Yet there was some breakdown between travel companies.
54 people. 54 packs. One 50 passenger bus. One ghetto bus breakdown. Sweltering heat. Requests for our drinking water to cool the engine down. A switch of buses. Corruption fee to save time and not get our luggage checked. Oversight on everyone’s part and overstayed our visas. Borders almost closing. Rushing through Thai visa fines and paperwork and running across the border at night in a frenzy to get everybody to Cambodia. All chaos.
Where’s the bathroom?
More chaos.
Where’s the bathroom?
More chaos.
Thanks to our travel guy, Sophoan, we made it in the country in the nick of time! And he hooked us up with SIM cards. That guy knows what he’s doing.
We arrive in Siem Reap at 4am–about 13 hours later than expected. One team gets picked up by their host. Half of the squad has a place to stay and the other are shelterless. But PRAISES. Sophoan called around ahead of time, and there were people wandering the street, ready to take 22 people into their hostel. THANK YOU, GOD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
Siem Reap DHL was just your plane old average office…
Month 4: Viet Nam debrief planning for Vung Tau.
**********There’s a Vietnamese holiday in April. Be forewarned.**********
This balcony. Every day. Never had JoCindy wanted to quit. Thanking the Lord that White Fox never sleeps.
Clear notes that came in the form of Emerald Dragon’s priceless drawings. God lessons on control and trust.
DHL came to us that month! He didn’t suspect a thing.
And then the dream team was united in person. Whaaaat? Put on sunglasses if you don’t wanna get blinded by our bright personalities and good looks.
We made it through Asia! Now in Africa, there were a few changes. BUT FIRST…we pondered and argued if I really was the smartest animal on the planet.
We continued to roll in dough everywhere we went. Once, my giant Cambodian purse was filled to the brim with cash moneyz, and the taxi driver wondered why we took over half an hour at the ATM.
We also took a ride on the wild side at the Lusaka DHL in Zambia.
There were many ice cream visits, Skype conversations that shall never be retold in public, and sent out loving notes to our dear White Fox in America.
Then Emerald Dragon was called to TEAM LEAD! The leadership knew better than to split us up, so instead, we added our new member, DDMF…Dani Day Miss Future (President) or something like that. Our new email name changes to JoCinDy D’Chauson…further confusing every contact around the world.
Our teams were together in Zimbabwe, where we had the chance to plan our deluxe European vacation together. Narrowly missed booking our meeting space and coach hotel next to a strip club. Our bad. May be a great place to minister but maybe next time. One day, we even found Matt in the living room. Who knew he was watching us all along.
The original Jocindy also had great times in ministry together. Like standing on the back of a pickup truck in the African bush to pick moringa leaves. Right on.
In hairy situations when only one of us could get on the Internet, I made sure to remain productive…
Once Africa was done and gone, we hit up Eastern Europe. There was a beautiful heat wave as we attempted to find the DHL in Sofia. It was right near the airport yet nobody knew where it was, so we walked and walked and walked and once there, decided it was a good idea to get on the even hotter ground to take this photo.
We took advantage of being on different teams and shared hostel recommendations. We valued the information from the LOG and made sure to always add to it.
And tried to be good stewards of our money and kept our spreadsheets as detailed as possible…
And sometimes shared the ice cream rewards of being part of logistics with the hardworking treasurers…
There was a point in Romania where I had to go to DHL without my other thirds.
But made it to FINAL DEBRIEF early together to plan finishing touches and spend time together.
Where we almost risked our lives squeezing into the 2-person elevator at the 5-star hotel we reserved for our lovely mentor, Sam…
And celebrated with our last ice cream…or gelato spree.
And sat on top of the most beautiful city, where Josh had cold feet…
Yet after all the days of the year, the original JoCindy still are the best of friends and can take a few good-looking selfies, which brings up the countless questions of whether we’re dating…
But really, when we’re done doing logistics work, and everybody’s already gone off doing their own thing, we HAVE to hang out together…at least before his epic beard and blooming personality led him to become Mr. Popular on the squad 😉
It’s the end of an era but not the end of this beautiful friendship. It was a pleasure serving the squad. It was a pain. It was stressful. It was overwhelming. But I would do it again in a heartbeat. I learned so much about myself, about God, and about what it looks like to selflessly serve in any circumstance. And I wouldn’t have put together a better team to serve with. Where hilarity ensues when we’re together. Love you all!
