October was a month of change.
Change is good. Change is hard. Change is unavoidable. Change is the Thai word for elephant if you remove the -e.
First change? My team. At the end of month 3 in Nicaragua, we were given new race families. Although I genuinely loved (and still love) my first team, it was a great timing for the Lord to swoop in and mix it up.
There were no co-ed teams, so the men had a month of “manistry.” That’s code for let’s grow beards and serve the Lord without chicks around. They got shipped off to a southern island of the Philippines to work with boys on the streets.
That means the girls all got to be together! Womanistry. Hello, estrogen. Sisterhood is just good. I am glad I’m a girl most of the time. This month, I had the joy of serving alongside 13 women that I hadn’t gotten to work with before.
Because I grew up with all brothers and had close guy friends in college, valuing girls’ companionship was a mindset that had to be learned in these past few months. Happily, the Lord has gifted me this mindset & I’m a happy camper with a ton of valued girlfriends.
Second change? The continent. Asia! I had never been to Asia before. That means 4 of the 7 continents are crossed off. Score. Even just from landing in the airport, so much is different from anything I’ve been exposed to.
The Philippines is an incredible place. The culture is unlike anywhere I’ve been. The people are happy byproducts of a culturally wonderful place. White rice is their anthem. Their work ethic can’t be beat. Their desire to honor others is humbling. Their warmth is Latino. Their loyalty is rich. Their timing is relaxed.
They’re a people that make you feel full. From my perspective, the feel here is really a great mix of the Texas, Switzerland and Spain. A weird mixture, I know, but I’ll explain my cultural theory of the Philippines sometime if you’d like. It’s a good one.
Third change? My head. The Lord is so faithful. He’s faithful to restore and lead. Romans 12:2 style — be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect — he renewed my mind this month. It made all the difference in the world. Or at least in Asia.
A huge part of that renewal was having a blank canvas. I authentically didn’t know the girls on either team we lived with. All I knew was where they were from and maybe the jobs they left before the race. Without heavy relational ties, this freed me up to be the teammate I wanted to be. I could love, seek out, and encourage in new and life-giving ways.
The environment in Puerto Gallera was extremely relaxed. This allowed me to be the disciple that the Lord wants me to be. Without habits from our last team tying me down, I could seek the Lord in the way I had been longing to. Time was there. Freedom was there. His voice was there. I had the joy of being able to choose obedience and dance through the month with Him.
These changes made for the most incredible month on the race.
This is just skimming the surface. There were plenty of factors that weaved together to make this the best October of all my 22 years. But. Having a refreshed set of people around me in a new environment with a refreshed mind made for some beautiful change.
Cheers to girls, Asia & brains,
Darcie
