Hey Y’all! I want to tell you how the Lord led me to Squad Lead for Gap Year. But before I get to that, I want to share what I’ve been up to this past month!
After training camp, I went back home for 2 days before going back to Gainesville, Georgia to reunite with X-squad (the squad I led this past year) at Project Searchlight (PSL). Project Searchlight is a week-long Post-race conference to help racers process their 1st month home, while also preparing them for life after the race. It’s kinda like training camp for re-entry back into life at home. I was able to hear some of their victories and struggles from their 1st month back home. It was pretty cool to see over half of my squad again!
X-squad Reunion at Project Searchlight (PSL)
After PSL, I spent 5 days in Kentucky visiting family with my dad. I was able to meet family members I’ve never seen before! It was a great time!
My grandpa and I. This was my first time seeing him in a long time!
So Why Gap Year?
To answer this question, we have to go back to my original World Race.
During the second half of my race, I started having squad-mates prophecy (speak forth) over me that I was going to squad lead. Y’all I wasn’t having it! I would reply back “God ain’t told me that!” and “No, I don’t think that’s what next.” It’s funny how I was in denial back then.
Then in May 2017 when I was in Haiti, I had a DREAM…I also had horrible eye infections (see photo below) and the time of my life with the children!
The beginning of my eye infections. Yes it got worse. Yes that’s a tent in the back.
But back to the DREAM.
So one night I had a dream that my coach at the time, Rozy McCormick, was so excited and was screaming “What?!? Davante you’re squad leading for Gap Year!” I woke up and thought “Nope I’m not doing that!” A few days later, I had my bi-weekly team leader phone call with my squad mentor, Teresa, and I was going to bring up my dream to her. Before I could bring it up, she asked me “Davante have you thought about Squad Leading for Gap Year?” I told her about my dream and said that I would pray about it.
You all know that I ended up leading for #11n11 instead of Gap Year. However, over the past year, the Lord consistently put 18-20 yr old locals in my path that I was able to disciple (teach/mentor/speak into) along with my squad.
Then at the end of January, we had an Awakening event in Siem Reap, Cambodia. My squad spent a couple days with 3 other squads. One of those squads were Gap Year racers. And y’all they had this fire and hunger for God that I had never seen before in 18-20-year-olds! They were inspiring! Then I noticed that they didn’t have a male squad leader (which I discovered was not uncommon for Gap Year), and that broke my heart. I couldn’t imagine going through my world race journey without Andrew or Matt (my male leaders from my race). That’s when the Lord began working on my heart about Gap Year, and the rest is history.
So in September (in a few weeks), I will be leaving the USA for Swaziland in Africa. I will spend 3 months there before traveling to Nepal, India, and Guatemala. I am so excited to lead and journey with this group for the next 9 months.
How Can You Help?
There are 2 ways that you all can help me! The most impactful way that you all can support me is by keeping my squad and me in your prayers.
Prayers for perseverance, wisdom, protection, and boldness. Pray that we serve out of a place of love. That we won’t shy away from speaking the truth of the gospel. A third of our time overseas will be in closed countries (places where it is illegal to tell people about Jesus), and it is possible that we can face persecution and deportation. Pray that we don’t experience persecution, but in the case that we do, pray that the Lord will sustain us. Pray that we will have fun. Doing the Lord’s work is fun most of the time, so pray that we will serve with joy.
Another way that you can support me is financially. I need to raise $3,800 for this trip. I am looking for 10 people/families/small groups/churches/Sunday school classes/businesses to commit to donating $32 a month for the next 9 months. If you aren’t able to donate monthly, please know that ANY donation is welcomed. You can donate by clicking “Donate” at the top of my blog: DavanteJones.theworldrace.org
Until next time!
-Davante
