I climbed up the stairs and entered the room where my six teammates and I are currently living, all females, and was confronted with an intriguing question by one of our members.
Denea, Can I tell you something?
Uhhh… Sure?? I responded.
I like sharing a bed with you.
I’m sure I laughed at that comment, initially, before asking for the reason why.
Because, your a good bed sharer. You stay on your side, I stay on mine. You don’t snore… I just like sharing a bed with you.
This is one of many interesting conversations I’ve had with my teammates over the last few weeks as we’ve begun the process of sharing our lives together. Now, nearing the end of our first month, the beauty of community living, in the good times and the bad, is becoming much more apparent and real. It’s been a long time since I last had the privilege of living in an environment such as this. In fact, it’s been more than a decade.
The last time I experienced something of this nature was in 2003. At a mere 19 years of age, I had nowhere near the amount of knowledge that I now possess. Watching the beginning stages of community life bloom inside our small team is reminiscent of days I thought long gone for me. I’m in my 30s, and spending nearly every waking moment with women 8-10 years my junior is not something I ever foresaw as a path my life would take – and certainly not something I would WANT to take. Yet, here we are, and I’m actually enjoying it.
I’ve never been one to like sharing my bed. It’s the one place I can go to get away from everything and everyone. Sharing my room is one thing. But my bed? That’s something entirely different. To hear my teammate say she actually enjoys sharing a bed with me is… well, it’s something I would never have expected to hear from anyone. Nor would I have expected to think the same in return. Yet, after hearing the explanation – you stay on your side, I stay on mine, etc. – it’s actually something I found myself agreeing with.
The beautiful thing about living in community revolves around love and respect. And you can’t have true respect without love. I find myself loving these girls more and more everyday. As I hear the stories they tell about encounters they’ve had while witnessing to strangers. As they talk about their families and friends back home. As they sing with me when I’m playing my guitar. As they laugh at our host’s awkward jokes. As we trust each other enough to share the deepness, and even the darkness of our pasts. As tears of sadness are spilt while reminiscing about all we’re leaving behind. And definitely as we have real, hard conversations about things that have been done amongst ourselves that unintentionally caused hurt, and we’re able to talk through them with love and respect.
This is becoming real. Really real. There’s a reason Jesus never sent the disciples out to share the truth of The Kingdom without a partner. We need each other. To challenge one another, encourage one another, and push each member toward the goal He has set forth for us – To take The Gospel to the ends of the world.
As our time in Colombia comes to a close and we head to our first debriefing, my prayer is that these last 5 days will be the best we’ve had yet. I’m praying for miracles, signs and wonders – that through the power of Jesus’ name we will take back what the enemy has tried to steal from these people.
Stay tuned for more amazing stories of what He is doing through Team FUERTE. I’m in anticipation that this week will be amazing.
Feel free to share this post if you would like to do so. If you would like to contribute to this journey financially, please feel free to click the Donate button above. I am still in need of $2800 to make my next financial deadline at the end of February. Please feel no pressure if you are unable to send anything. I am trusting that The Lord will provide if He wants me here.
Blessings,
Denea (AKA: BatNay)
