Somehow, another month has managed to come and gone so quickly.
Quito, Ecuador.
This month was full. Full of joys, challenges, tears, laughter, exploration, rest, and filling. I have learned and grown a ton in these past four weeks, and I’m thankful. It has been far from easy, but I’m thankful for that as well. A lot of people are asking me what the heck I have been doing and what my “job” even is, so here is my attempt at explaining what my wild life looks like these days.
Squad leading: woof. It’s hard, y’all. They tell us all of the time that “leadership is a lonely place.” And a lot of the time it is. But it’s also a treasure that I don’t even know how to describe in words. Essentially, I’m responsible for the emotional, physical, and spiritual well being of 39 human beings (LOL, Jesus is funny, right?). The 39 are divided into teams of 6 or 7 and then divided up among the 4 squad leaders. My two teams are Kingdom Bringers and 461. My teams could not be more different, in all of the best ways. Both teams come with their own challenges, joys, celebrations, strugs, and triumphs. Kingdom Bringers is a co-ed team of 7 and 461 is an all female team of 6. I am totally sold-out-in-love with these 13 humans. Since training camp I have been asking God for a unique and unconditional love for every one of them, and I’m thankful to say that He has given that to me in abundance.
Typically, my teams will be living in different locations, but this month, most of the squad has been living together! This means I have gotten the opportunity to serve at two ministries, all while living under the same roof as all of my people. 461 has been doing ministry at an organization called COVI in Quito. It is essentially a before and after school program for at risk kids ages 4-18. My 461 girls have put there ALL into this place; loving and discipling children and staff alike. They even created a (hopefully!!!!) sustainable garden for COVI that will one day assist in feeding all of the kiddos. I thrived during my time with them- I love small people, a lot.
(whoever said you can’t have favorites has never met Gabriel)
Kingdom Bringers has been working at an organization called Camp Hope, which is a respite facility for kids with special needs. They have loved fearlessly, pushed countless wheelchairs through the campus, spoon fed kids, gotten bitten and pinched numerous times, done physical and occupational therapy, and helped tirelessly around the campus doing manual labor and literally building things from nothing. The kids and staff there are some of my new favorite people on the planet. They are FULL of joy and light and I’m inspired by them. Working at Camp Hope re-awakened something in me, and I’m so grateful for it.
(for privacy purposes, I can’t show you his face, but our smiles show all. alive.)
I am so stinkin’ proud of my people. My dad and mom tell me all of the time how proud they are of me, but I don’t think I really understood what that word meant until this month. Seeing their faces light up as they talk to their squad mates and families about their “kids” at both ministries brings me so much joy. Watching them step FAR out of their comfort zones challenged me to get outside of mine.
After ministry each day, we have something called “team time.” During team time we gather as a team and spend time seeking the lord, calling each-other higher, studying scripture, goofing off, worshipping, and more. It is one of my favorite parts of the day because we get to dive into this whole community thing head first.
As a squad leader, my main ministry is to my teams. I am responsible for shepherding and discipling them. I am also responsible for logistics, finances, hospital visits (all the time y’all, all the time), adventuring alongside of my teams, etc. It’s a lot. Everyday. But- Jesus. He somehow makes it all work. There are days when I wake up and don’t think I can do another day, but then I hear His voice tell me that He will carry me. That I just need to be still and let Him be God. And that’s what I have to do, everyday. Surrender my expectations for myself and for my people, and let him do his thing. I mess up on the daily. I let people down, I let myself down. I say the wrong thing at the wrong time. And then I’m met by GRACE. It’s the real deal.
(and sometimes I get to take my people to the beach)
I hope this has brought some clarity to what this whole World Race Gap Year squad leading thing is. Stay tuned for another blog about what’s going on in my personal/spiritual life, but for now, I just want to say thank you. Thanks for praying for me, reaching out to me, and loving me well. You doing that allows me to love my people well- and that matters a lot. This week, we head to THAILAND! My favorite country on the planet. I’m so so so so so so stoked (except for the whole 6 days of travel thing, but oh well?)!! I can’t wait to share what 461 and Kingdom Bringers will be doing- it’s going to be an amazing 2 months.
I am still in need of financial support to stay on the field!!! If you feel led to donate please click the donate button at the top of the page or message me for more details.
I LOVE YOU ALL! Reach out, tell me about your lives, I want to hear all of the things.
