Whew. I’ve been here 10 days. It’s starting to feel more like home everyday. The walk to the “porta-john” is starting to feel natural now. I sleep in my hammock every night and 10/10 recommend it, (just make sure to put on bug spray before!) The last time my team showered we were graced with the company of a very large snake. HA, yes can you believe it?! My teammate saw it on the panels above and just assumed it was a tire! Five minutes after we left another team ran out screaming!!(I’ll be sure to add a picture of it) We did laundry for the first time this week, and let me tell y’all-washing machines are so overrated. I think everyone should wash their clothes in a bucket and hang them to dry on the clotheslines under the sun. Nothing ever smells completely clean…but I still look forward to it every week now. I am writing to y’all on Sabbath and it is pouring rain outside. I have never met another group of people that loves to dance in the rain as much as racers do. Ugh, I love it here.
This past week I have learned so much, through lessons and just life in general. Last Sunday I experienced the hardest thing of my life-The Dreaded Fitness Hike. The fitness hike is a 2.2 mile, mostly uphill, TREK with our big packs on, (mine was around 50+ pounds). The catch was that we had to make it in under 38 minutes. To my disbelief, I survived AND made it in 30 minutes! On the field in January we will have to carry our loads everywhere we go and the purpose is to make sure we are physically fit to do so. Though it is a test of physical strength, it is just as much a spiritual journey if not more so. I was taught the importance of community and learning to lean into the Father for strength. We are all much stronger than we’d expect, and with the help of the Lord we are unstoppable.
We have a morning teaching every weekday and my favorites this past week would have to be lessons on “Falling in Love with God’s Word” and “Being the Church.” The hardest lessons to hear were the ones on “Vulnerability” and “Conflict Resolution/Gossip vs. Honor.” I hate being vulnerable, but I am working on it with my team! It is important to walk in the light as 1 John talks about in chapter one. The only reason Conflict Resolution and the Gossip vs. Honor lessons were hard is because it’s the complete opposite of what society encourages. IF ONLY I HAD LEARNED THIS BEFORE HIGH SCHOOL!! I spend every waking moment with my team and on the field we will all be experiencing everything together. It is so important that we all get along and love each other well. Here in Gainesville we live by Matthew 18:15-20 if/when a disagreement arises here. Whenever there is a disagreement with someone back home it is my instinct to just ignore and cut the person out of my life forever, here that is not an option. It is a lifestyle change but definitely one for the better!
Anyways I love this place and the people in it! Please keep praying for me as this journey continues. (t-shirt designs are on the way, so keep an eye out for them!)
With so much love,
Grace
