We have finished up TWO months on the World Race and left our Month 2 Debrief just a few days ago.
Sometimes I have to pinch myself because it doesn't seem real that we have been gone that long already. The days seem to fly by!
I realized at debrief that I blogged a lot about what God has been doing for me but not what me and my team have been doing for God.
Honestly, it has taken me this long to process everything that has happened since launch.
Here is a glimpse at our last two months:
{Dominican Republic}
Month 1 was challenging. Adjusting to a new country and a new life in community brought about new struggles. I am so proud of my team! Instead of giving up we dug in our heels and made the commitment to fight for each other. Love never gives up!
Our ministry was working with a pastor in a Batey, a small village in the mountains. We were only able to go a few times because of the weather and his work schedule. This gave us the opportunity to figure out how to minister in other ways. It was a great lesson that God is not a God of structure and doesn't care what is written on our ministry sheet. We did a couple of prayers walks in San Juan de la Maguana (where we were living) and prayed over patients at the local hospital.
The DR was a time of growth.
{Haiti}
Being completely honest, I have no desire to ever return to Haiti. And the fact that I'm saying that is just funny…
I was not prepared for Haiti.
In Haiti we worked with a great couple who have lived in Haiti for nine years named Rod and Debbie Wray. They are in the process of opening a sports camp. They live on a beautiful piece of land overlooking the Caribbean ocean. Our job was to serve them however they needed. Their is fence that runs the length of the ocean at the front of the property and it was rusting through so Rod asked us to paint it. Easy enough!
Ha! I could go on for days about what God taught me and my team while we paint that fence for six hours a day! But, the biggest thing I walked away with was this:
Sometimes God is going to ask us me to do things I don't like, hate even, but what am I going to do? I can lay down my rights and expectations and serve him when he asks me to (which in retrospect is not nearly as often as I think…) or I can act like a total brat. Whoa. Talk about a revelation. My world was rocked.
Our month was peaceful…
Until we got to Carrefour.
We had to travel back to where the other teams where staying to get ready for our travel day back to debrief. Keep in mind this was all in the middle of Hurricane Tropical Storm Whatever She Was Sandy.
I didn't realize how dark Haiti was until we got to the city. It was heavy. The teams staying there experienced a lot of sickness, nightmares, and other attacks.
There was a physical heaviness on everyone.
{Month 2 Debrief}
Debrief was fabulous!
God showed up but the evil one didn't go down without a fight and let's just say J Squad reminded that punk who he is and that he has already been defeated!
We had to say goodbye to one of our squad leaders, Philip, who is going home to get ready to leave on the next adventure God has for him. Please pray for him. He's so dear to our squad and we miss him a lot!
{Prayer Request}
Fundraising – We need $7,000 by Dec 1. Stay tuned for a new fundraising project!
Rest – Justin has been under the weather and jet lag is getting the best of me.
Ministry – We want to be present and abandoned this month with our ministry.
Present – It's easy to make plans for when we get home but we keep feeling God telling us to be present in the season he has us in right now.
Expectations – We want to keep God out of the box and remember that while he meets our needs he doesn't always move in the ways we expect.
I thinks that's everything…
No, it's not.
But that's all I can get out of my brain and into this blog.
We have made it to Thailand.
Stay tuned for whether or not I ever beat this jet lag and the ways He moves this month.
There is a rumor it's going to be big.
