Things have been shaken up a bit, folks!
When I received an email from my mobilizer, Kristin, asking nine women from P Squad to switch routes my heart dropped and then started beating incredible fast with a weird excitement. I thought I should be feeling a bit more apprehensive about the whole thing considering that I was forming the most incredible relationships with my squad already and I haven’t even met them! But, I sat with my excitement and brought it before the Lord.
The plan from the beginning was to not go to Europe. I remember deliberately saying to myself, “Europe doesn’t need me.” So, I signed up for Route 4, which has been affectionately named by the squad as the Jazzy Jumpers and officially named P Squad by the World Race HQ.
As I sat before God with excitement about a potential change up in the countries I’d be going to, I prayed that He would direct me very clearly to where I was supposed to go. I looked over the routes that were offered to us who were considering the switch and Route 5 caught my eye. The different countries were South Africa, Mozambique, Swaziland, Burma, Estonia and Latvia. I prayed for the countries and for my heart to be moved either deeper into my original route or this new route.
I wanted to sleep on the decision before letting Kristin know what my thoughts were. So, the next morning I woke up with a huge grin on. I had a dream. It couldn’t have been made clearer.
Back-story: I went to Germany on a mission trip in the summer of 2013 and remembered how I felt about the state of the Church in Europe. Though the community that existed was running full speed ahead toward God, it was small and not growing very rapidly. Church wasn’t something that most people truly wanted to commit to. I remember sitting on a hill that over looked the little town of Dohna and praying for the people of Germany to grasp the height and depth of the Father’s love for them. To come to an understanding of how crucial community and Christian fellowship truly is. And then I prayed that I would some how be a vessel that Jesus could use to shine His light into the people’s lives.
That’s something that I have prayed ever since I can remember: “Jesus, let me shine for you in the dark places.” And so, as I slept, I dreamed that a friend from school and I were sitting in a dark and cold room at VCU. She looked at me and said “Heather, you are such a bright light in this dark and cold room. The light of Jesus Christ just radiates like no one else in this room.” When I woke up, I was honestly floored. I had just asked the Lord to show me where I could shine His light. I had just prayed about the cold darkness in Latvia and Estonia. And then I’m told that I am a radiant light for Christ in a cold dark room… Are you following my train of thought?!
So, as crazy as I felt, I told Kristin I was making the switch from P Squad to Q Squad (sQuad). My heart is anticipating the great things the Lord has in store for my new sQuad and me. And in the same breathe, I am burdened with sadness for leaving my beloved P Squad. Oh, Jazzy Jumpers. You will always be a part of my WR family, and I love you all so dearly.
You’re wondering what the new run down of countries is, right? Let me tell you!
January: India
February: Nepal
March: South Africa
April: Swaziland
May: Mozambique
June: Latvia
July: Estonia
August: Thailand
September: Burma
October: Cambodia
November: Vietnam
sQuad! Here I come!
