10 week summary–What I’ve been doing and learning about myself:
- I’ve slept in 11 different “beds” in the past 10 weeks
- I love taking pictures of flowers and wearing them in my hair.
- I don’t do quiet time well, but I like to have “alone” time close to other people.
- I am resistant to the messiness of true community.
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The Lord has given me so much grace and expects me to pass it on.
Learning about community
Over the past 10 weeks, my team has slept in dorms, tents, airports, on concrete floors, and a variety of other beds. I have had a crash course in community. I have been more frustrated at times with my teammates than I would have ever dreamed. I can’t escape from them. We’re together almost 24/7 and I’ve realized that I didn’t live my life in deep community in America. I am being forced to learn how to do this better, how to give feedback, and to communicate in healthier ways. It’s exhausting and exciting. My teammates have given me grace and patience as I have gone through cycles of: witholding my feelings, uncontrollably spewing them out, and awkwardly trying to explain it all.
The World Race is giving me the opportunity (or shall I say forcing me?) to get better at community. It is the culture here. Back home, I can escape almost any situation or group of people once I reach my limit. I’m learning that back home I probably wasn’t committed enough to my groups to be vulnerable with them, to give them feedback, or welcome the kind of feedback that creates stronger bonds. I’m not anywhere close to being good at this stuff, but I hope to be a lot different the next time you see me.
Route Update
I want to let you know about some changes to our race route. We originally expected to go to Malaysia I March, Thailand in April and Cambodia in May. We ended up in the Philippines this month and I’m so happy. I love so many things about this place including the hospitality and friendliness of the people as well as our home base at the Philippines Baptist Theological Seminary, which is serene and peace filled.
