I honestly don’t know if I’ve ever been more excited than I am right now. Sounds crazy right? The world’s in a pandemic and I am excited. Well, it’s been said before. What Satan has intended for evil, the Lord will use for good (Genesis 50:20). I say that with excitement and joy in my right hand, but in my left I also hold mourning for those who have tough decisions to make, and have loved ones fighting COVID-19.
•HOW G42 IS CHANGING•
Among the Adventures in Missions World. Those of us in the G42 program are staying here in Spain. We’re the rare breed that’s staying, however, we do remained quarantined in our assigned 3 houses that us interns are in. We can only leave for the groceries and the pharmacy, and even then we are limited to travel solo and staggered with entering a business. Our leaders found it would be better for us to just remain still than to go to the airport and potentially get sick on our way home. Our circumstances here at G42 are also a little different than Racer’s. We actually have an infrastructure here built for us verses racer’s who might be in tents or with hosts and not really in a “home”.
If you’ve seen World News, Spain has taken the same measures that Italy did about a week ago with a nationwide quarantine. But last night in our sweet Pueblo, the sound of clapping filled the streets as people opened their windows to clap for those who are sick as a celebration of life. Here in our house worship randomly broke out, healing and unity escalated in our house of 9, and this morning classes are commencing for the next two weeks via simulcast from our teachers and leaders.
Adventures in Missions has been working tirelessly with late nights and extra time away from family to figure out what is their wise response to COVID-19 and what should they do with the plethora of squads that are outside of the States. Two Thursdays ago on March 5th I sent the following message to a staff member at AIM.
We [G42 staff and interns] were praying for AIM this morning and all the hooblah that’s going on with the Coronavirus and I believe I have a word for AIM, or prophecy, or something…
1st of all, last year in response to AIM’s number going down for the World Race, the Lord showed me its not necessarily a bad thing. I’ve seen AIM grow in theology and doctrine and closer to the Lord as an organization over the past 5 years. I think what’s really happening is that it’s a sifting. As AIM grows, they’re attracting true Christians, and less so people who don’t actually know the Lord and are just wanting to go on an adventure. He’s sifting and bringing forth true harvesters, people who are capable to do so….
But this morning what I believe he showed me is that this Coronavirus is not really a threat either. AIM has been sprinkling racers all over the world, and I think the Coronavirus is creating a funnel, a re-route as a whole. Not to sprinkle racers over the globe, but to funnel them into a concentrated location and for it to be flooded with Christians bringing the Kingdom.
That is all. I love you! You are amazing, and I pray the peace and wisdom of God over you!!!
•HOW THE RACE IS CHANGING•
Then on Friday the 13th (hah!) I was talking to my girls that I had the privilege to Alumni Team Lead for (October-December) to see what was happening on their end. At that time in the morning al they knew was that the Parent Vision Trip in India had been cancelled. Then at lunchtime I looked at my phone and saw I had two missed calls from Fran, and my stomach dropped. I called her back and she had called me informing me that she had called all Squad Leaders and Team Leaders for our Squad and we’re bringing A-Squad back home because Africa’s borders were closing, and she was sending an email after she got off the phone with me.
My initial thoughts were “the enemy is robbing my girls”. I had seen all the things the Lord wanted to do in them and through them. Then Holy Spirit showed me and spoke truth immediately.
God doesn’t need the World Race to do things in and through them.
So the email went out, and that night Team Agua called me and I got to look all 7 of my girls in their eyes and ask how they were feeling. Not to mention one (Katlyn) is a raised up Squad Leader and another (Courtney) is a raised up Team Leader who undoubtedly had pressure on their shoulders, but were handling their responsibilities with bravery and grace.
Then on Saturday I got the news. All 11n11 Squads, All gap year squads, All semester Squads, and Global University are being pulled from the field. These are all programs under Adventures in Missions. There is a lot of work going into this to prepare Racer’s for an unexpected early return to the states. That includes a packet that is stretched out for 4 weeks to help racers grieve and cast vision. Beka Hardy, Co-Director of the World Race has been working tirelessly, just as everyone else has in leadership, to write this packet. We have been fortunate enough to have her hear with us in Spain for a month participating as a G42 intern. Yesterday she brought all Leaders together who are here that have squads on the field coming home. We were able to see the plan she’s created, pray together, and mourn together at the fact that we have people losing opportunities to do the Lord’s work in other countries, as well embrace the unknown for how all of this affects those working at AIM.
•CATCHING VISION•
So this is the real reason I’m so excited. The Lord is good. If you don’t know Teresa McMillan you should. She leads World Race USA and has the biggest heart for God and the United States. So much so that a few months ago she did a 40 day fast of just water praying for laborers in the States (specifically participants for World Race USA). Yesterday morning before meeting and praying with Beka this was Teresa and I’s conversation:
I’m not sure if you guys have picked up what the Lord is doing yet or not, but people are starting to catch it. We have people in the All G42 group message (that’s every alumni and current G42 intern EVER). They’ve declared it, they’re seeing it, Leaders and teachers here are seeing it.
My beautiful people, over 800 young Christians on fire for God are about to flood the USA, and their Mission is not over just because they’re leaving foreign countries. The Lord is rerouting them for the largest awakening in the States.
Haha. And people in the US are going to be responding like those in the Bible when they come in the power of God:
“And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also,”
??Acts? ?17:6?
•WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER•
You can join us at G42 by coming up under every staff and racer from AIM in prayer. Pray big prayers, fast, worship. Seriously, will you come along side God and what he’s doing!?
Here at G42 we have put ourselves at AIM’s disposal to use us however they need us. Which means we may be assigned to Racer’s for counsel and encouragement (those of us with squads on the field get preference over our squads, eeeeeeek!!!). The Lord is doing big things, and I know that when he does the enemy attacks. Pray for protection over those returning home and the ability to fight the schemes of the devil. The Lord has given me vision of us as the body of believer’s being just that, THE BODY. God has given me vision that
In prayer we are the back bones that will help them stand.
In compassion we are the ribs that protect the lungs so they can breathe.
In sacrifice we are the Aaron and Hur that hold up Moses’s weary arms when he gets tired (Exodus 17:12).
It’s go time baby!!!
