When I came on the race I thought it was to help others in different countries and to learn how to live in community. Now those things have definitely happened here on my 9 months on the field but something even greater has happened too.
The Lord has revealed great things about me and the way I look at things, the way I treat people, and the way I act. In the end I want all these things to reflect Jesus and for Him to shine through me so much that the way I look at things, the way I treat people, and the way I act situations a stranger could see and know that I have Jesus on the inside of me. However to get there you have to get messy and go through some junk first.
However something you should know about me is before the race big numbers of people freaked me out. I have always been the girl in the back of the room who had a couple good friends but no one else really noticed me. I could walk down the crowded high school hall and no one would say hi to me or know my name. I thought it was because I was shy and that is how I was supposed to act.
One of those things was learning how to love people. On this race I started out with 43 and some strangers. Yes we all met at training camp but I was dealing with my grandpa passing away so I didn't make an effort to get to know anyone.
A-Squad: 43 strangers
I was placed on my first team while at training camp and I thought alright I can love 5 other people no problem. And that is what I did for the first three months on the race I loved these 5 other people with my whole heart.
Team WALDO :Kacie, Marissa,Me,Stephanie,Christian,Wes
While loving these 5 people month 2 in Moldova Jesus was going to start working on big groups with me. While in Moldova we were put at a ministry site with two other teams from A-squad and a U-squad team. That's four total teams living in one area doing ministry and meals together every day. I was terrified and told WALDO not to let me slip into the background because that is what I did.
some members from all 3 teams and the u squad team represented
However instead of slipping into the background I got to know some great people on my squad and learn from another squad which doesn't happen very often on the race. God started me off small with about 20 people getting to know them besides just my team.
At the end of month 3 came the thing I was dreading the most TEAM CHANGES. Yes I had started to get to know others on my squad but I still had given my heart to WALDO and didn't really know anyone else all that well. Let's be honest I hadn't even had a real conversation with anyone else on the squad except how was your month, oh mine was good. And that would be that.
So team changes happen and I get put on my second team LIMITLESS with 5 people I had not had one conversation with at all. Not even the little small talk that I had with others. Okay God I am starting to get your point I need to talk with everyone and let go of this fear. I knew I had to love this new team it was hard for the first couple of days just because I lost everyone that was safe. But after that I fell in love with this new team of 5 new members. Within a week I had started forming this brother sister relationship with a man on my team that I had never had before. He was just like the brother I had always wanted!
Team Limitless: Elizabeth, me, Angela, Peter, Ashley, Gary
At month 4 debrief I was doing good thinking nothing would change and loving this new team of mine and branching out and talking to others on my squad. That is when the news came this man I thought of as a brother was going home. My world turned upside down. However they were not changing our team just the dynamic was changing and we would only have one male and four women. Which means pretty much a whole new team for month 5.
Angela,Elizabeth,Me,Gary,Ashley
Month 5 in Tanzania was hard on my team we were like a totally different team and we were partnered with another all women's team. However what happened next I never expected until Jesus told me it was going to happen. We were traveling to our next country and at a stop at 4am our squad leaders told us they were dispersing our team and me and another girl from that team would be joining yet another team. Which brings me to team number 4 New Heights.
Team New Heights: Jenna,Vanessa,Elizabeth,Me,Kaitlyn,Emily, Kyle,Spencer
This was another team where for some reason I still did not really know anyone on the team. It was a really hard change and I was tired of all the team changes, but still trying to love them the best I could.
At the end of Africa we knew things would look different because we were going into manistry/womanistry month. I was placed in leadership over 5 women all who were wonderful but brought me onto team number 5 Team Naked. I knew this was only for a month and that another thing would happen to the teams, because the men had to come back.
Team naked: Caroline,Kacie,Madisson,Me,Bri,Jenna
But that is when it hit me in Thailand that this was not just teams but it's a family. It didn't really matter who was on my team because I knew something about everyone on the squad. Walking out of Thailand I remember meeting back up as a squad and trying to get things organized for my team when several people kept stopping to talk with me. This has never happened to me before.
As I walked up the stairs for the fifth time I remember thinking to myself "I wish I could be that girl in the background again, so I could have some alone time" However that's not what I want at all because these 43 people are some of my best friends and family. I am going to miss them like crazy here in 2 months, because we will never all be in the same place at the same time again.
That Is when I accepted it Team Changes are a great thing they make your squad that much more a family. I didn't care whose team I was going to be on or with after month 8 debrief because I knew god knows who I need to be with and who is best for me in this last season of the race. So as of right now I'm on team number 6 and love it! Who knows there might be another team change but its ok because 43 is just a number.
Team Level UP: doing the flying V(Brittany, me, Caroline, Lori, Kacie,Wes, Layne)
These people are not scary they are sometimes ridiculous but who wants boring?
Not Me!!
A-Squad: now family
So yes I have been on 6 teams
I have been on a team with 7 out of the 9 men
I have been at least partnered with 8 out of the 9 men
Been on a team with 23 different people which is half our squad now.
But I would not change any of it for anything.
