Africa… Where do I even start? It’s been a life full of beautiful green hills, riding on the back of motos, squatty potties, and bucket showers. We’ve met incredible people all over Uganda and Rwanda. In December, my team worked with Cornerstone Victors Church of Maya; a small community outside the city of Kampala. We fell in love with our Ugandan family and grew in incredible ways as we built a church wall, ministered to hundreds of children through soccer (my favorite!), fellowshipped with the church and preached to the community. However, this month here in Rwanda has been prettyyy different…
As some of you know, I was asked by our leadership to be raised up from a Team Leader to a Squad Leader. I get the chance to lead about 40 awesome, incredible people with two other girls, Katie Allen and Ana Matiz. So much stuff has happened it’s hard to even put in words, but because of this new position, my Race has drastically changed. This month the three Alumni Squad Leaders have been training the three of us as we step into our new role as Squad Leaders. We’ve spent the month visiting a few teams around the city of Kigali and gaining the wisdom and knowledge we need to lead well.
I am no longer on the Conquerors team—which was hard.. and man was it sad to say goodbye to those amazing girls… But I do however get to visit each team for a month and support and encourage all of L-squad for the rest of the Race. My focus has now shifted to the Squad and I get to help lead them from country to country. It’s a blessing and even though Squad Leading does scare the you-know-what out of me—I already see God growing me in more ways than I can count. It’s amazing how the moment I get comfortable; He has to take me out of it to remind me where my true strength and comfort lies… In Him.
I know this new position might be confusing to understand completely but the Lord is still moving on L-squad and blowing my mind with His faithfulness.
This Saturday L-squad and myself will hop on a plane to Ethiopia, the Alumni Squad Leaders go home to America, and my reliance on the Lord will get a little bit deeper. The adventure continues and I am PUMPED.
Sometimes I really do have to pinch my arm to remind myself of the life I currently live. I get to travel and live amongst these beautiful cultures and people. I get to make an impact by just being the light God has designed me to be. I spent Thanksgiving eating around a table with people from all over the world in Vietnam. I spent Christmas dancing in an African dress in front of an entire church. And I just had my 23rd birthday where the whole weekend I helped put in a cement floor in a Pastor’s house and walked the hills of Rwanda to church.
I’ve learned to appreciate the surprises—even if it’s a mouse in our dirt floor bedroom, rafting down a Class 5 rapid on the Nile River, or experiencing a huge change of leadership. It’s a moment that I might not ever live again. The World Race shows you everything you have and how to appreciate it. And it more importantly shows you everything you don’t have and why you don’t need it. Because if you have Jesus, you have everything.
My New Little Team: Los 3 Jalapeños!
Bring it on Month 6 and all it’s adventure!
