Community is…

 I have learned a lot about what it means to do life with all kinds of people this year. Being on a team with at least 5 other people, living together (usually in one room), doing ministry together, having a buddy-system for any and all outings, community is something we are blessed with, but it’s also something we had to fight for.

 

This post is for my precious M-squad. I hope this makes you smile, laugh, and maybe even cry, but above all, I hope it helps you to remember.

[M Squad, Launch, January 2015] 

 

Here are some things that I have learned, through these spectacular people I have spent my year with, about community:

 

Month 1 Community is…

 

• taking turns sleeping on the roof when there aren’t enough beds.

   

• asking your teammates to quiet down, by shedding light on their behavior through the art of drama.

   

• sharing two bowls of ramen among 7 people, because we only have two bowls, and there are 7 people.

   

• carrying everyone’s things in your daypack because you were the only person who brought one for the day.

   

• translating a conversation for two friends who speak different languages.

   

• sharing pictures from home with the elderly.

   

• learning how to have the hard conversations and trusting that it will make things better.

   

• learning how to live with 6 introverts.

   

• sleeping with your team-mates’ wet clothes hanging above your bed.

 

• realizing that some people were raised with a different set of manners than you were.

   

• headlamp dance parties.

   

• being your teammates’ mirror.

   

• knowing whether or not to wake up your teammate for dinner.

   

• 1 – 10’s.

   

• sitting on the floor of the bus so your team-mate can have a seat.

   

• hearing your team-mate give her testimony for the first time, and feeling so proud.

 

Month 2 Community is…

 

• riding on top of the van so we can all fit in one trip.

   

• splitting the last sweet bread roll with a friend.

   

• sharing the hot sauce you brought from home with 28 other people.

   

• staying back from an excursion to care for a sick friend.

   

• preferring a teammate by hopping into their crazy classroom so they can take a breather.

   

• signing your name on the “shower list” so you don’t have to stand in line for 2 hours.

   

• sitting around a little fire playing worship songs into the night.

   

• learning how to bachata.

   

• building a house for a widow and her daughters.

   

• filming two of your squad-mates for hours while they laugh at themselves and direct you to “keep filming!”

   

• finding a plastic bag for your squad-mate who is vomiting through the night.

   

• carrying your team-mate up the mountain (and back) so that she can attend a cultural experience.

   

• pushing your squad-mate into leadership that is out of their comfort zone because you believe in them.

   

• having a song in your head, ready to sing, at all times.

   

• squeeezing 28 people (and their weekend bags) into a 15 passenger van.

   

• tucking your squad-mates into bed so they don’t miss their mamas.

   

• celebrating your brothers on valentines day with gifts and a parade.

   

• assigning disney princesses throughout your team.

   

• playing guitar and singing praise for 3 hours in the middle of the night.

   

• making a system for team-dishwashing.

 

• writing and recording a rap song for a brother who needs encouragement.

 

• spending all day in the kitchen cooking a meal for 30+ people, then standing in the back of the line (until your squad insists you go first!).

 

Month 3 Community is…

 

• working hard, even when it hurts.

 

• having grace for those who may not be able to work as hard or as fast as you can.

   

• shoveling ground into a truck-bed for hours, even though you are all ready to give up.

   

• spending hours upon hours making piñatas for your contacts birthday party.

   

• washing your friend’s hair in the pila because the shower is too cold.

 

• spending an afternoon rock-hunting.

 

• playing card games for hours with the staff.

   

• King Julian!

   

• putting a friend’s baby down for a nap, even though he cries A LOT because he is afraid of you.

   

• sitting on the porch with your feet covered in mud, snacking on some sugar cane.

   

• pulling children into the truck-bed for a ride on the way to school.

   

• learning about Jesus from the children you came to teach.

   

• making house visits to read Scripture to a woman who can’t read.

 

• celebrating birthdays with eggs, flour, and of course, the piñatas you made!

   

• spending your free-day during LDW making Tres Leches cake with a friend.

 

Month 4 Community is…

 

• waking up early every morning to pray and worship as a team.

   

• “hands” videos.

 

• presenting a skit to junior-high girls that you had 20 minutes to prepare.

   

• guarding your team-mate as she uses the “toilet” behind half of a curtain.

   

• sitting in a room that feels like an oven, because this is the place the children come to learn about Jesus.

   

• going all in, all day, with sports you may or may not be good at.

   

• celebrating your host mama’s birthday and seeing the impact she makes on the community.

   

• knowing that you might not always be the best person for the job, and supporting those who are.

   

• sweet Yadira opening her home to provide food for children every week.

   

• Flying plastic-bag-kites.

   

• going onto the field when it’s only the two of you, and supporting each other all way. Then, watching how God used you and the people around you.

   

• turning the dining room into a fancy restaurant for your friend’s birthday.

   

• tag-teaming a presentation in front of 30+ children who may or may not be paying attention.

   

• letting dozens of children with lice climb all over you.

   

• celebrating easter with 40+ people.

   

• planning a surprise easter egg hunt.

   

• talking through the hard things, because friendship is worth it.

   

• enduring the hottest month you’ve ever experienced, and wanting to stay.

   

• saying everything you want to say, even if it’s through tears.

   

• a hug from a team-mate when she knows you need it.

 

Month 5 Community is…

 

• learning to live with a brand new team!

• encouraging and appreciating your team-mate for stepping out of yard work to cook dinner.

   

• building a blanket fort.

   

• fighting the language barrier.

   

• putting on a cultural dress and dancing with the neighbors.

   

• carrying around 3 children, even when you’re exhausted.

   

• three people painting, five people in a massage train.

   

• fighting the wifi to watch FRIENDS.

   

• having assigned “wifi days”.

   

• eating the cake and figuring it out later.

   

• giving an impromptu english lessons during church.

   

• being asked to give your hosts’ dog stitches because you are a nurse.

   

• watching a kindergarten class excitedly yell out “sacapuntas!” when looking through a gift bag their school received.

   

• encouraging your less-than-graceful teammates during zumba.

   

• being excited with your friend about her countless baby-nephew pictures.

   

• sitting outside in the rain to talk with a friend.

   

• grabbing the tambourine and/or maracas to participate in Sunday morning worship.

   

• having your tambourine taken from you because Spanish isn’t your first language and you didn’t realize we were praying.

   

• slumber party in the living room, because we can.

   

• choosing to play a game together when we have a television.

   

• walking miles in the pouring rain to teach english to a family.

   

• sharing snacks, crayons, and paper with the neighborhood children.

   

• teaching a message in 3 languages so that all can understand.

   

• following up with a friend who has mentioned she is struggling.

   

• lending your ring to a sister who needs to be reminded who she is.

   

• celebrating the month with a canvas painting and a good meal.

   

Month 6 Community is…

 

• flexing your flexibility.

   

• reassuring your team-mate while walking through a sketchy neighborhood.

   

• switching outfits with your team-mate on the spot (for ministry purposes).

   

• translating with a friend in front of snarky high-schoolers even though you know you are saying things incorrectly.

   

• allowing and encouraging others to cry when needed.

   

• making videos to help your team-mate fundraise.

   

• celebrating fully-funded with cake.

   

• sharing and dissecting each others’ dreams.

   

• team therapy.

   

• hie-ku.

   

• reading out loud with accents, and having your team-mate put mayonnaise in your hair.

   

• singing My Heart Will Go On about 100 times, per request.

   

• “Do you like?”

   

• half-way day! adventures, cake, and air-guitar.

   

• reminiscing.

   

• giving your team-mate medical injections (no worries, she is a certified nurse).

   

• going to a coffee shop and sitting at separate tables.

   

• yelling out “pencil sharpener” in spanish as a secret password in your less-than-safe neighborhood.

   

• giving yourself a facial, arm, and foot spa in the middle of the ocean, while judging others’ choice of bathing suits.

   

• stopping a dance party to pray over a friend.

   

• bringing out the adventure in your friends. (ex. “let’s climb this old rusty abandoned ship in the middle of the ocean!”)

   

• inviting your cocinera to join you at mealtime.

   

• hugging strangers for the sake of evangelism.

   

• taking a picture of your teammate as she meets her nephew on skype for the first time.

   

• watching the game, and cheering with the whole neighborhood.

   

• Jesus is my dentist, He is my lawyer, He’s my daddio.

   

• walking arm in arm, struggling through a bilingual conversation, because it’s important to build a friendship.

   

• singing in the car.

   

• crying at the airport.

   

• surprising your adopted daughters on the mainland.

 

Month 7 Community is…

 

• taking turns.

   

• brainstorming together before bed for tomorrow morning’s lesson.

   

• giving feedback like, “I just want to encourage you… who cares?!”

   

• hours of Just Dance with the local children.

   

• knowing every article of your team-mates clothing and how they like them washed/dried.

   

• celebrating when two of your team-mates go out of town and leave you a room all to yourself.

   

• laughing at your team-mate when they trip/fall.

   

• pooling your money together when you’re all hungry.

 

• sitting around the fire sharing life.

   

• mourning with someone you just met.

   

• taking pictures with strangers upon request.

   

• driving for an hour for empanadas and cafe.

   

• cuy for dinner!

   

• a smile, a look, encouragement without words from a friend.

   

• sitting around the dinner table sharing the hard parts of your story.

   

• holding your friends hand when you know she needs a reminder that you support her.

   

• soaking up wisdom from your host mama.

   

• carrying your friend across town.

    

• coco-mote! 

 

• wearing pink on wednesdays.

   

• allowing yourself to cry.

   

• surprising friends at the bus station.

 

• gathering in a prayer circle with your old team during debrief.

   

• loosing your food bag and having your squad shower you with food.

   

• ice cream with friends.

   

• good-byes that don’t get easier.

 

Month 8 Community is…

 

• cuddling in tents.

   

• impromptu music lessons.

   

• wheelchair races.

   

• no privacy. except on the roof. which was often closed.

   

• climbing over the fence.

   

• holding the flashlight for a friend using the “bathroom”.

   

• accepting others as they live in their natural state (ie. no showers).

   

• being okay with being put on the spot for group activities.

   

• saying, “Charis! Grab the selfie-stick!”

   

• spending 15 minutes in the tuna isle.

   

• making mac&cheese in a tea kettle.

   

• working together to eat the mass of food in front of you.

   

• spending an afternoon talking about the hard things.

   

• crying together.

   

• sharing your blanket.

   

• hiking in the rain to visit a family who needs encouragement.

   

• spending your afternoon entertaining children, even when you’d rather sleep.

   

• finding the boldness to pray over people you don’t know, in another language.

   

• translating for a friend who believes in you.

   

• friendship from people who don’t yet know you.

   

• countless meals prepared for you by generous families.

   

• introducing Starbucks to a new friend.

   

• hugging every member of the congregation to say good-bye.

   

• making knit hats as a gift.

   

• buying your friend a sandwich on travel day.

 

Month 9 Community is…

 

• holding onto each other on the raft across Lake Titicaca.

   

• penguining during the longest border crossing ever.

   

• dancing your way out of awkward situations.

   

• making a salad on a sunday morning with the contact who invited you into her home.

   

• going for a walk and ending up at a BBQ.

   

• attending a birthday party for someone you have never met.

   

• buying an empanada for someone who is hungry.

   

• standing in a local shop for 20 minutes, just talking with the owner.

   

• singing “America the Beautiful” with an elderly man on the bus.

   

• surprising your team-mates with flowers and chocolate on Bolivian valentine’s day.

   

• having a theme song, theme dance, and team-call.

   

• always having to feed the squad-latinas on travel-days.

   

• when your taxi driver teaches you his indigenous language.

   

• fighting with the bus driver to open up the bathroom on the bus.

   

• opening your home to 6 women you’ve never met.

   

• having conversations with the homeless in your city.

   

• spending a day with strangers who become like family.

   

• remembering, and encouraging a friend about a worry she mentioned weeks ago.

   

• filling out your friend’s visa while she’s asleep on the bus because you know she gets carsick.

 

 

Month 10 Community is…

 

• preferring your tall teammate by not leaning your seat back on the bus.

   

• spending your Saturdays playing a handful of sports with numerous children.

• having patience with youth who may not deserve it.

   

• staying outside with the stragglers after “ministry hours”.

   

• if you’re tall, you paint over the doorways, if you’re short, you paint the bases.

   

• spending hours at a coffee shop studying the Word, and then returning that evening to do it again.

   

• helping your team-mate carry her bath water out to the shower.

   

• being schooled by junior-high girls in team-building exercises.

   

• celebrating all of the Canadian holidays.

   

• spontaneous worship with the director and his family.

   

• fighting for each other when you don’t feel like it.

   

• picking flowers and speaking life over your sisters.

   

• cupcakes!

   

• taking a 2-hour nap in Starbucks.

   

• allowing two 10 year old boys to interrupt/join you in your worship time.

   

• teaching the Cups game.

   

• piggy-back races when all you want to do is lie down.

   

• taking part in a film, when you’ve got your World Race swag on (ie. work clothes and no shower).

   

• going the extra mile to bless others.

   

• singing bilingual praises around the campfire.

 

Month 11 Community is…

 

• teaching your friend how to use your inhaler so she can breathe.

   

• scrubbing floors with a toothbrush.

   

• making your team-mate tea and dinner in bed while she is sick.

   

• leaving no man behind.

   

• cheerfully waiting over an hour to eat your breakfast because your team-mates saw you cooking and wanted in. Yes, cheerfully.

   

• encouraging your teammate while holding their life in your hands. literally. rock climbing.

   

• reassuring your teammate that she will be okay in the real world.

   

• kicking your friend out of the kitchen while she is trying to serenade you on the ukulele. (but then calling her back in for another song.)

   

• discussing your quirks with a teammate.

   

• giving up the last of your water.

   

• carrying two packs up/down a mountain.

   

• finding out that your soul sister has your middle name, your favorite shirt, your chap-stick, and your goofy sense of humor.

   

• celebrating together when your friend wins a round of Dutch blitz.

   

• dance parties, painting nails, playing cards, homemade pizza, and sangria.

   

• spending all day preparing dinner for your squad’s arrival, then cleaning up afterwards.

   

• staying up late sharing about culture and faith with friends from different parts of the world.

   

• washing and hanging your teammates laundry. Just because.

   

• going back to help a friend with her pack.

    

 

 

• cheering on your sister/brother as she/he grabs their pack and heads off for their next flight.

   

 

Well done, good and faithful servant! We will see each other again someday!

[M Squad, Final Debrief, November 2015]

 

[Team Rayos, Months 1-4]

[Las Libertadoras, Months 5-6]

[Team Fénix, Months 7-11]