One of the best, and hardest parts of the entire race can be summed up in one word- community.
Living in community is difficult for so many reasons, and honestly without the Lord this community would never work. We have so many different types of people who all work and think in different ways. Your food, shampoo, and even clothes are often found missing because a squad mate just wanted to ‘borrow’ it. Shower drains are ALWAYS clogged because sharing a bathroom with 18 girls means a ton of hair. Nothing is every truly clean and there is always one person who leaves their dishes in the sink. Some don’t know how to close doors quietly or how not to shine flashlights in others eyes. But it is so worth it. Why? Because those same people will make you a cup of their coffee when you are having a bad day. They will leave candy and notes on your bed randomly. They will deep clean your room when they stay home from ministry sick. They will run back and forth with buckets of water when the showers suddenly break and you are standing there covered in soap. They will help you wash dishes for hours and will let you borrow clothes when little kids pee on you at care points. My 43 squad mates are my family, and just like family, there are hard times, but the good by far outweighs the bad.
After spending 8 months together we also have get to know each others quirks, habits (good and bad) and preferences. This bond is especially strong within teams as we have spent the most time with each other. I know that Hannah loves the smell of dust coming out of AC vents and the name, color, and life story of all 3 of her cats. I know Gracie’s entire chipotle order by heart and the date that she drank her first cup of coffee. I know that Sydney used to listen to the song Good Day every single morning before school and that if you have a death wish all you need to do is put your feet on her bed. I know Tylynn’s favorite cheer from high school and that she won’t bring water anywhere so I need to bring extra for her. I know that Bri likes to eat salsa out of the jar with a spoon and that she has watched She’s the Man probably 10 times in the last month. This may all seem like pointless knowledge, but its important to me, because it reminds me of how deep and meaningful my relationship with each one of them is.
I didn’t think it was possible to love a group pf people as deeply as I love my squad. The honor, unity, grace, faith, and love that T squad walks is unbelievable. As we enter month 9 of the race it breaks my heart that I only have a month left with these incredible people. But we are family, and while family may live far from each other, they always find a way to come back together.
It was a lot harder than I thought to put into words how thankful I am for my people here, but I hope that this blog gave you even a small glimpse of T squad and the people that have helped me grow, change, and walk through the good and hard times for the past 8 months.
See you soon!
Michelle
