Day to Day:
6.36am alarms. 18 laps around a dirt soccer field. Coffee, cold after a night in the refrigerator. Malaria meds. 4.5 miles walked before 10.30am. Little hands, dirt, giggles, more dirt. Sandpaper and lime green paint. 4.5 miles walked after 4.00pm. Community, community, ALL SQUAD MONTH, community. Hard laughter and harder prayer with my people. Team time – Swazi’s demonic corner edition. Midnight kitchen convos. Sleepy sleep on matteress-less bunk beds. Repeat.
Moments I Would Pause:
Open-aired truck rides. Meetings that turn into dance parties. Eno snuggles. Accidentally hijacking the AUX cord in a Kombi ((public transportation)). Pickup soccer before dinner. Prayer walks. Repeatedly catapulting a lizard off of plywood. Lunchtime at ministry. “Secular music laundry days.” Golden hour. Sweeping to Sofa by Ed Sheeran. Banana pancakes before church. Multipurpose-room convos in the complete dark. All squad worship. Bocce ball with rocks. Trips to SaveMor. Hot tea, stale PB&Js and Bon Iver while hail spills from the sky.
A Stream of Thoughts:
This life became normal, in the best ways, in such a short amount of time. I have often found myself incredibly surprised by how quickly the human mind adapts to new situations. Life is funny like that I guess. It’s funny because I’m used to waking up to six other sets of bunk beds and a few scattered sleeping bags on the floor. I’m used to variant weather – hot mornings or freezing winds. I’m used to waiting – always waiting – for instruction, direction, a car, dinner. I’m used to the sun disappearing at 6.05pm. I’m used to incessant noise, music, laughter, and smiles. Hardly anything about the World Race is easy per say, but there are definitely routines and patterns that make me feel safe and secure and I’m okay with that.
“…be filled with the knowledge of his will and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him,” (Colossians 1.9-10).
Sending lots of hugs back to the States today!!
All my love, P.
