New Years Eve was the beginning of a new chapter of the Race. For the whole month of December, I had been grieving and adjusting to the fact that they were about to break up my team, The Chainless, and it was becoming a reality.
The squad leaders invited me into team leading, I said yes, and soon thereafter, I received that beautiful, small piece of paper with my six teammates on it. That team would later be called Pneuma.
In my heart, I would be chainless forever, but I was excited for this new chapter with Alana, Cara, Dara, Skylar, Jenny, and Bailie.
I was so blessed to have months 5-8 with them and in that time we managed to hit three continents, a ton of Thai schools, African homes and children’s homes, churches in three different languages, and so much more.
We had our ups and we had our downs, but this group of women changed me.
One of my current teammates asked me the other day if I miss my old team and even though I love my current team, the Last Battle, I had to say yes.
The things I miss include…
- being on an all-women team
- watching the Photo Booth videos and quoting lines from those videos
- hearing the Boston and Long Island accents
- seeing my teammates exchange Pins in the same room and laugh at each other’s reactions
- worshiping with Pneuma
- watching Cara and Bailie act out stories in chapel
- seeing Alana do her signature dance
- hearing Jenny talk herself out of CrossFit on the way to Crossfit
- Bailie’s continual search for lemonade, which always ended up being carbonated smh
- Dara dancing and doing the signature run
- awkward feedback sessions that could turn into pure amazingness to everyone’s surprise
- Cara’s willingness to present the gospel
- Alana being amazed at Skylar’s generosity and beauty
- seeing all the amazingly, creative things that my artsy teammates would come up
- Jenny’s hugs and conversations
- chasing people down for C&Cs that were usually some of my favorite conversations of the week
- hearing Criminal Minds playing in the background any given day
- hearing how everyone’s family and friends are doing
(*If you’re wondering, I didn’t really mention Skylar because she’s still on my team lol)
Because of Pneuma, I smile a little bigger, I laugh a little harder, I understand the South a little more, I don’t take myself as seriously, I am learning to not use “the face” when people ask me questions, I have learned the importance of people over tasks, and I now find being on an all-women team a privilege and not a pain.
So I reflect back on my time grateful.
Grateful to have taught Thai children English and the gospel.
Grateful for the adventure day of elephants, rafting, and more during our Debrief in Chiang Mai.
Grateful to have seen the beautiful city of Cape Town with you and to have worshiped at 4am with you.
Grateful to have done “sports ministry” with you.
Grateful to watched the stars and prayed for persecuted Christians around the world with you.
Grateful to have stayed on the mountainside of Swaziland with you.
Grateful to have gotten to hear your stories and get an up close look at your life for four months and be changed by God’s goodness through you.
So Alana, Cara, Dara, Skylar, Jenny, and Bailie, teammates or not, I love you and I am praying for you and I am grateful for you. Keep running homies!
Sincerely,
Ray
