I really should have written sooner, and I may have, but we’ve been on a “screens” fast for the past few days. Every squad at launch was challenged to put away all screens for three days. That includes phones, ipods, computers, and pretty much every form of communication other than the old-fashion way of just plain talking and being present.
A lot has happened at launch. My team, Rooted Freedom, came back together. We’ve started feedbacking and working together as a team. We made it down to D.C. on the fourth of July and did the most American thing possible – watched the fireworks from Iwo Jima. Ashley lived in D.C. for a few months and worked as a tour guide, so she knew the city really well and was able to bring us to the best place to watch the fireworks. They shot up right behind the Washington Monument, and we could also see the White House in the distance. It was absolutely stunning.
Just two days after this act of patriotism, we are about to depart from American for 11 months. The flight for F Squad leaves for India tonight at 11:00pm. I’m actually sitting here, in the Dulles Airport, waiting to check in as I type this up. Part of my team is off in the distance playing guitar and ukulele. There’s just a spirit of anticipation and excitement that I can’t quite describe. Half of us can’t even grasp the fact that we are leaving for 11 months. And we’re leaving today. The other half understands it and is quite nervous.
We’ve received our ministry location and ministry partner information. My team will be located on the east coast of India. I don’t have an exact location, but am thinking that my squad will be quite near the ocean. We’re flying tonight into Doha, Qatar where we have a two hour layover before we board another plane to Calcutta, India. We should arrive there around 2:00 in the morning. We’re losing the whole day of the seventh. Between the time change and the constant flights, we will be losing a day.
It’s strange because it hasn’t even started and I already feel like we’re almost leaving India. My prayer request for myself and for my squad is that we take every day, every situation, as it comes and don’t try to rush onto the next ministry or the next person. I want to be fully present and fully available.
Our ministry is church planting and working in a village. My team will be staying at a church, and popping our tents inside. I want to shout out a praise for that, because we will be entering India during the monsoon season. We will not have running or clean water, and have to make our own toilet. I’m excited to get into this village and meet the people that God has been preparing to meet us. Please join my team in praying for unity and vulnerability.
Let’s get this adventure started!
