ft: everything you ever wanted to know about how the World Race is structured
L-R: Rebecca (Becca), me, Jake, Elijah, Laura Leigh
Okay, so I wasn’t so sure about the name at first either. But in the words of Eric Musil, one of our Squad Leaders, the dish of sweet & sour pork has a lot of unique flavors that make it delicious. However, if one of those flavors overwhelms the others, the dish is completely ruined.
So our name is both promise and reminder. A promise because we know God placed us individually on this team to use our gifts and talents, and a reminder to not value one gift or talent over the other.
Without further ado, let me introduce my teammates! I’d also like to share a word spoken over each of us by our squadmate Austin during a time of prayer. Each word is a small glimpse of what we bring to the table!
Rebecca (Becca): Compassion
Becca is our logistics coordinator. She is so aware of others and has a strong desire to fight for those who are weaker or unseen. She has a warrior’s heart, takes bold steps of faith, and is not afraid to say what she is thinking. Not only does she exemplify a woman’s strength, but she also knows how to worship like no one is watching. It was a rare worship set that didn’t find her dancing with wild abandon. She really knows what it means to be God’s daughter, and lives from that love every day of her life.
Laura Leigh: Gentleness
Laura Leigh is in charge of Beauty for Ashes, which is a ministry specifically to women, especially women who have been victims of trafficking or abuse. She has a gentle spirit that sets even the most troubled heart at ease. She carries a sincerity that you can feel whenever she looks at you, and when she speaks, you know instinctively that she means what she says. She cares deeply for those close to her, feeling their pain as if it is her own, but she also brings a depth of joy that bubbles up and spills over into the lives of those around her.
Elijah: Wisdom
Elijah is our treasurer. When he speaks, you should listen, because he’s saying something worth listening to. He is a defender of truth, and stands firm in his own convictions, while still being able to hear another perspective. He also has a depth of compassion and care for others; seeing when others need a helping hand, a hug, or a listening ear. All around, Elijah is steady: in his character, in his relationships, and especially in his faith.
Jake: Strength
Jake is our Storyteller (this means he’s responsible for helping us tell our stories well!). He has been to over 23 countries and he’s only 22! This has given him a depth of knowledge, passion for the nations, and understanding of cultures that none of us can rival. Not only is he a strong leader, but he also leads well by asking questions and creating space for each person to feel valued and heard. His confidence and humble demeanor make him easy to trust and follow. And to top it off, he just got engaged… on top of a mountain, no less!
(In case you’re wondering, the word spoken over me was confidence. I don’t think any of us need an explanation of that one ;), and my job is to coordinate worship for the squad, along with my squadmate Bella, who is on a different team.)
Quick Side Note & a Cool Opportunity:
I’ve decided to send text updates while I am on the Race. These will be real-time prayer requests and updates each week. If you would like to be signed up to receive these texts (WiFi permitting), simply download “WhatsApp” (it’s a free messaging app) then email me your phone number and I will add you to the list! Not only will this allow me to text you abroad (without any fee!), but it will also encrypt our messages to keep my squad safe =).
For those of you who don’t know, let me quickly explain the structure of the Race. I launch in August with an 18-person SQUAD, which means every “Racer” going to the same countries as me. These will be the people that I live and work with over the next 11-months.
Within our squad, we are broken down into smaller TEAMS of 4-5 people. Sometimes our teams will be in separate locations (cities, ministry sites) within the same country; sometimes we will serve all together. We have four teams on our squad: Sweet & Sour Pork, Daughters, Lost & Found, and Seal Team 6.
Each TEAM has an alumni TEAM LEADER (Denise, Sam, Shela & Kelsey). These are former Racers who come back to team lead. They will be with us for 3 months and will raise up their replacement from within our team. We met two (Denise & Sam) at training camp. We will meet Shela and Kelsey at launch, since they are currently on the Race. We are not sure which leader will be over our team yet.
We also have two alumni SQUAD LEADERS (Eric & Tamara). These are former Racers who came back to squad lead. They will travel between teams to advise and minister with us. They will be with us for five months, then raise up their replacement from within our squad.
Staying Stateside, we have a SQUAD MENTOR (Stephanie). She is also a former Racer and Squad Leader on staff with Adventures in Missions. She will remain stateside for the majority of our trip and will be our point person for safety, cultural awareness, and route. At key points during our race, she will fly out to meet us for week-long debriefs, along with our COACHES (Mark & Jane). They are pastors of a church in South Carolina, and have graciously donated their vacation time to mentor us spiritually and emotionally. Finally, we have our LOGISTICS COORDINATOR, (Lindsey). She is crazy organized, which is a great thing for our squad, since members of our squad are learning how to coordinate our own logistics from her!
Here is our whole squad!
TL: Team Leader SL: Squad Leader SM: Squad Mentor
Not Pictured: Lindsey (logistics manager)
A note from the author:
Hey Fam! In some countries, we won’t be able to post these blogs social media. Be sure to subscribe to get these updates sent directly to your inbox!
Want to get real-time text updates and prayer requests while I’m on the field? Email me your phone number to be added to my WhatsApp distribution list! (You will need to download the app.)
