Sometimes the best way to describe what being on a team on The World Race is like is to picture yourself being one of seven people crammed into the backseat of a small car.
You’re sitting on top of each other or probably crammed in the middle.
It feels like you can’t move without touching someone.
Well, it doesn’t just feel like, you actually can’t.
You can’t do anything without everyone watching you.
You can’t do anything without everyone seeing.
Everything you do affects someone else.
That’s what capital C Community looks like.
I’ll be real with you and say that
Sometimes living 24/7 in community is a blessing.
But sometimes it also feels like…well, let’s just say there are definitely those times where it does not feel like so much of a blessing.
Your team will be the ones that you share incredible memories like…
Spending team time coming up with what each other’s super powers would be.
Sitting on top of a hill in Romania watching the sun set and letting the beauty of God’s creation (including us) really sink in.
Making gourmet meals together and crushing it.
Worshipping together from a little apartment in Europe to remote villages in Nepal.
Having competitions to see who could use the bathroom in the weirdest spots. (Thank you, SAE)
Pouring each other’s cups to overflowing with encouragement and words of life.
Being ballers at looking out for each other. Having each other’s backs. All of the time.
Having a new bunch of sisters for life!
Sharing clothes…all of the time.
Fitting perfectly into one tuk-tuk in Cambodia.
Showering each other with the most thoughtful notes and gifts, especially when you know one of your teammates is having a rough day.
Actually wanting to hang out together, even at debriefs. “Wait…everyone I wanna hang out with at debrief is…already on my team.”
But for all of the good days, there will be definitely some days you will absolutely drive each other crazy.
That’s the thing about teammates.
They won’t leave you alone. They won’t let you settle for less than you were meant for. For less than you were made to be.
And I’m gonna bust your bubble and tell you that it’s pretty likely that you won’t be BFFs for life with every single one of your teammates and that that’s actually okay. But what’s cool is that once you take off the pressure of your expectations of what your team will be or look like-
I am convinced that there is a reason for every person God puts into your life. So if you are struggling with someone on your team (which it does happen), ask God to show you why you are on a team with them. And ask him to give you his love for them. And he will.
Your teammates will be the ones who God uses to heal wounds and scars and hurts that you’ve carried for a while. They’ll be the ones God speaks truth through. But they also cannot carry your burden for you, they can just walk alongside you and point you to Christ. Your team is a great place to learn how to have healthy community and boundaries and how to support each other as the body of Christ.
I’ll tell you something else too, sometimes your teammates will be wrong. Sometimes they will actually mistakes. (And you will too!) Be prepared to have grace for each other and for yourself. Everyone makes mistakes. Be humble about it and be willing to let things go.
Spoiler alert-
Community on The World Race (just like in “real life”) is what you make it. You get as much as you give.
It’s fun a lot of the time but it also takes a lot of work and can be exhausting, but don’t give up! Here’s a secret- the harder you push into these relationships that God has placed you in for this time and the harder you really fight for people and each other, the better the product will be in the end.
Living in community on The World Race is a great opportunity to learn how to communicate well and out of love. And the only way you learn is through practice. Good news is, the Race is probably the safest place you will ever have to learn and practice. Real community is messy, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t beautiful at the same time.
So to anyone planning on doing The World Race, consider yourself (fore)warned.
The community here will make you and break you…but I say from experience that I wouldn’t have it any other way.
