This week, my team started our FINAL month here in South Africa. We are in Port Elizabeth partnering with a ministry called Love Story. It’s an incredible organization that is passionate about meeting the needs of those destitute in this city. More to come about them and the community that makes up this family in a later blog.
Month 11. Here we are- a place that in January seemed so far away. Now there are only 22 days left on the race and I land back in Bethalto in 25! Such a crazy thought, but I’m looking forward to hugging all my friends and families SO soon!
This year has been a full one for sure. I’ve seen a lot of places. Met a lot of people. Met the Lord in so many new ways. Learned a lot of lessons. But it’s all amounted to molding my heart and life into one that looks more like Christ. Of letting go of my plans and trusting HIS. Of learning to live life and see each day and each person as my mission field.
A popular question, even before launching in January and even more so now, is “What will you do after the race?” I’m a planner, but when I left in January I knew that I didn’t want to take control and plan out what would be next. He had called me to leave behind my comfort zone and enter the unknown for a year, so I wanted to keep an open mind and release the control. I didn’t even think about what would be next until month 8. I had opportunities to jump back into teaching, and while I loved teaching and will hopefully end back in the classroom eventually, I didn’t feel like that was where the Lord was leading. After allowing myself to think about what was next and spending time in prayer, the Lord opened a few different doors and told me to choose. He’d be in whatever I did. Some questions I was asking myself at the time were:
What scares you the most?
What excites you the most?
What will use your gifts and passions for the Kingdom?
What will catalyst the most growth and trust in the Lord?
So, after a lot of wrestling, prayers, and conversations with trusted friends and mentors, I’ve decided to squad lead for a new world race squad in January 2018. This is the path that I feel the Lord leading to and one that answers every single question I was asking myself. I’ll journey alongside F squad along with 3 co-leaders to Ivory Coast, Ghana, Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar.
This means my time at home will be short. I’ll be home until the end of December, and then I’ll travel to Georgia for PSL (an end of race debrief in Atlanta) and then stay there for training and launch with F squad.
My 3 alumni squad leaders played a pivotal role in my race experience. They encouraged me, affirmed me, and challenged me. They shared their stories and heart with our squad. They’ve sat and listened as I processed. They’ve laughed with me. They worked tirelessly behind the scenes figuring out logistics, planning, and praying. They became great friends. I owe a lot of my lessons that I learned this year to them, and it’s an honor and a privilege to be invited into this role for new racers. So thank you, Lo, Tammy, and Amanda for being such a great example. I’m excited to be able to walk alongside F squad as they discover what the Lord has in store for them over this next year.
As and alumni squad leader, I’ll launch with my squad and travel with them for the first 5 months of the race. I’ll then travel out to meet them at 2 of their debriefs later in the race to encourage and pour into them. I will do ministry alongside them- traveling from team to team. My ministry focus will shift to focus on the squad. My job will be to encourage them and challenge them along the way. To listen to them. To laugh with them. To share my story and what the Lord’s doing in my life with them. To disciple them and continually grow alongside them. The Lord has more to show me in this next season and I couldn’t be more excited!
Through my race, I’ve seen the power of having people come alongside me for a kingdom purpose. Starting out, I hesitated to even apply because it would require me to fundraise and to ask for help. But in that, I learned what an amazing thing it is to invite people into where the Lord is leading me. To allow others to come alongside and to help me. The blessing it is to both give and receive. Because of YOUR support I’ve been able to preach on the streets in India, teach English to college students in Vietnam, show love to kids in Albania, encourage missionaries in Kosovo, and feed the homeless in South Africa. I’ve been able to fully realize the beauty of the Lord’s creation, to dive into gifts and passions that have been revealed along the way, to allow the Lord to show me my true value and worth, and to meet friends that will last a lifetime. It wouldn’t have been possible without you, and really, this has been your journey too. Starting in January, a new round of racers get to go out and share the Gospel and encounter the Lord in new ways. I get the privilege of leading and walking alongside of them and I’d LOVE for you to continue to partner with me in this.
How can you help?
Prayer: First and foremost, you can come alongside and support me with your prayers. Prayers to finish my race with focus and motivation. Prayers for rest and rejuvenation in my short time at home. Prayers for F squad as they prepare to launch and for us as we travel.
I’m SO excited for this opportunity and I want to continue to share the stories and prayer requests with you. I will be creating a prayer partner email group for this round and will try to send out updates at least once a month. If you are interested in being on this list, please email me with your email so I can add you to the group.
Finances: This role requires me to support raise again. To be honest, this is still not my favorite thing. But I can’t do this alone! This round requires me to raise $3500 for the 5 months that I’m on the field with the squad and $3000 to visit them at their debriefs for a total of $6500.
There are a few ways that you can support me in this journey financially:
1. You can donate through this blog. My fundraising bar at the top of my page will be reset so you can donate by clicking “donate” at the top of this page.
One-time donations: $5, $10, $20. . . any amount helps!
Monthly Support: I could be almost FULLY funded if for the next SIX months
15 people committed $25 a month and 12 people committed to $50 a month.
2. I’ve been unemployed this last year and there are still payments that I’m responsible for at home. I have school loans, personal expenses on the race, and a child that I sponsor in Uganda that I need help with over these next 5 months. These expenses amount to about $400 a month. I’m looking for 8 people to sponsor me in this way with $50 a month for the next 6 months. If you feel that the Lord wants you to support and partner with me in this way, you can contribute through paypal. https://www.paypal.me/SylviaBarrett
3. Other ways: For the Christmas season, my mom will be selling candied nuts and fudge. These would make great treats and gifts. Keep a look out for this and you can support me by participating in this fundraiser!
Also, I’ll be home from Thanksgiving to Christmas and would love to complete any house-sitting, baby-sitting, dog-sitting, cleaning, or odd jobs around the house. Please reach out if you want to help me in this way!
God has opened the door for this incredible opportunity and I am blown away by His faithfulness and the privilege that it is to get to see more of this world and to meet and walk alongside even more people. This is exactly where the Lord wants me for this season and I can’t wait to see what He has in store.
As I am ending this race and preparing to begin another, I just want to say THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. For your support, prayers, and for the time invested to follow along with this journey.
If you have any questions or want to know more (about my race, squad leading, etc), please don’t hesitate to reach out!
See you SO soon!
