“SQL,TL, ASQL, “…LOL
You will often see world racers reference these abbreviations in blogs, social media posts, and fun little #hashtags on Instagram. But to anyone who is not on the world race….WHAT THE HECK ARE THESE LETTERS!? WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?! ARE THEY EVEN PEOPLE?!
I am sorry if we haven’t been able to explain these fun shenanigans to you all when we have face timed, skyped, or tried to desperately VIber you. Throwing around phrases like;
“So My TL gathered us for feedback……”
or
“Our Alumni SQLs came and visited our team this last week…….”
or
“Our Squad Mentor and coaches are flying out from the states to meet us for debrief…..”
I am guilty of dropping these fun new phrases it all the time. My present atmosphere encompasses everything World Race Culture, so these abbreviations have become part of my language. That’s one of the shockers of living in 24/7 community. It sticks to ya!
Just like when you join a Sorority you start throwing around phrases like “Rush, Big Little, and Panhel” like you always knew what they were. Like you can’t remember a time when this secret lingo did not existed.
(Shout out to Chi Omega Boulder! Love you all <3)
To help family and friends back at home out a bit, We have come up with some bullet points to try to best explain what your world racer is talking about when they start throwing around these words after training camp or during their race.
With the help of some fellow squad mates, here is what we have conjured up!
–THE WORLD RACE DICTIONARY —
Training Camp:
A week that you must attend before launching onto the race….that’s the best we can do.
There is no way to give 1 explanation of Training Camp. Just like there is no way to fully explain The World Race. Each individual has their own story alongside that journey. So we suggest you just ASK your racer and let them try to put into words how it was! Give them Grace though, it may take a while 🙂
Route:
When you apply to the World Race, you apply to a specific route. A route is the list of countries you will be going to. Warning: the route may change at any time for any reason.
Squad:
Technical definition: A group of 40-50 people who travel on the same route (11 countries) in 11 months. You meet up at the end of every month and travel together to the next country. Debriefs are also held as a squad.
Real Life: Imagine a family reunion with all your aunts and uncles, etc. at the end of every month where you trade stories of what your team (immediate family) did that month.
Team:
When the squad arrives in a country, it breaks into 6-8 teams who are assigned to specific ministries all over the country. Each team is made up of 6-7 people. Your team is your ‘immediate family’ on the Race. These girls and/or boys are the ones you eat with, sleep next to, travel with, do ministry with, pray with, worship with, and enjoy daily life with. These are the ones that hold your hair back when you are sick, give you tough love about how heavy your pack is, and stand by you during the toughest and most joyous of times.
Team Leader:
A TL is NOT the parent, the Boss, the sole provider, or responsible for the spiritual, emotional, or physical health of the team. The TL is a professional information passer. A TL is responsible for putting the needs of the team before their own, a TL leads by example, a TL is a safe place and a member of the team. The TL is not above the team, but instead receives information from AIM and passes it on at the appropriate time. For example team placements, travel information, logistics.
C and C’s
“Celebrations and Challenges”:
Each individual on the squad fills out their Celebrations and Challenges for each week and the Team leaders turn in each individuals response to the Squad Leaders, Squad Mentors, and Squad Coaches to keep them up to date with how each individual on the squad is doing emotionally, physically, and spiritually that week. This allows community to be connected, honest, and allow others to speak into your life beyond what you can see for yourself. Just another layer of vulnerability and trust within World Race community.
Alumni Squad Leader
(Alumni SQL)
Alumni SQLs are former World Racers who have been called back on the field to lead and guide new fresh faced World Racers for a period of time (sometimes 5 months… sometimes all 11 months). They mostly work closely with TL however they are a racers go to people. They are there to invest into the emotional and spiritual health of the squad and individual racers.
Raised Up Squad Leader
(SQL)
Sidenote: Taylor Hill’s Family and Friends – this is now what I am! haha!
Raised Up Squad Leaders are called up from within the squad after 4 months in the field. During the 5th month of the race they are trained and prepared to “replace” 2-3 of the Alumni SQL. They take on the role of the Squad Leaders. (see above)
Squad Mentor
These are former world racers who have answered the calling to continue investing in the lives of current world racers. They work closely with Squad Leaders and Team leaders while they are on the field. At the same time, Squad mentors keep up with C+Cs of EVERY squad member and fosters the emotional and spiritual climate of the squad. Squad Mentors pray daily for their individual squads from the states and during debriefs they continue to minister to that squad face to face.
LDW
Leadership Development Weekend:
This often happens between travel days into a new country and the squad separating into teams to their specific ministry. It is usually 2 days where people are recovering from jet lag, long bus rides, etc. With this Squad leaders and logistics plan a series of talks, worship, basically whatever the squad prayerfully can get rejuvenated with. Whether that is rest, talks on leadership, bible studies, celebrating birthdays, etc. A time where the squad can bond together and gain more learning opportunities as well as spend time with squad mates they haven’t seen in a while! Grow as a squad!
Squad Coaches
These are the “Parents” of the Squad. They are a married couple that have been following the Lord and letting the Lord work in their lives for many years. They are prayerfully chosen to be assigned to a specific squad and speak life into those squad members lives through their journey here on the race. They are there to guide the squad, be a sounding board, a spiritual guide, a hug, a prayer…basically a loving parent to each individual that seeks that out. They also come out for Each debrief we have on the field with the Squad Mentor. Being able to support and encourage Face-to-face.
Field Producers
(specific to KSquad 3 Gen)
have the responsibility to document the World Race through film. They are to document daily life and to capture the stories that are unfolding around them.
Lead Field Producer
(Specific to KSquad 3 Gen)
is someone who is available to other field producers to offer encouragement, to inspire them as storytellers, to improve communication and to keep everyone accountable to horning the Lord in this project.
UH Month/ Unsung Heroes:
This is a specific “ministry” that is assigned to 1 team during certain months. Basically, instead of being assigned a specific pre-established ministry that the World Race has worked with before, a team is given a country and told “OK! The country is your oyster! Go to the Lord in Prayer and Pray for him to lead you to a ministry or contact that the World Race can partner with in the future. Go find an Unsung Hero!” No Unsung Hero month is like the other. Each has their own story, their own drive, it is a beautiful opportunity to take advantage of a unique opportunity of the unknown and to see where God leads a team and WHO he leads them to!
PS: I still need help getting to my final deadline!!! I still have $4,488 left to raise!
DO NOT BE INTIMIDATED! If 100 People gave $45 I could be fully funded! That would be such an incredible gift!
CLick on the “Support me” Tab on my blog to help me out!!!
LOVE YOU ALL! keep us in your prayers here in Nepal! It’s going to be a wild month!
