Team Musty Mangos!

I want to share with all of you a little bit about my sweet sweet current team! Back in mid July, we were placed on our third team. Each carrying with us the habits, lessons, and expectations embedded by prior teams. On the race, the people placed on each team is decided for us, and they become the people we do life with, our new roommates. Being placed on this present team felt different than being placed on teams before. These teammates would be the only people I’d ever be on a team with again, they would mark the entirety of the rest of my race. How dramatic lol.

Just like always, I’m glad I wasn’t the person who got to pick my own team. I found myself again, with a team I wouldn’t necessarily have chosen myself but a team I love SO much. Contrary to my first two teams, I found myself placed on a coed team. Three men and three women.

We finished our time out in Romania as a whole squad and then moved to Albania where each team moved to a separate city. My team spent the first almost three weeks living in Pogradec, Albania a quiet yet busy little town which acquires much of its character from a gorgeous lake that closer resembles the ocean than a lake. Just a few days ago, our team moved just 30 minutes from that location, to a house in a local and quaint village; Kotodesh.

Doing life with this team of unique individuals has been a highlight of my race. I feel absolutely blessed by this season of doing life with them. My time of living with them as roommates has been absolutely marked by simplicity, intentional conversation, and so much laughter.

One of my favorite days of the race happened the other day. My two other women teammates and I spent a quiet morning, each sipping coffee and separately spending time with the Lord. We then left for a long day of hanging out with both little kids and teenagers that are a part of Living Waters ministry that we are working with.

I got to watch each of my 5 teams at separate times and in their own ways make kids laugh, make them feel seen, and share the love of Jesus with them. Each person on my team is built so uniquely and yet reflects the love of Jesus so clearly.

After the long day, I looked around our small living room and this is what I saw. One of my teammates cooking dinner for the whole group. A few of us quietly playing solitare and enjoying the sunset, and a few teammates strumming on guitars. We then proceeded to eat dinner together sitting on the tile floor of the porch. We ended the night popping popcorn on the stove and laughing excessively together during a movie played on a small tablet.

I’m aware life will not always be this simple. I’m so grateful that it is right now. I’m so grateful to be surrounded by people that point me to Jesus and pursue simplicity. Less is so much more. Just like my last couple teams, let me introduce you to my teammates and brag on them a little bit and you can pray for them if you desire!

Bri-

Our team leader and one of my longest friendships on the race. In our first two months of the race we were in the same location. Back then we spent a lot of time bouncing between pranking each other and having deep converstions, a friend I quickly gravitated to. It is so sweet to now be on the same team and see how each of us has grown and changed. Bri is our team leader and one of my favorite qualities about her is that she leads with authenticity. She is not afraid to seek truth and understanding in all things. And she is also the only person I know who laughs at her own jokes as much as me lol. I feel lucky as heck to do life with this friend!

Kennedy-

Kenny! I had spent very little time in her space until we were placed on the same team in mid July. I have since come to find that we are insanely similar in a lot of ways. She makes me laugh so hard. She also prays without hesitstion, she listens well, and she approaches difficult situations with wisdom. I fricken love being in Kennedy’s space. I’m lucky that she has a heart for adventure and goes along with my ambitious ideas just as much as she comes up with them herself. She is a person that puts action to words. Get you a friend who will go from sitting in silence with you to peeing herself laughing with you.

Paul-

Talk about a consistent friend! Although this is the first time Paul and I have been on a team together, I have been in the same location with Paul the entirety of the race (besides 1 month when the men had a separate ministry). Ironically he’s going to end up being the person on the squad that I have been in the same place with the most! Paul is the definition of slow to speak. He is someone who when he does speak, his words hold weight and authority because they have been weighed against truth. Paul brings a peaceful, patient, and humble spirit to every room that he’s in. He balances our team of loud mouths well! Not to mention, Paul is one of the absolute best guitar plays I know and I feel blessed that I get 10 whole months of “song time with Paul” lol.

Daniel Ford-

When I think of Ford I think of generosity, of humor, and of knowledge. He is both the first person to offer a joke and the first person to offer knowledge. Something that I admire about him is he believes in the simple gospel. He doesn’t often get caught in the weeds. Ford makes life fun and I have learned a lot from watching him interact with children. There are few people that know exactly how to make kiddos feel seen in simple scenarios such as playing games. It’s SWEET to see.

Daniel Rodriguez –

Daniel is someone who I’ve been in the space of a few times on the race, but until I was on a team with him I didn’t get to know him too well. Dang was I missing out. So random, but one of my favorite things about Daniel is that he sings loudly with me and my other teammates. Picture people loudly just bursting into song at the mention of only one word, that’s our team at any given time. Daniel has a lot of biblical knowledge, it’s beautiful. He is someone that people come to with questions and he is ready with truth and to point you back to the Father always. What a gift to be in his space!

Doing life with these brothers and sisters is proof of Gods abundance in my life. More than I could have ever asked for or imagined. I can’t wait for these next two and a half months with them.

“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you annoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” -Psalm 23:5

Oh, does life have so much to offer.