When I signed up for the World Race, I knew I was stepping into a community. I figured that community would not only become my friends but my family. In 2020 I lacked community, and having spent 2018/2019 in a really close knit community, I felt the lack of more heavily. So I eagerly welcomed the thought of living and doing every day life with a group of people. Being a part of H Squad has been incredible. From the laughs to the deep conversations, I am so thankful God has placed me with this group of people for this year.

Eight weeks ago we arrived in Guatemala, and I instantly fell in love with this country. Maybe it has to do with my love for volcanoes. Maybe it has to do with the weather. But it definitely has to do with the people I have met and the way they show Christ to me.

While I figured my squad would become like family, I didn't expect to find that community during a ministry placement. But wow, these two months in Guatemala have been the sweetest. My team has been staying with a host family, and while we buy our own groceries and cook our own meals, our host family has showered us with gifts of fruit, veggies, soup, cookies, banana bread and more! The ministry we are partnered alongside here welcomed us in not just as short term guests but as part of their family. They each quickly became friends, and I'm not ready for the goodbyes coming so soon.

Our weeks have been filled with English lessons, house visits, VBS, discipleship groups, Worship Room and soccer. Last week in our English class, one of the boys started singing the number song we made up the week before and I started crying. On the way to the soccer field, one of the girls always holds my hand and patiently listens to me try to speak to her in my limited Spanish. Even when I have no idea what the kids are saying, they can always make me laugh.

Not to mention our incredible Worship Room family who have gone above and beyond to welcome us in. From the countless meals to all the teasing, the Lord has shown me His love for us through this group of people. They could have easily accepted us as a group of young adults who would be eventually leaving, but instead we have gotten to just do life with them the past two months. And for that I am very thankful.

In a week I have to say goodbye to this family, to this country and unfortunately to my team as well. During our debrief we will be changing teams which has truthfully taken a lot of prayer for me to finally accept and to have peace about. So many hard goodbyes all at once; but I am so thankful that they are hard goodbyes. Maybe I'll write more about that later…