Happy December!!
Hope this finds you all doing well, staying healthy and coming out of an enjoyable Thanksgiving season! I wanted to reach out and share with you all how my November went and some of the things to come this December and holiday season! I apologize in advance this update is a long one, and I want to thank you in advance for taking the time to read it.
November has been one of the most challenging months of the World Race thus far, I do not say that for pity or extra encouragement but because I value each and every one of you as you support and pray for me along this journey and want to share honesty both the great things and the hard things on this journey.
As I shared in Novembers update email, we started off November finishing up our time in Lake Charles with Samaritans Purse, there is a post on my blog about that time and experience! At the end of that trip I was exposed to a Samaritan Staff member who tested positive for Covid-19. Another squad mate and I were put in quarantine at that point, thankfully we only missed one day of ministry, however it was hard to be separated from the squad. Upon returning to Georgia several other squad mates began showing symptoms of Covid. Within a couple days my entire squad was moved off campus and all tested. I and 12 other squad mates tested positive and were all placed in the “sick” house while the rest of the squad who remained healthy and negative placed in another house. It was a stressful week as leadership had to make decisions about what to do with us, if we were going to be able to go home for thanksgiving etc. Many questions and unknows were being thrown around, a common theme of 2020. Thankfully, none of us were severely sick, we were able to rest and take things slow. Despite how difficult and challenging the situation began those two weeks of isolation became a huge blessing to all of us. I was surrounded by people I didn’t normally get to be with, we were all able to encourage and pray for each other grow closer and thanks to the quiet afternoons it was a sweet time to sit with the Lord and soak up time to rest in him. We all finished our isolation period and were able to return home for Thanksgiving break! When I left Gainesville, I had spent the entirety of my November in quarantine or isolation, meaning I hadn’t seen the entire squad in almost a month or my team. I waved goodbye saying see you later to the 13 others that were living in the “Covid cottage.” I was looking forward to seeing family and friends for the holiday but I was also eager and excited to return to Gainesville after Thanksgiving break to finally see the whole squad and my team together again as we debriefed the last couple months of training and began the big preparation steps for launching in January. However, that excitement was crushed when we received an email the day after Thanksgiving that s aidwe would not be able to return to Georgia until we launched in January due to Covid outbreaks.
I was crushed, confused, upset I knew the Lord was good and he had a plan, but I wanted to know why. Why another change to my gap year that was supposed to be entirely overseas, another month without seeing the people who had become family. I do not know the answers to those questions, and you might be thinking but now you get more time with your family at home, aren’t you happy? Yes, indeed I do get more time with family and friends and I am thankful for that as I will be gone 5-6 months, but it is also challenging to not have closure to yet another season. To not be surrounded by the community I have grown to love and miss out on a month of the World Race. But as I write God reminds me, he never promised me closure, the easy path, or this month in Gainesville. This month at home is just as much a part of the World Race as it would be if I were in Gainesville, it just looks a little different.
With that the month of December looks a bit different than planned, but different is not always bad. This is something I must remind myself often, sometimes different happens because there is another lesson of flexibility to learn, trust or abandonment over the horizon. Whatever the lesson is God is trying to teach me in this season I desire to lean into him more, find him in the midst of the big things and little things this month as I spend time with my family and friends.
Praises from this past month!
- We have all made a healthy recovery and had the ability to return home for Thanksgiving!
- The challenges we faced this past month have made my squad stronger and the community even sweeter!
- God is good even when things are hard!
- More time with friends and family and the opportunity to share what God has done the past three months!
Prayer Requests!
- For all Gap Year Racers in this season to cling to the Father and trust him to carry through his plan for us.
- That we would be present in this time at home and see God work in sweet ways.
- Prayer over these last two weeks of virtual training and preparation before launching in January for Costa Rica.
- Unique ways to continue to be the church, practice unity and community despite the distance between all of us.
Thank You all for being a part of this journey and taking the time to read these updates! Praying you all have a wonderful, safe and healthy Christmas!
Blessings,
Abigail
