Building the Team

It’s hard to believe that it’s the last day of January and the end of month one of the World Race! It went by so quickly for me compared to what I imagined initially. I don’t know if Team Kaleo feels the same way. They are finishing up these last two days in the DR and heading out on Thursday, Feb.3rd for Equador, Country #2!

I’m excited for them. They will have a long layover in Miami on their way to South America. Of course, I wish I could just fly in for the day and surprise Emily, but parents and family and friends are encouraged not to visit their racers during the year, because it tends to interrupt the team dynamics and emotional stability of the groups. I guess that’s a good way to describe it. I understand what they mean, but selfishly I would like to show up bearing gifts and homemade cookies and hugs to personally encourage them!  Let’s face it, skype , though wonderful, just doesn’t feel the same as a real hug! I do know it would be hard for the parents of one racer to show up and not the parents of another, when they all have bouts of homesickness, illnesses where they want “mom”, frustrations that would be eased by some face time with a family member or a close friend instead of relying on one another and learning to trust your team members. The growth of the team and their dependence on God and one another is essential for this mission to work effectively; unity is hugely important and it is based on good communication which takes time and the willingness to be vulnerable with one another. They need to get to know each other. I realize from experience that building a team is hard and the process can be fragile and easily sabotaged if everyone had days off with visitors. This could interrupt the culture of dependence, trust, and respect that God is trying to develop which hopefully will foster good things like forgiveness, patience, love, and maturity in Christ. So, even though I don’t like it, I respect the reasons for it and know it is based on what has worked best on previous races.

With all that said, I REALLY wish I could meet Team Kaleo and just hang out! I look forward to maybe doing that sometime. They are Emily’s family for this year, so I already love them! I call having the first reunion in Atlanta!!  Even if the teams divide up and change which I heard that they do a few times, I’m sure they will build relationships that last into the future. By the stories that I’m reading in the blogs, how can they not forge lasting bonds!

I’m not naïve enough to think that all the teams are operating smoothly. I know that there are bound to be teams struggling to grow and unify for all different reasons. It’s a process and takes prayer. I’m sure it’s very difficult to mesh so many personalities together under stressful and frustrating situations. Leadership styles differ. Racers are ministering in rough conditions; many are sick and exhausted at times. So, it’s inevitable that problems exist and of course that pleases the Enemy who wants to stop their progress and put a wedge between team members. It’s the same universally….in homes, in churches, in businesses, in organizations….it’s Satan’s goal to stop the kingdom work!

So, the last couple of weeks, I have been prompted to pray more about this. With the first month being the time that all the teams begin their initial work, early patterns and dynamics are formed that will define them and create an atmosphere either conducive to effective ministry or dysfunctional activity. I’m far from knowing God’s ways, but I do know that He desires total reliance on Him and obedience to His will. He has chosen his believers to be the messengers of the gospel to the lost and poor and suffering. I need to remember that prayer is the key to unleashing the power, and that’s what I can do for the teams worldwide. It’s good to know that I can have a part and that all the parents, family members, and friends of the racers are essentially part of their teams. Without this support, they would be in trouble. There’s a lot of work to be done and so little time!