We Are Six

Don’t forget what is behind; look forward to what is ahead. 

Team Mosaic has been laid to rest in peace, and now Team Oasis sets out with the land of Moldova beneath our feet.
 
C squad had teams changed and new squad leaders appointed at a “mini debrief” at the end of our ministry month in Romania.  As much as I knew I’d love my new team, the realization that I wouldn’t be able to hold on to all of “my people” any longer didn’t come without… a lot of feelings.  Team Mosaic was a safe place, my family.  We learned, we strived, we grew, we trekked the terrain of three nations as one unit.  I love them.  And the transition is hard.
 
But my new team is incredible.  A team of six women now constitutes Oasis:  a refuge from trouble; a greenhouse for development in every aspect.  I got to keep Rebekah (now a team leader!) and Suzanne from Mosaic, and I gained Abby Steverson, Rachel Rush, and Chris(tina) Schlabach.   Read their blogs!

 

Our first ministry site as a female dream team is in Cahul, Moldova, living and working with a YWAM team.  They all live Friends-style, migrating from one apartment to another to eat, take showers, do laundry, and have meetings.  It has been such a blessing for my team to do sort of “real life” living as we adjust to the newness of everything else.  We’ve bonded exponentially over feedback, Bible study, late night conversations, and all 3-6 cups of tea we drink per day.
  
We answer to Fanel, who is the only male on the YWAM team, but makes up for his minority status with his sizeable personality.  He is tall, dark, soft-spoken, attentive, and genuinely loves hanging out with us.  He regularly verifies that all his American females are present (“We are six?”) before heading out to wherever it is he decides to take us each day, although it would make a lot more sense checking along the way, as a few of us often get stranded somewhere behind.  We basically have to jog to keep his stride as we follow him around like little ducklings, going where he goes, staying where he stays.  It’s good exercise.  But the greatest part about Fanel?  Humor and sarcasm translate.  No matter what we’re doing, whether it’s planting potatoes, attempting to hitch hike, teaching English, playing Phase 10, or waiting an ungodly unexpected four hours for a meal to be ready, he has us in a constant state of hilarity. 

 

It’s hard to believe we’ve already spent two weeks here in Moldova.  We have loved every minute of building relationships with this community, eating strange foods, helping the helpers, learning about all the ways we’ve been culturally inappropriate – and seeing what God is doing in and through all of it.  Please keep praying for us as we embrace where we are, prepare for where we’re going, and learn how to love each other (and everyone else) well.  Thanks!