Last Friday we signed off of our last day of ministry on the World Race. 

117 days of ministry together all behind us && zero more ahead. 

Last Monday, the whole squad walked to the local children’s school as we were asked to help paint murals on different walls and sections throughout the place. My team ended the last part of the day by signing our team name in the corner of the painting we have been working on all week.  

In Costa Rica, my squad leader asked me what my dream ministry would be, and I evidently said something that had to do with painting a mural for the public. The Dominican has been some of the hardest ministry for me. Not that it was necessarily physically hard, but mentally challenging to push through tasks and what I often deemed as busywork that I had absolutely no desire to do. So when I caught wind of this ministry opportunity I felt some celebration pool up inside of me. The taste of excitement for ministry was unfamiliar, but picking up a paint brush made all things seem right in the world for just a moment. 

My team, fervent, was appointed to do the very front of the school (what an honor!!!). The whole week we painted the smooth green curves and loops of a vine that spread across the whole section we were given. We added some pretty wild flowers and leaves to accompany it. In white, we painted the fruits of the spirit (in Spanish!), making the letters blend along the edges of the leaves and vines. 

I can’t write this blog without stating how proud I am of my team. There’s a few of us who naturally love the art or color palette’s and paintbrushes, but a lot of my team has struggled with the idea of creativity adhering to their own lives. Yet throughout the entire race I have seen them here and there uncomfortably do the “creative” thing; I’ve seen them choose to reflect the identity and character of their Father, recognising that they are just as much made in the image of their Creator. 

Now we have 8 days ahead of us of packing, cleaning, traveling to debrief, and saying goodbye. A reality that I can say confidently hasn’t resonated yet. Final debrief will be a time of rest, fun, learning how to transition to the states, final hoorah’s, and celebration of what God has done in the last nine months of our lives together. You can be praying for my squad as we learn how to deal with the grief of loving so deeply and begin processing what the Lord has done in our hearts, specifically in the Dominican Republic. 

These are not the same people I met nine months ago, 

thanks God <3