meet my team!!

 

The time has come to introduce you lovely folks to the people I have spent nearly every second with since I left the country, MY TEAM!

Without further ado, meet and fall in love with team Abundance…

 

Abby Bender

-can run up the playground slide 2 times in 30 seconds

-18 years old

-Pennsylvania native 

-Nicknames- Abbz Bendz, Abbz

-Passions- music, helping human trafficking victims

-Favorite thing about herself- she is a great listener

-Her description of month one in three words-

1. Change- Being in Africa is the complete opposite of being back home..but in a good way

2. Dependance- Being so disconnected from home has taught me to really depend on the Lord rather than on my friends or family

3. Growth- The Lord is stirring up new things, but is also expanding on things that I thought I already knew

-Hardest part about being on the race- Being away from family

-How you can be praying for Abby- For increased comfortability to be vulnerable with the team and the squad

-Fun Fact- She knows all the words to every single High School Musical Song

 

Abbz is such a gentle, yet powerful spirit. She is full of wisdom and compassion for others, and loves in the same way Jesus does. Abby is always so patient with the kids at our ministry. Everyday the kids want to braid (or just knot) her hair and out of patients and with strength she gets from the Lord, she is able to sit there and let the kids yank her hair for hours. She is always there to listen to me verbally process, make me laugh with her small side comments, or to help me win yet another solitaire game. 

 

 

Kayla Schneider-

-Can run up the playground slide 6 times in 30 seconds 

-19 years old (as of today, October 4th!)

-Colorado native

-Nicknames- KMac, Lightnin’, K

-Passions- Children’s ministry, outdoors, sugar and snacks

-Favorite thing about herself- Her smile

-Her description of month one in three words

1. Exciting- Everyday is a new adventure and there is so much to learn and see

2. Tiring- Working with the kiddos everyday is exhausting and people around me like to stat up late

3. Amazing- Its the coolest thing to experience all that God has to offer

-Hardest part about being on the race- Adjusting to community living

-How you can be praying for Kayla- Pray that she starts feeling a better (she has a cold right now) and that she has plenty of energy to do the work God has called her to

-Fun Fact- When she grows up she wants to buy a VW van and travel the country. She can also flare her nostrils at a rapid pace. 

 

KMac is truly a butterfly. She brings color and life to the hearts of everyone she meets. Doing ministry with her is an absolute honor. She remains so intentional in the way she loves on her kiddos, as she calls them. She asks so many questions and she desires to make everyone around her feel known and loved. She is an absolute genius and harbors the most brilliant ideas, and because of this she plays cards like a pro. (Like she counts the cards…she’s scary good) Her ability to throw down on a good snack is beautiful and one of my favorite Kayla traits. 

 

 

 

Kaitlyn Christiansen

-Can go up the playground slide 3 times in 30 seconds

-20 years old

-Florida native

-Nicknames-K, KAITLYN CHRISTIANSEN, Klen

-Passions-reading, children’s ministry, spontaneous adventures

-Favorite thing about herself-her humor

-Her description of month one in three words

1. Slow-Time goes by very differently here than it does in the USA

2. Chaotic- Ministry is crazy and you never really know what’s going to happen

3. New- I’ve never been to Africa or done anything like this

-Hardest part about the race- being away from home

-How you can be praying for Kaitlyn- That she presses in during this season and gets everything she can out of it

-Fun fact-She once rode Tower of Terror in Disney World 13 times in a row. She can also flare her nostrils at a faster rate than Kayla. (Yes, we did have a competition to see who was faster. Things are weird without internet sometimes…)

 

Kaitlyn has a peace about her that makes her feel like home. Her heart and the way she loves makes people feel safe and admired and welcomed. At ministry she has developed such deep connections with the kids so quickly all because of the way she cares for them. She speaks in truth, which I admire greatly, but does it in a way that inspires people to be better. She is ambitious and determined-even though she still can’t shuffle a deck of cards, she has set her mind on achieving this goal. And while we are on the topic of ambitious, she’s promised to run a half marathon with me when we get home…stay tuned. She loves to cook and we have such a great time doing it together on Sunday nights, along with our buddy Kayla. 

 

 

 

Megan Roper-

-Can go up the playground slide 4 times in 30 seconds

-18 years old

-California native

-Nickname- Meggy, Meg, Megz

-Passions- the ocean, women and children’s ministry, reading, dancing

-Favorite thing about herself- her hair

-Her description of month one in three words

1. Eye-opening- Seeing a new culture and part of the world is so cool and so completely different 

2. Draining- Working with kids is physically exhausting, but the Lord is working in such big emotional ways that can also be draining at times.

3. Powerful- I am learning about who I am and who the Lord made me to be 

-Hardest part about the race- not being able to see friends and family everyday and being bored at times

-How you can be praying for Megan- for some physical healing

-Fun Fact- she can move her pinky toe on top of her other toe without the use of her hand

 

While Meggy is the shortest in height, she is one of the tallest people I’ve ever met when it comes to living and loving like Jesus. She has a heart to learn more about the Lord, as well as to learn the hearts of His children. At ministry we often catch her sneaking off and talking to some of the staff. She is able to minister to them in such a beautiful way, all by having a conversation with them. She sees the ones that others tend to miss and its amazing. Not only does she notices the people, but she has a way of capturing the moments as well. Man, can she work that Nikon! She is creative and her laugh is contagious. I also blame her for my addiction to solitaire. She taught me how to play during our first weekend in Swazi and I’ve been playing like a maniac every since.

 

 

Moriah Whitlow-Our Alumni Team Leader

-Can run up the playground slide 1 time in 30 seconds

-19 years old

-Florida native

-Nickname-Mo, Shmo-Money, Moeriyuh

-Passions-Real laughter with friends and family, good music-like Aretha Franklin and jazz, gospel, soul- people having a real relationship with God and living in a place of worship, her juicer

-Favorite thing about herself- she sees people the way God sees them

-Her description of month one in three words-

1. Growing-The Lord is already challenging me and growing me in great ways

2. Dirty-There is literally red, African dirt everywhere

3. Surprising- Something happens at least once a day that I don’t expect to happen

-Hardest part about the race- staying present when there’s a lot going on at home

-How you can be praying for Moriah- that she stays present, and that her heart would understand more of the Lords love and not just her head

-Fun Fact- She gets eye colds when the seasons change

 

Mo is such a light. Her presence brings a smile to so many people! She carries herself with such a beautiful confidence in who she is and who God think she is. She isn’t afraid to tell strangers about how much she loves Jesus, and her level of spiritual maturity is something I hope to achieve one day! She is fearlessly herself all times, and it is the most beautiful and yet the funniest thing. She can break out in dance at any point, and will laugh with you for hours about something that may not even seem that funny. 

 

 

And for those who want to know, I climbed up the playground slide 5 times in 30 minutes. Thats right, I’m no chum.