2021 in Review

2021 brought lots of lessons learned, new experiences, and most of all lots of really sweet new friends in my life. Yeah, it had it’s hard, and plenty of unknown. But it also held lots of good, lots of laughs, lots of joy, and an abundance of fun. 

This year looked a little like:

• Started out the year strong quarantined in Wisconsin.
• Completed quarantine and flew to Guatemala City, Guatemala.
• Worked with YWAM in Guatemala doing manual labor and traveling into gang neighborhoods to do kids ministry.
• Quarantined again, this time in Guatemala. 
• Hiked a super difficult volcano called Acatenango, and survived it.
• G Squad debrief in Antigua, Guatemala.
• Went to Costa Rica for the first time.
• Rode some horses (a thing that randomly terrifies me) and did lots of manual labor.
• Moved to Georgia found a whole new community of friends. Had an abundance of fun with incredible people.
• Z Squad reunion in Colorado.
• G Squad debrief in Guatape, Colombia. This was my first time in Colombia and I LOVED it.
• Prepared to launch with the World Race again. This time squad leading L squad. 
• Went to a different part of Costa Rica, where we were soon quarantined again. 
• Caught a few quick flights to South Africa for final debrief where I was reunited with ALL my favorite G Squad people.
• Went to Nicaragua where ministry consisted of a boys school and manual labor.
• Went back to Colombia, where I fell in love with the ministry Ciudad Refugio [another blog on this coming soon].
• Found my way to Ecuador where we explored Quito a little bit, before quarantining again. 
• Hopped a few flights to South Africa once again where I went shark cage diving (again) and said goodbye to my sweet, sweet L Squad girls
• Came home just in time for Christmas and spent Christmas with the family, a thing I haven’t done for the last several years.

2021 was full of new travels and new experiences. None of this was something I really expected at the beginning of the year. I’m so thankful for all the friends and community that I unexpectedly found this year. This year may have brought me several rounds of quarantine, but more than that it brought me lots of friends who I love deeply and that alone makes the year really, really worth it

Thank you to everyone who has played a part in making this all possible. So many of you have prayed for and supported me so that I am able to travel and love people all around the world. I cannot thank you enough for all your support which has made it possible for me to encounter and love and encourage people who need it all around the world. 

With love,

Kayla