Team Lima took several more “baby steps” on our journey to becoming South American missionaries this past weekend. As with any journey in life, one’s goal is rarely reached through giant leaps, but rather through incremental steps made over a long period of time. We experienced several more of those small steps as we all gathered together in Abilene for another team weekend.

Wes, Stacy, and Jakob traveled in from Houston on Thursday evening. After the weary travelers tried to get some shut-eye, the festivities began on Friday with lunch at the Thompson’s house. That evening, the ladies joined Stephanie and some of her friends for a night out. They had an excellent time shopping for jewelry and going to dinner while the guys took care of the kids. Saturday was filled with lots of team “business.” The guys met with Dr. Chris Flanders in the morning, receiving some excellent advice and wisdom from the experienced Thai missionary. The team spent the afternoon out in Hawley discussing training, support, and various other topics. The day culminated with a feast of grilled chicken and veggies, prepared by Justin and grilled by John Mark. After going to various churches, the team met together again to discuss our “Team Covenant” (a document that specifies aspects of team “management” - how to conduct team meetings, how to make team decisions, disciplinary procedures, etc.).

While there were numerous tasks that were accomplished, my favorite part of the weekend was the general “mood.” Sofia, Kellan, and Jakob had fun playing together, and the adults had fun taking care of their kids, as well as everyone else’s kids. The discussions were characterized by love and concern, and moments of disagreement were marked by graciousness. The “fun times” were joyous and relaxed, and the “business times” were productive and informative. Step-by-step, Team Lima is not only drawing closer to South America, but we are becoming a family, and that was my favorite part of our time together.