A lot has changed.

Number one, we are in Africa now; Asia is no more. This is weird. The chaos of Southeast Asia kinda felt like home. Compared to the eerily Americaness of South Africa. But I can rest in the fact that everyone needs Jesus, no matter your financial situation. Bill Gates freaking needs Jesus.

Number two, Big E is no longer our leader. We call him Big E because, on our team, we have two Ethans, and he happens to be the bigger one. But as a leader, Israel couldn't have asked for anything better. His humor matches ours, he loves soccer, and most importantly, he always keeps us centered on Christ. Now, we are getting a new leader who is also great, but it is hard. It is an opportunity for us to step into leadership and govern ourselves because the new leader doesn't necessarily know how we work and operate together. This will be challenging, but we have the tools as a team. It is only a matter of putting them into action.

Number three, Alex left the race. This one is the hardest by far. It is hard to adjust when we are thrown it new experiences and forced to grow together. I mentioned in one of my first blogs that "pressure produces diamonds." People grow close really fast when being put in an uncomfortable situation. And Israel was thrown into a village in the middle of nowhere in Cambodia with minimal contact from the outside world. And now, with Big E switching teams and Alex gone, it is difficult to find the stride where we once were. I believe we will find it, but it will look different. And honestly, I hate that. Team Israel was comfortable at this point. It was home. We could make jokes riff off each other; we knew what the others were going to say before they said it. And now it is morphing into something that feels new. And as established, change is scary, especially to me. But ultimately, God has a plan, and I just have to trust that his ways are better than my small and arbitrary plan for my Life. I know God's plan is better, but sometimes it is hard to remember.

Continuing to pray for our team through all these shifts. Pray for Alex. And pray for the squad.

See you tomorrow. Love you all.

-Drew McKinney