A unexpected but very fun surprise!

Have you ever heard about the  World Racers? I had heard a little last year but when Andrew mentioned before we left the USA that another small group of volunteers would be at camp when we were, one of the World Racers Teams, I did a little reading up to see who they were. When we got to Camp, we were quickly met by 7 amazing young ladies. They had cooked our supper. They were there, just like us, to serve. And serve they did! They are on a 11 month adventure to 11 countries. They are just about at their half way point. They have seen a lot and my guess, they will continue to see and experience much more. I had the great honor of getting to work along beside these amazing ladies with such interesting stories. Each came on this adventure for very different reason...but all are on this adventure to serve God and others. My first day of working with them involved hours and hours of digging in the dirt. Actually weeding a plot of land for Sergei and Sveta's so they can increase the size of their garden. The "Racers" had been at work for awhile when I joined in but it was the most fun I have ever had pulling weeds! As we worked it gave me a chance to ask them their stories, why they were doing this, what their parents thought about saying goodbye to them for 11 months with very little communication, what had they left...job, schooling, etc. It was fascinating. We worked along beside each other several times through our time in the Ukraine. They were put on kitchen duty while we had the camp for the kids and I got to spend a lot of the day with them...peeling carrots, chopping cabbage or cleaning pots and pans...it didn't really matter...I loved being with them. They had fun stories or sometimes I would just work and listen to them sing but every day I fell more and more in love with them. They would sometimes ask me questions too, like what did I tell Ashley to look for in a mate, what advice did I give Zach when he started dating, etc. They had been in many countries and worked in many different ways but their time in the Ukraine was quite a surprise! They were loving hot showers, toilets and hot meals plus they got to sit at the table with Americans! Not what they had expected! They pretty much took whatever job was thrown at them with grace and smiles. They blended right in, working along beside us and joining our devos at night. They truly came from all different walks in life but what a joy it was to get to know them. Misty, one of the sweet ladies on the trip was such an encouragement to us all. She had the sweetest spirit and was always so helpful. It was so fun to get to know her and see her courage! Another one of the young ladies, Katie and I really just seemed to hit it off from the get go. She even work up early and went with Andrew to take us to the airport the last morning, which delighted me because it gave me one more day with her! I have thought of them ALL so many things I wish I had asked them but I am enjoying being Facebook friends and watching their blogs...anxiously awaiting a new entry as I learned right before we parted they were headed to Africa. Some were really pumped and others were pretty nervous. The night before we left, I gave them our leftover snacks and I have seen anyone so excited to get little tubs of Peanut Butter! So sweet.