Since AIM is a widespread organization it’s missionaries come from near and far. I got to know my team members solely from a Facebook group message and from the exorbitant amount of time I spent scouring (aka stalking) their FB profiles. I finally got to meet the people I would be living with for the following 3 months only 5 days prior to flying overseas with them. Now that it’s been a couple weeks and I know them a little better I’d like to introduce you to these awesome people who will be dealing with me for the next couple months.
(I have also linked their blog’s below each of their bio’s. If you have the time I encourage you to read their posts because despite us all doing the same mission work we also all have very unique stories to tell about our experiences.)
One of our team leaders is Marsha Hubbard. She finished her World Race (11 months in 11 countries) in July. When she’s not traveling the world she lives in California where she frequents Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s (my kinda gal). She is also a coffee enthusiast and has a bomb Instagram. She has loved on these orphans so well and her heart for these kids is so clear. She is insightful and I have enjoyed getting to hear bits of her story. I am looking forward to getting to know her better in the coming months. marshhubbard.worldrace.org
Our other team leader is Luke Garmon. He finished his World Race in November and now 3 months later he is back on mission with us! He is also a huge coffee lover (so much so that he brought a coffee grinder with him) and he lives in Georgia. He is a very skilled videographer so be on the lookout on his FB for super awesome videos of our trip. He is extremely self aware and has been key in helping me process my own struggles and personality while we’ve been here.lukegarmon.worldrace.org
Arturo Marquez- Arturo has a naturally protective personality and as a group of mostly girls he is such a comforting presence. He lives in Kansas and his gorgeous girlfriend Demi is currently on a mission trip with AIM too. He is super down-to-earth and is extremely kind hearted. He is one of our oldest team members and in turn he brings lots of knowledge and wisdom to our group through his gift of storytelling. He is also a major heart-throb for the little girls here who all call him Churro. travelingchurroblog.wordpress.com
Katie Knox- By far one of the most hilarious girls I have ever met. She is genuine and fun-loving and lives in Chicago. She is super compassionate and caring towards the orphans and the people here in the province, she is so inspiring as she goes around exuding God’s love. She is also a great story teller and on our Wednesday dance party with the kids she somersaulted in the dirt… if that doesn’t explain her personality I don’t know what does. katieknox.tumblr.com
Jenna Williams- My Canadian (specifically Toronto) buddy! Jenna and I have become fast friends and I have already learned so much from her. I value her discernment and her funky personality. She is passionate and good at listening while simultaneously being super aware and loving. As a fellow ESFJ (Myers Briggs personality) I have enjoyed finding the similarities in our personalities and also observing the differences. She cracks me up on the reg and her easy going personality makes her really helpful in stressful situations. mindmygapblog.wordpress.com
Madeline Schutte- Madeline is from Minnesota and is super down-to-earth and observant. She is really honest and asks really important thought provoking questions that really indicate her desire to learn and grow in the Lord. She’s got a ton of ambition and she gives her all in whatever circumstance she’s in. Her work ethic and desire to work-out are super contagious. On top of it all, she loves these orphan babies so well, it’s the best. madelineschutte.wordpress.com
Ben Kroon- Kroon! With a last name as cool as how could you not call him it? He is the silent observer in our group. He is from Canada and of course, he plays hockey (and almost every sport imaginable). Kroon doesn’t always have something to say or comment but you can tell that his words are chosen very carefully because whenever he does comment his response is very thought out. He has a calm demeanor that is majorly appreciated by all of the extroverts on our team. The little girls here are clearly in love with him, as they chase him at every given moment and constantly ask where he is.
Jenna Carnuccio- Jenna is a tiny girl with a big personality. She is from Pennsylvania and is partially Italian so she is constantly talking with her hands. She’s very encouraging and makes even the simplest of situations exciting. She is very aware of the kingdom vision rather than the worldly vision and has such a big heart. She has a passion for serving others by uplifting them amidst their toughest moments. She’s volunteered as a women’s bible study leader in a prison and poured out to women in pregnancy crisis centers. jennagracecarnuccio.wordpress.com
Isabel Tomei- Izzy is a very talented artist full of creativity and she uses these gifts frequently as she teaches the kids. She hails from Michigan so the heat here is foreign to her. She is awesome at hanging with the kids and loving on them. She has such a big heart and it is so evident by the way that she cares for these orphans. She has been really honest and vulnerable with our group, and vulnerability prompts vulnerability so she has been a crucial member of our team.
Kaitlyn Hazin- Kaitlyn is crazy and fun and lives in Alberta, Canada. She is easy to get to know and she prompts our team to be very real with each other. She wants to become a teacher in the future and it is so clear when she teaches English to the kids here. She is so patient and can always get the kids to giggle through her funny faces and dance moves. Kaitlyn is also very observant of other peoples’ needs and has encouraged the group to consistently show love and respect to those around us.
Austin Grindstaff- Austin is our class clown (aka team clown) straight from Tennessee. He is constantly cracking jokes and getting us to laugh. He’s also got a super big heart for building relationships with everyone on the team and for loving all of the kids. He is really sensitive to emotions and how other people are feeling which is an incredibly valued characteristic in a team of people who are experiencing poverty and brokenness in these countries and also the joys and excitements of growing in a relationship with God. grindstaffblog.wordpress.com
Nicole Reed- Nicole is super wise you would never guess by the way that she speaks and the verbiage she uses that she’s 21. She is so knowledgeable on so many different topics and has a twinge of sass that always keep things interesting and fun during team time. She is from Iowa and has been so helpful when It comes to talk about college life. She is so motivating and she has spearheaded early morning bible studies that have really helped grow the women on our team. proclaimingfreedomandlove.blogspot.com
Team pic below!! Left to right: Katie, Austin, Kroon (blue hat), Marsha, Arturo (red hat), Izzy, Me, Nicole, Madeline (blue sunglasses), Jenna W., Jenna C., and Kaitlyn. Not pictured: Luke (photographer)
