October 2015 will mark one year in Arequipa for the Blairs and Daggetts and about a year and ¾ for the Frouds and Morgans. This past month our team was able to step away for a few days to regroup and refocus on our work here in Arequipa. It was a wonderful three days together. We spent the first part of the day focused on worship and team meetings. During the evenings we ate dinner together and played games. Before we arrived in Arequipa we spent a lot of time preparing as individuals and as a team. Included in that was the DiSC Personality Profile and Team Dimensions Profile. I would highly recommend both for those who are preparing to go out and work with a team of people. We spent a large portion of time at the retreat reviewing each others’ personalities, tendencies, spiritual gifts, strengths, and weaknesses. I was so impressed with everyone’s comments. That time was spent mainly building each other up and focusing on our strengths as individuals and as a team.
Back in March 2013 when we met as a team in our apartment in Houston we set goals for our years in Arequipa. We revisited our goals at the retreat. We talked a lot about where we are now, what we have accomplished, and where we’ve fallen short. It was a wonderful opportunity to reevaluate and regain perspective on the purpose of our daily routines.
I think we can all agree that the highlight of the team retreat was the first annual Team Arequipa lip sync contest. Katie and I emceed and organized the event that also included spirited performances from Sarah, Jeremy, and Chase but by unanimous decision, Jake took first place with his rendition of the 2014 hit single Chandelier by Sia.
Being a missionary with teammates can be tricky. You know each other so well and you are a huge part of each other’s lives and with this can come tension and frustrations. You have to be both best friends and co-workers. Poor relationships can have a negative impact on the work being done. This is why team health is imperative to us. It is also why being on the same page is essential. I love my teammates. We function well together and we have fun together. We are each others’ families in a faraway land.