Posted in Romania Month 4 by britt baker on 5/16/2012
This month was the beginning of MANY changes. I went ALL over Romania while being trained to be a squad leader. I spent about five days in each location and took four overnight trains in less than four weeks. For the first five days or so, the alumni squad leaders, Mac, Hope, and Caitlin, set time aside and poured into Q, Pris, and I. It was crazy, but so GOOD. I will share more of my heart regarding squad leading a little later, for now I will stick to my end of the month list!!!
Get excited.
Ready?
I spent the day in NEW YORK for the first time ever!
I saw a broadway play- The Phantom of the Opera!!!
Sat and had a gyro in Central Park
Slept in the JFK airport
( Me in Central Park)
Flew to Istanbul with Turkish Airlines- got free food, socks, toothepaste, and a million tv shows and movies to select from ( I ended up sleeping a ton but watched Ever After and Finding Forrester and ended the flight crying from watching Family Stone hehe)
Ate way too many schwarmas
Had squad leader training in the most beautiful square of brasov
Went to a beautiful castle
Went to a Romanian Orthodox Easter Service at midnight
Discovered I had a twin and a perfect travel companion in HOPE
Swept, built windows, sanded walls, plastered, and used a power saw to build a house for habitat for humanity
Went to a youth conference (TRIUMFATOR) which means triumphant, and a man from the ATL spoke, in English, and God rocked me and met me right there at the bottom of the altar
Had “church” with the squad leaders which consisted of jumping on the beds, worshipping, and dancing down the hall and in the kitchen like a parade
Watched How I Met Your Mother with Hope and a Romanian girl on an overnight train, got pretzels thrown at me insisting that I eat them- the old man was so sweet, he even made our beds and tucked the sheets in for us
Took a taxi, that had no sign for taxi, no meter…basically it was a guy using his car to make a little money hehe
Visited prisons in Pitesti from the communist reign and got a private tour of the insides
Had a wonderful birthday filled with cake, croissants, love and Romanian traditions like being tossed in the air 23 times
Went on a prayer walk for the first time
Went on a full fun day trip to Sibiu with Hope
Made a video for Capital Christian Elementary School- never thought I would be that girl who walked while caressing the white picket fence… hope you all enjoyed it, shout out to wesleeeey for being a genius
Stared into people’s eyes without talking for a minute, then prophesied over them, and vice versa- needless to say it was powerful and there were tears
Made another video with the squad leaders as we ended our time together and the transition occurred
Got broken and humbled on a whole other level during a session at debrief, made a fool of myself, but knew that I was caught by His grace and love
Had to have THE hardest conversation. Had to actually walk out the whole “living by faith” “dying to self” “obedience at any cost” sayings
Our squad had a talent show that involved karate moves, songs from “Wicked,” animal noises, spinning and glowing POI, and a juggler- who knew we were so talented…and weird!
Got transitioned into being a squad leader with prayer, prophecy, dancing, scripture, tears, honor, and joy
( Lindsay Q, Me, and Priscilla Gray-the new squad leaders of D squad, my new team!)
I forgot to mention that the Euro Cup was in Bucharest during debrief, so there were 120,000 Spanish men roaming the streets chanting, drinking, and celebrating. According to a restaurant owner, it was the event of the century! It provided great people watching and a delightful atmosphere :D
Here are a few of my favorite views/shots from this month!
(Oradea on the dairy farm-could the clouds be any more beautiful?)
(A view from our hostel in Brasov, one of my favorites, it made me feel like Gaston from Beauty and the Beast was going to slide down the roof at any moment :)
(Beautiful Sibiu)
I am now currently on the last train heading to Rivne, Ukraine. A few hours ago Q, Pris, and I arrived to Kiev after taking a 27 hour overnight train from Romania. It was amazing, we did nothing but sleep, read, talk, eat, and laugh..all day! Romania was amazing and so crazy. This month in Ukraine is our first month being alone as squad leaders. Mac, Hope, and Caitlin are back living normal lives now. We are headed to our first two teams. And so it begins…
Shout out to Mac, Hope, and Caitlin- Miss you guys SOOOoooo much. Can’t believe you aren’t sitting here next to me. Thank you, thank you, thank you. You know how I feel about you I love you so much and I am sue excited for your return at month 8 debrief. Keep in touch! Skype dates please!
Here is the video that I did for Capital Christian Elementary, it was filmed and edited and directed and perfected by Wes Vickers, a guy on my squad, check out his other videos on vimeo.com :)
Brittany from Wesley Vickers on Vimeo.
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Posted in Romania Month 4 by britt baker on 4/27/2012
People people :D
I am in my fourth month and as you can tell, the Lord is blowing my mind. One thing that has been on my heart is thankfulness and gratitude. God has been doing so much in me and through me, and it has been weighing on my heart to acknowledge Him lately. Last month, I was getting so caught up with the “supernatural” and with leading my team that I wasn’t acknowledging Him and His work. I was so concerned with where I was going and wasn’t “smelling the roses” along the way.
One day, He called me to rest. He told me to avoid any manual labor for the day, to ignore the opinions of others, to not be afraid of appearing “weak” or “lazy,” and to just rest and enjoy the day. My friend Hayden accompanied me on this day of rest, and it was one of the best days I have had on the race. We didn’t go anywhere or do anything special, we just were. We laid down and watched the clouds roll by. We talked about the Lord and revealed our hearts to each other. We laughed and were silly. We sat on a wall by the road and smiled at Hondurans who walked by. We goofed around with my camera and enjoyed each other. She taught me how to skip a rock and I learned that if you suck pistachios you get so much more flavor out than just getting part of it when you only eat the inside. We watched the sunset and told each other secrets. It was so SIMPLE.
 (This is my water bottle, sitting in a hole that was on the wall, and it fit perfectly. It was a cupholder in the stone wall! I know that sounds silly, but I was so thankful! I was so thankful that I noticed it and that it brightened my day that much more. It breathed life into me because I slowed down to notice it).
That list isn’t epic. We didn’t go to the dump and minister to people. We didn’t perform some miraculous healing. It was simple. It was lovely. We just existed and enjoyed the Lord’s tiny blessings. We RESTED.
I wrote this on March 20 before I went to sleep that night…
“Today’s all day date with Haylo was a blessing to my spirit. I can just be, and you love me. You are bringing me back to the little things. It is possible to walk in the supernatural and appreciate the little things. Please bring me back to simplicity. Help me find rest and find my “oxygen.” I feel like I am on a fast track in the supernatural spiritual stuff, but then you are calling me to rest. Lord, I want to soak it all in, I want to notice your creation and beauty. Give me watchful eyes so I can see you in the simplest things…Teach me how to just sit, to just be, and enjoy moments and be able to capture the skies and the views.”
Hay gave me a helpful analogy: “Britt, you are a light, but it’s not good for electricity to always be on. It’s annoying to come into a room and have a light on all the time. It will BURN OUT and LOSE POWER. Turn it off once in a while.”
That is so true.
People, we need to slow down. Breathe. Soak it in. Acknowledge the little things. Thank your Father for them. Stop sprinting and striving. Just sit every now and then and soak up His love. You can’t do anything to get more of it. You can’t do anything to lose it.
Hayden and I came up with a way to put this into action on a daily basis. Life gets crazy and we cant always just take a day off and rest. That was a blessing that He gave us, but that’s not normal. But, you can find little ways to just CHILL. I have to give her the credit, it was her idea, but we combined our two favorite numbers, 10 and 23, and set alarms on our watches. At 10:23 everyday, my alarm goes off. No matter where I am or what I am doing, I pause, and breathe. I play the thankful game and acknowledge the things around me whether it’s His beautiful creation, little silly things, or more intimate things. I thank my Provider for what He has given me and what He is doing in me. I acknowledge His work and His love and His favor. It keeps me breathing. It keeps me from going under. It settles me and calms me down. It also convicts me if I am in a bad mood or if I am being ungrateful. I have discovered that thankfulness has the power to change an atmosphere! It quiets the voice of the enemy.
10:23
So, for those of you who are following me closely, I thought it would be cool if you set your alarm for 10:23 too. Our spirits could be connected despite the fact that it is night over here and day over there. Despite the thousands of miles and seas that separate us, we could pause and give just a small amount of our time to the Lord, and come together as one and thank our DAD!
That is my challenge and my request to you. Imagine if everyone paused at least once during the day and acknowledged their Creator with an attitude of thankfulness and humility. This is just one tiny thing that God has been revealing to me recently on the race, but I believe that fruit will come and that thankfulness will transform my faith and my perspective.
I have to give a shout out to Haylo. Miss you. Proud of you. Thanks for speaking truth into me and introducing the 10:23 idea. You are a gift. See you soon enough when you return. Nothing but good things await you. “Those who are willing and obedient will get to experience the goodness of the promised land” Love ya, its gross.
Love you ALL. Lets make 10:23 start trending… ;)
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Posted in Honduras Month 3 by britt baker on 4/12/2012
Month 3 in Tegucigalpa, Honduras was unlike any other. Our whole squad was living together sharing three toilets, two showers, and one kitchen. Half of us tented inside while the others were “real” campers and tented outside.
We stayed on Tony Deien’s property, an American who has set up camp in Honduras permanently. His ministry, Zion’s Gate (zionsgate.org) brings in the “outcasts” of the neighborhood, the boys and girls who get stoned everyday, who steal, and who seem to be hopeless. 
He adopts them into his family and disciples them. He loves them unconditionally and develops them into hardworking, honest, trustworthy men and women of God. He currently has twelve boys living with him in his house on the property and I witnessed first hand the love he has for these boys. It’s ridiculous. It’s just a glimpse of how our Father loves us. He needs support too, so if you would like to help Tony out and invest in these amazing boys’ lives please let me know!
 T
This is Tony and some of his boys before they got to go snuba diving in Roatan. They had never experienced anything like it and some of them had never even been to the beach before. God is good!
Now for the infamous list..month 3 I....
Was a team leader for the first time
Sat with a major Honduran politician, on the floor, indian style- that was a first!
Attempted to scale up a wall, hit my chin, bled through my skinny jeans, and then fainted in dan’s arms - what a story right
Listened to the Lord and spoke a harsh word rather than being a people pleaser which led to freedom and breakthrough for one of my besties on the race!
Worked hard outside and created pathways- hoes, pick axes, rakes, shovels and wheel barrels ay yi yi
kate, jill, and me after a hard day's work. Dirt on our faces and in every other possible place :)
Had amazing revelations from God about rest, the little things, and my calling regarding the supernatural side of things
Watched the sunset most days at 5:36 and made it a priority to see it
Went to the dump where 2000 people live, in trash, had a dance party there, sang to Benita grace, a woman I met, and prayed for her in Spanish. It was one of the most profound and moving experiences ever being there.
Found a wide open field and danced and praised for a half hour all by myself
Played soccer in a community against locals- one coed game and another game with only girls- we lost both I think so fun though, and it was the first time running free competitively without my brace! Hehe mom and rara don't worry
Saw hunger games in English at a local mall!
Taught English to kindergartners
Taught English to first graders with Mark- the first 15 minutes I wanted to run away and escape, the kids were running everywhere and hitting each other and wouldn’t listen- we stuck it out and made it through an hour and a half!
Learned a new way to talk to Jesus- imagine you sitting with Him then journal and write down everything you say and hear. It’s amazing, please do it. Don’t worry about if your thoughts are yours or the Lord’s, just write and be changed forever.
Ate chinese food, in Honduras lol
Discovered coco baleadas- the best food in all of central America
Was broken, confused, insecure, and lost a lot this month
Went to the island of Roatan!- stayed at Hugh’s uncle’s house and snuba dived, played on his blowup slide, trampoline, and obstacle course, saw a fire show, played with monkeys, jumped off a cliff on a rope swing,
clear bottom kayaked, rode on a motorcycle across the island, rode the ferry called “the vomit comet” and wanted to die because they passed out barf bags and people were throwing up all around me, but Roatan was the best weekend ever!
Became a family community with Tony and the boys and his wife
Saw the most amazing views and city lights from the property
Did laundry by hand in a lightning and rainstorm
photo credit to robin brooks, an amazing girl and an amazing worshipper through her photos!
Among the others, this month had some of the most amazing times, but it was also the hardest yet. A lot of spiritual “dryness” occurred but being with the whole squad was amazing. Our worship and just everyday life with them filled me up. At the end of the month I was asked to be a squad leader. I will go more into that in another blog, but my race will look completely different now. For the next 8 months I will no longer be on a team in one location, I will be traveling from team to team across the country staying no longer than roughly five to seven days at each location. It’s a new season!!! I will fill you all in more soon regarding my heart and all these changes. Love and miss you!
Special shout out to Jackie Blair and Jessica Torrecillas my besties who just had birthdays! Miss and love you girls. :D
On to Romania and Eastern Europe!!!
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Posted in Honduras Month 3 by britt baker on 3/15/2012
It indeed is a new season. Two months of the race down, eight more to go. I cannot even begin to explain how amazing this journey has been. The things that the Lord is calling me into absolutely blow my mind. I no longer get surprised when He moves. I expect it. I expect God to do crazy things in me, through me, around me, in others, in strangers, in the whole world actually. It’s great. I expect the kingdom to come and for lives and atmospheres to be changed. These are all new things for me, but the Lord has been refining me and preparing me for this.
Month three is definitely a new season. I have been raised up as the new team leader. Kelly, the former team leader, and my best friend, has passed the torch in a way to me. She has stepped down because the Lord just wants more of her. He wants more time with her and for her to get filled up before she changes the world really. There is such a distinct and marvelous plan for her coming up and God is refueling her so she has the strength and wisdom to continue to be steadfast in Him. It’s beautiful. She has empowered me and kicked me in the butt so I will rise to new heights, but she has also held me close so I will cling to the true vine, where my strength and source rests.
Not only has there been a leadership shift, but one of the girls on my team, Ashley, went home. We also have gained a new member, Robin Brooks. She will add life, boldness, and even more power to us. The Lord has brought her and orchestrated it all including tiny details. We are a whole new team. Our name will change and everything! It truly is a new season.
With that said, our team is a powerhouse of women. We are lions for the kingdom. We are warriors. We are deep and have specific weaponry that the Lord has given us in order to both protect and ignite our squad as well as the kingdom. It scares me to be leading this powerhouse. I know I can’t do it in my own strength or will and that also is a beautiful thing to me. God has prepared my heart for this ever since the beginning of the race. He has equipped me and filled me up to the brim. I am confident in who I am in Him and I am eager to pour out the waters that have been rising in me for years now. I ask for extra covering. I ask for words. I ask for wisdom and thoughts to be sent my way during this new season. Not only for me, but for my team.
I am honored. I am humbled. I am excited. I am pumped. I am all of these things, but mostly I am expectant of a deeper intimacy and dependence on Him. Before I left for the race, I mainly wanted two things: to grow and to have a deeper intimacy with God…Check, check. JThese have already been happening, but I am expecting an increase. God is drawing me to higher heights and deeper depths of Him. Ah, so good!!!
I’m just gonna go with a hunch and say that He is calling you to this too. Just listen and obey. Trust Him. Step up to the plate. Get off the bench. FLY. He will catch you when you fall, teach you what flying to new places and heights looks like, and even propel you when you think you will get hit by a GIANT airplane or something. He prepared my heart with these words from Isaiah and I would like to share them with you…
Is. 41:9- You are My servant, I have chosen you. Fear not for I am with you. Be not dismayed. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you.
42: 9- Behold, the former things have come to pass. New things I declare, before they spring forth I tell you of them.
43- Fear not, I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you. The rivers will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire you will not be burned. The flame will not scorch you. Since you were precious in my sight, you have been honored. I have loved you; I will give men and people to you to bring you life. Fear not, for I am with you. Do not remember former things, behold I am doing a NEW thing. I will spring forth. I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. You shall declare my praise.
SO GOOD. Granted, I reworded and left some stuff out, but that’s what He has spoken and promised me. It’s the same for you J
PS- We are headed out to officially start our third month tomorrow. Debrief has been insane and super intense. We had some serious Holy Spirit encounters and I experienced the Lord’s presence and stepped into my gifting for the first time. It was literally too crazy to even attempt to describe it. We all had breakthroughs and our squad is moving and headed to deeper waters. Too good!
PSS- Just FYI internet will be pretty scarce if not impossible to get this month. I apologize for the inconvenience especially to my family, but the Lord wants us fully present I guess. I will miss you all even more and will do my best to keep you updated when I can. Thank you for the support and love always. I can feel it from all the way over here :D Please increase the prayers for this new season. I can’t thank you enough, especially you Helen Widegren, my prayer warrior!
Hasta Luego
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Posted in El Salvador Month 2 by britt baker on 3/13/2012
During the 2nd month…! (bear with me, this list is longer than the 1st month because it was INSANE)
I drove to the top of a volcano
packed 23 people into a 10 person van
Experienced the crazy/sketch bus situation of El Salvador
Went to the “Costco” of San Salvador, got a cart full of BULK items like disinfectant, beans, rice, and veggies…and rode buses back to our home an hour and a half away…and carried all of this in boxes :o
Starred as Jesus in a drama for little ninas and ninos
Helped prepare an authentic meal
Received prophetic words from Juanito our contact (my new brother) who spoke very little English and gave us words through the internet and google translate!
Sat and waited for juanito at starbucks for 6 hours with Kell on Valentine’s Day (best V day ever by the way) when he said he would just be gone for 20 minutes
Did laundry by hand 4x. What a pain, literally, I got a blister on my hand from wringing out clothes too much
Prayed covering over our house, room by room, and cast out the demons (that’s new for me)
Had a church service with 2 other teams and Francis Chan, then danced to rap music
Spoke into leaders boldly and gave them prophetic words
Played soccer on the beach with Moises
Rode in the back of a pickup truck for hours at a time, often, almost daily
Stood on the window of the truck bed and worshipped and had many God moments with the wind blowing my hair and bugs dying because they hit my face :/
Pooped in a cup to see if I had parasites-didn’t!
Went to extremely poor villages and handed out food and evangelized
Played baseball with kids in the villages
Fasted for the first time, and then ended up fasting again in order to support my girl Amanda – I now understand how spiritual food is more satisfying than chicken
Spent an hour chatting with the 4 most influential pastors in El Salvador, in Spanish with a little bit of English, and then prayed over them and gave them prophetic words
Received crazy revelations from God that caused me to weep in the back of a pickup while I was surrounded by half my squad and an entire stage full of music equipment
Prayed and worshipped from 2am until 6am, warding off “ickies” that were in the room and getting words for other teams from the Lord (never did I think that would ever happen)
Went to the most beautiful waterfalls and swam through them, behind them, and into tunnels to different waterfalls. (faced a fear of drowning while doing that because the water was literally up to my neck)
Took piñatas to poor villages and local schools
Danced and sang to people walking by on the streets by myself, while playing guitar, which I don’t know how to play, so I really was just strumming
Played soccer with male nurses from a cerebral palsy daycare- didn’t have shoes other than flip flops so they took a pair off of one of the patients and gave them to me :0 still don’t know how I feel about that, but being able to play spoke to my soul nonetheless
Amanda gave me a word, then my mom gave me the same word, not knowing anything about what was going on- hello God!
Had my feet washed by my squad leader. Saw God’s love for me in a WHOLE other light.
Crazy crazy camping adventure. The story must be told in person really, it was one of those, “it’s not too great right now but will make a great story after kind of things”
Babysat 8 canadian kids
On my last day I saw Hugo in 3D with Juanito, in English- weird but surprisingly good
Got raised up as a team leader
Witnessed the healing of Jorge, who called me his hija
Gained a Canadian little brother in Philip (who I miss dearly)
Went to church service 5 nights a week
Ate more soup, beans, rice, papusas, and plantanes than I can believe
Washed my feet in a public bathroom sink out of desperation
Danced with my friends at the top of a clock tower overlooking the city of San Vicente
All in all, the best way I can describe my 2nd month would be to use the word HEAT. San Vicente was in the 90’s and 100’s everyday, and spiritually God was moving more than ever. I was filled up, I was challenged, I was empowered, I was grounded, and I was extremely blessed and fell in love with the people of El Salvador. I just might be returning at some point too
Now it’s time for Honduras where we will be camping as an entire squad for the month. Time for a new season, prayers would be appreciated!
Special shoutout goes to Capital Christian Elementary: the office, the teachers, and all the kids. I miss you rockstars. Thank you so much for your love and support. I will be back to share stories with you :D
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Posted in El Salvador Month 2 by britt baker on 2/23/2012
Ahoy! I am in El Salvador, specifically in San Vicente! It is HOT here, not only temperature wise, but also spiritually. God is spiking up the heat this month. My team’s feedback sessions are gifts from the Lord because He gives us words for each other that permeates to our core and confirms truths He is revealing in us. For me personally, my prophetic voice and the gift of healing is being increased. It’s crazy when I take a step back and think about where I was just a few months ago. That’s just a little update on how life is going for me right now, but there’s something that’s been on my heart so I am gonna spend most of my blog time writing about that. Get ready…
So, many of you have been seeing the GORGEOUS lakes, places, and things that God has been placing in my lap, and I’m not sure how you feel about all that. Does jealousy spring up? Does something in you want to experience things like that too? Do you question whether this is truly a missions trip? I’m sure some of these rise up in you. It’s been bothering me because some of my squad mates feel guilty posting pictures of the beautiful places and spaces. They only want to reveal the hard and gritty things that we are encountering. My spirit wrestled with this because part of me understands why they would want to hold back, but then all of me is like no! No, no, no!
God has been reminding me that all of the beautiful places are gifts and blessings from Him. They are rewards if you will. For me and all the racers out there, it took a LOT for us to leave home, leave our family and friends, and pack up a few weeks’ worth of stuff and follow the Lord. His plan for us was this race, but His plan for you may be different. Either way, when you say YES to what He is asking you to do, He will BLESS you. Our journeys and paths don’t always mean pain and turmoil. God wants the BEST for you and me. He delights in even the smallest things that bless our hearts. For me, getting to sit with my head out of the window while we drive has been a tiny gift from Him. Feeling the wind on my face and just getting to relax is good for my soul. And He knows that. Last night I rode back from the beach in the back of a pickup truck. I stood the whole way on the back window bars so that the top half of my body was in the air flowing freely in the wind. He knows that was special for me.
(my soul sister sisk and I basking in the wind and the sun on the 8 hour van ride to el salvador)
He knows what’s special for you. Whether it’s Starbucks, chocolate, flowers, or other little things, He wants to give you them! Don’t hide when God blesses you. He longs to bless you! He has been preparing me and just waiting and waiting to show me these Lakes, beaches, people, things, and different sides of Him. You may not be drawn out to foreign countries like me, but even in the little things He is asking you to do, please obey Him. Listen to what He is asking of you and say YES! I want you to experience the amazing things He has waiting for you!!! These pictures are examples and demonstrations of the BEAUTY He wants to show you. The pain, the turmoil, and the grit are worth it. Trust me. Just look for yourselves…
The beautiful Lake Atitlan
Volcan Picaya
View from the cross at the top of the city of Antigua in Guatemala
Casta del Sol beach in El Salvador
My team Raja and one of the squad leaders, caitlin, at the beach :)
us and our contact juanito carlito aka juan carlos attempting to do a jumping picture hehe
BE BLESSED AND SAY YES!!!
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Posted in Guatemala Month 1 by britt baker on 2/15/2012
Things that have changed/occurred in just one month:
I eat lettuce and onions on everything now
I LOVE oatmeal
I shower every 3 or 4 days
I wash dishes every single day
I have chopped more veggies than I ever have in my life
I would venture to say that I now “know” my way, somewhat, around the kitchen
I speak bold words of truth and love without hesitation
I hiked a volcano
I worship on roofs of buildings
I rock a fanny pack
I am a treasurer, and a darn good one
Toilet paper goes in the trash, not in the toilet
Drool from kids at the hospital and from Christina is meant to be on me
Wrestling with cp kids actually brightens my day and brings life to me, not just them
I can walk into a Guatemalan school, introduce myself in Spanish, and give a Bible lesson like a pro
Dancing with the elderly is a must
Massages from Dan take me to a happy place
Waking up early to exercise and meet the Lord is no longer super far out of reach; I did it a few times!
Riding in the trunk of cars is normal
Wearing the same thing multiple times in multiple ways is fashionable
I like to touch and hug, a lot…
Cobblestone streets are home to me
The most vivid skies ever are a daily occurrence
Constantly reminding myself that this is REAL LIFE must happen for it to truly sink in
Being sassy with Kelly is water to my soul
Feedback is anticipated. Bring it on, I want to grow!
I Roughed up some Guatemalan boys by throwing elbows while playing futbol at 10:30 in the morning with a volcano in the background, while wearing regular clothes, and TOMS
Having Luis say more controversial yet hilarious things on a daily basis makes me cherish our time in Guatemala even more
I eat anything
Preferring chunky peanut butter over creamy is new
Drinking an energy drink called RAPTOR qualifies as a treat and a necessity at times
Walking around with 3000 quetzales in my fanny isn’t frowned upon
I pay rent for me and 5 girls
I handle all the money, keep track of all the receipts, and handle our budget. No pressure right ;)
I walk. EVERYWHERE
The Lord speaks, and then I do. Immediately usually.
Seeing boobs from Guatemalan women breast feeding is no longer something that shocks me
Declarations and revealing truths happen once a week
I pray for healing for teammates, squad mates, and strangers
I am no longer fearful/timid of special needs children
I no longer shy away from things
I am home in a classroom full of middle/high school students
I went to Lake Atitlan!
I met my family from Guatemala!
The first month was such a blessing and a gentle ease into this crazy life of the World Race. El Salvador is next and my heart is ready. Guatemala, I will be back, and I will be bringing my whole family to have a party with the Marroquin/Bickford clan!!!
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Posted in Guatemala Month 1 by britt baker on 2/1/2012
It is the third week that we have been here in Antigua and it feels like it has just begun. Working in the hospitals and in the “abuelo” houses has been amazing and challenging. The hospital was intimidating and forced me to be timid and fearful at first because of the severe conditions that the kids were in, and the grandpa houses were tough because of the language barrier. However, God has shifted my perspective and my heart by giving me freedom in both of these places. I have fallen for many of the kids at the hospital and my heart is set on a few of the abuelos as well
. My friend elmer who yells "binney" every 5 seconds :)
 Maynor, one of our faves across the board, giving me hugs and kisses
One of the things we commit to as “racers” is to do feedback every single night. Feedback is essentially speaking LIFE into someone, empowering them to become the man or woman of God they could be, and to confront/challenge them in a loving way. These are sure fire ways to develop intimacy and authenticity. I have grown more from three weeks of feedback than anything else on this race so far. When you look someone in the eyes and speak Life into them and see them for what they could be instead of what they are, God moves, and lives are changed.
My team has spoken deep truths to me, they have encouraged me, and they have challenged me. When you put six powerful, strong, independent, gifted, and passionate women in a room and let the Spirit loose…man, some sick crazy stuff goes down. Visions have been seen, prophetic words have been spoken, and our lives are literally changing. It is only the third week! Speaking life is one of the most powerful weapons that I have gained in this first month. I am bold and just speak regardless of what it is or if it is jumbled or whatever. I no longer have the cajones to hold back what the Lord puts on my heart.
We started teaching biblical principles and values in the schools this week, and man oh man it is mi casa. I am so free and get so much life from the kids it is insane. I have no reservations, I do and say whatever comes to mind, and I don’t care about how silly I look or feel after. Today we went to a school and taught about values, where they come from, and then talked about the story of David and Bathsheeba. I had to summarize the story, and talk about values you get from your amigos, all with our crazy translator and contact Luis. It was a very long day, but I felt so alive. Teaching the kids about biblical principles sets my heart on fire. I could definitely see myself doing that long term, here in Antigua. Cool, I may have found part of my calling in just the first month of the race. Thanks Lord!
 Our crazy and spunky contact Luis Castillo in the middle of a class
We only have about eight days left here in Antigua and I have already learned so much. The girls I am surrounded by challenge me and sharpen me to the point of tension, but it’s so good! The way my mind works is completely different from theirs. My convictions and my character aren’t even close to theirs. We are all SO different, but I can already tell that I am going to be a better woman and servant of the Lord because of it. Thank you Lord for tension and growth, it is only mesa uno and I am already being molded. Bring it onnnn!
Just a little update for you all. Miss your faces!
Me at the top of the Picaya Volcano...thanking God for His blessings, His beauty, His creation, His provision, for all of you, and for giving me the opportunity to be a part of this crazy world race! :D
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Posted in Guatemala Month 1 by britt baker on 1/21/2012
 I am here! In beautiful Antigua, Guatemala! We could not have been more blessed this month. The city, the volcanoes, the free wifi, the freedom to cook and eat whatever we want (within budget of course) and the ministry we are doing is just amazing. The Lord has ushered us in to this new life gracefully that’s for sure. We have been working in a hospital with children who have cerebral palsy and in an “abuelo” house full of beautiful yet lonely grandmas and grandpas. All we have been asked to do is to love God’s people and be willing to grow both in community and in the Lord.
 What I get to see everyday!
 My besty Christina!!! She is wearing my purse and my sunglasses in this picture, she likes to steal my things and roll away :)
 Juana Alonso, a beautiful sassy woman that I attempt to have conversations with in Spanish. Despite the barrier we are great friends and the Lord is at work.
Most of you know that I was assigned to be the team treasurer, despite the fact that I am currently in collections in the United States. Yikes but I am doing just fine with that responsibility. I lost 400q’s the first night which is around $60 but then found it the next morning…that has continued until a couple days ago JPraise the Lord I am getting the hang of it!
Thank you for your support and prayers. I honestly can’t even describe the blessings that I have been given. Being here, serving, and experiencing the power of God in foreign places is unreal. He is here. He has been here long before we got here, and He will still be here when we leave. I have been realizing this the past week especially. Meeting two volunteers that have given up everything because they fell in love with the children at the hospital, finding a coffee shop called The Refuge that is owned by Christians and even has a prayer room in the back where past world racers have left notes on the wall, and seeing His power in people and churches are just a few examples. I am humbled and honored that He is allowing me to work alongside Him and be His hands and feet. We all have the opportunity to be used by the Creator of all things. Crazy!
Love you guys, more to come! Sorry it has taken me so long to blog, it has only been a week and I feel like it’s been months J. I’ll get the hang of it though…
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Posted in Time Before Take-Off by britt baker on 1/8/2012
Well, it's about that time. Crazy for me to even come to grips with it. But whether it hits me or not, it's here. I am leaving tomorrow in the morning to fly to Florida to begin my Launch, then a few short days after or possibly right away who knows, I will be entering my race and flying into my first country: Guatemala. I just skyped with my parents, made a few phone calls, said my goodbyes, and it's about that time.
Everyone is asking me how I feel. Right now, I feel fine. But on Friday after I said goodbye to my family and friends, I was a HOT mess for like 20 minutes, then things got better, but still was kinda out of it the entire day. As I was on my flight to DC, I knew deep down that this was what God has called me to do, but for that couple hours, every single reason why I shouldn't be doing this race came to mind. I thought about how sick I would get. How much travel days are going to suck. How I won't have an escape. How I will miss out on so much..blah blah blahhhh....
As I was thinking that, I thought of Peter. How he performed the normal everyday miracle of walking on water ;). Sike. not normal at all. Well I kept getting texts, tweets, fb posts and just love from all my family and friends saying they would pray for me and that they were so proud of me...but none of that was truly comforting me. I know I have people behind me, all of you, and I am so extremely beyond words grateful for you, but you can't comfort my heart like He can. You all helped me get to the place of being able to walk out of the safe boat. I will give you that :) But my aunt text me and said, "Keep your eyes on Him." Boom. That was all I needed to be reminded of right there.
I am like Peter right now, scared to leave, but also excited because I am walking off of the boat the world wants me to stay in, and I am going to where Jesus is. I can see Him and hear Him. He is calling me and I am walking on the water. I will most likely lose my way and fall and feel like I am drowning, but as long as my gaze is fixed on Him. I am allll good.
Pray that I will always remain focused on Him. He is why I am doing this. I am traveling around the world to meet Him out on the water and then I will come back and show you and tell you what He has revealed to me. It is scary and there's lots of stuff that could trip me up, but my eyes are fixed and I am walkin!
I love you all lots and lots of a lots.
please keep in touch with me and I will do my best to share my stories.
Email: brittbrianne2110@gmail.com, or just click on the contact link
Skype: brittbbaker
Twitter: bakerbraker
FB- brittany baker lol
no more phone. Bye yah'll it is time!
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