Meet the Boys

Yes, I am in Guatemala now, and yes, I’m going to hold you in suspense one more blog before I tell you about what it’s been like out here in the jungle. I get it, I feel your pain, I always hated the sales scheme that held me in suspense too, but it would be wrong of me to jump in to the field without first introducing the amazing guys I’m doing this with.

Picture of us… (and a sneak peak at Guatemala)

From left to right we have Clayton, me, Nick, Easton, Dawson (our leader), Sam, Marvin, and Noah

 

Clayton

Clayton and I actually go back a little ways before training camp. The Georgia people all met up at Stone Mountain a few weeks before hand and I got to pick him up at take him there. My first impression of him was this dude who was pretty chill and laid back, reasonable, and very firmly rooted in Scripture. That turned out to be accurate… except for the chill part. He’s pretty much the life of the party around here and a much louder human being than I thought at first. It’s only annoying sometimes…

 

Me

You probably know who I am already, but if not, stick around here throughout the year and I’m sure we’ll be friends by the end.

 

Nick

Also known as Furtado. He’s the vlogger of the group. He’s got a YouTube channel:

https://youtube.com/@nickthemuffinman?si=UTQzi0nq0kseTRt_

If you want a little film, check it out. It might make you chuckle a bit too…

But besides that, I’ve come to appreciate him as a super honest and down to earth dude. I know that whenever I talk to him I’ll truly get him and not somebody he wants to be. Stick around him long enough though, and he’ll surprise you with some impressive dance moves and acting.

 

Easton

I see a good piece of myself in Easton. We connected very early on in talking about theology and a lot of deep intellectual things. Over the past couple months though, I’ve come to really love and appreciate him on a much deeper level I can’t really describe. Stick around him long enough though, and you’ll get some of the craziest/funniest stories you’ll ever hear. He’s made me laugh longer and harder than almost anyone I know. I also appreciate how honest he is about what he’s thinking… brutally honest sometimes, but in the best way possible.

 

Dawson

This guy is kinda insane – yes, in the woo woo way – but once again, in the best way possible. He’s only lived three more years of life than me, but he’s lived through enough to count for three lifetimes. He’s got so much wisdom stored up under that curly mop of hair, and will never stop surprising you with the sides of him you would never guess he had on a first (or second or third or tenth) impression. He pushes me in ways no one else can and I’m stoked to have him as my leader, even if I think he’s a little too extreme sometimes.

 

Sam

Sam’s the most secretly intentional, lovingly curious, and mind-blowingly generous person I know. Once again, not at all the way I saw him at first. The best description I can give of him is I think he would make a great hobbit. He’s mellow (his word, not mine), laid back, poetic with his words, and occasionally funny. He’ll ask you questions about yourself you haven’t heard in your life, will make you think long and hard about things you never thought of before, and then every now and then will whip out a banger sentence or word of wisdom that leaves you speechless. He has layers… like and onion.

 

Marvin

I think about Marvin and I think about someone who is truly striving to seek the face of God. He’s spent more time off on his own in his Bible and walking around in prayer than probably anyone else here, and it’s always a blessing when a bit of that overflow spills on you. He’s very caring, intentional with his conversations, and has a leadership side of him that will come out when needed, but is not overpowering or forceful in any way. He brings a solid front of encouragement to our team.

 

Noah

Noah’s one of those guys that’s kinda just good at everything he does. He’s gifted in a lot of different areas, but something I’ve come to really respect about him is the way he doesn’t use them to glorify himself. In that, he’s a very strong leader and has really been the driving force of the team when it comes to pushing us in our own walks with the Lord and figuring out what we need to sacrifice to Him. He’s humble and curious and eager to learn, and always ready to share his heart with anyone who asks.

 

That’s a Wrap

You’ve met my team now, and if I did them any justice at all, you’ve come to love them already. I don’t have much else to say today besides thank you for following me through training camp, and I’m looking forward to starting writing about Guatemala here in a couple minutes.

 

In Christ,

Jackson

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