SW Mada Team Retreat 2012

With a growing team comes many new blessings and challenges. One of the greatest blessings has been in the special fellowship we have gained with this growing family. Despite our wide range of personalities and our challenging living situation, this group of people has begun bonding in an incredible and unique way. This month, we were able to take a team retreat to a nearby national park (Isalo). This mountainous getaway was a great place for us to spend some quality time with one another outside of our hectic schedules.
As we were on a tight budget, we decided to go camping. This in itself proved to be a great team building activity. Aside from the normal work of camping (cooking, fire prep, etc) we also go to experience camping survival with our little ones. Each night, one person would unzip their tent for a bathroom break, only to wake up a baby in the next tent, only to wake up another baby in another tent...and so on. Each night provided a constant source of entertainment as we tried to co-habitate with one another. Of course I think it was much more entertaining for the singles than the mommies with little ones :) By the 4th night, I think we had all figured out a good rhythm!
We spent most of our time doing team building activities - praying for one another, playing games, hiking, and meeting with the Randolphs (our Member Care who came down to be with us for the week). We had a survivor theme for the retreat and had lots of fun performing challenges. Despite some nervousness about voting people out each night at the campfire, it ended up being a great time of encouragement as we would go around and talk about what that person meant to us. In the end, Doug took home the title of SW Survivor, along with a loot of American foods.
Isalo provided lots of great entertainment. Aside from waking up to the most beautiful view, we were able to spend some time hiking through the amazing park. Half of the group went repelling with our fellow missionary Tim. Although I'm not really into hanging from a cliff - it seemed like everyone else thought it was a great adventure :)
Overall, it was a great trip and MUCH needed. We praise God for giving us such an amazing team!

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