Update on G42 and COVID-19

Hi! Hello! It’s so fun to connect with you all again. I spent the first few weeks of March getting settled here in Mijas, Spain and soaking in every part of my new season at G42. Then COVID-19 ramped up so we have been working with the daily changing news and alerts.

I want to start with just a little update on how the first few weeks of G42 were, and then I'll update where we are at with everything pertaining to the Corona virus.

Our first week in the village was filled with so much goodness, I wouldn’t even know where to start. But the main theme for me was gratitude. God used other people to speak into the wholeness that He has walked me into, and it kept me in a constant state of peaceful gratitude for who I am in Him right now.

Our second week was our first full week of classes. Let me tell you our classroom is a powerful and sacred space. Our leaders here at G42 are SO full of God’s love, peace, and power in the Holy Spirit. And as they impart that to us, we experience the fullness of the body of Christ and it's changes everything.

At the end of our second week, we were informed that Spain was enforcing a 2 week house to house quarantine. The only reason we can leave the house is if we need groceries or to go to the pharmacy. And we can only go out one at a time.

I was pretty sad and had to mourn the change of what I thought my G42 classroom experience was going to look like. But honestly we have been doing great. I am in a house with 5 other people. We are the smallest house and I love it. It creates so much space for intimacy with each other. Also I LOVE each person in my house. We have so much fun together and encourage each other well.

Each morning we check in with each other on how we are doing, pray and worship together before class. We give each other space to be honest about how we really are and then we pray into it and seek the peace, joy, and love of Jesus.

I really wouldn’t want to be anywhere else during this quarantine. We are getting real time experience about what it means to be the body of Christ and the church.

I know that the US issued a travel advisory for any citizens to return home immediately unless they are prepared to remain abroad for an indefinite period of time. Our leaders here have done an excellent job of giving us all the facts and supporting us in whatever we decide to do.

I will be staying here, as will many other interns and staff. There are currently no cases of Corona in our mountain village. We have food, lodging, and community. And there is risk of getting stuck at airports and contracting the virus while trying to return home.

I’m aware that the US is only a few steps behind us and will very soon be in the same situations. So please know I am praying peace in the midst of chaos over you. Joy in the midst of sadness. And LOVE in the midst of fear. Perfect love casts out all fear. And God’s love is perfect in every way.

Our sweet and sovereign Father in heaven is not surprised by any of this. And He will absolutely use it all to spread His love for all people. I want to encourage you all to use this space in quarantine as a time to grow in intimacy as families, communities, and with your Father in heaven. He is bringing intimacy back. Bringing us back to the simple things.

**PLEASE reach out to me if you want to chat, want prayer, or just want some peace. We here at G42 are continually praying for all our friends and families around the world in this time of uncertainty.

Much love to you all!

Rachel

P.S. I have added some pictures of my time here so far below.

These are the beautiful people that I spend every day with.

From left to right: Franklin Lyle, Ashley, me, Nicole (who is from my WR squad!!), Elizabeth, Andrew.

This is our March 2020 class of G42 interns. There are 19 of us total and 5 of us are from my WR squad!

This is the street I live on here in Mijas, Spain. It's a cute little Spanish mountain village.

This is one of the views from our home. That is the Mediterranean below our village.