Hope Mendola-Wong
Elder
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I thought I was a Christian, but when I was 19 my view of everything (Jesus, the Bible, Church, Christianity) came tumbling down. I found myself angry and confused as I questioned what I had been told all my life. Little did I know I was on the path to making my faith my own. I spent the next few years figuring out who God was and what I believed. By the time I was 21, I decided Jesus was the answer. Since then, God has taken me from the slums of India to the mountains of Africa. He's transformed my heart, strengthened my faith, and given me purpose beyond myself. My story has given me a passion for the next generation because I know firsthand how influential those first few years out of high school are. I can't wait for you to join us on this journey!
Madison Goodwin
Squad Mentor
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As a six-year-old, I was baptized. I made the decision to take this next step because it was what was expected of me, not because I was committed to Jesus.
I spent the next fourteen years of my life wondering why a God, so big and so far away, cared for me. In high school I gravitated towards and chose to hang out with the party crowd, and I found myself veering from my values. When I graduated high school, I began taking classes at Auburn University (War Eagle!). It was there that I really started to search for something more... more than the status quo, more than the cute boys, more than the sorority scene, and more than religion or a set of rules to live by. I had a longing in me for something that was missing, so I began visiting Christian college programs and churches in the area. In 2013, as a twenty-year-old woman, I committed my heart, my soul, and my spirit to God, and my life has never been the same!
In 2016, I launched on the World Race, and I fell in love! I first fell in love with our creator. He took me on a journey of discovery with Him, and everything began to change. As I grew in love with Father, I grew in loving myself and in loving God's children all over the world! Over the last three years since my race, I have dedicated myself to empowering and leading racers in their own journey. I am passionate about the Kingdom of God, and I am so excited to walk with you in this next incredible season of your life!
Kendra Coco
Coach
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Matt and Kendra Coco have been married for 29 years. They live in Lafayette, Louisiana, also widely known as Acadiana, the center of Cajun and Creole culture in the United States. They have two WR children, Brandon (11in11 - Jan 2016) and Amelia (Gap Year - Sept 2017). As a family, we enjoy the gym, Cajun dancing, cooking, card games, board games and co-leading a church discipleship group. We were inspired during a Romanian PVT and encouraged by squad leaders and coaches to prayerfully consider coaching for the WR. Once a field engineer in the oil & gas industry, Matt now serves on church staff for buildings and grounds. He volunteers his time to music ministry, leading a solo acoustic Wednesday night worship with hymns and a 7 person (5 instruments) worship band in Southern Gospel Revival Hymns on occasional Sundays. He is also a sound & stage tech volunteer for worship and special events. Outside of church, Matt enjoys being part of the local MenȹƑƉs Bible Study Fellowship (BSF). Kendra is involved in community organizations where she can teach others and build relationships as a childbirth and lactation coach, a youth human sexuality class instructor and an adjunct Psychology professor. She is also involved with Bible studies, Vacation Bibles School (VBS), church events promotions and is an avid tennis player. As parents of world racers, we learned their journey was our journey as well. We look forward to all Lord will do within the lives of our racers and parents.
Matt Coco
Coach
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Matt and Kendra Coco have been married for 29 years. They live in Lafayette, Louisiana, also widely known as Acadiana, the center of Cajun and Creole culture in the United States. They have two WR children, Brandon (11in11 - Jan 2016) and Amelia (Gap Year - Sept 2017). As a family, we enjoy the gym, Cajun dancing, cooking, card games, board games and co-leading a church discipleship group. We were inspired during a Romanian PVT and encouraged by squad leaders and coaches to prayerfully consider coaching for the WR. Once a field engineer in the oil & gas industry, Matt now serves on church staff for buildings and grounds. He volunteers his time to music ministry, leading a solo acoustic Wednesday night worship with hymns and a 7 person (5 instruments) worship band in Southern Gospel Revival Hymns on occasional Sundays. He is also a sound & stage tech volunteer for worship and special events. Outside of church, Matt enjoys being part of the local MenȹƑƉs Bible Study Fellowship (BSF). Kendra is involved in community organizations where she can teach others and build relationships as a childbirth and lactation coach, a youth human sexuality class instructor and an adjunct Psychology professor. She is also involved with Bible studies, Vacation Bibles School (VBS), church events promotions and is an avid tennis player. As parents of world racers, we learned their journey was our journey as well. We look forward to all Lord will do within the lives of our racers and parents.
Brittany Standridge
Alum Squad Leader
Connor Gaul
Alum Squad Leader
Kyndal Broome
Alum Squad Leader
Aimee Dias
Squad Logistics