Yesterday this photo showed up on my Facebook feed. “One year ago today. . . “
Yep! That’s me! All packed and ready to head to training camp! I was beyond excited to begin this thing called the World Race, and training camp was the first step of that journey! So off I went. On my back I carried everything I would need to camp for 10 days in Georgia. On my front I carried my Bible and journal, everything I would need to prepare for this year of furthering God’s Kingdom.
So, did training camp truly prepare me for the World Race?
Well, it gave it it’s best shot, but I’m not sure anything can really prepare you for this crazy adventure called the race. Here’s what training camp actually prepared me for:
Bogota
Month 1 of the race my team was on top of a mountain in Bogota, Colombia. It was cold! Most days my teammates and I wore nearly all the clothes we’d packed! We’d hadn’t expected to actually be cold in a tropical country!
Similarly, at training camp in October, we froze every night in our tents, it was much colder than any of us had expected it to be!
The Joy of Instant Coffee
Halfway through the week at training camp, a squad mate shared her supply of instant coffee with those of us who were experiencing coffee withdrawals. That was one of the best cups of coffee I’ve ever had! I never thought instant coffee could be that wonderful! (Any coffee is wonderful if you haven’t had any in 5 days)
In Africa, where ground coffee in non existent and all anyone knows is instant coffee, I had to hold on to that mindset. Instant coffee is a blessing!
Bucket Showers
Those bucket showers at training camp? They’re some of the nicest bucket showers in existence. Bucket showers are a real thing on the race!
Adventure Day Food
One morning at training camp we were fed crickets and buried eggs for breakfast. Those things really exist and you really will be offered these, and other delicacies on the race. In Cambodia I ate tarantula!
Sleeping in Strange Situations
At training camp we had “Airport night” and “build your own tent night”. In the race we’ve had “sleep on the sidewalk afternoon”, “sleep on a bus night”, “how many can we fit in this bed night”, and “sleep on top of your pack at the train station morning” just to name a few.
Vulnerability with Teammates
Insecurities get in the way of relationships. I’ve learned this firsthand. At training camp we were pushed to get past our insecurities and open up to our fellow racers. We were encouraged to share our fears, struggles, and worries in small groups of 3-6. Through this we learned we weren’t alone in our problems.
Vulnerability is not a one time thing. The race would be way harder than it already is if you didn’t open up to your teammates along the way and share your struggles. Your teammates can speak wisdom and truth into your insecurities, if you only let them. As believers we are called to bear one another’s burdens – but to do that we need to open up and share our burdens in order to do that.
The Importance of a Relationship with God
When I arrived at training camp, I expected to be trained in how to be a missionary all over the world, but instead the sessions were mostly focused on different aspects of a relationship with God. I didn’t know it at the time, but that was the best preparation I could have received for this year. For starters, You can’t share with others something you don’t have yourself. Also, on the race there are days where the only thing carrying you through is your relationship with God. You seriously can’t do the race without your Heavenly Father by your side.
Now, what did training camp not prepare me for? Umm. . . My entire squad getting malaria. There was no preparation for that! And the extra long 60 something hour travel days? Those you have to experience to truly understand. The joy of leading someone to Christ for the first time? That just can’t be explained.
Training camp did its best, but the World Race is one of those things you just have to do to truly understand!
