Boot Camp for missionaries. That’s how I would describe training camp in one sentence. There were times that it was very tough and I wondered what on earth did I get myself into and if I was going to make it through. There were times that it was really easy. There were times that I didn’t want the day to end because of how much I was enjoying it. But most of all, there was so much beauty in the ashes and a love like never before seen. In other words, training camp was a roller coaster and i wouldn’t have it any other way. (Other than adding coffee to the mix, I was going crazy without coffee. I need coffee. haha.)
The first half of training camp, I honestly felt like the days were never going to end as the had us go through different possible scenarios that could happen on the field and also drilling us with some very beautiful, hard, convicting messages and forgiveness, abandonment and the Holy Spirit. However, it was in the those tough, what seemed to be never ending days that God got a hold of me. I experienced him in a whole new way through all different styles of worship coming together as one and different gifts of the spirit being on display. It was really beautiful and I can’t wait how God is going to use that new way of seeing Him this year. Also during those first few days, for the first time in my life, I experienced what I believe to be full and complete freedom from something that has been a constant struggle in my life for a long time. (Will be writing a new blog about that in the coming days.) I left training camp the best man of God I have ever been and closer to Him than I have ever been.
Okay, now to get to some entertaining things from training camp. Day 2 my bags may have gotten “lost” in the airport for like 24 hours and so I had to bum off of my squad mates. We had to sleep in the “airport” all night. We had to build a campsite in the woods without our tents(that was a lot of fun). Community camping with a lot of us sleeping in the same tent. The men got to do a “Man Hike” which was a 12 mile hike with our packs in the Appalachian Mountains. By far the toughest hike I have ever done, but oh so beautiful.
Every day of training camp, each days food was themed around a specific culture for that day. For example, Africa day it was custom for the woman to serve the men food at the table and then they sat on the ground and ate. And we ate all these African meals with our hands in which wasn’t really food meant to be eaten with hands like mashed potato consistency mush, with lentils and collard greens. It was delicious though. Another one of the days was themed “Adventure Day” which meant lots of interesting things to eat like sauteed onions and crickets for breakfast and cow stomach and chicken gizzards for dinner.
The second half of training camp we had a lot of different community talks and team building scenarios which were my favorite. They were also a bit nerve racking as well, as we were all anxiously waiting to find out what squad mates would be placed on our official team that we would be doing ministry with for at least the first few months. And then the 2nd to last full day of training we finally got our teams and I can honestly say that I can’t wait to do life with these 5 beautiful, amazing, spirit-filled people. God’s got some crazy big things in store for us individually and as a team.
My Team! Team Kaleo! BL: Michael aka RoJo, MB: Colleen, BR: Me, FL: Ellen our fearless leader, FM: Katie, FR: Sarah
My Squad! AKA: The Wolf Pack! We won squad wars! These are the people I will be traveling from country to country with and having debriefs together and possibly switching up teams with.
Now launch is right around the corner at less than 6 weeks away before I head to Georgia for a few more days of training, then we hit the sky running to Costa Rica.
Please pray for focus these coming weeks as I just want launch to be here already, but I know there is so much that needs to be done before then.
I still have about $7,000 left to raise to be fully funded for this journey that the Lord has me on. Would you consider going on this journey with me?
Thank y’all so much!
