So perhaps you're reading this as a future World Racer and with training camp quickly approaching you're wondering what on earth to expect. No-one seems to tell you much of anything. Even the packing list seems vague and slightly unhelpful.
Trust me, I understand.
Know that the reason not much information is given is to preserve your training camp experience.
Trust that there are some things you just don't need to know before you get there.
(Difficult, I know.)
That being said, I have compiled a list of things I think every Racer SHOULD know before Training camp. I hope it helps.
The Skinny on Training Camp:
- You WILL be pushed out of your comfort zone in every area you can think of (hygiene, eating habits, worship, prayer, physical activity, personal space, creativity).
- Be patient. Camp starts out slowly.
- If you don't have something, don't stress. Someone else will have it. And they will share (because, well, that's just what community looks like).
- In the course of a week, strangers will become family.
- The people you meet WILL declare life over you and believe in you enough to draw you into greatness.
- Your stomach will shrink and by the end of the week you will be eating off the table, picking food up off the floor and eating each other's leftovers. Despite knowing this, don't pack snacks. Learn what it looks like to embrace a lifestyle of less.
- Your team will be diverse. Learn to appreciate them for their diversity. It is a strength, not a weakness.
- Expect to see God perform miracles in the lives of those around you. He loves to flex His God-muscles.
- Get used to not having a schedule / being in control / knowing what time it is (This is one of the reasons information about training camp is so vague in the first place). Don't try to guess or anticipate what will happen next. Learn to be a fluid people.
- Don't rely on electronics. Chances are, you won't have access to electricity for most all of the week. Because of this, having a laptop is really not necessary (or even helpful) at camp.
- You will be broken. Embrace it. God loves the messiness.
- You will unpack/repack/unpack your bags over and over again. Make sure you're comfortable enough with your equipment and where everything belongs or something may get lost in transit. It's also a good idea to bring a sleeping pad that has a pump. Mine didn't have one and I was one of the only people who had to blow up my sleeping pad every night we used them. That got old real fast.
- You will be tempted to go home early. Satan will prey on all of your insecurities and uncertainties. Stick it out. You'll be so glad you did. Freedom is waiting at the other side.
- No matter how long you've been a Christian, no matter how many different denominations you've experienced, you have probably never seen faith lived out the way the AIM staff live it. Come open-minded. They have so much wisdom to share.
- Come as you are, but embrace vulnerability. Know that you don't have to "have your act together" when you get to camp.
- AIM staff (much like God) care more about your character than your comfort. **NOTE: Try to remember this and appreciate it on school bus night.
- Be comfortable with the way your pack fits. You will carry it around (and often).
- Bring a sleeping bag, not just a sleeping bag liner. Georgia has some chilly nights, even in summertime. A water bottle and headlamp are also a really good idea.
- Make the effort to talk with and get to know everyone on your squad. Don't just connect with one or two people.
You will come out a World Racer.
In the end you will come out a World Racer, though I'm not sure where in the process this happens.you're a future World Racer and as training camp approaches you're wondering what the heck happens at training camp and why no ones seems to tell you much of anything. Know that the reason not much information is given is to preserve your training camp experience. Trust that there are some things you just shouldn't know before you get there. That being said, I have complied a list of things I think every Racer SHOULD know before Training camp.
You WILL be pushed our of your comfort zone in every area you can think of (hygiene, eating habits, worship, prayer, physical activity, personal space, creativity).
Be patient. Camp starts out slowly.
If you don't have something, don't stress. Someone else will have it. And they will share (because, well, that's just what community looks like).
In the course of a week, strangers will become family.
The people you meet WILL declare life over you and believe in you enough to draw you into greatness.
Your stomach will shrink and by the end of the week you will be eating off the table, picking food up off the floor and eating each other's leftovers. Despite knowing this, don't pack snacks. Learn what it looks like to embrace a lifestyle of less.
Your team will be diverse. Learn to appreciate them for their diversity. It as a strength, not a weakness.
Expect to see God perform miracles in the lives of those around you. He loves to flex His God-muscles.
Get used to not having a schedule / being in control / knowing what time it is. Don't try to guess or anticipate what will happen next. Learn to be fluid a people.
Don't rely on electronics. Chances are, you won't have access to electricity for most all of the week. That being said, having a laptop is really not necessary (or even helpful) at camp.
You will be broken. Embrace it. God loves the messiness.
You will unpack/repack/unpack your bags over and over again. Make sure you're comfortable enough with your equipment and where everything belongs or something may get lost in transit. It's also a good idea to bring a sleeping pad that has a pump. Mine didn't have one and I was one of the only people who had to blow up my sleeping pad every night we used them. That got old real fast.
You will be tempted to go home early. Satan will prey on your all of your insecurities and uncertainties. Stick it out. You'll be so glad you did. Freedom is waiting at the other side.
No matter how long you've been a Christian, no matter how many different denominations you've experienced, you have probably never seen faith lived out the way the AIM staff live it. Come open-minded. They have so much wisdom to share.
Come as you are, but embrace vulnerability. Know that you don't have to "have your act together" when you get to camp.
AIM staff (much like God) care more about your character than your comfort.
**NOTE: Try to remember this on school bus night.
Be comfortable with the way your pack fits. You will carry it around (and often).
Bring a sleeping bag, not just a sleeping bag liner. Georgia has some chilly nights, even in summertime.
Make the effort to talk with and get to know everyone on your squad. Don't just connect with one or two people.
A water bottle and headlamp are a must!
In the end you will come out a World Racer, though I'm not sure where in the process this happens.
