Training camp….It almost seems like that title just isn’t enough because all that I experienced during my time there went way beyond just training for the World Race. I’ve learned so much about other cultures and peoples that I never even knew before but what impacted me the most was what I learned about myself and the deep love The Father has for me. I don’t want to give away too much because i know that some of you who are reading this may be future Racers and i just don’t want to spoil it for you ;). None the less I will give you some things. Lets start with sleeping arrangements. Every night we would have to experience what it might be like sleeping on the race and that could range from sleeping in a tent to sleeping in a hammock, to sleeping on a cramped and hot school bus to sleeping in a not so roomy group tent with all the guys stuffed inside. You may even get lucky and have a nice air conditioned room but that is quite rare haha and just not as adventures. Though every night was an adventure filled with late night worship and quite literal closeness between us I loved every moment of it and I would trade my comfy bed for the hard ground any day if it meant spending time and fellowship with my fellow racers. Now on to food haha. It was quite different to say the least. Each day was a different culture in which we may be living in and along with that comes with the types of food they eat and the culture norms they practice. The one that culture shocked me the most, which wasn’t really that much but still shocked me none the less, was Africa day. The food was quite different but also tasty but what surprised me was that in the majority of the cultures in Africa the men and woman don’t eat together. In fact they don’t even associate with each other during meals, men would eat at the table together while the woman served them and then the woman would eat together on the floor. Another little surprising tidbit was that in African cultures men who are friends hold hands with each other which i thought was quite different haha. So with that said I’m gonna move on to my last thing i shall reveal and that is how The Lord broke me down and made me into a new man. As i went through the week the Lord was working in me and changing me into something new and amazing. He showed me that even through all the heart break and pain I’ve gone through all my life that He was there every step of the way. He told me not to worry about my past mistakes and to forgive myself for the wrongs ive committed. He told me that no matter what He would be there right beside me and that He would never leave me. Now cue the waterworks haha. One night during worship one of the staff members from AIM received a Word from God and she went up to the microphone and was speaking and what she said cut me deep. Speaking as if from the Lord she said, “I know the pain you’ve gone through and the all the abandonment you’ve experienced but I just want you to know that I love you and Im not going anywhere, I’m right here with you and I’m not going nowhere.” as soon as i heard her say that I knew God was speaking to me through her. All week, heck all my life, I’ve struggled with that fear but right then when i heard those words spoken i knew He was speaking to me and i just started weeping and I felt like a huge burden and sadness was lifted off me. My whole week thee is just filled with those kind of kairos moments I wont write them here because it would just make this post wayyy too long haha. Anyways, training for the WR was a roller coaster kind of week and I know that this is only the beginning of what The Lord has for me and I know it’s gonna be wild it’s gonna be great and it’s gonna be full of His majesty and wonder.
