Previsouly, I focused in on what God did to me/my team spiritually but now I want to take a step back and share the overview of what happen at training camp.
To start off here is a clip….
The first day of arrival, I met my team for the first time in person. As you can see below they are an awesome squad. We are known as the L squad but refer to Love Squad. Why?? Well, every individual on this team is filled with so much love that it can drive you crazy sometimes.
Throughout the week we faced many challenges and scenarios preparing us for what is about to come in the next 11 months of our lives in South America.
One scenario we faced was known as the airport layover for 12 hours. So our squad plus another squad had to sleep in the training center while live airport annocuments were being made over the intercom. The night was long as the temperatures began to drop through out the long hours. One lesson that I learned was to bring earplugs for the airport and a headband to cover my eyes while the lights were still on. However, I didn’t have those items with me, so a teammate and I decided to have some fun by capturing photos of our squad who enjoyed a good nights rest.
Another situation we faced similar to the airport was that we paired off in two’s. Then one of us had to give up our entire bag that consisted of our tent, sleeping bag, clothes, everything. The circumstance was that our luggage had been lost by the airport and would not be found for 2 weeks. So for the net 24hrs my partner had to rely on me for sleep, bathing, food, etc.
In regard to situations faced, we also had worship and training three times throughout the day. One after breakfast, noon, and dinner. Man were they intense!!! This man named Deyon was filled with spirit and truth that he even challenged us in our faith. One sermon he made people listen to the spirit and give prophetic words over them. He showed us how to know if it was from God, the enemy, and our own thinking. That was something new to me because I’ve never exercise my gifts in a way that was honoring to God.
Also, for an entire day and night the men went on a “Man Hike” that tested our physical, spiritual, and mental ability as we hiked for 12 miles on the Appalachian Trail with our gear weighing around 40 pounds starting at Neels Gap and ending at Woody Gap where we would rest for the night. There came a time where I had to carry one of my brothers tent and I became physically beaten by nature. However, God was teaching me how to carry a brothers burden as we grew together during the hike. For the ladies, they stayed back at training camp and worked through shame/guilt in their lives. They too faced challenging situations such as having to care for one another, physically they had to carry a sister on her back as they walked from one point to the other.
There is so many situations we faced as a squad and as a team that I would love to share, but for the sake of time I will share one more scenario before moving on to the next topic.
For dinner one night, we all were split into our teams and given money (aka fake money) to buy food in the market place. As our team went out along with all 300 other World Racers, we faced many situations within the market place. First we had to exchange money to be able to buy food from certain tables. Then we were always on the watch for thieves who were pick pocketing racers. My team had a strategy that the two men would be the watchers while the women did the bartering. However, we had people coming up to us asking for food, a women selling her baby, a gentleman selling drugs, etc. The experience of the market place became overwhelming while there was even cars driving through the market place. I vividly recall, having to grab one of the girls on my team as a car was about to hit her. Overall, I learned how to beware of my surroundings and blessed to have the females that are on my team because they barter so good that we had two pans full of food and money left over. I glanced over to another team where they had barely any food for their team.
Transition…
You’ve heard me speak of squads/team. What is that?? And there is more…
A squad is a group of individuals who are traveling together to a country depending on the routes. For example, my squad is the 30 individuals who signed up for the South America Expedition Route. Every month we will meet up at the airports and launch off to the next country but when we land in another country our teams will split apart to do ministry.
A squad leader during the first four months of the Race, two to three alumni lead the squad. From the fifth to the final month, Racers identified by the alumni squad leaders assume leadership. Squad leaders oversee the spiritual health and progress of the whole squad.
A team is a group of people who are broken out of the 30 individuals. Therefore, I’m on a team of 6 people. We have 5 teams of 6 individuals.
My Team!!!
For the first month my team will be in Cartagena,Colombia working in the slums. two other teams will too be in Cartagena but on the other side of the city working in churches and partertning with YWAM. One team will be heading south to Medellin, Colombia while the last team will be on an island called San Andres, Colombia.
Cartagena,Colombia Slums
For my team, I was selected to be a team leader which was selected during training camp. I’m Responsible for serving the team, the leader oversees the spiritual health of teammates and acts as a liaison for them between the squad leaders, logistics team, and ministry partners.
Not only that but I along with 4 other squad members was also selected by The World Race Marketing team to be a Story Teller. We will carry the responsibility of sharing stories of what God is doing through the lives of others. We will blog once a week, be paired with a mentor from the marketing team who will guide us in our writing, edit our blogs for grammar and structure. Every month there will be a topic displayed for us to write about such as social justice, freedom, economy, etc.
Final transition….
There has been some changes made on our route due to some political uproar. We will no longer be going to Venezuela.
HOWEVER,
We will be on the entire Amazon River for approximately 70-90 days. We will reach to tribes that have never heard of the gospel. Our logistics representative is still planning out the route for the Amazon and how travel will look like. We may be traveling all together on the river or split up into groups.
Finally, I want to say thank you for everyone who has been praying over my team and me. It’s amazing to see what a leap of faith can do to a human being. Words can’t express how thankful I am for everyone sowing into this ministry and partnering with me. WE (yes!! you and I) are making an impact for the kingdom of God by being obedient to his calling on our lives. I ask that you continue to pray for my team and me as we get ready to leave in six weeks for South America and for our fundraising. I’m currently at $8,500 of $17,561, my next deadline is July 22nd which I will need to be at $10,000 to pioneer on this journey that God has called me to. I would humbly appreciate your help whether that is making a donation, praying, or even sharing my stories with others by mouth, social media, church, etc. You can make a donation (tax deductible) on my blog page by clicking the donate button or call me if prefer other way of donation at 256-856-3975.
“A gift opens the way and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.” Proverbs 18:16
