Training Camp. So many words come to mind when I say (or I guess technically think…) Training Camp. Last week, a very anxious Hannah set out to the unknown headquarters of Adventures in Missions with my clean tent and never broken in sleeping bag. Well I’m glad to tell y’all that I am here to tell you the tale – but it was not easy. You see, the World Race is NOT for the faint at heart and Training Camp prepares racers for life on the field. Think worst case scenario for 8 days. Porta potties and bucket showers. Hauling my big ol backpack around the hilly terrain. Keep in mind we are in Georgia people – where the sun shines, the dew dews, the humidity is cray, and the sweat flows.
One of my favorite expressions over the years has been, ‘no time is wasted time’. This week we weren’t given a schedule. Instead, we had to live in the moment and literally invest ourselves in the present. Man, was that a stretch for me. I didn’t realize just HOW structured I like my life to be (my planner was my rock during college…). I’d like to consider myself able to “rough it”. Now that term has a whole new definition in my 22 year old brain. Training Camp was honestly one of the hardest weeks of my life. Mentally, physically, spiritually. I’m sleeping on the ground, getting chigger bites that are to this day itchin like nobody’s business, getting an ear infection that caused me to go pearl-less for the last few days of camp, having conversations with God that I couldn’t imagine….and this is all in America. Wait. How am I gonna survive this when I can’t just jump in the car for 15 minutes to get to Chik-Fil-A?
That’s when I had to take a step back and check myself. Alright Han, are you gonna be able to do this thing for 11 whole months? This is far from your comfort zone. Then I realized, being comfortable isn’t the point. Comfort doesn’t conquer problems and push us and make us grow. In order to become stronger and more steady in our faith, we gotta push ourselves. To answer the question, no. I can’t do this. At least not on my own. But guess who else is on my side? God. And as we know, through Him we can do ANYTHING. Literally. How cool is that?! Not only do I have God, but I have so many precious, amazing supporters that pray for me, and read my blog, and financially assist me. And if that don’t make my heart sing then I can’t tell you what would. Seriously. Thank y’all.
Training Camp was hard. But it was also so sweet. I got the chance to get to know and love K Squad. This consists of 56 racers that I will be traveling country to country with. We have 3 squad leaders who are so fired up for this organization and for spreading God’s love which is so encouraging. And of course, my team of 7 who I’ll basically be with 24/7 starting in September (Team Fiercely Rooted we gon’ be gettin along just fine I already know!).
If I could do it again, I don’t think that I would change a single thing. I do know that I’ll be getting an ENO hammock and a comfy pillow. And I’ll be investing in some packing cubes. Oh, and I won’t forget a dirty clothes bag for the race… yeah, that happened. Oops. But at the end of the day I’m so grateful for TC and the bond that it created with the other racers. God pushed me and I fought through it. I learned that I’m a warrior for God. I came out on top and THAT fires me up.
