Was Project Searchlight Helpful?

A couple of weeks ago, I attended Project Searchlight in Gainesville, Georgia put on by the Adventures in Missions (AIM) staff. So let’s be honest. I wasn’t that excited about Project Searchlight. I was excited to see my team and my squad and just hang out. But sitting in sessions and talking and processing my future didn’t sound like too much fun. Project Searchlight was to be a week of debriefing and figuring out my next step in life. Here I am just a month off the Race and slowly integrating back into home life in America and they want me to figure out my future?? Seriously??

But Thank you Jesus that I was pleasantly surprised by my week at Project Searchlight.  It was a really great non-stop week. As I arrive home I have been asked, “Was it worth it?” And my answer is, “Yes. Definitely!”
Where do I even begin when processing it and sharing about it. Well every day, there were talks/teachings on various subjects. Most of these were good and usually I went away with at least one thing to think about. Speakers such as Seth Barnes, Andrew Shearman, Mac Schneider, and Ed Glover all gave teachings on various subjects. During the week there were also breakout sessions where I could choose what interested me, such as long term missions, World Race Culture meshing into home life and finding my calling.

During the week we had this 3 ring small binder with tons of information and places to take notes. This is great for someone like me who likes to read and reread information numerous times in order to fully process it. Even 2 weeks after Project Searchlight, there is still new information I am coming across and learning.  Also during this week, a number of ministries were presented; opportunities from working in the states to serving somewhere overseas. For those of us ready to get plugged into a ministry but unsure the next step, it was great to talk to people who are currently doing that and will help us get involved.

I would have to say that my favorite part of Project Searchlight was the coaching sessions which took place every night during dinner. We would eat dinner and pretty much talk/process what happened that day. My group consisted of a coach, 3 others from my squad and myself and let me tell you, I definitely looked forward to these 2 hours of each day. It was a time to unwind, have fun, process and talk about tangible steps for our futures. Each night I went away with 5 steps in order to make the most of my time at Searchlight with the resources of the AIM staff and ministry partners in the area.

Though I mostly knew what the Lord was calling me to (since confirmation in Swaziland in the clinic) this was a week to figure out next steps to make the most of the time given to me; to figure out school, community at home, and possible future ministries.