Training Camp was everything that I expected, and at the same time nothing that I expected. For someone like me, who is a verbal/written processor, at times, it was sensory overload.
As an ESFJ personality type, I am very sensory. I notice things around me, especially about people. One of my favorite things to do is sit alone among a group of people, especially those that I love, put in my headphones, turn on some music, and just look around at them. There's something special about taking away the ability to hear them, and about just seeing people. Really seeing them. When I watch them, I can see the joy radiate from them, I can see their pain wrestling to take hold of them, I can see them engaging with and laughing with those that they are talking to.
I think this is really reflected in my style of photography and videography. I like to capture the moment as I saw it, and the things that usually stand out to me are sensory.
So, Training Camp to me was very sensory. Just as everyone's experience with the World Race is different, everyone's experience with Training Camp is different. I had an exponential amount of spiritual growth this week, but there is so much that I want to say and process about it that it will have to be a series of blogs.
We sense the world through information relayed to our brains by our five senses: sight, smell, touch, taste, and sound.
I saw tent cities that were put up and taken down every day. I saw smiling faces. I saw people dancing in worship. I saw people rejoicing in the downpour of rain by bodysurfing down the flooding hill. I saw people go from scared, withdrawn personalities, or people go from trying to prove themselves to a group of 62 other people to a group of 63 best friends, no, family.
I smelled the rain hanging in the air after a downpour, smelled the food that sometimes smelled great and sometimes not so great. I smelled sweaty people, mildewed clothes and towels, reeking feet.
(Photo Cred: Meg Hill)
I touched those that were hurting; gave them hugs, a hand on their arm, anything to let them know they are loved. I touched wet jeans (one of my pet peeves. But somehow it wasn't so bad this week), wet rainflies, a moldy orange that was left in my bag for too long. I felt the struggle of a squadmate as she served me by carrying me on her back up a mountain.
I tasted food from many places. Some, I was excited about, others, not so much. My vegetarian diet was put on hold as I decided to go all in. I tasted (savored, really) the elixir of life known as sweet tea (only two times this week! Trust me, that is cutting waaaaay down for me, haha), after drinking water all day, every day.
(Photo Cred: Meg Hill)
I heard squadmates saying the regular introductions. “Where are you from?” “What brought you to the Race?” “How long did it take you to drive here?” I heard spontaneous acapella worship break out when people just couldn't get enough. I heard the beautiful sound of 63 squadmates praying out loud at once. I heard the testimony of a squadmate as she shared with her sisters in Christ that she was healed by God this week of an STD.
I saw the joy, love, and peace of God in the faces of his children. I smelled the sweet smell of women who were flowers that had been wilted begin to bloom and blossom. I felt the power, love, and peace of the Holy Spirit as a tangible thing among these world changers. I tasted the freedom and growth of the culture of the World Race. I heard the sound of chains of lies of the enemy not only falling to the ground, but being stomped on.
Freedom. Love. Peace. Change. Hope. Growth.
This is how I experienced Training Camp.
