1. What part of Training Camp was the most challenging?
For me, the most challenging part of Training Camp was the physical aspect. We had to be awake and ready with all of our stuff packed by 7 am every morning to get our "exercise assignment," which included hiking with our packs AND day packs, running, etc. I slept in a tent. I slept in a squad-mates tent. I slept on a school bus with 50+ people, 50+ packs, AND 50+ day packs. I slept in the middle of the woods on a tarp. I don't know why I was so stressed about packing, because I didn't have my stuff at least half of the time. I took only two ice cold showers. At one point, I had the same clothes on for three days. I ate rice with a knife. I ate rice with my hands. Portions were tiny (imagine a large salad bowl of weird food divided between 8 people). And there was no such thing as caffeine or sweets. I could go on forever… Did I mention the first 1-2 days it flooded and all of our stuff got soaked?
2. What part of Training Camp was the most eye opening?
Girls, I'm going to tell you a secret. Are you ready? There are GOOD MEN in this world. There are men in this world who love the Lord with their whole hearts. There are men in this world who pick up their cross and pursue Christ daily. There are men in this world who want to treat you the way God intended for you to be treated when He created you in His image. I'm not lying. I was surrounded by men like this for 8 days. These men prayed for us. These men respected us. These men served us. These men treated us the way God intended for us to be treated when He created us in His image. These men are putting their dating life on hold for 11+ months because they love Jesus more than they love us.
3. What part of Training Camp was the most liberating?
The definition of liberating is to set free. I'm going to be very honest with you. I didn't feel God's presence at Training Camp. There were days that I desperately begged God to show up. And there were days that I just sat there in anger with no motivation to even try. I'm pretty sure I had this one-sided conversation with God a million times, "You called me here. I came to Training Camp expecting You to change my life, but You didn't even come here with me. Am I even supposed to be here? If I wasn't fully funded I'd leave right now. Why am I fully funded? I hate it here. Where are You?" The first few days, we talked about grieving, and we talked about healing. And to be completely honest with you again, that pissed me off. To me, the Race is about moving forward. So why the hell was I being forced to look back? At this point, I hated Adventures in Missions; I hated the staff; I hated my squad; and I hated God. But it happened. On the sixth night, it happened. As I stood there during worship, eyes open and arms by my side, I felt a tap on my shoulder. A girl on crutches had made her way to me through the crowd of raised arms and dancing and sobbing. She smiled and said, "I don't know you, but God wanted me to tell you that you are a beautiful bride. You are a beautiful bride dressed in white on your wedding day. And He wanted me to tell you that He's waiting for you at the alter."
4. What part of Training Camp was the most reassuring?
For me, the most reassuring part of Training Camp was team assignments. We will travel country to country with our squad, but once we enter countries for the month, we will do life with (live with) and do ministry with our team. God answered my prayers. I love my team! And I can't wait to introduce them to you in a future blog:)
5. What part of Training Camp was the scariest?
Let me begin by saying that I'm a small town, east Texas girl who was raised in a Southern Baptist church. When I started hearing holy laughter, and witnessing people being delivered, and seeing people being slain in the spirit, and hearing people speaking in tongues, I. was. terrified.
6. If you could go back to the beginning of Training Camp, would you do it again?
Yes! But I'd do it differently. About a week before Training Camp, I was given advice by a current World Racer — 1. Know that everything the staff does is intentional. 2. Stay up late building relationships. 3. Bring snacks. 4. Have NO expectations. — I was 1 for 4 (the only part I got right was the snacks). Let me explain. 1. When your stuff is being taken away, and you're given no extra time to shower, and you're starving, and you're finding yourself in the middle of the most extreme fast of all time with only 30 minutes a day of personal, quiet time with the Lord to be filled up, it's hard to remember that your trainers are doing this to you because they love you. By the end of the week, I felt convicted and was lead to apologize to three staff members for my bad attitude. 2. I'm an introvert. And sometimes I don't particularly like people. Bed time was my only "me time." I wish I had of tried harder to go deeper with my squad. 4. I had one expectation going into Training Camp – that God was going to change my life spiritually. Instead, He wrecked it physically. And because of that one expectation, I was frustrated with God the entire week. If I could do it again, I wouldn't put God in a box.
7. Did you learn anything about yourself at Training Camp that surprised you?
Yes. My biggest fear going into Training Camp was that I would be spiritually behind everyone else. On the fifth day of camp, my female squad leader looked me in the eyes, placed her hand on my shoulder, and said, "I feel like I can learn a lot from you. You know exactly who you are in Christ. And I admire your spiritual maturity."
8. Did a scorpion really sleep under your pillow at Training Camp?
Yes. One night, our challenge was to camp out in the middle of the Georgia woods. We had 3 large tarps to put our sleeping pads, sleeping bags, & pillows on. When I woke up the next morning, there was a scorpion under my pillow. I freaked out. But looking back, I'm proud of myself for the way I handled that situation. Because I could have freaked out way worse. I didn't get stung, so it was all good in the woods:)
9. Did you poop in the woods at Training Camp?
No, Jace Tabor, I didn't poop (or pee) in the woods at Training Camp.
10. What was the most interesting fact that you learned at Training Camp about one of the countries you will be visiting on the Race?
In India, only the right hand can be used at the table. Why? Because the left hand is used for wiping after going to the restroom. Don't worry, toilet paper is on my packing list.
11. Do you appreciate your life and circumstances more now after roughing it for a week at Training Camp?
Yes! And I'm sure having gone through "that week called Training Camp" will also make me appreciate life and circumstances more along the Race too.
