This should have been posted sooner but I had some questions I wanted answered before I posted this and wanted to make sure everything was in place.
After much prayer AIM told me that I will not be going on the World Race this Year. I have been pushed back to July 2015. During the hike I did not realize that I still had some wounds from being bullied that need to be healed. The feedback I got was great and over the next year I will work it out and go back to Training Camp for a July 2015 Route. It was hard to hear the feedback that they gave me but it was true as much as I did not want to accept it. If you have additional questions send me an e-mail at Paul2(three)17(at)comcast(dot)net replace (three) with “3” (at) with “@” and (dot) with” . ” or post a question and I will get back to you when I can (this is done to keep spam bots from taking my e-mail.)
FAQ
Will you get to keep your funds that you have raised so far?
Yes, however I will need to raise additional funds for new airplane tickets and to replace the funds that were taken from my account to buy an airplane ticket home since I did not have a ticket for that day.
How much addition funds are needed?
$95 for my account and about $400 for a plane ticket to training camp and about $200 for a plane ticket to Launch. The $600 for plane tickets covered by an anonymous person, thank you to whom ever did that
Can I help you get the needed funds?
Yes, you can do so by clicking the Support me tab. If you do add money to my account post a reply or e-mail me so I can update the support account. If you want to help with with my plane tickets you can send me an e-mail and I will give you my address.
When during training camp were you sent home?
Before Training Camp started, I did the Man Hike and from that they decided to send me home the morning after I got back.
Why did AIM say you were sent home early?
I am not yet ready to share with the world on why. However I have shared it with a pastor who has a focus in that area at my church.
Would you have done something different with regards to the man hike?
Yes, had I known that it was 6 miles up hill (for the most part) on the first day and 11 miles down hills and up hills on the Second day I would have not done it. Main reason is that I would have needed to train hard for this hike and with the job I didn’t have the time to train since I worked 12 hour weekdays (drive time to and from work and total time at work) and 5-8 hour weekends (drive time to and from work and total time at work) with very few days off during that 10-12 weeks. The distance is the miles that I heard someone else say, if they are incorrect post a reply or send me an e-mail and I will fix them.
Advice for future Man Hikers?
Yes, Bring a camel pack, it is a lot easier to drink from and you can store more water than in a water bottle. There was only 1 water stop on the way there, 1 at where we spent the night and none on the way back. Train with what you will carry with you for 1 night, tent, sleeping stuff, food (you will get food but you might get the munchies on the hike). Do a hard climb hike where you go up and down hills and be able to keep a reasonable pace while going up hill and down hill sine there is not much for flat sections, and try and do a hike for a few hours as you get closer to your hike date. Also before you leave for the hike drink a lot of water. (This is my personal advice, I was much slower that everyone else and there might have been a water stop on the way back down, however I did not see anyone go down the path where the water was. I am not a physical trainer and this is just what I would have done. Your hike might differ if the bus breaks down or they change what path they do or how many days they do the hike for.) You do get to fill your bottle before you take the bus to where It starts so it will be full before you leave. You could also share a tent with a buddy to lighten your backpack a little.
However the man hike you will bond so fast with the guys on the hike. You will grow a lot and learn a lot about yourself and why God wants you do this amazing adventure. The sites along the train are amazing. The teaching they did was amazing. But most of all you get to know your fellow man better that you could have ever known them. Even though I did no training I was able to do the hike but not well as everyone elae after the first few miles.
Will you do the man hike again?
At this time I do not plan on doing it again, since I know that I will need to train for it and I do not know what job if any (other than my High School job) I will have come May. If I have time to train for it and if I fell as though God wants me to do it again I will look into doing it again.
Are you upset that you need to wait a year?
Yes, now I need to find a job (that I went to collage for) where I can make the needed money to cover additional costs that I have to cover. The job needs to be ok with me quitting in June 2015, in addition to a week off in May for training camp.
Have you been accepted into a July 2015 route?
No, basically the things AIM gave me things to work on wants me to work on them for 5 months. After that they are going to talk to Bob (not his real name) and ask him if he fells as though the things I need to work on are better than when I first started working on them. If he and AIM fells as though I have then I will be able to go. I have a plan to meet with him once a month and talk to him about how I am doing with them.
Do you have a route in mind?
Yes, but I will wait until 5 months have passed and have been accepted again to say what route I am to go on.
Are you sure God still wants you to do this?
Yes, My church’s mission board supported me there were 4 offerings on 2 different Sundays for me (I have never seen them do an offering for a missionary for more that just the week they got to speak). Also the Sunday I got back someone walked up to me and said “God laid on my heart to give you this” and gave me a $20 bill even though there was no way he could have known that I got sent home early.
How can I pray for you?
That I would be able to get a job in IT until I leave. That what AIM gave me to work on would go well. That I will go in July2015. That I would be able to finish Training Camp.
If you have further questions post them below or e-mail me and I will do another Q&A to answer them in a week or 2.
