Hi there loved ones! Thank you so much for sharing in this adventure with me! I am home from training camp and wow, it was so amazing! Training camp was held at the Adventures in Missions headquarters in Gainesville, Georgia. Georgia is so beautiful with tall green trees and fire flies at night time! It was my first time to the South and it was so beautiful. I loved being on an airplane again! My heart filled with a sense of adventure and I felt that I was in the palm of God’s hands as he led me into the greatest adventure my heart could dream of!
11 days. 11 days filled with the beauty of God. 11 days filled with 50 squad mates who became such special friends, endless laughter, bucket showers made so fun, sharing stories, bible studies, prayers, camping, eating crickets, duck eggs, and curry with our hands, field scenarios, sessions, depending on each other and the Lord for much, hiking challenges, vulnerability,healing, adventure, and grace.
Tents became our little homes for our time at training camp! It was so sweet to see how hospitality is always available no matter how little or how much you have. I believe we will admire the sweetness of hospitality this year within our team and the people around the world. Each evening, our trainers would share a scenario with us. There was a night we slept in an airport, in a big tent all together, a night we prayed through the night, and a night where half of our belongings got lost as we traveled from Asia to Africa. On that night, my friend, Kayla, shared her tent with me! It was so much fun and made me feel so safe. I am assured that no matter what happens on this journey, that we will be a safe haven for each other and we will always have a safe haven in our Savior.
Speaking of safe haven, our team for India is so wonderful! I am so blessed to be on a team with 6 amazing friends! Here is a little introduction to Team Overflow:
Katie: Katie is from Florida and is a Kindergarten teacher. She is so beautiful inside and out. Her personality is vibrant, fun, loving, welcoming, and always leads you to the presence of God. She has a gift of loving children and loving all people. A talented, intelligent, wise, woman of the Lord!
Emmy: Emmy is glowing with Jesus! By looking at Emmy with her beautiful green eyes, you can see and feel the love of Jesus. She listens with love, hugs with joy, and speaks with wisdom! Emmy is so loving, brave, sweet, funny, and lovable! Emmy is from Georgia.
Carmen: Carmen is stunning with her coffee colored skin and eyes, she is wise and listens with so much intent that you can see her wheels turning, she speaks and everyone instantly listens because she is so captivating! She is funny and has the sweetest southern accent! She is our team leader and I am so excited to follow her lead and learn from her!
Kim: Kim is the most amazing reader of people ever! Kim is from San Diego. She loves people so much that she can truly see into their deepest parts of them. Kim sees the beauty of each person and can understand them even before hearing their stories. She is so gifted in this way and encourages people in ways that they might have never though of themselves in such light! Kim has the greatest humor and makes my stomach ache with laughter! She lights up the world and her compassion is going to impact every person she comes in contact with.
Kyle: Kyle is from Alabama. Kyle is loving, wise, compassionate, brave, intelligent, and filled with Jesus. Kyle makes us feel safe, protected, and cared for so much. He has an amazing heart for medical missions and can sing Disney songs like a pro! He brings warmth and strength everywhere he goes!
Luke: Luke is from Mississippi and graduated from Nursing School this year. Luke is so amazing! He has a gift of welcoming people, making them feel safe and accepted, bringing roaring laughter to a room, and Jesus shines through his eyes! He is brave and wise.
Our team decided over Chick Fil’ A and Starbucks that we would like to be Team Overflow! My teammate, Kyle, explained it so well over a Starbucks cup. We are just the cup and Jesus pours his love into the cup and it overflows out of the cup everywhere. So beautiful! We are just the cup. 🙂
Training camp has been so beautiful. God has endless beauty to unveil and my heart is leaping with joy to see even more of his great beauty. I feel this year going to be stretching in a growing way, beautiful, joyful, and intimate with Jesus! My teammate, Kyle, shared a vision God shared with him and it was so amazing! He saw himself on the top of a mountain and down below there were mountains of people climbing tirelessly to get to God. God spoke, “Go and tell them that I have come for them.” So beautiful! This is the heartbeat of our mission. To tell the world that Jesus loves them and has come for them.
“Hope in the Lord; for with the Lord there is unfailing love, his redemption overflows.” -Psalm 130:7
