I am currently sitting here listening to music in the business center of my hotel in Atlanta as I have spent this weekend here doing a personal debrief from having the spent the last 10 days at AIM training camp for the World Race.
So what is training camp you might ask? Well the best way that I can describe it is a 3 way mix between summer camp/boot camp/spiritual retreat.
It was also something that I had been freaking out about in the weeks before I left as I was doubting myself once again about what in the heck I had gotten myself into, and even on the trip down I really wanted to turn the car around and head home, but now looking back I’m glad that I continued to travel southward for it was def something that I needed to do (and blasting Not Today Satan on repeat also helped too).
It was 10 of the hardest days of my life as training camp broke me in a few ways, but it was something that I needed even if I didnt want to admit it when it happened, but in the end everything was worth it and it is now official as I leave 7 weeks from now to serve God.
Training camp was filled with nonstop sessions covering all topics from practical to Biblical, we had squad time, personal time, meals & physical activity as well thrown in there to fill up our day. The fitness hike was a *****, but I survived it thanks to my awesome squadmates who were there encouraging me on to the finish. We had to endure real life scenarios such as a airport layover, community sleeping among others.
It was so good to finally meet the rest of the people on my squad in person instead of through technology, and all I can say is that I am just blown away by all of them. If you want the full list of their names check out my squad lineup blog.
My favorite part of the time was when we finally got our teams that we will be living with for the duration of the month after we arrive together as a squad in each country. I’m on a team with 5 other gals who are just incredible. We had a series of team building exercises to determine who would be placed on what team, and after those as well as prayer our squad leaders/mentors/trainers put the teams together. When I recieved my list with my teammates, I instantly raised my fist in the air and pumped it. More about my squad & my teammates later as I could write a whole blog just about them.
the 10 days ended with Squad Wars & Baptisms (Separate blog about will be coming as well)
as far as accomendations were concerned, we did what is called primative camping aka sleeping in tents, taking bucket showers & using port o potties. We had to take down camp almost every morning & set camp back up every night. Thanks to Tough Mudder & reenacting neither taking a bucket shower or using a portopotty bothered me much.
I head home tomorrow (monday), and then its back to the real world for the next month before I have to be back here to Atlanta on October 5th.
Please pray for me as I am finally going to be breaking the news to my leaders at work and submitting my 2 weeks notice this week at work. My last day of work will be Sept 21st.
It feels so great to feel like a human again after a hot shower & a full nights sleep.
Til next time your fellow sister in Christ,
Bonnie
Psalms 18:2
P Squad-2018 Squad Wars Champion
Team Surrendered
YOLO
