Training camp, 10 days that felt more like 100. I struggled physically, and I struggled emotionally. I got there the first day and I was way out of my comfort zone. I didn’t want to be there, I didn’t know anybody. We ate crazy food, took bucket showers, lived in a tent the whole time. My team (V squad) consisted of around 50 people.
I cried every night, not because I missed home though. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t want to be there (at the time), but training camp made me realize how much I had distanced myself from God.
Worship was good, so so good, I cried every night when we had it. I was struggling emotionally. I’ve never been in a room with so many people my age who crave the love of Jesus, it was beautiful. Some nights I couldn’t sing because I was sick of crying, other nights I had embraced it and kept on singing. I could feel God in the room, it was awesome, it just made me want to cry even more. He is so good.
The sermons were great, I started to write in my notebook when we had them, I never did that at home. I started doing things that I’ve never before, like starting my mornings off with God. We did devotions every morning at 7:30, and I’m starting to do it at home as well.
By day 5 I was good, I met a lot of new friends, I was getting into a routine of things. I felt like my faith was growing with God, I could not wait to tell my family everything that had happened.
When it was nearing close to the end, I found myself sad to leave. It’s crazy how on day 1 I wanted to leave, but by the end I didn’t want to. Yes, I was ready to leave so I could wash my clothes and use a bathroom that actually had a toilet that flushed, but I was also scared I was going to go back to my old ways, push God away again.
I’m determined not to, I wont. God is going to use me on the World Race, I know it. I’m so excited and so ready. I’ve never been so certain about this mission trip as I am now. God had showed me throughout the 10 days that I was meant to do this, it wasn’t a mistake. He called me for a reason, and I’m ready to see what that reason is.
