For those of you who don’t know, training camp for the World Race is just around the corner. I will fly out to Georgia on October 16th for 10 days of training.
I am writing this blog in 2 parts because I will write the second part when I return from training camp. This will give everyone the opportunity to know more about what happened and what I learned.
I have read and been told that training camp is a crazy, exciting experience. I say that because I have no clue what to expect. I do know that I will be meeting my squad (a group of 40-50 people who I will be traveling with) for the first time, face-to-face. As a group, we will be put through challenges, scenarios, and bonding time to prepare us for the next year of life together. Everything we do will bring us closer as a group. Then by the end of the ten days we will be assigned to our teams of about 5-8 people that we will be living with, ministering with, and doing life with. I am definitely excited to meet my squad and find out who will be on my team soon.
To elaborate more on training camp, I do know this, they will put us through different scenarios that could happen or will happen while on the race. Some scenarios could include sleeping in an airport, pretending that the airline lost some of our luggage, ministering to different groups of people, and so on. We will also be trying food from the different countries that we will be going to. Which I am sure will be an interesting experience. There will also be times of worship, teaching sessions, quite times, and squad wars. There will be 2-3 other squads at training camp as well as our squad. We will all be doing different activities and challenges against each other to push us to work together as a group. Some would call this a friendly competition, but for me, I am just excited for the fun times to come.
Oh, and did I mention I will be sleeping outside for the 10 days I will be at training camp. The interesting and unique aspect of the World Race is that first off we have to pack everything we need in a hiking backpack. And then on top of that there is a high chance that we could be sleeping in a tent in some countries. Other countries it could be a hostel, hotel, host home, or whatever is provided. So yes, for training camp we will all be sleeping in our tents. It is training camp after all.
Not only will the 10 days spent at training camp grow and stretch me physically, but spiritually as well. I was told to show up to training camp ready for God to show up in whatever way he has planned. So as I have been preparing and packing, I have also been preparing for what God is going to do not only for me at training camp, but for my squad.
