You got that right. It's another blog about how inspiring, hard, emotional, and wrecking training camp really is… Although all the words in the world could not describe my experience or the love that I felt, I'll do my best to sum it up for you.
So, to start things out, I suppose I could tell you about the food… We were served three course meals every day! Anything from fresh hand mashed mashed potatoes with decadent turkey, to cheesecake from New York. Eggs and bacon, steaming hot chicken noodle soup, and hot cocoa to get us through the chilly nights.
PSYCH!!!! You thought I was for real…
Here's the real deal. The food? Definitely NOT what I was expecting. You could say flexibility and a great imagination could be used during meal times. The portions were small, and some what unsatisfying, and the silverware was limited… countless times, not even included. There were plenty of times where I thought eating peas, one by one, with a knife would have been easier and more enjoyable. Don't get me wrong though, they fed us. And honestly, I'm glad they did the way they did.
Next lets talk about the living situation. Think about camping, for example. You have a nice 1 or 2 person tent, a sleeping pad, a nice warm sleeping bag, a pillow, etc. All the good stuff. You arrive at camp the first day expecting to sleep in your comfy tent every night that week. The first night, you get great sleep. But the next morning, you pack up all your stuff and you head for a hike. (Keep in mind that you have a day pack, a huge back pack, your tent, and all of your other belongings. Most of us, not used to this kind of baggage, may say we "struggled".) You find yourself losing all of your things that night, and relying on your squad mates to lend you a hand, a tent, maybe a blanket, and if they really like you, their toothbrush. Yuck, right? But then again, you're going to be with them for the next 11 months. Close quarters, never alone… You get the picture. And if losing your stuff isn't enough thrill for you, try sleeping in a bus with it, AND your squad mates, AND their stuff. There is NO SUCH THING as personal space when it comes to The World Race, so don't get too excited. But then again, do. Because this isn't about you. This is about the Kingdom, and reaching the world for the King. Duh!
It's like having neighbors.. But we all live in tents!
Not the most comfy bed I've stayed in, but definitely the best for bonding.
So what did I learn at training camp? I learned that I'm not always going to be comfortable. I'm not always going to like where I sleep, or what I eat. I'm not always going to be the center of attention and the only way I'll ever be "alone" is if I stick my headphones in, turn around, and pretend that no one is around me. But the best thing… Oh, yes. The best thing I learned, is that I serve an all powerful Father who wants nothing less than for me to be happy. He wants nothing less than to surround me with his children who will love me for who I am, support my dreams, and seek the lost so that they may be found.
These here are my friends. My new family 🙂 Also known as Team GPS (God's Powerful Servants)
I am beyond blessed to have a brand new family. I love my O's!! O-Squad forever! And team GPS (God's Powerful Servants) for life.
