So training camp ended a couple weeks ago now and a lot happened. There are so many things I want to share with you guys. About setting up camp and tearing it back down every day…
About the portapotties, bucket showers & ginormous bugs (I’ll spare you the pics.)
About the jam packed days filled with biblical teachings, team activities & worship
About the themed days focusing on different regions we’ll all be traveling to. The days varied from Africa, Asia, India, South America, Central America, Eastern Europe, adventure, travel and coming home days. We would also learn different greetings, clothing or cultural etiquette appropriate for that day to try & follow. (for example for India day the women covered their head during meals and Africa day had the women covering shoulders, knees & ankles) 
About the fitness requirement hike of 2.2 miles in 38 minutes with your gear. & how EVERYONE crushed it and passed!
About the “scenarios” they put us in. One night was community living in large tents (yay big sleepover- a rainy, wet & leaky sleepover), another time was a layover scenario at an “airport”. Which they created in a large room with cement floors, air going full blast (this minnesota girl was comfortable – it beat the georgia humidity outside), bright lights on all night and airport noises. Another scenario was of losing luggage at an airport so half of us couldn’t access our gear. That one was fun & again felt like a sleepover. 
About meeting and loving my squad! 25 of us who will experience this next year and travel country to country together.
About my role on our squad as the coordinator for the women’s ministry, Beauty for Ashes!
About my team, More Amor! The six of us who get to serve side by side. 
I also feel compelled to share this part too,
So for me the end of July brought with it devastating news of a friend’s death. News of his suicide hit me pretty hard and as I boarded the plane bound for training camp my thoughts wrapped themselves up in grief and pain.
It was a struggle those first few days to focus on all the teachings being poured out to us. But as wrapped up and messy as my head was God met me there. God is not running from our mess. He’s climbing in it to be right there with us. -Lysa Terkuerst He chased after my heart, pressing there gently through worship songs focused on his faithfulness and then with more of a push.
The bold push came one session where the topic was evangelism. The speaker showed us an illustration to share with people. Then he was like ‘yeah you’re all going out to do this today’. I’ve never felt super comfortable about evangelizing before, I mean just the word evangelism made me squirm. But in that moment I could hear him so clearly saying Trust me. So I did.
So 2 by 2 we went knocking on doors to offer prayer. Many said no. Some peeked out their window and didn’t even open their door. More said no. But then some started saying yes! Not only did they say yes but they opened up with real raw vulnerable things about themselves. Me, a virtual stranger! All they knew was my name and my desire to care and pray for them. I think humans have an inherent fear of being overlooked, a fear that their lives or stories don’t matter. But they do! All some people are looking for sometimes is an opening or an invitation to share. It was humbling to have people share their burdens and let me pray for them. And then just like they said it led to sharing the illustration that sparked conversation about developing a relationship with God.
God is so good. He knew! He just knew how hard I was battling the idea of what did it matter? What is the point of kindness and love in this broken world where we still lose incredible people like my friend? And he knew just what to speak into that and he led me out to show me. He knew the healing I would get from this. He knew the incredible joy that would fill me. From not only being able so show people my imperfect love for them but his perfect love and hope.
Close to 800,000 people die by suicide each year. But this isn’t about statistics. This isn’t about numbers. This is about people. About the man I knew with the brightest smile that stretched almost as wide as his outstretched arms. As I remember his life I go forward with a new understanding of the weight and importance of sharing love with our hurting world. I view the path ahead of me with new eyes. They are sharper and more focused on the urgency of this race. We have all been entrusted with a mighty purpose of meeting people where they are, to reach out our hands with kindness, love and the hope we have in Jesus.
thanks for letting me share,
B
