Two of my squad mates and I were pulled out of our group and taken into the cabin alongside members from other squads. We had been put through tests like this earlier in the week so we knew to expect a challenge. Excited and nervous at the same time, we read the instructions in the envelope handed to us by a camp leader. We were given 40 minutes to draw out a plan on how to take 31 people into a busy marketplace to shop for our final meal of the day. We divided up our group, designated responsibilities, and were fairly confident this challenge wouldn’t be that much of a challenge. We knew we would have to barter, watch our packs in case there were thieves, and most of all stick together.
As our squad approached the marketplace, I realized there were beggars, peddlers, and street performers in addition to the food merchants. I turned and instructed my team to ignore them and to concentrate on the task at hand. I knew it was easy to get distracted but we had a mission to accomplish and mouths to feed.
We navigated the crowded area, searching from table to table for the cheapest most filling foods we could buy for our squad. The guitarists playing for spare change as well as the constant yelling of the street venders made for difficult communication between groups. Honking horns, bickering consumers, and desperate street dwellers created a high intensity environment, but we managed to maintain focus. Those with experience in bartering at such markets led our squad to success and at the end of the scenario we had enough food to feed our squad and offer leftovers to others.
Though there was some confusion and a few disagreements, overall we did well and felt accomplished.
At session that night everyone on the campus gathered for a debrief on the scenario. The staff that doubled as the beggars, peddlers, and street performers stood on stage to give their take on how they felt everything went. Not once were we asked how much food we got, how full we were, or how well our team did with our money.
The beggars talked about how ignored and hopeless they felt.
The street performers felt worthless and alone.
The mother walking around with her baby, just searching for eye contact, felt invisible and depressed.
The American tourists, excited to see other Americans, spoke of hatred and disgust.
Even the food merchants were hurt and anxious because of how low we were trying to get their prices. They were just trying to feed their families-not make it big in the world.
I sobbed as I listened to how low and empty we made them feel. Here we are training to be missionaries, to love the hopeless, unseen, and unheard, and we did just the opposite. Not only that, but I instructed (at the top of my lungs, in a very demanding way) my team to IGNORE those who we should have been loving.
We let the task at hand distract us from The Great Mission.
We didn’t offer Oreo’s to the children running around stealing things from our packs.
We didn’t pray with the lonely, sick, or homeless traversing down the street.
We didn’t ask the street performers about their hopes or dreams.
Even the fellow Americans, who we most easily could have communicated love and Christ to, we ignored and shooed away.
The World Race Training Camp was the most humbling experience I’ve ever had.
We have been built up as a team and, ready or not, are fearlessly determined to change the world.
We have the Holy Spirit in our bones, breath, and souls and we have Christ to lead our journey.
We are called and commanded to preach the Gospel for His Kingdom.
We ARE the generation that will make a difference.
We ARE the Church.
We ARE intentional.
WE ARE DAUNTLESS.
The enemy can and will continue to try and separate us and break us down.
All I can say to that is GOOD LUCK.
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. Mark 16:15
