As we arrived at training camp last week, they didn’t even mention the trip for the first 4 days. The focus was on each of us, and truly submitting everthing to God. I’ve never felt so broken, but so loved at the same time. It was amazing! After the first few days, everyone seemed so physically and spiritually drained. But then we did some team builder games, and the interaction and fun lightened the mood. The following day, we actually found out who is going to be on our team. We are psyched!!!!!!! At our first outing, we came up with the team name, Joholo! (This stands for Joy, Hope, and Love.) AND we got to go eat off campus! I don’t think a burrito has ever tasted so good 🙂 Not that the food at camp was bad, cause it was quite the opposite. They themed each day after one of the countries we will be going to. The first day we ate Asian food and had to bow as we greeted each other. Next was Africian day and the women had to serve the men, then make sure our heads were lower than theirs. This meant eating on the ground. Breakfast was very simple and bland so we were excited for lunch. Then it came. Grilled cheese, tomato, onions and banana. Didn’t sound good, but it sure tasted delicious! It was funny to see the men holding hands with each other wherever they went that day. Middle east day we felt privledged because we got to eat lunch inside with our marriage mentors. The middle eastern rule was to only eat with your right hand, which proved quite challenging. And then at the end of lunch they told us the meal that we’d eaten was cow tongue!! (not so bad!) My favorite day was Ireland, maybe I’m impartial because I have red hair. Lunch was soup and Irish soda bread and dinner was a loaded baked potato. Yum!
The next day they split us up into guys and girls. They told each of us we had 10 minutes to grab our stuff, share a backpack, and get on the bus. and OH you won’t be coming back tonight. AHHHHH craziness! We made our time limit and were off!!!! The girls stopped at a fruit stand and asked what we could get to feed 32 girls with $5.00. The owner simply said, “well, Jesus feed 3,000 with 3 loaves of bread!” We were so pumped and he gave us an abundance of fruit! The guys had their own activity and we all met up at a campground later. (There are so many people on this trip, that they split us into two groups, the J and K squads.) We were only with our squad and it was quite a bonding experience as it thundered and lightninged that night.
After we arrived back at camp, we did a thorough cleaning then were mobilized again…this time to Atlanta. We stayed at a safe house right downtown. And once again, the Holy Spirit showed up huge! Our Joholos were praying prior to going out to evangelize the city. We prayed for specific things and then LISTENED. We found out how amazing and close you feel to God when you give Him time to talk. Visions He gave us during prayer, were solidified that night. We were given names, and colors of shirts, specific prayer requests, locations and even makes of a car which were all located that night. Even a purple dump truck! (who’s EVER seen that?!??!)
So, all in all, the trip to Training camp was Aaaaaaamazing 🙂 We both feel that we experienced God in a whole new way and this was only 10 days. Imagine what’s going to happen in the next year?!!!?!!? Praise God!
