I survived training camp!! I got home yesterday from training camp- which is a 10 day camp in Gainesville, GA that prepares Racers for their time on the field. It was such a fun time meeting all the people on my squad (the 47 people going on Route 5 to Swaziland, Nepal, India, and Guatemala) and the sweet girls on my team (me plus 6 other girls that will be a smaller group that live, eat, pray, and do ministry together for the next 9 months)!! We were provided with much preparation- anywhere from logistical info to Biblical knowledge to tips on living in community. I would describe training camp as “worst case scenario.” We spent the majority of our nights in our own tents, but some nights involved different sleeping scenarios. This means that although it was such a great time, it was also a period of adjustment using porta potties and getting used to foreign foods.
The first couple nights at worship, I found myself being very fearful and wondering how I got there. As time went on, I got more comfortable with the environment and people, and training camp become much more routine and fun. By the last couple days, I was spiritually and physically exhausted and ready to go home to enjoy my last 7 weeks in Jacksonville for a while.
During our second worship, we were singing a song but my mind was drifting off to other things. I was physically uncomfortable, I didn’t know anyone, and worship was so different that what I was used to at home. My high school friends were having fun at that moment at Brevard, and all I wanted was to go back to my “old life.” I didn’t feel ready for this change, and I was feeling jealous of all the “normal” kids my age who were getting ready for college. I never questioned whether this was actually God’s plan for me (because I was and still am certain of what He has called me to do), but I did question why exactly. I began to wonder, “Why is God’s plan for me so abnormal? Why can’t I just be normal?” Then, the answer to that became clear in my head. 2 summers ago at work crew, I took a look at my “normal” life and compared it to all my fellow volunteers’ lives filled with trials. Now, I definitely did not want anything bad to happen to me, but I yearned for a major season of growth. For the past couple years I have prayed for my trust in God to grow. I prayed for my faith to strengthen. I prayed for God to make His plan for me known. So why did God send me on this crazy journey? Because it’s what I asked for. (Be careful what you pray for!!) But seriously, I asked God to strengthen me, knowing that it wouldn’t come on its own, but I never imagined myself doing something that seemed so big or out of the ordinary to do that. Over the course of the next week, my trust in God’s plan strengthened and I stopped having doubts almost all together. Of course it’s natural to be scared and have questions, I remind myself that I serve a gracious God. How gracious He is to provide me this opportunity!! Overall, I enjoyed my time at training camp, but I am taking in all the hot showers, comfy sleeps in my bed, and American food that I can over the next 7 weeks before launch.
