Arriving at training camp, I was filled with excitement and nervousness. My parents were very kind to take me all the way to training camp (in Gainsville, Georgia) and supporting me that way. They were invited to a parent meeting before training camp officially begun. But, right when my parents left training camp, reality hit me and I began very scared to be away from everything I know and feel comfortable with for the next 2 months. So far, that was the last moment of home sickness that I had. My team is super supportive, loving, and accepting that I no longer felt any homesickness at all. I know that God brought me to this trip to be a very important part of this team and I know that I can not waste anytime worrying about what’s going on back home.
Right when I learned details about training camp, I asked myself “what am I getting myself into?”. I didn’t think I could survive those three days. Those three days were packed with a variety of learning sessions to prepare us for our trip. We didn’t have actual showers, so we had to take bucket showers. We had to wake up much earlier than I do back home. We had to use porta potties, sleep on the ground with a very thin mattress, and even forced to eat with our hands for one meal (this was an African meal and we were embracing the culture). Most of the time during all of this, I couldn’t wait to get to Haiti because the sleeping and bathroom conditions are actually much better there.
But, training camp had more good sides than bad. Those three days were very important for our mission because of the way our group was able to learn how to work together/communicate, the knowledge we gained from each lecture, and the way we were able to connect with God before we go out on the field. I’m very thankful we did have learning sessions because we were taught about some things that I feel like my home church doesn’t emphasize. We learned a lot about the kingdom, the Holy Spirit, and spiritual gifts. Specifically, I was never taught a lot about the spiritual gifts, so it was amazing to see how many people were using their gifts these past 3 days. After speaking with a team leader, I learned that one of my stronger gifts may be the gift of wisdom. But, I’m not completely sure how I have these gifts, so I am praying for God to reveal them to me during this trip. Each teammates gift will be very important while on the field, so please keep my team in your prayers and that we will be able to notice our gifts and utilize them.
P.S. I apologize for any grammar or spelling errors in my blogs from now on. I will be blogging off of my phone when WiFi is available.
Enjoy a picture of my wonderful team at training camp!! We are missing one teammate, which we will pick up when we arrive in Haiti.
