This is all squad month. 60 people eating dinner together every day. 45 world racers and 2 squad leaders packed in tents. 39 girls sharing one bathroom…plus the occasional guy who doesn’t want to make the hike to the squatty potty (myself included). 5 guys in one tent. On any given day 26 racers (4 teams) do ministry on the grounds (hard labor and English classes) while 2 others are prayer walking and 1 is working at a children’s center. At the children’s center 40 kids spend their day learning English jam packed in 3 rooms smaller than my living room back home.
I guess this is what they were talking about when they brought up the topic of community at training camp.
No more wide open spaces like we had in Puerto Rico. No more oceanic swims after a long day of ministry. No more midnight van rides to Walmart and eventually Burger King. No more WIFI or spicy Cheetos.
This is a month of abandonment. A month to put some things to rest. A month to put away some distractions. A month to learn thankfulness. A month to dig in and become an embracer.
This is a month to watch people blossom and flourish as they are able to share their gifts and ministry abilities with the whole squad. A month to encourage each other to find our weaknesses and improve on them.
Being in close quarters makes us uncomfortable…especially for an introvert like me. But being in close quarters also teaches us how to live and love in community. It teaches us how to grow at a quicker pace than we would on our own.
