11 incredible things that happened at camp.
1) Each day we had 3 meals from a different country. The yummiest: Strawberry pastries from Europe for breakfast. The most odd: Hot broccoli and mushroom soup from Asia..for breakfast. The best: Soggy fries, boiled eggs and fruit from South Africa. I say “best” because my team was always SO thankful to have protein from the egg, sweetness in the fruit and who complains about fries for breakfast? Even if they are a wee bit soggy. Soggy is a very common way that fries are served in Africa, unlike the crunchy deep fried ones we eat here.
2) We played played Capture The Flag with 150 people! Needless to say us girls went hard- battle scars were made that day and we were proud.
3) Every morning our squad did some form of exercise. One day our mentors put us through yet another likely world race stimulation. They informed us that not only had the airport lots our luggage yet again, but they we would have to stay the night in the airport. We took what we had on our backs and headed to the worship/training Building. To get the full affect of what it may really be like, we followed a few “rules”. Lights stay on, no leaving the building until 6am, no sleeping in the aisle, do not move the chairs (because like a real airport, they are bulged to the floor). A few minutes after we had all settled into our places on the floor, gearing up for another nights rest, we were informed that “Gates 52 & 53” we’re closed for cleaning! aka- half the rec room was now unavailable and we had to squish in to make room for all 50 squad-mates. To top this all off, airport sounds were played through the speakers. Throughout the entire night we heard planes taking off, people mumbling and various messages being paged over an intercom. In the morning we learned not to make excuses to not workout simply because you are stuck in say.. An airport. We used the chairs and each other to create enough cardio and muscle work for our exercise! My girl Sarah and I lead workout that morning.
4) One night, about 25 of us took turns in groups of 5 or 6 staying up for a prayer watch. This was exactly what it sounds like. I had the 4am-5am shift. Me and my girl Malorie crawled out of our tents, walked up a hill to a covered area, sat and spent intimate time with The Lord. Shortly after we began, a fellow night watcher Michelle suggested we all circle up and pray together. This was SO cool. About 8 of us swayed in the dark with heads bowed as we each spoke prayers from the heart, “pop-corn” style. Before we knew it our shift was over, and we handed off our shift to the people coming to relieve us. This had went on from 11pm that night till 6am the next morning. Some girls even felt compelled to stay throughout the entire night!
5) On the second to last day we were finally put into teams. These teams will be who you travel, minister, sleep, work, and lean on for the next 6 months. After that you change teams once more for the next 5 months. I am on an all women’s team with 6 other amazing people. Unfortunately now that I am home, I won’t see them until we launch for India. They live all over the US, but we are keeping in touch through Facebook. (:
6) It was about 70 degrees and we took a 2 mile hike with our 35 pound packs on. We had a time requirement to meet, so a few of us actually ran the last mile!! That was epic.
7) The staff, coaches and mentors put on a fake world market scenario for us Racers. It was utter chaos! I was immediately and consistently pick-pocketed, harassed by police and street people, and honked at by small vehicles pushing threw the crowds. The culture and atmosphere was raw and lively. We bartered for chicken, corn and rice. Ate with our hands. And best of all, felt sooo alive in the mists of chaos.. I can’t wait for the real thing. -Minus the pick-pocketing!
8) We hopped on a bus and went camping WITHOUT our tents during a mad down pour. This had to be my favorite night. The guys managed to not only make a few shelters out of nothing but tarp, rope and giant logs- but also pulled off a huge bonfire later that night! We ate cold, wet chicken and raw squash. We played games, swapped stories and savored candy until the rain settled. A few of us wound up sleeping on top of a pile of luggage since it was too wet to lay out our sleeping bags.
9) A lot of us slept in our hammocks at night. It was warm, quiet and cozy. The bugs really weren’t that bad. ..Minus the huge spider found inside Josh’s shoe.
10) We had squad wars the last day! Teams R, T and U (having 50 squad mates each) competed in various events and obstacles. This was a blast! We started off strong, winning the dance off. Then lost to other teams in the half mile sprint and some team challenges, but came back strong during the swim race and ended up winning the entire day after an all team tug-a-war!!
11) Each day we had new guest speakers. They always topped the last one. I swear I took so many notes, my hand was on fire. I learned so much from these people. They truly touched my heart and enlightened my way of thinking.
All in all, training camp was the best 10 days ever. And even though we had to take bucket showers with cold water, I ended up liking them- it was pretty refreshing!
I never enjoyed worship music until camp- and even then, it took time to mentally, spiritually and physically enjoy it.
Thanks for letting me keep you guys updated. Remember we leave June 25th for Georgia, and July 1st for India! 🙂
First three stops>>> India, Nepal and Cambodia!!
