For the past two weeks, I’ve been in Gainesville, Georgia at Adventures in Missions working on the serve team at Training Camp. It was a very humbling opportunity to go behind the scenes and serve the other squads preparing to leave for the Race in January.
So.. What Did I do?
Because my new route fuses together Racers from other countries, we will be meeting and training in our first country, Columbia. We are the only squad launching next year that will be doing this in place of the traditional World Race training camp. If you aren’t familiar with training camp, it’s where every squad that’s launching together gathers to get to know their squads, prepares spiritually and physically for the Race, learns about the cultures that they’ll be immersed in, and spends lots and lots of time with Jesus.
Making the switch to my new route meant not going to training camp in Gainesville and waiting to meet my team until January. When I made this decision, I still wanted to go down to Georgia to meet the people from my initial route and serve them to some capacity. I talked to my former squad mentor and she helped make a way for me to join the Serve Team. Working for the Serve Team mainly consists of helping out in the kitchen and campus upkeep. It’s uncommon for someone that hasn’t been on the Race to go behind the scenes and help, so I’m really thankful that AIM allowed me to do so! It was a blast and I made some incredible friends along the way.
I drove down with some of my former squad-mates, showed them around Chillicothe, and went camping with them, in Kentucky. Here’s a tip: Don‘t sleep outside in your eno when it’s barely 40 degrees out. Your toes WILL turn purple! (It’ll be worth it if you do, though.) We got there a day early and attended the Storytellers Workshop before camp started. This is a two day class that focuses on the importance of storytelling while out on the field. A huge part of why I love photography and videography so much is because they give you opportunities to share stories with people from all over the world. On the Race, I am expecting my team and I to witness miracles, people coming to Christ, and lives being changed.. And one thing that I want to make sure to do is share these stories with YOU, no matter what part of the world I am in. I learned a lot about effective ways to do this while on the field and was given a renewed passion for storytelling through media.
After the workshop, I met the serve team that I’d be working with for the next two weeks. These strangers soon became family to me. They all were former World Racers and they really encouraged me in this season of preparing for the Race. The Lord used them to show me a lot about His love and His goodness. I’m very thankful to have worked alongside people who love Him so much and have huge hearts for serving others!
Working on the serve team renewed the passion that I have to serve others. I think sometimes we can get so distracted by our daily routines and forget that we’re supposed to push ourselves away and put others before us, always. Serving at training camp required me to constantly step back and be intentional. I don’t want to miss a single opportunity to serve someone else, especially when on the race.
I got to meet my Squad Leaders! The serve team stayed with some of the staff at AIM and this gave me the opportunity to get to know some of the people that will be guiding and mentoring us throughout this next year. Some of them weren’t reuired to be there, so it was definitely God moving. I feel really blessed to have had that opportunity to meet them and have full assurance that AIM picked some incredible leaders for our Fusion Squad. 😉
How God Used This Experience To Prepare Me For The Race
God used training camp to humble me.
I’m going to be honest. A couple of months ago, I imagined myself to spend this time bonding with my squad through belly laughs and dance parties. I thought that I’d leave knowing who my teams were and I anticipated two weeks filled with poor hygiene from a bucket shower every few days or so. I expected to do everything that I had seen in the World Race videos that vloggers post at training camp and more. Instead, I left with a completely different experience. At first, it was hard to see my former squad and not be apart. I almost expected Ashton Kutcher to come out and tell me that I had been Punk’d (okay, not to that extreme). Seeing all of the squads meet and do life together for two weeks definitely caused some serious FOMO. It was always weird to be asked, “When did you go on the Race?” and have to explain that I was leaving in January.
Would I change any part of it? Not at all! I made some of the best friends I could ask for and gained some of the greatest memories. I probably laughed more than I ever have and had some incredible moments with the Lord. I got so much closer to Him! It was such a great experience and through any doubt that I carried, God showed up. He pulled me out of my comfort zones to build my trust in Him. I had to fully surrender my understanding and place it in the hands of the One that carries my life. He’s the One that called me to this mission trip and He’s the One who carries a plan much greater than my own. When I leave for the Race, I’m going to be placed in positions that require me to completely abandon my knowing and trust in what He has to say. I am thankful for He‘s helping me to do that even before the Race.
Can You Pray For Me?
In two months, I’ll be leaving for the Race. It’ll be here before we know it! There is still a lot that I need to prepare for and gear I need to buy. I have a month to raise another $5,000 and though it feels nearly impossible, I’m trusting that God is going to provide.
Here’s how you can pray:
• Pray that my faith continues to strengthen. I crave to have faith that can move a mountain.
• Encouragement. This season for me has included a lot of spiritual warfare. It’s almost expected with such a great shift occurring in my life. God is going to do huge things next year and the Enemy is going to do anything he can to stop that. Pray that I can continue to draw near to God and find my joy and strength in HIM.
• Finances. With this deadline coming up, gear to buy, and extra money to save for while I’m on the field- it’s been a challenge. Pray that I can fully surrender my cares to Him and trust that He’s going to provide.
• My team. Pray for my team as they prepare for the Race, as well! Pray that they draw near to God in this time and see His provision.
• For the people that we’ll be encountering. Pray that God prepares their hearts and that we are fully attentive to what He wants for us in each country. Pray that we witness miracles in Jesus name!
Thank you all for reading this update and for your prayers and support!
With All My Love,
Jordan
