I will preface this blog by saying this: training camp was not what I expected.
But yes, I am back to everyday living after testing the simple life at training camp the past 10 days. By simple life i mean dirty, smelly, waking up damp in your tent every morning, woods, rain, sweat, bucket showering, etc.
Training camp was rough. Not just because of the above, but because we were pushed to our limits physically, mentally, and spiritually. And I want to give you as my donor, friend, family, prayer supporter, or stranger some insight into that.
*If you are a future racer please do not read any further. For your own good you need to go into training camp like I did: not knowing what was about to go down.*
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*Seriously, leave the page now…*
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Day 1: Arrive at camp and set up your tent, spend the evening greeting all your new friends and ministry partners. Our first session was a glimpse of what laid ahead: be yourself, ask questions, be open to conversation and vulnerability. Be uncomfortable, get out and follow Jesus, abandon what you know, step out of the boat.
Day 2: Practice hike. Now that everything has been nicely set up for about 12 hours it’s time to take it all down and pack it up, because today at 0700 you are taking a short hike with your pack on since tomorrow you will be doing it for 3 miles. And it’s Asia day, so it’s asian food! Sessions today talk about making disciples, leading others to maturity in Christ, mission, intimacy, community, kingdom. What do you have to offer to your squad and to the world? Where is your identity, is there a “yes” in your spirit? Jesus is not safe.. Learn to speak truth in love, do not antagonize and evangelize at the same time. Grace will find you before judgment will, it will set you free from a slave mentality, it won’t keep track of your mistakes.
Day 3: No morning exercise! It’s Latin America day, so food is really yummy! In sessions today we learn about keeping a healthy mind, body and soul. It suits since you are soon doing that 3 mile hike. Speak of the devil the time for that has come! Load up and get going, your start time is 2:02, be back by 2:52. Yay, you made it at 2:50! Evening session is deep, we are talking about unforgiveness. How it will shape your heart, lead to anxiety, shape how you view yourself, lead to hatred, put a wall up between you and God. Get connected to God’s forgiveness, choose to forgive, pray blessings, forgive according to the level of the offense. After session you have a sleeping scenario: half your squads packs are lost by the airport, pair up and share your things. Have fun!
Day 4: Up and at ’em for a team workout, run for 30 minutes! Oh and it’s Eastern Europe day, the food is the best today. At lunch today the table talks about speaking in tongues, so you pray for more Holy Spirit for the team. (Little did I know that was the topic of night session, but God knew.) Morning session goes deep into pain and emotion, being free and helping free others. Night session comes and worship was the best, people were witnessing the Holy Spirit move, fear was replaced with amazement and openness. I experienced some deliverance this night, and it felt like the Holy Spirit was bringing a new baptism to me. Sleeping scenario is a 12 hour airport layover. Your team gets to sleep inside tonight! But, the lights are on all night, there’s a recording playing all night of airport announcements, plane noises, people talking. And although the AC feels nice it’s a little cold.
Day 5: Today we talk about women and our purpose. The men all leave to go hike far away and talk about being a man. We dive into the topic of shame, and grow closer through dealing with it together. Have fun and talk girly things with leaders, and find out they are the best because they bought us chocolate! Get inspired, be someone who is present, be willing to meet God on the mountain, bring kingdom and speak authority, christ is worth it: believe it.
Day 6: The boys are back in town! This was exciting, we all really love our new brothers! We talk about community today, and being open and honest with each other. Later today we pack up and head to a local camp site for a team camp out. Build a shelter, start a fire, eat and have lots of conversation!
Day 7: Today is Africa day, and the women must serve our men and then eat on the floor. We have no utensils so eat with your hands! Session is about listening prayer, meditating with God, what is he saying to you as you pray? What you value you will steward, what you steward will increase, what increases will be an influence in your life, what influences you will determine the direction you go. Tonight’s sleeping scenario is prayer through the night. Each squad mate takes 30 minutes between the hours of 2300-0600. I’m up from 0300-0400.
Day 8: India day! We don’t have to serve our men anymore, but we still have to eat with our hands. Informative sessions and then an exciting afternoon because you find out your individual team! Go out with them and get to know each one some more, have fun together!
Day 9 is full of informative sessions, Q&A’s, community sleeping scenario with about 6 people packed into 1 large tent each, delicious american food, coming up with a dance for squad wars, one huge cookout at squad wars and seeing everyones creativity played out in their dances.
Day 10 is campus cleaning and pack up. Say ‘see you later’ to all your squad mates, and make your ways home.
So, how does all this sound to you? Fun, busy, too much? To me it would have sounded like too much if I knew it was all coming, but in the process I realized how important it all was. The sessions, exercises, studying, food, quiet times, even the bucket showers. It was all worth it.
To clarify some confusion that you may be having about terms like squad and team, a squad is everyone that is on your route. Each squad is then split into teams of about 6 or more, depending on how big your squad is. The teams are built after seeing how each person works together during team building exercises: they want to build good teams. Your squad will travel to the same countries, but not to the same ministries. Each team will go to different ministries within the country. But some months will involve the whole squad being together for ministry.
I will be writing more very soon, because I have so much to share and many prayers to request!
In His Love,
Hope
