World. Missionary. Training. Camp. Out.
Little did I know how unprepared I was for last week’s training camp. Adventures in Missions likes it when there is little to no information given, I guess it leaves us racers in the “depend on no one, no thing, no time except God” mentality.
After a 15.5 hour road trip down to White, GA with two other fellow racers, we unloaded and set up our little pop tents on a field of a tent town of about 200 other young adults. All racers had been divided up into color coordinated D, E, F, G Squads depending on the world route chosen. Introductions were made, the awkward “online-dating-first-time-meeting-you-in-real-life-after-months-of-facebook-chatting” phase ended and the first night of settling in began with a rough start. Due to the fact that my squad, E squad, had originally had 84 people on it (compared to the other 3 squads averaging 47) there needed to be some rearranging. Weeks prior to camp we were approached and asked of 16 girls and 7 guys to switch routes/squads. While most of the rearranging took place before camp, the first night the Adventures staff gathered our squad and said they still needed 8 more girls to switch. You can imagine the disappointment. We sat in silence and prayed. Over the course of what felt like hours, 8 girls walked out of the room with a deeper understanding of wildly trusting God in the unknown. Our squad adopted the three finger salute from the Hunger Games as we said goodbye and prayed over the girls transition.
11pm. Head lights starting shutting off and soon it was just me and my tent and a spider who decided to camp out in my sleeping bag with me. Without even a second thought to past through my mind, I grabbed the body and squished it, then proceeded to wiped my hands on the wet grass and went to bed. Day 1 done and I was already a different person.
Every morning we were expected to have all gear including tents, hammocks, sleeping gear packed up, rolled up and ready to go by 7am. At 7am we were given our morning workout. Did I mention our first night it rained? And it continued to rain throughout the duration of the first day with a temperature barely reaching a solid 50 degrees. For your imagination, all gear was sopping wet and the wardrobes that was packed for summer camp left a lot of us uncontrollably shivering all day. Our squad gathered at our field shortly after lunch to our surprise seeing two giant tarps laid out. Upon choosing a teammate, we then had to each pick one or the other tarp to place all of our belongings on it. A note left then read, “Your squad was traveling to Asia and half of the luggage was lost. Your squad leaders decided it was too late to do anything about until tomorrow.” All of my belongings, clothes, toothbrush, tent, sleeping bag..etc.. were lost for Day 2 and 3. Crack. The reality was hitting me hard. What was I getting myself into?
Days felt like weeks. The physical strain was breaking us down on the outside. Limited meals were prepared based on a different continent each day, presented on shared platters and eaten off of by different cultured habits which meant eating with only your left hand in Eastern Europe, only your right in India and sometimes silverware was allowed.
Gatherings happened three times a day, after most mealtimes, in an outdoor pavilion on top of the campground’s biggest hill. Sessions began with worship that brought a glimpse of Heaven to earth from the hunger cries of racers that have chosen to abandon all comforts of this world. Worship was real, passionate, needy, expectant, reviving and strengthening. Messages and World Race “Wisdom Talks” were given. Selfish perspectives and expectations were shattered. I felt like all my old insecurities were pulled out to the surface, my trust in people was hanging by thread and my heart numb with what to feel next. In break out sessions my mouth vomited words of fear, stories of bitterness, unforgiveness I had towards people and myself and hostile doubt.
Stripped. Emotionally and spiritually.
Love be in my bones. Love let down my walls. My Spirit was desperate for Love. Love to consume the weariness, the fears, the doubt and to be rebuilt. This past week felt like I had a heart and mind transplant. God continued to remove the bordered up windows I tried to patch up on my heart even when He was already planning the next big addition. He had removed the scales from my eyes to see myself like He does. He continued to confirm my calling over and over through multiple people who prayed over me at camp. The words given to me, “apostle” and “trailblazer” are unlocking gifts and abilities I’ve known but left unused because of fear. My heart leaps when I think of the people and faces God is going to use my voice to speak His love and freedom over. Thank you Jesus that we have you who has given us the ability to minister with boldness and power.
Throughout the training progression, our squad continued to break up into multiple smaller teams of 7 for several different team challenges. We were scouted by the staff to see who works well together, who leads well and what doesn’t work at all. By the end of the week I was matched up with what I couldn’t have imagined to be a better team, a dream team. For the next 11 months, I will be ministering, living, breathing with this team 24/7.. so that makes them closer than family. So allow me to introduce to you Team Akal Esh, hebrew meaning, “consuming fire.” We were asked to name our team that spoke prophetical life, something to press into.
“Akal Esh” is mention in Deuteronomy 4:24, claiming God’s love as an all-consuming attitude that demands its way. God’s love for us demands a response, a devotion of him. It insists that when we surrender our lives, desires, pursuits and affections to God, His presence will continually be available to us, our lives will be abundant, full of purpose, hope and an intimate relationship with Him.
Meet the members of my family:
(Left to Right) Darren and Lyndie Bateman, Drea Ruddock, Myself, Josh Duren, Olivia “O-Dawg” Bourgeois and Corey Miller.
This would be an even longer and more detailed blog if I sat here and type out all the amazing things, people met and adventures that happened over the course of last week. But know God is good, His Spirit is alive and active in the millions of ways we’ll never always see or fully understand. Keep these 200+ world racers in your daily prayers as the last month of countdown to launch begins! Pray over our hearts, that the work the Holy Spirit did this week continues to reveal more truth in our lives, that Jesus continues to be our focus, unity grows out of love, gossip and insecurities are left at home. Pray over our support raising, leaving families and friends, ending jobs well, selling homes and cars goes smoothly and we all make our financial deadlines!
Thank you readers!! Xo, Kirst
