Welcome back! Again, I’ve got so many things to say and so few words to say it all with. I think this will be a trend on the Race ;D
Firstly, I AM SO SORRY for posting these late! It’s been a while since Training Camp and I had meant to post these a day AFTER Camp! I was caught up in some stuff after coming home, plus just relaxing in an air-conditioned and no rules clothing house.
Let’s play a game! Count how many times I use the words “love”, “grateful”, and “gorgeous” in the post, and tell me in the comments below! It’s a lot XD If anyone who I described as gorgeous reads this, find me at Launch for some more compliments! There just aren’t enough words in the English language to describe how differently beautiful you all are.
But I. Am. Back! If y’all couldn’t tell already, I am on FIRE after going to Camp!!! God laid out everything so clearly. “I can see clearly now, the rain is gone” – That’s me by the end of Camp, and for the rest of my LIFE!
So, TRAINING CAMP! It was an experience, I’ll say that. I would LOVE to tell y’all the set up of the days, but I don’t know if that’s allowed, and I’d rather not get in trouble, thanks. (Probably wouldn’t but safer than sorry!) I mean, where to start? When in doubt, start from the beginning~
1. TRAVEL – So I’m from little ol’ Indy, TC is in Georgia, and I’ve got three younger siblings who can’t be left in a house alone. Add it all up, and I flew to and from Georgia on my own! First time! I was a nervous wreck! Moreso flying from Georgia. My family has been able to fly a lot, so I know the procedures but it’s completely different when you’re 1) flying by yourself and 2) are in a foreign airport.
I arrived at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and ain’t that a mouthful? I have absolutely no sense of directions, which my family can attest to.
So I walked out the gate and stared at a screen, displaying the different baggage claims. Disclaimer: I am not that confident in asking for help yet – I have a notion of being a burden or I’m just scared to. It’s illogical, but I’ll get to that later!
A lady with her daughter interrupted my staring match with the screen and offered to show me where the terminal is. Ma’am, I didn’t think to get your name, even though you got mine, but thank you for being exactly where God wanted you to be for helping me! We made small talk as we walked – her daughter has hearing aids too!
We split ways at the baggage claim, and I got my pack. Now I needed to find where the Level 2 was. I saw a Level 3 and 4, but not Level 2. BUT there was a little part of the airport that could BE a Level 2, so I saw a chance and took it and I was right! There were two other Racers there too!
Fast forward over meeting the other Squads, waiting around for the buses, driving seventy minutes to camp, and then we ARRIVE! AAAAH! AND Here was the tricky part.
I am a creature, as we all are, of habit. And my habit, when in situations that I don’t know all the “rules” (What’s okay to say/bring up? Who could be a potential friend? Who would scoff/ignore me?), I become a bystander.
Keep a look out for that word in the next post, it’s important! I’ve gone to camps before where I felt that way the entire time I was there, and it’s because I don’t feel secure enough to open up.
What if I’m laughed at? Brushed off? Ignored? To an extent, these are all issues that many of us struggle with. My point is, I wasn’t speaking up that much during the first half of Camp.
Then I met my SQUAD, and my TEAM, and EVERYONE!!!
2. COMPLIMENTS & SMILES – Anyone who has met me can attest to this: I am an encourager. I give compliments out like candy, but genuinely. I pride myself on giving compliments about something I actually like about you. (I’d never do well in a competitive office job, I can’t kiss up. XD) And there were so many AMAZING people at Camp! And I gave (almost) everyone I interacted with compliments.
Here’s the cherry on top: not everyone likes compliments. I understand. But the knowledge doesn’t soothe the hurt when someone accepts my compliment with a side-eye and clenched teeth, “Thanks…”, or just give a flat look, or even a “What the heck you weirdo?”
Believe you me, I have so many STRANGE things I’ve noticed about people and like about them, but I never say them out loud. Things like the silhouette of your face, or how stormy blue your eyes are, etc.
Anywhoozit, a miracle happened at camp: every single person I gave a compliment to? They SMILED. Every time I smiled at someone? They SMILED BACK. I’m a natural “meet eyes with person, smile at them” girl. I usually get stiff looks, “what the heck are you doing weirdo?” looks, or someone just looking away. But at Training Camp?
When I gave people compliments, they ALWAYS smiled and their eyes lit up and I LIVE for that look. Where a person grins abashedly, their eyes light up like stars as they absorb it, and that it’s actually being said about them.
I think, one of the many reasons God created me with my skills and experiences, is to light up people’s days in encouragement. That’s why I keep smiling at those who don’t respond in kind. It’s why I always see out those who are different, wrong, disabled. I know how it feels. But with my SQUAD, TEAM, and LEADERS, I never felt different!!
3. MY TEAM, SQUAD, AND THE LEADERS – To clear up confusion: there are several routes. When I got to camp, I met everyone who was not my same route; this is my SQUAD. We are Squad Y! Then, I was separated into a TEAM with my girls which I’ll tell y’all about below!
Our squad has 6 teams. And we have several counselors that lead. Some of the counselors will stay with us for a couple of months, while some stay with us the whole time. I am still confusion on which team has which leader, and who’s going to stay with us for only three months and for the whole Race, but that’s okay! I was still able to interact with all the counselors.
WE ARE clap clap SONRISA! Sonrisa means ’smile’ and ‘grin’ in Spanish! Like how we’ll keep either while we are on the Race, doing the Lord’s work!
Team Sonrisa is comprised of the: fabulous Claire Burton, an absolute sweetheart with a smile to match! Lexi Hatten, a willing personality and whom I’m excited to learn more about for these next nine months! Zoe Rowland, a gorgeous voice in telling God’s words! Ariauna Bison, a sparkling smile with a heart for disabilities just like ME! Rosie Ferris, a blend of stillness and tics and fierce throughout it all! And lastly, ME! The girl with a positive outlook and hugs to match!
Did I add, all of us are leaders in our own ways? If my team read this, tell me if I got your leader type wrong!
Claire Burton, our THOUGHTFUL INSIGHTS LEADER! Every time we had morning devotions, Claire spoke up on how she viewed the verse. It was always different from my interpretation, which was really cool to hear.
Lexi Hatten, our FRIENDSHIP LEADER! The leaders (our counselors, that is) wanted us to move to different tables at every meal, so we could meet different people from other Squads or from our own! Lexi, without fail, always struck up a conversation with the new person.
Zoe Rowland, our TEACHING LEADER! She knew quite a bit about different foods we ate (like a century egg, which was…interesting to eat), food products, and overall lifestyle choices! She even taught some of the Squad yoga!
Ariauna Bison, our WILLING LEADER! If you hop over to her blog, you’ll see her family lives and does missionary work in China! And Ariauna was extremely willing to talk about it at TC, and I am so grateful for that.
Rosie Ferris, our DECISIVE LEADER! You know that one person who always steps up to lead? They know what to do and how to do it, and you’re relieved because you didn’t know how to do it? She’s that fabulous leader.
PLUS PLUS PLUS I’ve met people who lead like that, and usually they roll right over quieter leaders like Ariauna and I. They don’t take criticism, they know best because they ARE the best, etc. Yeah, Rosie isn’t like that. No, Rosie is one of the best versions of this leader I’ve seen. She takes criticism and applies it. She’s willing for others to talk. She doesn’t cut others down.
Lexie Weber, the MOTHER LEADER! Whatever was the first thing in you mind, that ain’t it chief 😉 When there’s a choice to be made, and people spend 5+ minutes talking about whether to take A or B, I’m the one who will cut in, tell everyone to make up their mind, and explain the pros and cons of each choice. I try to stop the group arguments if there’s a choice to be made. Ironically enough, I hate conflict ;)))
I am so grateful, pleased, thankful, and gratified that God placed me on this team, with these people specifically. I LOVE ALL OF Y’ALL SO MUCH!
As for my Squad and our counselors, Courtney and Cal, I LOVE Y’ALL MORE THAN YOU COULD EVER KNOW! Those ten days? They were the first time in my LIFE where I felt accepted. If Training Camp was mimicking how the World Race is going to be like, then I am even MORE excited to go now! Every single one of my squadmates is the absolute best, and I am so grateful that every single one of them is on my Squad!!!
For the counselors, they explained all their different roles and titles on the first day, but it all, kind of, flew over my head XD I just say “counselors” for ease. If one of y’all reads this post and mind it, please tell me what other title I should use.
Training Camp was one of the first times I felt comfortable in every staff member’s presence. So without further ado, here is my compliments of all of them!
Courtney is an absolute sweetheart. I love her so, so much from her soft voice to the way her smile lights up her entire face to how she talks about God. I cannot wait to start the Race with her.
I didn’t interact with Cal much, but from what I had seen, he seemed like a chill man, nice and good with his teams.
There were two: Katie and Katy and I love both of them so much. I’m using the word “love” like salt, it feels so overused but it’s TRUE. Katie is an absolute powerhouse of understanding and I am so grateful for her!!! Plus, she’s absolutely gorgeous??? I love her so much.
For Katy, she’s short like me and that is the thing the other counselors lovingly tease her about and it is, relatable. She has an extremely willing attitude and vibe around her, of being up for anything. And as ever, gorgeous.
Liz, Emma, and Clarissa were other counselors that lead Squad Y and the other teams. Liz is an unequivocal ball of hyperactive happiness that you, specifically YOU, are here!
She often has an ecstatic grin on her face and it is gorgeous. Emma and Clarissa look so similar. I kept on getting mixed up on whom was whom. They don’t see it, but many of us on Squad Y do.
Both of them are absolutely fantastic. I love both their voices, they’re sort of mid range and it’s really relaxing. And, gorgeous 😀
Side note: we gave our counselor our phone every morning, turned OFF, and received it at night. But I WISH I could have had it at times because Liz, Emma, Clarissa, and Katie worked so well as a team.
It was truly inspiring and adorable to see them reacting to their own jokes and generally being a girl squad. I really, really hope that I could reach that level with my team, but only time will tell.
Megan Anderson is the mentor of Squad Y, and Drew Stamey is the admissions advisor for the Race. It was wonderful meeting them in the flesh for the first time.
Megan is just so amazing, and I wan’t able to interact with Drew much, but he seemed like a really cool guy! Plus, the cheers when he let his hair down (he wore it in a man bun the whole ten days) was adorable.
And lastly but by NO means whatsoever least, Rozy and Roger!! I’m not sure what position they were in, but they were amazing!! And Rozy was a Southern belle gorgeous, and Roger was handsome!
To sum it up, everyone I saw and met was GORGEOUS. I’ve got more to say, but this post is getting real long, so I’ll tell y’all about my realizations, experiences, and second baptism tomorrow!
Love ya friends,
Sunny!
(Can you tell I love everyone? ;))
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
~Colossians 3:12-14
