Umm training camp, my mind is racing through all 11 crazy days of it trying to figure out how to start, and I have no idea. There are so many great things about training camp. I want to start off with the people. My squad is made of 31 amazing individuals that I can’t wait to get to know more and join them in joining in with the Kingdom around the world. We have four squad leaders who have been on the Race before so they get to lead us for the first 5 months. I only have had the chance to meet two of them, I see the love they have for us and God, I can’t wait to learn from them and meet the other two at launch. Then we have our squad’s leadership team, I could say something great about everyone on this team, I am speechless looking back at my camp. They are all so real, encouraging, had a heart for God, want the best for our squad, and on and on. They called me out when I needed to be and encouraged me to speak up because I have something important to say, I have a problem with being quiet. They didn’t just lead us they joined us in every part of the week, when we got vulnerable they got vulnerable too, and as an individual getting lead by these people it makes me trust them and appreciate them even more.
Now, what happened during training camp. I would love to tell you all about it but I don’t like typing that much, sorry. I will tell you how to survive. First, you are going on the World Race so you probably are already good at it, but let go! You have no control, you eat what they make, there is no menu, if they teach something that you didn’t learn growing up in church, make sure it is biblical and if it is try it even though is weird to you. Even though you brought awesome camping stuff you might lose it all, I had to come to the realization that it isn’t the end of the world not to have my stuff and you have to appreciate the generosity of your squad. You need to train for the fitness hike, well I had to and I’m glad I did. The man hike is a long hike also and just because you’re from Colorado does not mean it is easy. (I should have went hiking more.). Bucket showers, yeah bucket showers, if you haven’t let out a real scream in a while you will if you get to take a bucket shower in the cold in October. The last thing you have to do to make it is be real, open up, don’t worry about what your hair or beard or even if you are wearing the same clothes as yesterday you only have so many warm clothes. I believe that relationship are built better when you are real and not hiding behind a wall trying to protect yourself.
I want to talk a little more about my squad and then my team. First I want to start off by talking about myself and how I am I guess. Friendship for me is hard but also easy. I joke around that I’m everyone’s friend because I am pretty easy to get along with, and I can always find something to talk to someone about. But usually, I don’t get on to deep of level with people. It takes a long time to get to know someone for me and for me to trust them with big things it takes a while. At the end of a 10-day training camp, something weird happened. I really cared for my squad and they felt like my brothers and sisters. It weird to me because I can’t make friends in 10 days but I feel like I made a bunch of great friends in that time. Anyway, People that go on the world race are different it seems like, first they are real, they are generous, in both physical possessions, wisdom, and love. They are a little crazy (if you want to go live in a tent for 11 months to share the gospel you have to be a little crazy) but they are awesome. They are going to be by your side when you are struggling, everyone wants you to succeed and everyone will challenge you to grow.
Alright that’s my team above. First of all 3 of us are from the great state of Colorado which I think is pretty cool. We already have some good stories and I cant want to make way more with these people. First story; The day we found out we were a team we set up our tents around each other, so we all get settled in our tents and after someone was done with their phone call with family. We just talked through our tents, learning each other’s favorite movies, book and stalking each others Instagram’s. We talked for a while and then forgot pretty much everyone can hear us at the camp so we felt bad and shut up. It really doesn’t sound like a cool story but I think it was awesome getting to know my team and for some reason I loved it. I hope and believe God is going to do great things with my team and squad. I can’t wait to see Gods plan for us and it’s hard to wait 2 months to get this started.
I feel like I went all over the placed with this blog and I did but that is kind of how I am right now thinking about training camp, I can write about so many things and I don’t know what to say or when to say it in this blog sorry. I hope you got a small glimpse of how training camp was.
Lucas Hultgren
