As I hit my 4:30 a.m. snooze button the morning of my flight all I could think about was, “What did I just get myself into?” The idea of leaving home for nine straight months truly didn’t sink in until I was walking on the plane to head out for training camp. Uncertainity and doubt took control of my thoughts and I immediately began questioning whether or not this is what God had planned for me.
But then something changed
When I arrived at camp all the terrible feelings of nerve and discomfort vanished and that’s when I knew I wasn’t supposed to be anywhere else. I looked around and saw 270 other individuals like me who were sacrificing the comfort of their homes, friends and family to go serve the Lord all over the world. Then I met the 40 individuals who I’ll be sharing this life-changing journey with. At first, I was of little-ease of not knowing a single person on my squad, but never has community felt so easy or natural. We laughed, we cried, we danced, we worshipped like crazy and, my personal favorite, played super intense games of bunny bunny. In just 10 days, 40 strangers became a family and that blows my mind!
Although things were going great and I knew this is exactly where God wanted me to be, I’d be lying if I didn’t admit it was tough at times.
I traded the comfort of my bed for earth’s rocky ground. I traded my hot showers for freezing water out of a bucket. I traded indoor plumbing for a porta potty that felt like a gross sauna filled with flies. And most importantly I traded my tex-mex for crickets and gizzard. After adjusting to these changes, I learned what it was like to appreciate the small things. I appreciated my sleeping pad that protected my body from aching the next morning. I appreciated how nice it felt to take a cold bucket shower after a 2 mile hike with our 40 lbs backpacks in 90 degree weather. I appreciated how luxurious porta potties could feel after being cleaned. And I appreciated the chants and screams from everyone because our dinner contained chicken and eating utensils.
This is a slither of what my nine months will look like. A lifestyle of simplicity and change in order to share the Gospel. I never imagined the comfort I could find in the Lord in very uncomfortable conditions. The physical comforts that I lacked, I gained in God.
These 10 days marked the beginning of a nine month adventure and I couldn’t be more thrilled. I got to witness God do some really cool things at training camp and can’t wait to see how He works through us all over the world. It won’t be easy, but my faith is stronger than ever and I’m ready to embark on this journey!
Thanks for reading!
