Alright. As promised, I am here to tell you about training camp. Some of you may not know but from July 8th through the 19th I was in Gainesville, Georgia for training camp. Hot and humid Georgia. Don’t get me wrong… Georgia is a BEAUTY. However, when you’re sleeping in a tent for almost two weeks and you don’t have access to running water it gets kind of hard to stay optimistic.
Despite the sheer physical uncomfortability of training camp there was also mental and emotional discomfort. Matthew 28: 19-20 says this, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age”. As a missionary, this verse really speaks to my heart. It resonates with me daily. The fact that I am trying to live this verse glorifies the Lord. Consequently, Satan is not as pleased with me. In fact the very thought of me being at training camp makes him quiver in bitterness. And this is what I struggled with. Spiritual warfare is something I had heard about but didn’t completely understand. But now it is something I really understand. I can’t tell you how many times I had to stop myself from looking at early flights home. I have been called to do something so beautiful and Satan is- for a lack of better words- ticked off. I started to believe that this is not what I am supposed to do and that I am not good enough. But the thing is these are not my thoughts! When we fight hard for our God, Satan attacks us hard.
Driving into camp you experience this wave of doubt and you can feel the spiritual warfare. The presence of Satan is strong, but the presence of the Lord is even stronger.
It took a few days for me to understand what was going on and how to combat it. Once I overcame the initial shock of training camp and I got into the groove of camping (still not a fan) I was able to connect with my squad- who I like to refer to as my second family. These people. Wow these people. I don’t even know where to start. They are some of the most genuine people I have ever met. They radiate the word and are some of the most encouraging people I will ever meet. I really connected with the girls on my team. I am actually going to tell you a little bit about my team. My team is made up of 6 girls who I will live and travel with.
First there’s me… duh.
Next is Natalie (AKA Nat)! Natalie is the most joyful human I have encountered in my 18 years of life. She always has a smile on her face- and a beautiful smile at that. She is one of the first people I connected with and helped me get through the rough days at training camp. I will forever be thankful for this gem of a person.
Next we have Maegan (AKA Mae)! A leader if I’ve ever seen one. One of the gentlest and kindest souls alive. Her intentionality with people is something I can only pray for. Her heart is so open and optimistic and she never ever puts herself first.
Next is Alana (AKA Lan)! Lan is the most genuine person in the whole world. And as long as you are around her you will never be sad- I can literally promise you this. She is the most fun and spontaneous person and she refuses to let anyone feel down. She wants everyone to feel heard and appreciated and this is a unique quality in a person.
Next we have Rachel (AKA Rach)! Rachel is such a gift. Such a pure and soft spoken soul. She is the most intentional listener. You can always rant to Rachel and know that you’re being heard. She is such a light to our team.
Next is Alicia (AKA Lic)! Alicia is so very bold. She is truly one of a kind. She is such a strong and mature girl and she handles difficult situations with grace. Her honesty is one that helps you grow as a person. I greatly appreciate the person she is.
Now this next girl is our team leader- and I know everyone probably thinks their team leaders are the best but I can honestly say that mine takes the cake. Brittany! Brittany is such a god fearing person. I strive to be like her everyday. She is wise beyond her years and makes an effort to make everyone feel wanted. I honestly would not have survived training camp without her.
There you go. That’s my team. I suggest studying these names because they will 100% come up again. They are some of the most beautiful people God ever created and if you have the chance, I highly recommend checking out their blogs as well.
Now… a lot of you are probably wondering what we actually did at training camp so I am going to try my best to sum it up for you.. Everyday was a different theme. One day was Africa day and one day was India day- so basically everyday was a different continent. And on these days we ate that specific type of food and had to abide by that places cultural norms. So for example on India day the girls had to keep their heads covered and everyone ate with their hands (btw if you are a future racer and you are reading this please bring hand sanitizer to camp… just trust me on this one). On top of this we had religion lessons on all the different religions we might encounter. We learned mainly about Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism. In all honesty I think these religions are very misunderstood. So if you have time, I would encourage you to do some research. *fun fact: all of these religions believe in Jesus is some form or way* We also learned a lot about the cultures we will be going to and how we should behave. Everything we learned was extremely interesting and I feel like a more well rounded person knowing this information.
One of the biggest things we did was worship- in fact we had a whole session on worship. The worship at training camp is INSANE. The holy spirit is so present in that room and the amazing band helps you connect with it. I really can’t explain how emotional it was, it’s something you have to experience.
Training camp was quite the experience and I’m glad it’s over because now I am ready to launch. I am so very excited. I am working towards my next fundraising goal and starting to pack for launch in September. Lately people have been asking me how I feel and right now all I can say is excited. I am genuinely excited. I am excited to travel and serve alongside my beautiful team and squad. I am excited to be transformed and see the world with a new lens. I am just excited.
Thank you again to everyone who has made this possible. You will forever have a piece of my heart. I love every single one of you so much. Thank you for following my journey!
Song suggestion:
“Good Grace” by: Hillsong UNITED
