My new friend and coworker, Matt, wrote this a few weeks ago when he came to visit us at training camp. It’s a great outsider’s look into what goes on during the week. So if you’ve ever wondered what training camp’s are all about, check this:
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Every few months the AIM offices become a popular destination for young men & women from all over the country, preparing for the journey of a lifetime. These individuals I am referring to are the latest World Racers, around 50 young adults getting ready to share Christ’s love with 11 countries in 11 months.
This week I was fortunate enough to be able to attend a day of the October 2009 team’s training camp. These training camps are held for 10 days and are used to equip the teams heading out into the field with the inner transformation and knowledge necessary to effectively touch the lives of those they come in contact with.
I had a chance to chat with WR Training Camp Coordinator Jimmy McCarty, and he had this to say about the camp’s purpose:
The conditions for the training camp are made to give the campers a sense of what the experience will be like out in the mission field. Nice comfy beds are traded for sleeping bags, make-up is traded for bug spray, and hair gel is traded for baseball caps. Despite the lack of their everyday comforts, the camp-wide attitude was extremely positive. The excitement and anticipation for the upcoming adventure was enough to overcome any minor inconvenience the racers may have been feeling.
With so much preparation necessary before they can be launched out into the field, as much training is packed into every minute as possible. A morning full of team building in the Georgia heat gave AIM staff members a chance to evaluate the compatibility and leadership skills of each team member. During lunch, the racers intently soaked in information regarding the Latin American countries they would be visiting. Following some additional team building exercises, time was set aside for separate guys and girls coaching. The evening officially ended with a powerful squad-led worship service.
With so much preparation necessary before they can be launched out into the field, as much training is packed into every minute as possible. A morning full of team building in the Georgia heat gave AIM staff members a chance to evaluate the compatibility and leadership skills of each team member. During lunch, the racers intently soaked in information regarding the Latin American countries they would be visiting. Following some additional team building exercises, time was set aside for separate guys and girls coaching. The evening officially ended with a powerful squad-led worship service. My visit came about halfway through the camp, and it was evident that God had already been at work in the lives of the future racers. The healing process needed by many before they enter the mission field is enough to turn even the mightiest warrior into a vulnerable child. Coaches, staff members, and former racers are consistently on hand to walk the racers through this difficult process. The idea is that these personal breakthroughs would create a more intimate team bond, and the sense of camaraderie I observed was overwhelming. Just about every racer I spoke to mentioned the surprising sense of community that had been built in just a short time. Even the connection between the former World Racers and the current group was noticeable; like members of a secret club where only a select few know the code.
The passion and commitment exhibited by these particular racers was a breath of fresh air in this increasingly self-serving society. Ignoring their own comfort zones so that they can meet the hopeless and hurting where they live is a quality that we should all aspire to. The October team will continue to be in our prayers as they continue their adventure.
