(Disclaimer: This blog was written day 5 at camp. I will post another one soon that takes a holistic look at camp)
I know people are going to ask me how training camp was when I get back. Friends, family, future racers, race alumni, everyone. And honestly, I think the only people who will really understand what I say will be race alumni. Part of the reason for this is the face that we can’t give away too many “camp secrets” so future racers can experience what we experienced in the same way. The other reason is that we have gone through so much that it’s difficult to describe exactly the ways we’ve grown this 9 days. It hasn’t always been easy, and it hasn’t always been fun, but it has prepared us for the race physically, mentally, emotionally, and especially spiritually.
The World Race team is super legit and really want us to be filled by the spirit as we go out into the field. There is not condemnation here, and that is refreshing. People are accepted for who they are: sons and daughters of Christ. Proclaiming that is held in high regard here, which is still a little weird to me, but I’m learning more and more just how beneficial that is. We spent days just breaking free and experiencing more of the Holy Spirit.
On the other hand, it has also been a stretching time. We have to go through some not-so-fun simulations that are meant to mimic things we might experience. They haven’t been easy, but in the end our squad is much closer, and that’s what matters. There were times where we were cold, hungry, sun-burned, tired, sweaty, and stressed. But there also times where we’re having a blast, from cooking around a fire to making a slip-n-slide. While this week may be hard, it is totally worth it.
I came into camp with a good number of expectations, and those have been shattered. My squadmates are different and better than I thought. God has moved in different ways than I thought, and I have been transformed in different ways than I expected. I’m excited for the journey that’s ahead of me and I can’t wait to see how God continues to mold me.
I’m definitely nervous about the race now. It’s going to be fun, but being gone for a year is going to be tough. I think I’ve treated the race as a camping trip until now. It won’t be easy to be gone from my family and friends (and all the good food in southern California), but God is sovereign and will bless me so much more than if I stuck around America to eat more In-N-Out.
