My dear friends, here is the long awaited blog on training camp that all 5 of you have been waiting for (yes, those 5 include my parents…).
So I want to tell you guys everything that happened at camp, but I don’t want to ruin the experience for future racers. If you want the full story you’ll just have to ask me in person 🙂
This is the 3rd blog I’ve started in an attempt to share camp with you guys. Imagine trying to summarize the best/craziest week of your life in a short blog. To be honest, I’m still trying to process it all. I’ve decided the best way to explain training camp is pick a few of my favorite moments and some pictures.
1. The worship at camp was unbelievable. I’ve experienced a lot of different bands and styles, but there’s nothing like a bunch of Racers who are crazy about Jesus spending time in the presence of the Holy Spirit. You have to experience it to understand.
2. While at camp we did everything as a community. There was no exception when it came to meal times! We sat in groups of 8 and often had to use our hands and just eat off the serving plate. Trust me, no one cared by the time we got to eat. Each day we ate food from different continents we will travel to while on the field. We also had to follow specific cultural standards (while in Africa, women served the men and then ate sitting on the floor while the men sat in chairs). During meal times I learned how little we/our bodies actually need to survive.
3. Each day we would report to our camp site to find out where we would be sleeping that night. One night we got to set up a makeshift campsite with a fire and shelter. A few of us decided we would take our chances sleeping outside the tarp and hope it wouldn’t rain (side note- it rained almost everyday/night while we were there). It started raining in the middle of the night and we all rolled over to let our sleeping bags get rained on. That’s when I knew I had become a World Racer. That night will go down as one of my favorite nights.
*Kat, Myself, and Britt sleeping outside that night*
4. The first night I decided to sleep in my Eno hammock. I don’t own a rainfly for it so I literally told Jesus He would have to wake me up if it was going to rain in the middle of the night. No lie, I woke up to the loudest thunder of my life at 4am and had just enough time to take my hammock down and get to my tent before it started pouring. So the next night we decided to make a cover for the hammocks.
5. Towards the end of the week we started forming teams which is super exciting! After countless exercises and feedback time, we were put in our Race teams. That night we were able to leave campus and do an activity that helped us bond together and share a meal. Our team decided to play laser tag (check that off the bucket list!) and it was a blast! I want to introduce my team: Intentional Love.
*David, Britt, Jessica, Savannah, and Bryan…and the random photobomb guy*
There are so many things I wish I could share, but no one really wants to read long blogs (at least I don’t). God did some incredible things in my life that week that I may never be able to explain. I will say this, God is SO good and when we allow Him to, the Holy Spirit will blow your mind. There is so much healing in Jesus if you just allow yourself to let go. I know that camp is just a small taste of what God has for me over this next year of my life!
There were moments in the week when we would look at each other and say “is this even ethical?” Our bodies were tired, cold, hungry, and at times miserable. We stopped asking what day it was because it felt like it had been a month. However, none of that could tarnish what the Lord was doing in our squad. At camp they talked about choosing Jesus over comfort and that was a lesson we definitely learned quickly. I can say I would gladly give up my bed, shower, and warm clothes to be where Jesus wants me.
I can’t say thank you enough to all of you that have supported me! You have made this journey possible. I hope that you guys are able to see the bigger picture in all of this. Your donations, kind words, and support aren’t about me. You guys are all active in bringing the Kingdom to earth!
Also a huge thank you to the O Squad, our coaches, and squad leaders! It’s crazy to think that 50 some people could become family in one week. I love each of you so much! I promise to fight with you and for you over this next year. Thank you for taking me in and loving me for who I am. I can’t wait to experience life with y’all over the next year and years to come! Thank you for speaking life into me and loving me unconditionally.
T
