Training Camp: Week 2

Team Time

We finally got our teams! These are the groups we’ll be doing ministry with in each country. Each team has about 6–7 people. The girls in my group are Holly, Ella, Lia, Marissa, and our leader Skylar! I’m so excited to get to know them all on a deeper level.

I also got my team role this week, which is treasurer! This means I’ll be in charge of our finances, making the budget, making sure our money goes to the right things, collecting receipts, and logging our spending each week. I’m actually excited to grow in this area and learn more about finances. Who knows… maybe I’ll become a finance bro someday haha.

Squad Wars

We also had Squad Wars this week which felt like a summer camp day! We competed in relays against other squads, and my favorite part was definitely the slip ’n slide. Our squad got 2nd in the relay, but for the squad dance we got 1st!! We rewrote the lyrics of Justin Bieber’s Baby to be about training camp, complete with fun dance moves it was hilarious and so fun.

🎶 the rap lyrics

When I was 18, I heard the Lord call

There was no mission that compared to the  great commission, I be preaching from the freedom coming from above,

Sin had me actin crazy, I was a lost cause, 

Gods breaking chains daily, perfecting my flaws,

I started confessin’ 

Had to repent when I heard the son was sent and

Learned more with each session, 

And Spread-the-word-of-God like Matthew 28 meant

So I began the trainin’, who knew it’d be so drainin’?

And now, my hearts reshapin′,

But D-Squad still be praisin’

Revival Night

On the spiritual side, God has been moving in such big ways. Wednesdays here are revival nights, and this week we also had baptisms. Our leaders told us to bring extra clothes just in case the Lord put it on our hearts. I had already been baptized before, and I really felt like the Lord had said I didn’t need to again. But while we were worshiping, I asked Him one more time, and I got the “Holy Spirit shivers” (that’s what I call them). Right then, I knew I was supposed to.

So Wednesday night I got re-baptized. Such a powerful, monumental moment for me. Saying goodbye to all things that aren’t of the Lord as I step into these next 9 months.

Evangelism in Gainesville

Later in the week, we went downtown in Gainesville to evangelize. Our squad split into smaller groups, and I was with Macie, Naomi, and our leader Baylee. Before we started, we asked God where to go, and Macie felt like He said “just walk!” So we did.

As we passed the local college, we saw a woman sitting by the doors. We said hi and realized she only spoke Spanish. Praise the Lord Naomi speaks fluent Spanish! We ended up sitting with her on the ground for an hour. She told us it was her birthday, but her family hadn’t called her in days, and she had been crying that morning about it. She said she felt so blessed just by us sitting and talking with her. We offered to take her out for coffee, but she said this was the best gift she could’ve gotten.

We got to pray for her, and honestly, I was as encouraged as she was. I’ve been asking the Lord to “break my heart for what breaks Yours,” and this moment really did.

Sabbath

For Sabbath, we were allowed to take Ubers off campus. A group of us went to a coffee shop called Meadowlark, hung out there, walked around, and grabbed lunch. We were so thankful just to use real bathrooms and drink cold water. It’s the little things! I’m already realizing how blessed I really am.

Wrapping Up

Right now, I’m actually back at Meadowlark writing this post, spending time with the Lord and friends… some of whom are currently getting tattoos (don’t worry, not me Mom and Dad!).