I don’t think I have the ability to describe all that training camp has been like in just words. But I’ll try my best!
To be completely honest, I commonly wake up feeling exhausted. My flesh is tired. My flesh craves comfort & familiarity. It’s throbbing with starvation because I haven’t been feeding it as much as I normally do. The enemy hates that. And he’s making sure I know that he does. He wants me to give in to all temptations & believe all his lies. But, my spirit is being fed so much more. My past self is dying in order to be the best servant I can possibly be. Praise God that I’m growing!! Everyone here is, in ways we could’ve never planned or imagined.
As the day progresses, joy gently restores. From each interaction, I acquire more awe of God’s goodness. His love is so evident in these people. At the end of each day, I’m left with so much peace & confirmation that God has placed me here with such intentionality.
It has only been 6 days since I arrived at the base, but I’m learning more about myself than I would’ve after a year back home. I have never been more uncomfortable, stretched, & challenged in my life. For example, I tend to lean on the introverted side & there are usually less than 30 minutes a day that I have alone time. I notice that I am growing in that & finding new ways to recharge, but around people!!
Man, I love my squad. 22 of some of the best people I’ve ever met. There’s nothing like this immediate love we have for each other. Each one of them is so intentional & puts so much effort into loving each other the best we can. We’ve already broken down many walls & we pray for each other & kindly encourage each other to dig into the Bible to search for truth.
Here, there is joy & sweetness found in the simplest of things. The “How are you feeling?”s from my squadmates, meaningful conversations with a friend on our long trek in the darkness to the community sinks to brush our teeth, the joy you feel when an outlet is open so you can charge your phone in order to FaceTime with your parents later, a fluffy pillow or a shoulder to lay my head on when I need rest, no spiders in or on my tent when I wake up, being physically healthy, friends going out of their way to include me, a community that puts efforts to love each other despite differences, falling asleep to the sound of crickets, cicadas, & rain, refreshing bucket showers after 2 days of no showering, the freedom from obsession with appearance, listening to music that feels like home, people reaching out from home, praying for & being prayed for, & so much more!!!!
Each day comes with structure, yet each day seems to offer so much spontaneity!
The schedule looks a bit like this:
Wake up at 7, personal devotions, breakfast, worship session, a message, squad discussion time, lunch, personal time, another message, more squad discussion times or team building activities, dinner, personal time, & then we have to be back in our tents at 11 to go to bed.
Not gonna lie, I’d much rather stay on the dining deck all night socializing with people than sleeping. It is hard to believe I’ve only met these friends a week ago when it feels like I’ve known them forever. Praise God for friendships like these!
Training camp has been so so good & so so fruitful!!!!!! I appreciate your prayers & support & thank you for reading all the way through.
Much love,
Rach
??
So good Rach!!! You haven’t even left the country yet and already I’m amazed by your journey so far! I couldn’t be more proud of you for not just stepping but jumping and leaping out of your comfort zone! I love you so much and I can’t wait to hear more! You are on my heart daily! ????????
So beautiful Rachel! My heart is full of joy reading about your journey! Thank you for sharing from your heart. You completely amaze me with your courage to go where you’ve never gone before. I love you and miss you so much. Love mom
Hey you amazing go go girl! SO Proud of you and all what you are getting to experience… and you haven’t even left Georgia!
Just know we love you tons tons tons.. Keep up the persevering and diving deep.
Journey of a lifetime, time of your life. wow. You are in IT!
God bless you and make his face shine upon you and give you SHALOM!
Love,
Dad
Rachel??
Thank you for sharing with such honesty
And vulnerability.
Your doing great!!!
Love you Nana??
I’ve noticed that this sometimes changes exclamation marks to question marks. I think people are putting exclamation marks of excitement not question marks.
I’m thinking that it’s probably emoji’s that are turning into question marks!
Wow Rachel! It sounds like you are having such a moving experience already. I admire your strength and resilience 🙂
I cannot wait to hear about your future adventures and what else you discover along the way. I am so proud of you ??
Rachel you are a beautiful human being
I love your heart for Jesus ??
Keep going you got this!??
I admire how far you have gone in life and I’m so proud of you ???? ??
Love you Rach:Bella Morris
Oh sweet Rachel I knew you would flourish in the mission field! As I mentioned before being open to all the new and sometimes difficult things you will encounter will bring you so close to Jesus. We are praying for you and know God has you exactly where He wants you to be. We love you Rachel! We leave for Uganda again on Nov 5th. This training will serve you well. God Bless you Rachel!
my sweet rach, you are incredible!! i love hearing all about what the Lord is doing in your life – He is so faithful and gracious!!!! i miss you deeply but i couldn’t be more excited for you. this is so beautifully written! i am always always always praying for you sis, and i can’t wait to squeeze you again some day! xoxoxo – j nikk
So beautiful, Rachel! As I’m writing this, I’ve got this download: You are the calm right before the storm. I sense this is powerfully prophetic for in your calmness and quietness of mind and spirit, God will meet you to refresh, restore, and re-energize you so you are ready in due season…His season…to be catapulted into the most perfect spiritual storm of wonder, delight, and Holy Spirit Power. When His Spirit meets you in your readiness, you will be used beyond your wildest imagination! Not by might, nor by power, but only by my Spirit says the Lord Almighty! Be blessed and strengthened in all that you do…
I’m praying for you, Rachel. I know God loves you more than we can imagine and He will honor your commitment to Him. We miss you & love you!
Thank you Analee!!! Miss you more than you know
Thank you mom!!! Miss you and love you!
Hey you gal! Excited for all what you are experiencing! I like your dorm room up on top of that mountain you climbed. Many more mountains to experience. With God ALL things are possible through Christ who strengthens you! Love, Dad.
Surely a musician, poetry in the description of a less than familiar place. Love it that you’re finding peace and confirmation in the stretching and challenges. Fun to read all things made positive in final paragraph of experiences and the beauty you’re finding in community.
Thank you Nana:) i love you
thank you Emmalee!!! Miss you so much!!
love and miss you Aunt Mona!!
Thank you for all your encouragement!! (Also, I played the drums for worship Thursday morning!)
Thank you for your love and encouragement towards me. I can’t wait to hear all about Uganda— praying for you!!!
Thank you for praying 🙂 I love and miss your family soooo much!
I miss you way more!!! the Lord has been so good and sweet! see you in like 9 months
Just posting that I love you tons! You are an awesome young lady! Dad
Love and miss you sweet friend! Thank you for sharing the joys, hardships and especially Gods good work. Know that we are thinking of you and praying for you.
Lots of love from your home away from home forever!
WOW! It sounds like you are experiencing mountain top joy simultaneously with the low valley challenges! May you graced for today and each day!
Love, Aunt Mona