It’s the Climb

Today is gender day! This means that the boys and the girls were split up for the day/night. As much as we missed the boys from our squad that day it was pretty great to be able to spend time with the girls.

Our culture food for the day was from Africa!! The food was great, and for lunch we had collard greens which are my absolute favorite! My family grows greens and for Thanksgiving and Christmas it is a staple meal for me to have and I love and appreciate that my family knows and that they send me home with a batch to eat! We had to eat with our hands for each meal this day. Very interesting, but very cool the differences in how American’s value food and eating around the table to how different cultures value meal times. 

After breakfast, we all knew what was coming. It was time for the dreaded hike. We were required to hike 2 miles in 38 minutes for the girls and the guys had a different hike they were required to do. The time had come and we were all nervous but very encouraging to each other that we got this. Now I had practiced at home with my pack and had done it in enough time, however these Florida flat roads did not compare to the Georgia hills I was about to encounter. We start on the hike and it was up a hill, down the road, back down the same road, around a trail in the woods, and up a gravel hill (twice). That gravel hill was a beast. It was a climb, a tough climb, a vulnerable climb, a hard climb that I will be honest, I wanted to quit. The first time around I slowly made it up, stopped along the way for breathing, and praised when I got to the top. Second time around my insides were burning, my leg was covered in dirt and scratches because I just fallen previously, and half way up tears were falling because I felt like I couldn’t go on. I then look up and see one of my squad mates Hannah running to cheer me on and man was it a flesh battle because I really wanted to stop but grateful that Hannah kept pushing me to go. Make it to the top a second time and our last go around is to the end of the road and back to the building. As I’m walking I am joined by fellow sisters who are walking alongside of me and cheering me to keep going. And man if that isn’t community I don’t know what is. Make it to the end of the road, walk some back and then as more encouragement continues we pick up the pace and they run with me back to the finish line. While running I felt confident, free, knowing that I can do this, and hearing God say finish. Running into a crowd of sisters cheering and screaming was awesome. I was overwhelmed with the community of sisters God provided for this experience. As I finished I watched as more sisters finished and more got supported and cheered on. Made me so excited for the field and the community we are going to be surrounded by. The climb was tough but we made it through.

After the hike we were thankfully able to shower (cold bucket showers) ,but hey at least we were clean. (Side note: we had access to the showers the whole time but being cold and then taking a cold shower? No thanks! Thankfully this day it was nice and a little warmer to take one). Then we had some incredible sessions in our gender groups. We first heard from some amazing woman and we were able to ask questions and here their stories. We then heard from some of their husbands as well as other men and took away some great insight into how to treat and care for our Christian men. It was great to hear both sides and to be able to ask questions to each of the panels. The openness, honesty, and vulnerability of both the girls group and the panels were great. God was working in that room. 

After sessions the girls get a surprise……..we get to watch a movie, AND we get to have a sleepover INSIDE the training center! Um can you say Praise the Lord?! It was freezing cold every night and some nights cold and rainy so an inside sleepover was the best gift! We got to watch Hidden Figures, which is a great movie! We had popcorn and enjoyed our time together. 

All in all this day started pretty rough but ended on a high note.

Next hear about our Sabbath Day, and campfire cookout!

Below are pictures from after the hike!