I began my first Royal Servants experience on June 15th. Having worked nine summers at a Scout camp in the woods, I was prepared for two weeks of rigorous camping conditions, including cooking your own meals, exposure to sun, rain, and bugs, and unique camp traditions. What I was not prepared for was being surrounded by Christians, many my age or younger, that had such a passion for God, as I do. It’s pretty amazing to see how many people, many of whom are high school students, are willing to sacrifice their summer for a mission.
The General Schedule:
– Wake Up: We had a brutal five-minute wakeup to get dressed and our pack ready for the day.
– Exercises/Obstacle Course: Before we can go to the bathroom or brush our teeth for the day, we have our daily exercises. When the students arrived, this included an obstacle course, which of course was timed.
– Worship/Quiet Time: After breakfast, we had a quiet time where we had a different assignment each day to read passages in the Bible. After quiet time we had a small group discussion. My small group consisted of the male students on my Peru Team. Their names: Cade, Navarro, Liam, Ranson, Soren, and Nathan.
– Lunch/Skill Groups: After lunch, we would split up into skill groups where we would practice routines meant to be used as an evangelistic tool for VBS programs, street ministry, etc. I was part of a drama group that performs a 3-minute gospel routine called “Clocks.” It was actually a really powerful experience the first time I saw it performed.
– Teachings; Smattered throughout the day were trainings led by Reign staff that help us grow as Christians in our faith. This was meant to prepare us not only for the summer but for a lifetime of ministry: We had teachings about: Worship, Identity in Christ, Reconciliation and Forgiveness, Relational Ministry, Leadership in Ministry, and a whole lot more!
– Worship: We had worship twice a day, after breakfast and dinner!
– Family Time: An opportunity to hang out with the team and get to know who you’re serving with. We played a lot of hot seat, and Tip-it. I even got to do an escape room
Other Quirks:
– Schedule: We were never actually told when anything was happening until it happened. As a participant I got to be blissfully unaware of what the next priority was. As a result, I had to be extra prepared by carrying things in my day pack, as I was rarely allowed to stop by my tent.
– Food: I actually liked the food at Training Camp, but I wouldn’t call it extravagant. “Man doesn’t live on bread alone.” After years of singing about Malt-o-meal in college, I finally got to try some: the verdict? Well let’s just say I may be purchasing Maple Malt-o-meal when I get to the states.
Overall: I really enjoyed training camp. Even if I gain nothing from my experience while in Peru, I will have grown so much in my faith! I hope I can carry what I’ve learned, and habits I’ve formed, like journaling, Intentional Bible time, and prayer into my life back home. Thank you to all who have supported or encouraged me!