Training Camp (Week Three) Domestic Missions

Final Week of Training Camp!

It’s crazy to think it’s already been a month. It feels like I just said goodbye to my parents, but somehow it also feels like I’ve been here forever. The past two weeks especially have been packed with growth, preparation, and adventure!

As we wrapped up training camp we focused in on spiritual warfare, having some sessions that really challenged us to open our eyes to the reality of what we’re walking into as we get ready to head overseas, and honestly just the reality of how the enemy attacks us spiritually in everyday life. It was a conversation that brought some fear about what I might encounter, things I’ve never experienced before, but it was also encouraging. I was reminded of the foundation I stand on in Christ and the power I have because I’m held in His hands.

Midweek, we took a trip to hike Mount Yonah. Partly to prep for the physical demands of the next nine months and partly for some squad bonding. And I’ll just say there’s something about struggling up a mountain together that brings people closer. Despite the blisters, heat, and what felt like a never-ending incline, it was such a fun time. Our whole team stuck together the entire hike, up and down. No one was left behind! And when some of us were struggling everyone around stepped in to encourage and support each other.

We rotated carrying the extra weight (food, water, and firewood) and made sure to take breaks so we could stay together as a group. It was honestly so cool to see how people stepped up for each other, whether that meant offering to carry someone else’s load when they were hurt or just bringing the energy when the hike got tough. I personally love being with the hype people and doing what I can to make it a good time!

When we finally made it to the top it was so worth all those moments when I wanted to give up. The view was stunning, the kind that pictures just can’t quite capture. We spent a few hours exploring the top and setting up our campsite before roasting hot dogs for dinner. We slept in our tents without the rainfly so we could look out at the sky, and in doing so, we saw so many shooting stars! It felt like one of those “heaven feels close” moments, when you look up and are just full of wonder at what you see… and you can sense that God is near because you see Him through His creation.

Early the next morning we hiked down and headed back to base, where we wrapped up training camp and got ready to leave to North Carolina for domestic missions.

Domestic Missions… Black Mountain, NC

Domestic missions was honestly such a sweet way to kick off this season of ministry. We got to serve people right here in our own country, and seeing how much had been lost during Hurricane Helene last year was a good reminder to me that the need for Jesus isn’t just overseas, it’s right here too. It was heartbreaking to see the devastation and to realize how many people are still in the process of rebuilding and healing, even a year later. But it was also incredible though, to see God’s hand at work through Adventures Relief and how deeply people were touched by the hope being restored through their ministry.

When we arrived, we spent our first day exploring the Black Mountain area and getting a glimpse of the damage still left from the hurricane. Then on Monday we jumped right into our first project, which was helping a Spanish-speaking couple, Neddy and Gloria, insulate the floors of their home. That meant crawling under the house, installing insulation, stapling the vapor barrier, and duct taping all the seams. I have so much more appreciation now for the people who work in those types of jobs because it was definitely hard, but I will say I realized I’m more capable than I thought… I’d be lying, however, if I said I want to do that job again anytime soon.

Even though we had a language barrier with our homeowners, Gloria found so many ways to love and serve us during our time there. Whether bringing us drinks, cooking us a homemade meal, or just radiating gratitude for what we were doing for them. You could really feel how much our help meant to her. It was powerful to see how simply showing up and being willing can make such a difference. None of us (my team of seven girls) had any idea what we were doing, but we gave God room to move and He did. We were able to bless this couple not by our own strength, but through God’s.

On our last day, we moved on to a new home that needed roof insulation. That project went faster and was a bit easier. What made it especially meaningful was hearing the homeowner’s story. She came in while we were working and shared how, during the hurricane, someone in that house woke up to water rushing in, almost all the way up to their bed. They had swam out to the roof and waited until they were rescued. Hearing what that house had been through and seeing how far it had come gave so much meaning to the work we were doing for these families.

Finally, on one of the last nights we were there, we invited the homeowners to our base for dinner and testimonies. Many shared how deeply they’d been impacted not just by the physical help but by the love and care they experienced from the teams. Some shared that other organizations had promised to help them with their homes but never followed through, and then, through what could only be a God-ordained miracle, they were connected with someone from the Adventures Relief staff and finally received the support they’d been waiting for. It was such a cool picture of God’s faithfulness, His timing, and how He was using this ministry to bring hope to these once hurting families.

Overall, Black Mountain was an amazing opportunity to serve, grow, and witness how God is writing stories of hope, salvation, and restoration right here around me. I hadn’t heard much about Hurricane Helene before this trip, but now I see how God is moving through this disaster and almost reviving the hearts of these people. I’m already praying that when we return to the States we’ll get to do our second round of domestic missions here again and hopefully see even more of the fruit God is growing there.

Again I just want to thank you all so much for continuing to pray for me and support me on this journey. I love and miss you all so much ❤

If you haven’t already, go to my photo circle page to see all the fun pictures from my trip! Including my time at Yonah and Black Mountain!

https://join.photocircleapp.com/4WBHQQ344T