What is Boot Camp?
Summer Internship begins with a Boot Camp Week at the Global Outreach Developments International headquarters in Nashville.
“Boot camp” is for the military. So why does a Christian missions organization borrow the term? Because Paul the apostle did. Paul urges Timothy to "join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus" (2 Tim. 2:3). He then compares kingdom work to that carried out by soldiers, athletes, and farmers. Changing the world isn't for the faint of heart.
Boot camp is the necessary training that precedes the carrying out of our shared mission throughout the summer.
Interns enjoyed prayer, worship, and Bible study in a variety of environments, helping them be attuned to God’s Spirit anywhere. UnNamed Servant, pictured here, leads them in worship in an Institute for G.O.D. classrooom.
More words from Paul to Timothy help make sense of our paradigm: "for physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come," (1 Tim. 4:8).
One intern noted, "I thought it was just going to be the most physically demanding experience, but it wasn't what I thought. I've eaten more and slept more than I imagined with the title 'Boot Camp.' It was more demanding spiritually than physically."
He went on to say he sat a lot, listened a lot, learned a lot, and prayed a lot. I encouraged him that those skills -- mental aptness, the ability to listen carefully, and endurance in prayer and study of the Word are necessary skills for doing mission God's way.
A unique aspect of this year’s internship was a lot of home gatherings. This added a special touch of hospitality for the interns, and built into our theme “This is Who We Are.” The ministry of G.O.D. International was birthed in worship and Bible studies in living rooms just like this.
Spiritual Preparation
Interns get acquainted with a regular diet of prayer and Bible study. It's not reserved just for mornings or nighttime. They might worship in the middle of the afternoon or late morning or evening. They get several "servings" of Bible a day -- helping them stay connected to the source of our strength, inspiration, and guidance. Gregg Garner, the lead facilitator for Summer Internship 2021, has been blessing interns with powerful daily Bible studies.
Interns are given time for introspection through regular journaling, blogging, and vlogging, allowing parents and friends to follow along.
They learn key biblical concepts that help us carry out mission together. Then they are challenged to practice it. Pray when it's time to pray. Sing when you don't feel like singing. Participation isn't "when you feel like it." Unity comes from relying on the same source -- prayer, worship, and Bible study ensure our single-mindedness is on God.
Volleyball and soccer have been our main sports of choice, but regular walking and eating right (and differently) are all a part of physical preparation.
Physical Preparation
Physically, interns get used to walking -- something they'll do often in the developing world. They play on sports teams, which provide lessons on team dynamics, leadership, and responsibility. Interns received a daily health lesson every morning, helping them prioritize their immune systems for a fruitful summer ministry. They learn pneumonic devices like "Malaria Monday" and the importance of hydration. Of course, these are basic things, but basic teachings save lives. Another aspect of physical preparation is diet. To help their immune system, interns have limited sugar. Interns also experience cultural dishes that are not common in America. By trying them during Boot Camp, they are not quite so shocked when trying them abroad and can do as they need to do - "When you enter a town and are welcomed eat whatever is set before you" (Luke 10:8).
Institute for G.O.D. faculty member Shaun Galford instructs interns on landscaping. Landscaping is a helpful skill to beautify and bring order to any environment.
Practical Preparation
Service isn't service if it doesn't help someone. If it doesn't help, it's just show -- a photo opp. That's not who we are. We love the people we are serving and want to help make an actual difference in their communities. We can only do that if interns know some basics. So, during Boot Camp week, we provided seminars on appropriate painting, landscaping, mending, cleaning, and more. No more paint splatters on floors and kids that say, "it's good enough." It's not good enough unless it's something that you would appreciate. Helping interns develop standards for service is part of cultivating a servant's heart.
Laugh now, not later! Interns learn the basics of using a choo (pronounced cho, the word for “toilet” in Swahili), bucket showers, greeting, and more.
Cultural Preparation
Interns learn do's and dont's of the cultures they will travel into. Because G.O.D. International is not merely a short-term mission organization, we care a lot about how we are represented in the regions we minister in. Cultural misfires can lead to long-term relational issues, so its important interns know the basics of showing respect, dignity, and care in a foreign environment. This includes practicing basic greetings and introductions in a foreign language, preparing a choreographed song to share at churches and schools, and dressing appropriately.
Summer Interns are gasping, laughing, and rolling as the history of G.O.D. International unfolds with surprise characters popping into the storyline at storytelling events marking 1996 - present. (This year is the 25th year anniversary of G.O.D. International.)
This is Who We Are
Finally, each Boot Camp week is special. Though this is our 20th year of Summer Internship, each Boot Camp week has its own distinctive related to our ministry-wide theme. Our theme is a Scriptural concept that guides our hearts for the year, and G.O.D.’s Summer Internship is guided by it as well. This year’s theme is This Is Who We Are, rooted in 1 John 3:1-3 and the concept of God’s children. In this year’s exploration of the theme, interns participated in storytelling events about the formation of G.O.D. International. The interweaving storylines and diverse characters is something only God could write, and the interns are thoroughly enjoying the plot twists and turns of our own story.
In Closing
The end of Boot Camp is not the end of training; it's the beginning of learning how to train effectively. Interns are not missionaries or long-term development workers. But they should be ready to listen when asked, participate as needed, and not offend. Their team should be strong, their hearts full, and their minds prepared to see God move in a culture very different than their own.
