Survivor! The ultimate challenge...

Yes.... I live to tell the story! Believe it or not =)

Being the person that I have been for the past four years, it was quite something to adapt to a whole new way of living. From being a forth year student at the University of Pretoria, living in a residence, having a strict class schedule, studying for tests and being a modern day student to adapting to a life with 36 other students in something I can call a 'very-close-to-my-personal-space' living, was something I had to get used to - and fast! Through the process of getting to know everyone and trying to settle in to this new type of living, God started to work in my heart in a way only He can!

Starting off with a chilled get-to-know-each-other weekend I thought this was going to be something I would be able to handle and process without much thought. And how I underestimated the Global Challengers' way of training.... =) They are truly determined to equip us to go to the nations with a pure and strong heart, teachable spirit and a passion burning for our Almighty, Sovereign, Creator God.

The first week started off with an unannounced Survivor camp lasting for an unannounced period of time with unannounced arrangements about food. Maybe it was the fact that I was someone who believed these people would have a more "merciful" kind of attitude towards people who are still trying to adapt to leaving home, or quitting their jobs or finishing their studies. But again I was astonished by the extreme methods of my new family.  They are serious about this training to prepare us for a journey we still know very little about.

We were placed in a very remote and beautiful part of bush between Jeffrey's Bay and Port Elizabeth, with the only familiarity - the strange newly met faces of two days ago. Being challenged in so many ways, I truly believe that a new part of me was developed in these five days. Being challenged with physical-and mind challenges, team work, building shelters (for yourself and a chicken), not being able to shower or brush teeth, very little food, close encounter sleeping conditions with your five other team mates, cold nights, leaf mattresses, and nights around the fire (not only to practice the social enjoyment thereof, but also because being anywhere else, the cold will take your toes for eternity). The greatly feared food challenge took his mighty stand before my empty- and not trust worthy stomach. As a team we were faced with finishing multiple surprise plates, and ending of with an interesting part of a badly prepared sheep’s insides. Our team was privileged enough to receive the huge, hard and dry cooked liver. Longing for meat I was actually looking forward to it. =) Some of the surprises were garlic, chillies, dog food, onions, raw eggs, umazi and worms. All of us survived (living up to the name of the game), but the consequences were not something to write about... One thing I realized was that it is really terrible to wake up in the middle of the night because of the bad smell and taste of garlic and onions in your mouth, but it is even worse to wake up of the smell of the breath of the one sleeping next to you.

Survivor taught me so many things about myself. Being challenged with being content with what you have, faced with things challenging your true character and starting to experience God in a whole new way. Where can one have the opportunity to sit in the bush, next to a river and be faced with the reality that time is in your hands, and you aren't ruled by time? For the first time in many years, you have time to sit and really think and contemplate about life, without feeling rushed to get somewhere, not out of free will, but because the most exciting place to go to is the two rocks to your left. =) The silence in and around you is sometimes more challenging than the shouting of many people around you.

After five days of trying to get the name of the 'ultimate survivor' I could passionately say: "What an AMAZING experience!!" God taught me something about teamwork and the power of encouragement to a fellow brother or sister. I learned that you are capable of way more than you can think and that you can manage with much less than you think! God really provided for our team, and even though I knew at the back of my head that the leadership will not watch as I die of hunger, I started with the journey of living on faith, and trusting that God will look after you and the team!

I think God really wanted to take me out of my rushed environment and place me in such a beautiful part of His creation, to spend time with Him, and start learning about the things it really comes down to in life...Through this great surviving experience, I already started to learn how to start our ultimate journey with a grateful heart, ready to take on tough challenges, "swallow" the worst food and embrace the silence God blesses me with!