Training Camp
Every Royal Servants mission trip begins with Training Camp. Training Camp is a challenging, fast-paced environment designed to give you the necessary tools and experience you will need to give you a headstart on being successful on the mission field.
It is not a “boot camp”; there are no walls to scale, mud pits to crawl through (unless it’s raining and you think it’d be a good idea to get a little muddy), or drill sergeants screaming orders. It is a safe yet challenging, fast-paced environment designed to give you the necessary tools and experience you need to be effective on the mission field.
Why do I need Training Camp?
A successful mission trip requires each person (and team) to be fully prepared before they arrive on the mission field. Training Camp is where that happens.
Training Camp creates an environment for participants to switch gears and get their heart and head ready for the ministry to come. It is where the foundation is laid for team bonding, small group formation, and spiritual preparation.
You’ll also use your time at Training Camp to focus on developing your ministry skills. Whether you and your teammates need to create a cross-cultural VBS/ESL program, train for sports ministry, or work on drama, dance, or puppet routines all depends on the ministry skills that are needed in your host country.
You will leave spiritually grounded, united as a team, and equipped for the work ahead. Our ministry hosts are often surprised at how focused, prepared, and willing our teams are.
What does a day at Training Camp look like?
Each day at Training camp is challenging and maximized to its fullest, but is also purposeful and fun. Here's a sneak peek.
Mornings
Most mornings begin with a low-ropes challenge course that you complete with your team. Yes, it’s designed to help you work together as a group, but beyond that, it’s about encouragement, building relationships, and developing trust in one another, which is an important thing when you’re going halfway around the world together! After breakfast, all teams come together for worship before spending time in daily devotions. We generally close out the morning with a camp-wide teaching.
Afternoon
Following lunch, each team focuses on the development of the various ministry tools that will be used overseas. VBS, ESL, drama presentations, and maybe even a little training on how to create balloon animals (don’t even think about making balloon crosses, they will inevitably be turned into swords by anyone under 10 years old). It's a fun time of preparing and practicing some of the ministries you’ll be doing overseas.
Evenings
After dinner, everyone comes together under the “big top” for another session of worship and prayer and then gathers into their individual teams. The evenings are more kick-back and relational, giving you much needed time to take a breath and process the day and hang out with teammates. There will also be team and group teachings staggered throughout the week.
Where and When does it take place?
There is one Training Camp for all Royal Servants mission trips that participants attend together. The first week (or two weeks for Summer Staff) of your trip will be dedicated to training for overseas at Training Camp. Teams leaving later use the time to close down camp and pack up before departing to Chicago O’Hare airport for their international flight.
Training camp is in Pardeeville (you gotta love that name!), Wisconsin, about 45 minutes NE of Madison and two hours west of Milwaukee.
Is Training Camp included in the dates and costs for the summer?
Yes.