A gap year team from Indiana called THE CLIMB linked arms with UNUSUAL SOLDIERS for a unique training experience. They invited us to bring them a 48 hour version of our STRANDED program, along with an opportunity to catch a glimpse of the ministry and vision of UNUSUAL SOLDIERS.
It was a great challenge for our team to figure out how to safely stretch, challenge, and train students in such a short amount of time. We did our best to distill STRANDED down to its bare essentials: the Core Values of an Unusual Soldier, discomfort, resilience, and facing off with fear.
This team, made up primarily of young women, rose to the challenge and took on the training like champs! As some were pushed them outside their comfort zones.
One of the highlights came during our vision message, as we walked through the nine groups of people around the world that UNUSUAL SOLDIERS seeks to bring hope and help to. When asked which group stirred their hearts, an unusual number of students identified with THE ABANDONED. That response was especially encouraging and not something we typically have seen in the past.
Even more exciting, some of these students are already reaching back out with a desire to take their next steps. And several are preparing for opportunities to serve in Nicaragua and Thailand this year!
It was a tremendous blessing to partner with THE CLIMB and invest in these students. We're excited to see what the Lord has in store for them.
