5 Signs You Worked for a Summer Missions Camp
| 1. CHACO TAN LINES Let’s face it. When you signed up to work for missions organization, you said Good-Bye to that perfect even summer tan. T-shirts and Chaco’s; Work shirts and steel-toe boots… and nice farmer’s tans. When the time came to finally hit the beach after another hardworking summer, the tan lines were laughable… but we all had a secret sense of accomplishment when we got a proper Chaco tan line. It was a badge of honor. 2. A BOOK BAG FULL OF SEEMINGLY RANDOM THINGS Carpenter pencils, drill bits, city transit maps, scratch paper with lists of lumber, bandanas, encouraging notes from youth groups. When you go to put all of your new textbooks and school supplies in your bookbag, you ask yourself, “What in the world is all this stuff??” And then you remember that these things were 100% necessary to your survival at a summer missions camp. Yes, even that tie-dye tool belt. 3. YOU CAN NAVIGATE THROUGH HOME DEPOT LIKE A BOSS. “Do I need any help? Psh, I know my way around this hardware store like a kid knows Toys R Us.” After all of the hours you spent on the weekends shopping for lumber and screws and drywall for your work projects, you think you could easily be hired. Galvanized 16 penny’s? Sure. Pressure treated posts? Got it. The bathroom? Aisle 8, duh. 4. A STRANGE AND INTENSE CRAVING FOR CAMP FOOD. Oh, cookout night, how we dreaded night after night of burnt burgers, industrial sized canned baked beans, and weird yellow potato salad. We solemnly vowed to never eat those things again, but when the familiar smell of burning charcoal is in the air the craving is back. You can’t explain why. 5. A PASSION FOR LOVING AND SERVING OTHERS. You spent your whole summer building wheelchair ramps for elderly ladies in need, passing out lunches to the homeless under city bridges, and singing praises to God with youth from all across the country every night. Working for a summer missions camp was an unforgettable picture of God’s Kingdom and you can’t help but tell everyone you know about how awesome it was. You even find yourself thinking of creative ways to meet people’s needs in your own community… because the summer really changed your life. |