We Worked hard...Played hard...and went DEEP

“Ooooohhhhh Assignments”… When I think about the last 3 weeks, which felt like 3 months- the infamous program team’s slogan, “Do Work!” seems like an understatement. I have never felt so emotionally/physically drained- after the first week of learning our job (dining hall boss), being invested in my parents week at Windy Gap, embracing my sweet group of high school girls on work crew (many talks late at night, tears, hugs, laugher and joy)…I felt completely given of myself. I gave to our team, I gave to my parents, I gave to my girls, I gave to my job, I gave to Real Life, I gave all I had to Christ through it all. Looking back I know I made it through on the strength of Christ…I swore by my prayers and Vitamin B-12. I come away with some incredible “themes” for my time on assignment.

“Emotional”

The first week of camp my emotions were at an all time high. My parents were truly falling in love with Young Life and I was praying that they were too falling in love with Jesus. It’s as if I have been my parents’ Young Life leader and the week at camp, I was handing over the reigns to adult guests and other members of our team to walk through the week conversationally with my parents. I was able to watch them from a far, embrace the gospel and struggle with the truth of their own brokenness. It was truly difficult to play my part with Real Life, as my parents watched. I remember hearing from another adult guest how my mom reacted to the adjectives that the campers used to describe who I was- “That’s my little girl up there.” Mom was reassured by, “Carol Lee is sacrificing herself because of who Christ is in her life and how much she wants others to know of His Love for them.” My dad came up to me later in the week, in tears telling me about the story in the Bible where Jesus told the disciples, “You will no longer be fishermen, but fishers of men.” He said he understood for the first time why I would leave the security of my job teaching to go on Young Life staff. I cried. I have for so long wanted my parents to understand and love what I do- now they do!