On Saturday, June 26th, the Commissioning Service at Teen Missions is open to the public. I knew Blu would be in Milwaukee, and he encouraged me to go, but I just didn't want to do all that travel without him, so all along we told Cambree we would NOT be there. But after some prodding from Blu and Mama, I decided to make the trip with Mama Dee to surprise Cambree. It was an INSANE trip (travel is so crazy right now!), but it was 100% worth it and we will all remember it forever!
This is the face you make when you arrive close to midnight and the rental car line has 60+ people in it...more on that later...
It was Mama Dee's birthday, so she treated herself to an airport salad! ;)
On the plane (we wouldn't recommend flying Frontier out of DFW to our worst enemy)....but we see the light at the end of the tunnel! We're going to make it to Orlando!
The face you make when it is almost 2am and the rental car company you have a reservation for announces that they are out of rental cars....and you are 5th in line and have been in line for over an hour...so you have to grab a taxi with some random driver and 2 other random strangers to finally get to your hotel...without your rental car...
The face you make when your daughter discovers the app Turo and arranges for a swanky rental car to be dropped off at your hotel!
Mama and I feel pretty much the same about the beach...so we stopped at Cape Canaveral Beach and took a quick selfie. And then left. ;)
Hot. Lots of people. Icky sand. Yuck.
Instead, we hit up some souvenir stores (with a/c...)
The face you make when your whirlwind weekend is over and you're almost home...
Now for our reunion!! Cambree had NO idea we were coming. So we got there at 3pm (after following all of the really strict rules - no phones, must wear boots, etc, all bags checked, etc.), and we started looking for her. We finally recognized her team at the pool but didn't see her, and then we hear a voice saying, "STOP. STOP. STOP. NUH-UH!!!!!" She comes running down the road and we hug, and we cry, and it was awesome. :)
She was SOOOOO happy to see us.
We live in Texas, and we lived in Zambia for 10 years, but really nothing can prepare you for the miserable heat and humidity of Merritt Island, Florida. YUCK. Cam hopped in the pool for her shower for the day (she said she's washed her hair about 3 times and her face twice...), got out sweating, and put on jeans and a polo shirt. YUCK.
If you know Cam, you know she's sunshine wherever she goes, so she's bonded with her team very quickly. Her tent mate is Naomi from California, and they are a mess together!
McKayla from Idaho
Alivia from Colorado is also one of Cam's closest friends
Cam is one of two on her team of 20 from Texas!!
Her backpack was loaded down!!
She said one of the rules at Boot Camp is that they walk in lines everywhere they go, and if there's any space between them they have to run and catch up to make up the space!
She told us that letters and emails have saved her life. :)
It was a learning curve for her to figure out how to take a selfie on a digital camera! ;)
Callie - this sweet girl found out 30 min later that she would have to go back home to California for the summer because she tested positive for Covid. :(
*EDITED: On the morning of June 27th, before the team left for the airport, the medical staff asked Callie if she wanted to try testing again. She would have to have TWO negative Covid tests to fly...and guess what she got????? :) She is leaving for India with the team tonight!!!*
Naomi
Elizah from Vermont
Ryan from Pennsylvania
Jocelyn from Colorado
Abby from Pennsylvania
Olivia
Ava from Maine
Alivia from Colorado
Kaleb from Washington
Her journal entries gave us a glimpse of her heart and how she's really doing. :)
This is where the team ate all of their meals - on trays in this circle.
Drinking station
All of their trays/silverware are hung on the tree in dishrags - Cam said the first day she picked up her bag and it was FILLED with fire ants!
She admitted it was really pretty there (the campus is gorgeous) but VERY hot and she's had to work VERY hard.
This was a picture just for Joey...
Ok, I won't lie..her hair was NASTY!! I asked her about 5 times, "Can I please braid it??" It grossed me out!
She didn't leave our side - she talked nonstop the entire time!
She rereads all of her letters and emails over and over again!
Her exact words were, "I've contemplated death so many times because I'm not able to get back massages from Mama Dee..." #dramaqueen
She was SOOOOOOO happy we were there!
We sat close by behind her in worship!
They called out all of the countries where Teen Missions works overseas and they ran the flags across the front - it was awesome!
After the Commissioning Service, they got to have a team party where they got cold drinks and snacks for the first time in 2 weeks!
Watermelon for the win!
Love this - 3 generations :)
You see on that chair pizza, Dr. Pepper, Coke, Gatorade, and of course the watermelon!
If you know her, you know the watermelon sent her to heaven!
She said, "It's cold!!!!" :)
And then she stole my camera while I was talking to someone....
I'm SO glad we were able to go see her and make sure she's ok! She leaves tomorrow night for India, and she'll spend 30 days there doing ministry of all sorts! Pictures will be rare - I think parents will get 2 updates per week, but we'll be living for those! :)
