Has It Been That Long?
20 years ago today I was stepping off a bus in some swampy land in Florida to meet a whole bunch of strangers I would soon count as some of my very closest friends. Living in extreme circumstances can do that to people. You may think, "What's so extreme about Florida?" but those who would say that have most likely not heard of TMI. Teen Missions International. It's an organization that sends teens all over the world to do all kinds of missions. Building all manner of buildings, bringing relief supplies, working on water purification projects and helping in orphanages for a few examples. I'm not talking touristy beach front property where we lounged with tropical drinks and read to our hearts content. We were setting out to Mexico to build 3 lodgings for an agency that desperately needed space for traveling missionaries.
I was 15 years old (yes if you can do math that makes me 35 now) and very nervous about how I would fit in on this team and if I would be able to keep up to the rigorous training. Surprisingly the most difficult portion of the trip was not the time we actually spent at the destination, it was the Boot Camp (yep, that's what they call it) and the travel. TMI attempts to make the 2 weeks of Boot Camp training as difficult as the most extreme of situations any of the teams could come across. More than 2,000 teens were gathered together for messages each evening in a giant big top tent. So, canteen in hand we attempted (somewhat unsuccessfully) to keep ourselves hydrated, use terrible outhouses, sleep in tents over swampland, participate in an 20 min obstacle course every day, memorize scripture, dig trenches that I don't even think had a purpose and learn all manner of construction basics. I now know how to tie steal, pour and level concrete floors, mix mortar, lay bricks and build trusses. Just what every 15 year old girl aspires to learn! It was the hardest thing I ever did in my life. Boot camp was brutal. I would trudge off in my steel toe work boots (the only acceptable footwear) to the obstacle course each day knowing that I would fail, and fail I did! There was not one single day that I was able to make it to the end and like clockwork I would fall into the sludgy water I was attempting to swing over with a rope. This meant that every day, all day, my feet were wet. I ended up with something called trench rot. It's something that solders would end up with in war time. It's when that pruney skin you get from being wet gets pressed into constant folds. They eventually crack and bleed and even when you eventually dry out the folds have become a permanent fixture to your feet. In fact I still have some to this day. It was also one of the wettest years on record for Florida. Hurricane force winds actually blew down the big top one night and what did we do? We huddled in our little camp sites in our tinny little tents and prayed that we wouldn't be whisked away to OZ. I am happy to say that even though it was such a harrowing experience I still (for some unknown reason) decided to do the same thing the next year. That year I showed great improvement! I didn't fall in the swamp once and I actually completed the obstacle course a few times.
So Why would I subject myself to something like this a second time, even though I knew how hard it would be? It's because of the people. Our team of around 20 marched onto our bus, did our count off to make sure we were all there and started our drive to central Mexico. Yep, we drove. TMI buses have little drop down beds in them and that is where we spent the next 11 days. Yep, that's how long it took us to get there after a few days spent attempting to cross the boarder. You get to know people pretty well spending so much time with them in such close quarters and these people were pretty amazing! Dedicated, determined, courageous, strong, faithful, adventurous, fun and entertaining people.
Recently through the wonders of Facebook I have been able to reconnect with a few of the team members I traveled with that year. It's amazing to see the places life has taken them. Catching up on 20 years of life experiences has shown me that even though we are in such different places, spaces and situations that summer is something that helped to shape who we are. I could never get into all the experiences and how they have shaped us. It would take far too long but I know that for me, feeling included in a group and working towards a goal together was something that I really needed. One of the girls on that team lived about an hour and a half away from me at home and became such a very close and treasured friend. I have so many great memories of times when I would visit her or she would stay with me and we would get in trouble together. That friendship was so very important to the insecure girl that I was, feeling I didn't fit in and wasn't accepted. Sometimes it just really helps to realize that you aren't the only one that feel that way and that even a little dysfunctional group could still work together to do something great.
Thank you guys for your friendship then and your renewed friendship over the distance now! It's encouraging that after 20 years you are still willing to band together and lift each other up.
I was 15 years old (yes if you can do math that makes me 35 now) and very nervous about how I would fit in on this team and if I would be able to keep up to the rigorous training. Surprisingly the most difficult portion of the trip was not the time we actually spent at the destination, it was the Boot Camp (yep, that's what they call it) and the travel. TMI attempts to make the 2 weeks of Boot Camp training as difficult as the most extreme of situations any of the teams could come across. More than 2,000 teens were gathered together for messages each evening in a giant big top tent. So, canteen in hand we attempted (somewhat unsuccessfully) to keep ourselves hydrated, use terrible outhouses, sleep in tents over swampland, participate in an 20 min obstacle course every day, memorize scripture, dig trenches that I don't even think had a purpose and learn all manner of construction basics. I now know how to tie steal, pour and level concrete floors, mix mortar, lay bricks and build trusses. Just what every 15 year old girl aspires to learn! It was the hardest thing I ever did in my life. Boot camp was brutal. I would trudge off in my steel toe work boots (the only acceptable footwear) to the obstacle course each day knowing that I would fail, and fail I did! There was not one single day that I was able to make it to the end and like clockwork I would fall into the sludgy water I was attempting to swing over with a rope. This meant that every day, all day, my feet were wet. I ended up with something called trench rot. It's something that solders would end up with in war time. It's when that pruney skin you get from being wet gets pressed into constant folds. They eventually crack and bleed and even when you eventually dry out the folds have become a permanent fixture to your feet. In fact I still have some to this day. It was also one of the wettest years on record for Florida. Hurricane force winds actually blew down the big top one night and what did we do? We huddled in our little camp sites in our tinny little tents and prayed that we wouldn't be whisked away to OZ. I am happy to say that even though it was such a harrowing experience I still (for some unknown reason) decided to do the same thing the next year. That year I showed great improvement! I didn't fall in the swamp once and I actually completed the obstacle course a few times.
So Why would I subject myself to something like this a second time, even though I knew how hard it would be? It's because of the people. Our team of around 20 marched onto our bus, did our count off to make sure we were all there and started our drive to central Mexico. Yep, we drove. TMI buses have little drop down beds in them and that is where we spent the next 11 days. Yep, that's how long it took us to get there after a few days spent attempting to cross the boarder. You get to know people pretty well spending so much time with them in such close quarters and these people were pretty amazing! Dedicated, determined, courageous, strong, faithful, adventurous, fun and entertaining people.
Recently through the wonders of Facebook I have been able to reconnect with a few of the team members I traveled with that year. It's amazing to see the places life has taken them. Catching up on 20 years of life experiences has shown me that even though we are in such different places, spaces and situations that summer is something that helped to shape who we are. I could never get into all the experiences and how they have shaped us. It would take far too long but I know that for me, feeling included in a group and working towards a goal together was something that I really needed. One of the girls on that team lived about an hour and a half away from me at home and became such a very close and treasured friend. I have so many great memories of times when I would visit her or she would stay with me and we would get in trouble together. That friendship was so very important to the insecure girl that I was, feeling I didn't fit in and wasn't accepted. Sometimes it just really helps to realize that you aren't the only one that feel that way and that even a little dysfunctional group could still work together to do something great.
Thank you guys for your friendship then and your renewed friendship over the distance now! It's encouraging that after 20 years you are still willing to band together and lift each other up.
This is so great, Rachel! Yes, our team certainly put the FUN in dysfunctional.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could see you in person and give you a hug! LOVE YOU! Happy Anniversary!!!!