A Glimpse into my Life as a Summer Missionary 
The weeks leading up to June 3rd were filled with anxiety and doubt and lots of spiritual attacks. While the thought of taking off to live in the mountains of California was attractive and exciting, the thought of living mission intimidated me. Plus, I had never gone to summer camp before, I had never been forced to live in close community quarters for more than maybe a few days or a week at extreme most. I was not certain of anything. I hadn't been preparing myself. I didn't know we were spending a week in Arizona. I hadn't started packing or planning. I wasn't "ready". When my parents or friends would ask of what I'd be doing there, I could give a vague description of what I thought Life Teen summer camp would be like. But mostly, I shrugged and answered, "Actually, I don't know."
But slowly, and then all at once, June 3rd arrived. Little did I know that the next four weeks would change everything. Yeah, I knew that Jesus would use the following month to change my life. Sure. But I don't think I realized the full potential to radically change my heart, to wildly transform me.
In those four weeks, we staffed the Life Teen Catholic Youth Ministers Conference in Pheonix. There we worked and worshipped alongside some of the Catholic world's greatest speakers and leaders (such as the incredibly humble Randy Raus, the "Bible Geek" Mark Hart, Ike Ndolo, Emily Wilson, Dr. Bob Ross, Fr. Michael Gaitley, and many others). In Arizona, I experienced some of the most powerful Adoration and Mass experiences of my life. I was welcomed into the homes of wonderful families and stayed in pretty sweet hotels, and experienced the radical hospitality of my Life Teen family. Then, we drove in vans up to the mountains of California. Up and up and up until the clouds broke and all was bright blue sky and evergreens.
On the mountain, we devoted ourselves to the apostles' teaching, and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. We unpacked the summer's theme of Unfinished. We journeyed through the life of Peter; dove deep into his brokenness, this weakness that would be made perfect by our Lord's unspeakable mercy. We listened to the "pure fire" that is Jay Martin's remixes, watched Carlos go hard in the twelve-pass (and pass on his signature dance move to hundreds of teens). We took day trips to the laundromat in Big Bear (we never did get that sweet smelling sap off our clothes!), played tourist in the village, cried watching Finding Dory, and blamed everything on the elevation.
I climbed freaking Jacob's Ladder alongside my sweet Shelby, who still insists that Mary is in fact covered in babies. I never got tired of Katrina's accent. I did get tired of Austin's sass. I woke up to Sarahi taking pictures of me asleep in my bunk. I learned to sing freely and dance like a fool around a campfire all for the joy of the Lord. I learned to play a few chords on the uke and got soaked in the canoes by Priests and taught campers how to make rosaries. I allowed my sisters to wash my feet and enter into my muckiness, and I saw my campers do the same. I watched teens conquer their fears on the ropes course and feel the call to the religious life. I watched teens bask in the gaze of Jesus himself in the Eucharist and fall on their knees in awe of Him, completely enraptured by his love. I listened as teary-eyed kids told me their testimony, told me they trusted me with their deepest burdens, told me they didn't want to say goodbye, told me I had made a difference. I saw how deeply just one week of camp could change the lives of over 400 teens.
But above all, I learned from my fellow missionaries what it looks like to live the joy of the Gospel fully. I learned from them what it truly means to love radically, serve humbly, and pursue the heights of Heaven with a zeal for souls so inspiring, you can't help but want to know what the source of their freedom is. And boy, they'll show you.
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| Side note: These are just a few of the hundreds of pictures I wish I could show you! I know what I'll be doing as soon as this post goes up... |
I'll leave you with the only words I could muster on my last day in California:
"there is no way to even begin to express the goodness of these past four weeks of mission! i am so grateful for my @lifeteen family. you'll never understand how much you impacted me, and the ways each of you drew me closer to christ by your love and your witness. thank you jesus for your abundant graces, for your endless mercy, and for the countless ways you changed my heart. today we are sent out into the world recognizing that our mission is still unfinished, and remembering that these glorious mountaintop experiences only better prepare us for the valleys that await."
In those four weeks, God's unending glory was revealed, and strangers became lifelong friends.
Not a day goes by that I don't think of my sweet, sweet Golden Bears.
To my fellow missionaries: if you are reading this, know that I could go on and on about the things you did and said that changed my life forever. I could actually write a book filled with affirmations and glory stories with your name on it. From deep in the heart of Texas, I love you so much.
I'll see you in the Eucharist.
Oh my God, you truly are a God of evermore. Evermore blessings, evermore mercy, evermore grace. For everything that has been, thank you...and for all that is to come, YES.
MESI BONDYE MESI!!!
