A Farewell to FUGE

The summer of 2012, I had the opportunity to do something I had wanted to do for many years.  I got to work camp!  I had attended summer camps as both a student and as an adult leader, but there was still a part of me that wanted to be on staff with camp and serve for the entire summer.  And the summer of 2012 I got to do that.  

That summer, FUGE camps became a huge part of my life and my story.  The people I met quickly became family.  We served, laughed, cried, played, and loved Jesus along side each other all summer.  We had the opportunity to pour into each other as well as around 1,000 youth and adults that showed up on our campus each week over the summer.  We did 7 weeks of camp in 35 days that year.  It was a fast paced, crazy, amazing summer. 

Which led me to work it again the next summer.  And that summer was even better.  My FUGE family grew by over 40 people.  I got to meet so many more students and youth pastors and adult volunteers who came to support and pour into their students.  I even got to see and pour into some of the same groups and students I had the summer before.  It was also during the summer of 2013 that God used one of my fellow staffers to plant the seed that would bloom into me going on the World Race and continuing the journey into CGA.  

I was even able to work one week of FUGE before leaving on the World Race and several weeks upon returning from the Race.  It has been a four year journey that I wouldn’t give up or change for anything.  

Which leads me to this summer and the reason for this blog.  I had originally applied to work this coming summer.  I was accepted and had been placed on a team for the summer.  I was even offered a position that I have wanted to fill for a few years now.  I was beginning to get excited for all that was in store as our online training was about to begin.  

But then the unexpected happened.  

I had to tell FUGE that I was not going to be able to work this summer. 

It was a very bittersweet conversation.  There is a part of my heart that will always be with my FUGE family that grows each and every year.  It’s a community that you are immediately connected to if you have ever worked a summer. 

I will forever be thankful for my years of working FUGE. 

I will miss MEGA relays!

I will miss Christmas in July!

I will miss staff worship nights!

I will miss the excitement and encouragement that comes from youth understanding a new biblical truth .

I will miss the relationships I had the chance to build with churches across the country. 

I will miss matching my staff family every day of the week!  

I will miss waving a Bible Study flag and feeling like a large part of me is missing if I’m ever without my backpack. 

I will miss late night runs to the local restaurant that happens to be open way past midnight. 

I will miss the camp exhaustion that comes from days that run from 6AM-12AM. 

There are so many more things that I will miss about a summer at FUGE, but I know God has me where He wants me.  

Stay tuned for a BIG ANNOUNCEMENT next week here on my blog as to why I have had to say farewell to FUGE.