Some would say that going to Camporee is a hot, stinky, waste of time and part of me would tend to agree. Especially so, when the air conditioning in your bus stops working on the trip there. But, that’s another story for another day.
Five years ago, when I attended the Forever Faithful Camporee, something inside of me stirred. My love for Pathfinders was assured and I knew that no matter what, I was going to come back in 2019. I was so excited, that I’ve worn the wristband from 2014 since as a reminder of my love for Pathfinders.
I’ve been through a lot in the past five years, and my life has changed so much that my head hurts just trying to think about who I was back then. Despite the ups and downs, my love for Pathfinders has only ever gotten stronger.
That being said, on Tuesday night when the evening program started, it finally sunk in that I was back. When the announcer said “Camporee 2019 is officially open”, I started crying happy tears because of the journey my life has been on to get back to that moment. For the rest of the evening, I was brimming with emotions, especially when the fireworks went off.
Anyways, I am so excited to be back here, and so thankful for the opportunities I’ve had to change and grow, all while being a part of Pathfinders. My hope is that as the years go on, more kids can continue to get reacquainted with their love for God here at Camporee, and that I can continue to serve him in any way that I can.
