MKs, Mission Meetings, and MK Camps
Rachel's Dictionary Defines MK as: missionary kid, third-culture child, bi-national, a child who never feels 100% complete in any given country.

In 1990-91, I was in 7th grade in Vian, Oklahoma. We were preparing to go to Richmond, Virginia for training for missions and I was so siked. I couldn't believe I was going to be a part of the amazing group of people called "MKs." I had met some of them before - they were stationed in Africa, South America and Asia, to name a few. They seemed so cool with their American hair color, but foreign appearance - and they could all speak some really cool language. I was going to be one of them. So, I had to do something with my name - I started signing all my homework:
Rachel MK'90

Rachel's Dictionary Defines Mission Meeting as: a week-long gathering, usually at a hotel in a tourist-driven town, of adults whose jobs are religious ministry/missions-related ...and their children.

My first Mission Meeting in Brazil is still a little hazy to me - it was with the people that lived near where we were learning the language. Even though this was the first time I saw someone talking in Portuguese to avoid my understanding them, this was also my first encounter with my group - the MKs. The greatest, even though scariest, thing about this week together is that we were pretty much on our own since our parents were in meetings all week - EVERY ADOLESCENTS DREAM COME TRUE - true independence.

This is where we stayed up in the dark to play hide and go seek in an entire building - where we ate the richest food (in our minds) and just charged it to "The Mission" - where we sang funny songs together, had a few bible studies, rode horses through town and just plain hung out. All the boys seemed cuter than any boy I had ever seen, all the girls seemed smarter and prettier than any girl I had ever met - this place was amazing.

My next Mission Meeting (1992) was even "cooler" still. Now I was with the people I would see regularly - every year, since our parents would be stationed in similar areas along the most northern part of Brazil. We were on the beach, every night looking out at the stars from the roof of the hotel, shooting water balloons out windows, running up and down the halls and in and out of the elevators, pushing fully-dressed people in the pool - eating and having fun.

I couldn't believe my independence, the blessing to be who I wanted to be. I wasn't the only preacher's kid in the class anymore - I was one of the MKs like everyone else - nothing strange about me - nothing noone else couldn't accept. I was home and it was nice.

Rachel's Dictionary Defines MK Camps as: a gathering of MKs once a year at a retreat-like center for a miniature camp setting.

My first year in Brazil, I missed MK Camp - but really, I didn't know what I was missing - so it was ok with me. When the next one came around, I was excited, but nowhere near as pumped as everyone else who had ever been. I thought Mission Meeting was the climax of a cool week - I was wrong.

If Mission Meeting gave us independence, then MK Camp was like being on a deserted island with everything you could want - friends, food, pools, beaches, late nights and NO PARENTS AT ALL. (Well, we had Aunts and Uncles who were "chaperones," but come on now, that was pretty irrelevant.) I have more pictures of MK Camps than I do of any other event in my life (including my wedding!).

MK Camp was where the magic happened - this was the ultimate hook-up week. All MKs from the country came together. Sure, we had to have "meetings" and bible studies, but we could deal with that because we were together. Sometimes doing nothing but talking. But the best times were the late nights - just being goofy and knowing we were ok - we were in the safest place in the world - we had each other, and as far as I was concerned, that is all we needed.

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Sometimes we are so blessed - that we become overwhelmed. We take the blessing and turn it into an overdose. I wish I had known what independence really meant. I wish I had been prepared for the responsibility I was being handed. I just thought young+independence=free living. This was one of my life's biggest mistakes. I was being allowed mature experiences, without being mature myself.

Luke 12:48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few [stripes]. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.