Tropical Freeze - Day Five

Today was the last day of Tropical Freeze, and it was an epic service.  Our skit team joined Dr. Gorilla and his sidekick Frank - that's me in an inflatable gorilla costume.  I was actually out there greeting in the drop-off line, all dressed up as Frank.  The kids were all yelling out, "Frank!  Frank!"  Crazy.  Anyway, the skit team, along with Dr. Gorilla and Frank, joined up with the game team too, and together we battled Manhead, the giant floating head villain from 2019's Summer Xtreme.  He's freezing the island.  The skit involved us talking with Manhead, Frank, and Dr. Gorilla on the screens, so there was some interaction back and forth with pre-recorded material.  But it all worked out, as did the snow falling from the ceiling. The big ending involved us defeating Manhead, and then it was time for the legendary "Gorilla Party."  Basically, Camille's character has been looking for a gorilla party, and this is all rooted in an animated cartoon Josh created several years ago.  Flash forward, and yes, we filmed a big Gorilla Party, and we had AI make a theme song for it that is fairly catchy.  The service actually ended with the Gorilla Party, and me jumping around out there in a completely different gorilla costume.  It was surreal.

But the games and skits weren't the only thing that made today's service incredible.  

The worship and the altar service were amazing.  Kids were in tears, hugging and praying for one another, with everyone huddled together as worship music played.  It was a powerful altar service, the kind we pray and prepare for at Summer Xtreme, and really the thing that parents want the most for their kids during the week.

So today we had a little window of time where kids could go out to the water slides and use squirt guns on each other.  Rain did come though, and the kids came in to see a movie for a short time after that, also lining up to get snow cones too.  

And then it was time for dismissal.  It all went so well, and soon enough there was just the quiet of staff cleaning up, and then even those numbers dwindled down, and that was it for Summer Xtreme 2024.  It's bittersweet, because you want it to keep going - we all do - but it is a tremendous amount of work.  One thing is certain:  the kids will never forget it.

Tonight we did not go to taekwondo, but rather home.  We watched a little television, and then went on to read some.  And then it was time for prayers, and bed.  We probably went to bed a little earlier today, because all three of us are wiped out from a pretty exhaustive week!  But it's been a good week, a very good week.