Camouflage can be defined as “blending in with your surroundings.” My kid brother has proudly served in the Army now for nine years, and camouflage is an obvious part of his job. As youth workers, have you considered camouflage to be part of youth ministry? I had not considered this idea before either. I am not talking about decking out in camouflage for paintball or laser tag, but about camouflage during a mission trip.
Last spring break, I led some students on a mission trip to Mexico to help out missionaries our church supports. One of the days of our trip was set aside to relax and take in the Mexican culture, so we decided to go to a town east of the mission that was a popular place to shop and relax. My wife, the youth sponsors and I thought it would be wise for all of us to stand out so we could keep track of one another. So, we decided to wear our matching shirts we had made for the trip. Once we announced the matching shirt idea, the missionaries pulled my wife and I aside and suggested that matching shirts was not a good idea. They informed us that it would be better if we blended in, wearing normal clothes and staying in groups. So taking their suggestion, we told the students Plan B was to wear normal, and appropriate clothing for the day.
Throughout the day, I noticed how our camouflage (blending in to our surroundings with normal, appropriate clothes) was working to our advantage in three ways. First, there was a large number of spring breakers in the same town who were making quite the scene wherever they went due to their attire, actually the lack thereof. Although our students were around the spring breakers, shopping at the same booth and such, we could designate who our students were in the mix just by who was wearing clothes.
Second, it was obvious there were two other church groups in the same town. We knew this because they were wearing matching shirts. The problem was not they wore matching shirts, but that both groups’ shirts matched each other’s color. So unless one was close enough to read the shirt to see where they are from, no one could not distinguish who was with which group. If I had been one of the leaders of the matching shirt squad, I would find it frustrating trying to figure out who was with my group in the midst of a crowded city street. I know you’re thinking, “What are the odds of matching shirts?” I thought the same thing; but nevertheless, I enjoyed the fact I could easily identify who my students were.
Finally, our camouflage kept us safe. It became apparent that the lack of clothes of the spring breakers caught the attention of those in shady establishments, if you know what I mean. For the church groups with matching clothes, street vendors were crowding around them, causing a stir that in effect grabbed the attention of a nearby soldier.
There is an old saying, “Clothes don’t make the man; the man makes the clothes.” I am very proud how my students and sponsors conducted themselves among the people of Mexico. I believe their actions set them apart from the masses and kept them out of trouble. I also believe the missionaries offered a wise suggestion to blend in, and it was tremendously helpful on this day.
