This is the Diplomat Guest House. It does not exist anymore. But it was my home for 10 weeks during the summer of 1999 in Panama City Beach, FL. It was hands-down the greatest 10 weeks I've ever known on this planet. I doubt there is anything else I will ever experience that can compare to that summer this side of Heaven. Truth.
I was in PCB for the summer on a Summer Project with Campus Crusade for Christ. I was with 72 other college students from around our great nation and 20 or so folks who were on staff with CCC.
We were a group of like-minded, like-hearted, and like-spirited people who lived together, worked together, ate together, laughed together, worshiped together, prayed together, and told people about Jesus together. They are, to this day, some of the dearest people to me on earth. And thanks to the internet and Facebook, I'm able to keep up with most of them. :)
There is no way I can sum up how awesome a summer we had. There are so many stories to share - I could do an entire blog just about those 10 weeks. Amazing. Life changing. Eternal.
So I decided to share just one story for now - there will likely be others at some point. :)
I shared a room with 5 other girls. That's right, 6 girls, 1 bathroom. 1 closet. It was cozy, to say the least. :)
One Sunday morning we were all furiously getting ready in our room and as we opened the door to head to church - this is what we saw! The hallway outside our room and ALL the girls rooms and the hallways to and from those rooms were all covered in little cups full of water!!!!
We laughed and laughed. The guys of the group had outdone themselves with this prank. Once we got over being impressed by their creativity, we had to figure out how to get out of our rooms!
It was like the smallest version of a bucket-brigade you've ever seen. :) We made a line to our bathroom sink and handed the cups back two at a time. We cleared a path quick enough and made it to church on time.
Good guys, those were. Excellent prank. There were many more that summer, but this one I actually have a photo of.
One Sunday morning we were all furiously getting ready in our room and as we opened the door to head to church - this is what we saw! The hallway outside our room and ALL the girls rooms and the hallways to and from those rooms were all covered in little cups full of water!!!!
We laughed and laughed. The guys of the group had outdone themselves with this prank. Once we got over being impressed by their creativity, we had to figure out how to get out of our rooms!
It was like the smallest version of a bucket-brigade you've ever seen. :) We made a line to our bathroom sink and handed the cups back two at a time. We cleared a path quick enough and made it to church on time.
Good guys, those were. Excellent prank. There were many more that summer, but this one I actually have a photo of.
I seriously need to pull out my huge box of memories and stuff from PCB...this story was great...I always remember the rat in the ceiling...yuck!! I really miss you tons. I wish we could reconnect in person and have another mini reunion...I love you.
ReplyDeleteI was googling the Diplomat because a friend who just vacationed in PCB said she didn't think it was there anymore. I was on the 1992 summer project, and it was the best summer of my life. It was fun to find your blog post and see the photo of the front. Think of how many relationships with Jesus were grown within that pink building! :)
ReplyDeleteMelissa - you are so right. I'm sad it's not there anymore - but it was a haven to many. Thanks for stopping in and saying hi. :)
ReplyDeleteI was so touched to find this post... I stayed at the Diplomat in 1991 with CCC. I often said it was like a greenhouse, and that if that atmosphere was ANYTHING like heaven, even a teeny-tiny bit, I can't wait!
ReplyDeleteI'm sad to learn The Diplomat is no longer there. My family and I are planning a trip to PCB in February and I was looking forward to showing my children where I lived for that summer.
I enjoyed your post...especially of the floor! Who could forget that tile! :-) I shared a room with 5 other girls. I remember bins under our beds. I still can't believe we lived out of bins and suitcases for an entire summer! Just think of it!!! Thanks for the post!
Thanks for saying hi, Jeannette! A greenhouse is an excellent analogy for that place. :)
ReplyDeleteThat summer made me long for heaven in an entirely new way. It was the closest I'll likely ever come to understanding the Acts 1 church. Seeing how things are 'supposed' to be for the Body. Ahhhhh. Amazing. I wish everyone could experience it!
I'm a 1993 PCB "veteran." I was Googling the Diplomat to show my children the building. Wonderful summer. Some people didn't realize what they had that summer. I did. So glad.
ReplyDeleteI googled Diplomat because I also had heard it was gone - I'm a PCB 2003 alum - and stumbled on this blog post - so sad a place with such great memories is gone
ReplyDelete