Koza Flocking

The youth group at my church had a fundraiser during the month of January called "flocking." People at the church paid to put a bunch of flamingo's in other people's yards. They would be removed the next day and moved to the next yard, migrating through the yards of the church all over Okinawa. It was quite the adventure and made for some funny stories when the youth got caught setting them up or came up against obstacles. I was flocked the last night of the month... and the funniest part about it was the fact that the night I got flocked, was the one night that I went with the youth to help flock other people. When I showed up to help, they had to devise a plan to pho-flock someone else and then get me later, after I thought we were done... it was quite a night!

Well, because it was the last night of the flocking anyways... I decided that I would birdnap one of the flamingos and hold it hostage. I left a ransom note and kept the bird for a month, until the next youth group event. At the next youth group event, "Final Friday" (we get together the last Friday of each month for food, games, a message... etc.), I set up a scavenger hunt throughout the church to find the flamingo. They had to follow my clever clues around the church, eventually leading them to hop around the outside of the church on one foot like a flamingo. The first group to get to the front door were the rescuers of the flamingo. The prize... the bird and bragging rights. What I didn't count on was the weather change... it went from beautiful and sunny that day, to pouring-down rain that night. The students (and some of the leaders) got soaked while on this bird-hunt... which made it that much more competitive and fun for them. At the end of the day, the bird was rescued and I had several requests to make another scavenger hunt for the next Final Friday.

flocking with the girls on the last night

the traditional flocking picture...

the girls in front of my apartment after I had left... I had no idea this was going on. I wasn't home, but when I got home I was sure in for a surprise.

The next morning, I took a few pics of the pink damage.

I've been flocked! I felt so loved.

The bird I kidnapped

The ransom note I left for the youth to find when they came to pick up the flock...

A month later at the church: the first clue was inside Joel and Jenni's car in the parking lot... I wasn't planning on the rain but it sure made it interesting!

the kids ran all through the church looking for the clues!

One of the leaders was one of the clues, and he was hiding in that closet on the left

yep, I put one of the clues in the elevator. the great part was that one of the rules was that the entire team must stay together, so they all had to cram in to read the next clue!

reading the clue in the elevator

waiting to give the bird to the winning team

The winning team... soaking wet after hopping around the church on one leg like a flamingo in the pouring rain! They were very proud of their accomplishment