Hello friends,
The season is getting ready to change! You can almost feel the potential in the ground. I am meeting this spring with a mix of excitement and urgency. I feel the excitement of all the potential that the summer season holds and also know that we need some of His human mission partners to join in and be part of the blessings and challenges. As of the writing of this note, we have 1 of a desired 5 Guides committed for the summer. To be clear, God does the lasting work so a big part of me is at peace with letting Him do these things in His own time. But there is also the part of me that knows the reality of what an understaffed summer looks like. In the end my hope is to have the right staff here to make the most of the potential God has prepared. To have hands enough to water, till and plant in the ground we are given.
With all that said, as I have thought about the summer, I have been drawn to Galatians 6:2-5.
“2. Carry each other’s burdens and in this way fulfill the law of Christ. 4-5. Each on should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves, without comparing themselves with anyone else, for each one should carry their own load.”
Each paddle group has so many opportunities to help and lean in to each other, to carry each other’s burdens as verse 2 encourages. They get to not just talk about it but show it with the physical emphasizing the relational. Each participant also gets to do physical activities with their own hands in a new environment where what they do is noticed. Since it is so immediate they get a chance to experience verses 4-5. They can see and test how they respond and end up with pride in how they have grown through it.
Camper Experience Goals:
Here is what we hope for our participants.
- To be seen (noticed for who they are now and who they could become).
- To be shown glimpses of Jesus in the different parts of the adventure including Nature (Creation and their physical selves), the Group (giving and receiving encouragement and problem solving), Self (self awareness and thoughts about Jesus’ character).
How we accomplish these goals
The Guides plan and manage the group’s interactions with different wilderness skills, with the environment, and words of encouragement so they have very full experiences to contemplate and discuss. The process of working through these events and feelings lead to growth for both the group (Galatians 6:2) and the individuals (Galatians 6:4-5).
Guides
Our Guide staff will be equipped and trusted with skills, training, support, certifications, and a lot of hands-on time facilitating/teaching as a leader in the wilderness. Our hope is that they are just as served as the groups they care for. We find that staff who are serving well, are supported well, and consciously adding value to themselves through the process have the best experiences for themselves and create the best experiences for their groups. There is sacrifice involved with any leadership endeavor but it is also rewarding in a way that other jobs are not. The leadership skills are also very transferable to many other spaces.
If you know anyone who has a passion for Jesus, wilderness, leadership, service, and learning – encourage them to contact us. They can email me directly, or learn more about working at Adventurous Christians, here.
