Why Hawaii?

In January I will be headed to Hawaii for a month. As I tell people, I get all sorts of reactions, which usually express some sentiment like "Oh, what a rough job." (I'm waiting for the time I'll need to dodge rotten tomatoes.) I suddenly also get many offers of help - even carrying my pack! - and I have been assured that my friends will easily fit into my luggage. Yes, Hawaii is a wonderful destination, but what is the purpose?
The purpose is for students from Messiah College to encounter God, others, self, and creation. It's about knowing God and therefore rooting our identity in what he says about us. It's about traveling together and seeing others as image bearers of God, even when your tentmate's socks fill your sleeping space with a terrible stench. It's about discovering firsthand the intricacies and majesty of God's creation and understanding our roles as caretakers.

So please pray for the instructors and students (and families back home) as we enter a time focused specifically on encountering God and his work in the world and in our lives. Hawaii is incredibly beautiful, but beauty does not remove the challenges of everyday life in the wilderness or the deserts of our inner lives that we must traverse. Thank you so much for your support!

The "Slow" Months

Whatever happened to the slow winter months? I would like be in a place where hibernating by the fireside during the dark, cold months is a reality. That is simply not the case now with my work and life. Although I have not been outside very much, I have kept plenty busy indoors. So what do I during the fall and winter months?

Well, if you look below, you'll see one thing I do - organize & maintain gear in our very chilly equipment room! Sara, Emily, and i met to inventory our winter camping gear. Since our equipment room is part of an old barn and has no heat, we decided to try out the parkas and mukluks. They work very well!

Occasionally a brave group (like the Chippewa Venture Crew) will want to go outside in the cold. I facilitated a climbing day for them on November 8th.

Otherwise I've mostly been at my desk doing various odds and ends which include updating this blog, planning for future events, support raising, supporter communication, data entry for the Outdoor Leadership Team, etc. I good portion of my fall has been spent working with newer OLT staff to help them connect with the OLT and create professional development plans for obtaining certification to lead outdoor activities. I also collected information about the 16 wilderness spring break trips to make sure location and equipment needs were not overlapping, and to find the best fit for apprentices to gain hands-on experience under a senior instructor.

If all those little details were not enough, I'm a organizing a Christmas coffeehouse event at the Cafe 'n' Creamery to give high school and college-aged folks an opportunity display their talents through music or spoken word. This will also provide the neighborhood with a family-friendly event while exposing the Cafe 'n' Creamery to a new audience.

That's some of what of what I've been doing recently. See, no slow months here!