Hawaii - That Sunny Place? The True Story of Wilderness Encounter

Yes, I did recently return from three weeks in Hawaii:

Yes, it was wonderful. (A great group of students!)

Yes, I saw incredibly scenery. (Breathtaking at times.)

Yes, it was warmer than single-digit and negative temperatures. (Sometimes we wore shorts!)

But wait! I didn't spend my days on sunny beaches.
(Sorry to disappoint you).

Keep scrolling down for images and stories that reveal the truth about life in Hawaii and what students learned.

Since most people think Hawaii only has beaches and sun, I'll address that aspect now. First, January is Hawaii's rainy season. Most days it rained at some point. We also weathered a huge storm, during which we spent two straight days under this small pavilion. Mud got everywhere. I think it could be added as the eleventh plague.

Kauai also has lots of forests and a huge canyon. We hiked through lots of thick foliage and vicious, prickly ferns that tore our skin and socks.

We tried to have some fun on the days we hiked drenched from the rain.


However, despite the frequent environmental challenges, we did have fun (most of the time) and more importantly, students learned and were changed! Here are snippets of what students learned and how they are continuing to wrestle with challenges back on campus:

Laura (picture above at center) - I had an awesome time on the Wilderness Encounter trip. I learned new things about camping, cooking, backpacking, and about myself. I found that I enjoyed the simplicity of life in the wilderness and how freeing it was. This is something that I have tried to incorporate into my life on campus by having quiet time and by turning off my computer and TV more often. I am trying to focus on relationships more and on myself less. These are things from the Wilderness Encounter that really impacted who I am, so I'm trying to live these lessons out on campus. I can't wait for my next backpacking trip!"

Chris - "During Wilderness Encounter I learned how much I enjoy being around people. After reading Practicing the Presence of People I've realized how important being around people is to my life. I've been trying to be intentional with spending more time with people than I used to, whether it's finding people to eat with or doing my homework in the student union center."

Steve, Dando, Chris and Ashley

Steve - "Living intentionally with a group of people whom I grew to know on a genuine level was a fantastic experience. Personally, the challenge comese when I'm back at school and I try to be intentional on the same level with the vast amount of people I encounter in one day. I want to know so much about them, but it's so easy to get wrapped up in my responsibilities and myself at school that often times I forget to take an interest in others' lives."

Ashley - "Hawaii helped me develop the relationship between myself and God through the solo camping experiences. Normally I am a person who would rather spend a day with people than alone...God showed me how beloved I am to Him in ways I had never experienced before. So now back at home I have a new trust and faith that He loves me and my prayers are being answered."

And finally...here's a quick look at one of my favorite places on the island - the Na Pali Coast!

To see more photos from the trip, click the link at the right.

Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for more updates throughout the rest of the spring.

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!

Building Relationships for Hawaii

Sam belaying one of her classmates.

In October I had the opportunity to get to know 9 of the 16 participants who will be traveling with me to Hawaii in January for Messiah College's three-week Wilderness Encounter course. These students are mostly Adventure Education students who were on Fall Break with their Rock Climbing class.

Seneca Rocks in the distance on the left. 300 feet of vertical rock.

I was able to join them for two days at Seneca Rocks, WV. While facilitating the climbing sites, cooking and hiking we built rapport and friendships without the baggage that the title "instructor" can carry with it. I am very much looking forward to continuing and deepening these relationships in January.

I got to continue conversations with Matt that we had begun on LDW this past summer.

We witnessed a beautiful sunset.

The Amazing Windy Ridge Challenge

Two Crossroads students find their next destination by using a compass.

'Travel at 132 degrees for 38 paces...Find at least 10 commonalities within your team...Navigate to Point A on your map...Solve this riddle...Build a sculpture from natural materials that represents your team." These are just a few of the challenges that Duquesne University students encountered during the Amazing Windy Ridge Challenge at their Fall Retreat.

Why the Windy Ridge Challenge? My co-worker and I created it as a way to get students to ponder the way that they navigate life's challenges and pursuit of God in the company of others. This design was inspired by Ryan, the student organizer of the weekend. Read Ryan's comments on what students learned from the weekend. Praise God that He works through the medium of adventure activities!

Crossroads students working together to complete a puzzle.

"I have had many Crossroaders find me since this weekend and tell me how motivational the challenge was for them in their own lives. They said that they were looking for a spark to get them going and that having to use direction and faith throughout this challenge was just that spark. I had a similar experience myself... I had been feeling a lack of motivation leading up to this past weekend, and being out there on the course with my team competing, struck a chord in my mind. I have so much more drive this week with my schoolwork and job. Thank you for that."