On Course in NC with Montreat

I feel high tech because I'm writing this post while I am on a course! Ok, so I'm not in the woods yet, but here's a peak into the course so far. (A reminder of what I'm doing: I am instructing a three-week Wilderness Education Association Course for Montreat College's Outdoor Education majors. Montreat College is Christian school in western North Carolina. The course will take place in the western mountains of the state in Pisgah National Forest.)

I arrived down here this past Friday. I had forgotten how beautiful this place is! There are mountains everywhere...


a quaint little town of Black Mountain...


a resort-like town and campus of Montreat College...



and an incredible old house where I'm staying.


I'll soon be leaving this all behind, but for now it's great.

We have been having class with students (in this photo learning about clothing use and selection)...


packing food and making other preparations...


When I'm not with the students I'm meeting with the instructors (Andrew, Katie, and Woody)...


and when I haven't been meeting with instructors I've been preparing lessons, updating my blog, making last phone calls and emails, and packing my pack! A lot of this has happened in my bedroom (the sweetest place I've ever stayed in course preparation)....


I'm getting to know the students because they live next to "my" house and I eat meals with them. Tonight one of the guys baked a cake, which spontaneously morphed into a decorated bunny/cat cake...

...and a frosting and Nutella battle! (This entailed trying to smear each other's faces with frosting and Nutella). With help from other participants, Julie got the raw end of the deal.)


Check out the slideshow for additional photos. I have to get some sleep tonight! A long day of preparation and meetings await me for tomorrow, then it's off to the field on Wednesday!

Emily Works Inside?

My office. A.k.a. our dining room.

Yes, it is true. Although I work as a member of the Outdoor Leadership Team I spend the majority of my time inside. Just what do I do with all of that time? Well, for every trip that I lead there are hours, weeks, and even months of preparation and follow up work required. This includes designing the experience appropriate to the goals of the group: theme, length of experience, activity, and location. Once I have the big picture in place there are the details: recruiting participants & instructors, creating a budget, developing the curriculum, planning the itinerary, planning the menu and buying food, gathering the equipment, etc. After the experience is facilitated there is clean up, follow up with participants & staff, and evaluation of the trip.

In my office. There's a very casual dress code.

Trip planning is just one aspect of my office work. I also spend a significant amount of time support raising. This is not just asking people for money, but staying in good communication with my support team and sharing the vision of my work with an ever increasing audience. It includes my newsletter, keeping this blog updated, prayer emails, thank you notes, supporter events, and visiting supporters.

The view from my desk!

Additionally, I work with my supervisor Joy to handle some of the administrative work for the Outdoor Leadership Team. I'm typically at the CCO office one day per week doing this.

And later this month I will begin work at the Cafe & Creamery that my church is starting in my neighborhood. I'll be there about 10 hours per week to specifically build relationships with the youth that frequent the Cafe. I am excited to add that new aspect to my work.

So you can see that there are plenty of ways I stay busy when I'm not outside! I hope this has given you a better feel for my work!

Please take a moment to join me on a tour of my office building! Click the "play" button below and enjoy!

What is LDW?

LDW 2006 on the summit of Down's Mountain, WY

Trying saying Leadership & Discipleship in the Wilderness a few times very quickly, and you can figure out why we use the abbreviation LDW. But what is it? "LDW (Leadership & Discipleship in the Wilderness) is a summer opportunity of the CCO designed to create an environment where participants are transformed. Participants will have the opportunity to develop their character and leadership ability by delving into six discovery areas: spiritual disciplines, community, leadership, agape, knowing, and Christlikeness. Participants will then be challenged to take their learning from the wilderness context and integrate it into their lives at school, home, church, etc. in order to transform the world for Christ." (From Jamie Martin, our LDW manager.)

LDW 2007 on the waters of the Georgian Bay

This year we are excited to be offering two LDW trips that will run concurrently during the summer: six weeks of backpacking and mountaineering in Wyoming, and four weeks of coastal kayaking on the Georgian Bay in Ontario.

LDW 2007 group shot

To learn more about LDW or to refer a student who you think would benefit from this kind of transformational experience, visit the LDW website at www.ccojubilee.org/olt/ldw.

Winter Wonderland in WV

Arriving and setting up camp in the dark (and 24-degree temps).

Would you want only a couple pieces of thin nylon, some polyster stuffing, and a layer of clothing separating you from a dark, snowy 24-degree night? Well, six students from Waynesburg University did two weekends ago in West Virginia! Honestly, I wasn't so excited about it. Going into the trip I was exhausted from the fall's work, fighting sickness, and only wanted to be in my own warm bed. But I'm so glad I ran the trip because great things came out of it.

Waking up to a winter wonderland.

First, Emily Dooley who had participated in LDW this past summer, organized the trip for the Waynesburg Outdoor Experience club. She saw a need in the group to experience wilderness living and the community that comes from such an experience. She also wanted the students to encounter God in a closer and new way like she had this past summer in the wilderness. Although it was her first time planning and leading a trip, I walked her through the steps, and she did a great job! She now not only knows how much work it takes to pull off a trip, but is equipped to design and implement trips in the future for the outdoor club or other groups.

The Emilys

Ready to start hiking. Notice the orange. It was hunting season.

Secondly, Brandon, another LDW student, co-led the trip with Emily to finish his WEA Outdoor Leader Certificate. He also did a great job, and demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that enabled me to certify him. It was great seeing the skills & knowledge Emily & Brandon had gained on LDW put to work with other students.

Brandon & Emily Dooley discuss plans for the day.

Finally, the participants on the trip were wonderful. Each of them jumped into the experience, even in the midst of new, harsh conditions. While some people may think we were crazy for being out there, we discovered together that it was a privilege. A privilege to experience the beauty of a fresh snowfall, a privilege to know we have warm homes to return to, a privilege to step away from the normal routine of life, and a privilege to listen to God's voice through Scripture, prayer, silence, creation and the people around us.

The group at Table Rock overlook.

Kayak-a-thon video!

Check out this sweet video of the Kayak-a-thon! Thanks to Joy for putting it together.

From Crackle: Kayak-a-thon 07