Mo Ranch Report

I may have overpromised when I claimed I would post about Junior High Jubilee while I was at Synod Youth Workshop. It’s been non-stop and I only have time now because I have hall duty until midnight tonight. Let me see if I can list what I learned two weeks ago.

I think I finally nailed the Butterfly energizer, which was always the hardest new one for me.

I gained more respect for how mature the junior high kids at my church are. They stayed in hotel style rooms instead of dorms. They requested these rooms because the dorms were loud and the other groups stayed up after lights out. Our girls wanted to go to bed on time. Yeah. Go figure. And they managed to keep track of room keys—something you seldom have to do at church camp.

At the last minute we were offered space on a chartered bus with professional driver and, best of all, for free. A neighboring church was sent a bigger bus than they needed and had room to spare. I had to make a split second decision to put our little group of five on their bus and ditch the SUV we had rented.

I had always thought travelling as a church group in a chartered bus was the epitome of luxury. Now I’m rethinking that idea. Those busses don’t stop for anything. There’s a bathroom on board. I got to watch three DVDs of classic kids movies while playing Words With Friends with Sarah on the drive down to the hill country. However, it turned out that everyone (including me) really enjoys a stop or two at gas stations to shop for snacks. Who knew such a little thing could be so satisfying?

I have long held the theory that sometimes mission trips with your church group are more about the ride in the van together than the actual work you do when you get there. (Mantra #7: it’s the journey, not the destination.) But I’m not so sure anymore the luxury of the chartered bus was worth it.

The river is a big feature at this camp. One of the best activities was the all-too-short Aquathon when we spent an hour by the river doing various relays and games that almost guaranteed you would get wet. And If the games didn’t get you wet enough, the staff would periodically come by and dump a bucket of water on your head. Rivers are handy for that sort of thing.

I don't have pictures of anymore of the fun stuff because I was having too much fun to stop and take pictures.  But here's a good one of knees and shoes. 

I don't have any more time to tell you about that retreat because I'm in the middle of the current one right now.  Someday I will glean some words of wisdom to share with you. Next Wednesday I might write about water.  Come back then. Good night.