This year’s Living Youth Camp Adventure trip was a grand success! Big smiles, new friendships and a bit of new courage were all products of participating in an adventure like this, following God’s way each and every day. He certainly was with us all along the way on our memorable adventure.
This year’s Living Youth Camp Adventure trip was a grand success! Big smiles, new friendships and a bit of new courage were all products of participating in an adventure like this, following God’s way each and every day. He certainly was with us all along the way on our memorable adventure.
More than 68 Church youth and adults took part in a six-day wilderness canoe trip around the Crane, Namakan and Kabetogama lakes in the Voyageur National Park in northern Minnesota. I personally had not been on that particular route for more than 40 years—needless to say, it brought back many good memories.
Everyone—campers and staff alike—had a wonderful and safe time. No one was hurt or injured, other than experiencing a few mosquito bites and a few cuts and bruises. Bright sunny days were punctuated by afternoon storms that brought wind and rain—not serious enough to dampen spirits, but difficult enough to challenge everyone and make it memorable! We all made it safely back to base camp in Orr, Minnesota, after an exhilarating—if sometimes taxing—six days on the lakes.
The program began on Sunday, July 12, with a welcome dinner for the incoming staff, meeting in Hudson, Wisconsin. The next three days were filled with intense instruction and training on various topics regarding the purpose of the program, the history of Church of God camps, learning to be a mentor, and challenging the current culture of apathy. Practical canoeing skills were taught on Monday afternoon, with swamp and rescue training. On Tuesday, the staff received more program-specific training, as well as lectures on biblical issues like understanding the meaning of justification and how it unlocks the books of Romans and Galatians, and the importance of assimilating God’s law early in life. Risk management and map and compass reading were also discussed and practiced on Tuesday. On the next day, July 14, wilderness first aid, team-building, and legal issues were discussed, to round out the intense three-day training.
Campers began arriving at Minneapolis airport on Thursday, July 15, and were ferried by bus northward. Orr, Minnesota—the old site of the Summer Educational Program, of which many brethren have fond memories—housed the base camp for the program, On the morning of Friday, July 16, campers heard orientation lectures from Mr. Weston and other faculty. In the afternoon, they had "station" classes in canoeing (paddling techniques and rescue procedures), camp procedures, and swimming. All campers took part in a mandatory (if somewhat cold) swimming test to determine their level of ability—a "must" before going out on the open water. Sabbath services were held at Orr High School—a pause and rest before the big trip!
The canoe trip itself began on Sunday, July 18, as the campers and staff were ferried to their put-in points by bus. They quickly learned how much time it takes to properly load a canoe and tie everything down, but once in the water they also appreciated how stable their canoe became with all that gear surrounding them—stable enough to take on wakes and waves far from shore. Over the next six days, the campers guided their canoes into some of the most pristine waterways of the world. Hundreds of thousands of canoeists every year flock to northern Minnesota’s world-famous lakes to experience the wilderness first-hand. Canoeists and kayakers from all over the world travel to this labyrinth of islands and lakes, bordering Minnesota and Canada, where deer, moose, beaver and bear make their homes. For many campers, this was their first personal experience enjoying the great outdoors on this level. It was not just a "virtual" trip—it was the real thing! There were no cell phones or Internet connections available in the wilderness. It was a welcome and refreshing break from our technologically crowded world to experience the refreshing lakes, verdant islands, and abundant wildlife of God’s creation. I must say it was probably one of the Church’s largest canoe programs of its kind anywhere in the world, with all 68 canoeists on the water at the same time at various points in the Voyageur park. Even when SEP (Summer Educational Program) was in full swing years ago, we seldom, if ever, had so many at any one time heading out.
The trip concluded with everyone heading back to base camp on Friday, July 23. Following a welcome Sabbath rest, campers were transported by boat from the base camp across Pelican Lake to the city of Orr where an old fashioned sock-hop was held. On Sunday morning, campers and staff worked together to break down the base camp, pack all personal gear, and take the bus or car ride down to Minneapolis for a relaxing and refreshing swimming party and barbeque at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Lee-Leger, local brethren in Minneapolis. Following the pool party, the girls "camped out" at the Lee-Legers’ home, and the boys went to the Kreyers’ farm to "camp out" for a short night. Bright and early the next morning, Monday, July 24, campers and staff were transported to the Minneapolis airport to complete their adventure and return home.
Mr. Gerald Weston and his team did an outstanding job. From coordinating and planning the trip to organizing the necessary equipment, base campsite, cooking and feeding—not only for canoeists, but also support staff and guests—theirs was a very big task. Mrs. Carol Weston and her crew did an outstanding job of feeding everyone. Mike and Kim Kreyer set up a magnificent camp kitchen with running water, electricity, refrigerator, freezer and everything else needed to provide meals for the entire camp.
Spiritual food was provided by Bible studies each day and by two Sabbath services. The adventure was indeed well organized—right down to picking up the campers and putting them on their respective flights back home.
Sheldon and Joette Monson carried much of the weight this year in lining up the base camp, securing extra canoes and camp equipment, and making sure each team of eight could fit all their physical needs into two 20- or 23-foot canoes for six days in the wilderness. Church members from congregations in Minnesota and Wisconsin all pitched in to help with the pre-orientation and conclusion set-ups, and with meals, transportation and service needs. Mr. Monson’s personal touch from years of experience of conducting wilderness trips was obvious in his helping Mr. Weston complete this significant undertaking so successfully. Mr. Rod McNair’s personal attention to detail, his kindness and his follow-up filled in the gaps, along with Mr. Jonathan McNair’s scheduling, Bible Study scripts and personal camp and wilderness experience, rounding out a "well-oiled" staff. No detail was left unattended.
Truly, everyone involved helped to make this year’s LYC Adventure program the adventure of a lifetime for many of God’s young people.
It was a fun trip, filled with excitement and challenge, living up to the theme of the adventure: "Learning to do hard things well!" It was indeed a test and a challenge, and it offered a great opportunity to teach young people about the Work, the Church and many of the principles of living God’s way. And it was a great deal of fun!
—Ben Whitfield, with material from Gerald Weston and Rod McNair