Our 2 weeks of staff training were intense as we trained to guide rock climbing, repelling, dog scootering, high ropes, zip line, and extended canoe tripping. We took a staff canoe trip that pushed us 10-12 miles a day with plenty of portages, and our first day made the rest of the summer easy as we conquered the longest portage in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW).
The day after we completed staff training, Jonny and I headed back onto the water for a week with our Guides in Training and Junior Guides (leadership programs for high school students). We had an amazing week quickly building friendships with them and hearing their life stories of great pain and difficulty. We were privileged to spend a week pursuing a deeper understanding of how the Gospel applies to every aspect of every day of our lives, and we focused on understanding how God views us with immeasurable love despite our felt brokenness. It was a unique trip for the summer as the relationships that we made on the trip have been able to continue through the summer. In the following weeks after the trip, Jonny and I were also able to take time to conduct further teaching times with them, and we have been able to both hang out and walk out daily tasks along side them.
As soon as I got back from guiding the Junior Guides and Guides in Training, I immediately went back out for another week with a group of girls from the inner city of Minneapolis. These young ladies were beautiful, strong, and athletic, but I soon learned that they were facing some of their biggest fears by camping in the woods (spiders, bears, a week without a toilet, etc.). Even though I was much smaller than they, they looked up to me as the one who would keep them alive and hopefully well. It proved to be a very adventurous week of paddling against wind, up rapids and portaging around waterfalls. But the best part was that God was speaking to me and to the girls. For me personally, I had some concerns about leading an all-girls group which meant I had to manage some tasks as a guide which the men had handled in all my previous trips, such as collecting firewood, starting and sustaining good fires for cooking all the meals, and properly hanging the food bag each night to keep it away from bears. I prayed about all of these things and God faithfully provided an abundance of wood and eager participating girls for setting up the bear rope (it became a fun competition each evening). For the young ladies, the Lord spoke through my daily devotions regarding the Gospel, their relationship with Father God, listening to the Lord in His Word & prayer, and spiritual warfare. At the end of the week they were eager to pray and shared that they highly valued our lessons and quiet times as their favorite and most memorable parts of their experience!The following week I stayed back at base camp while Jonny guided the group of boys from the same inner-city ministry. While it was nice to finally take a break from being on-trail, there was no lack of work to be done around camp while I eagerly anticipated Jonny's return.
The following week our camp hosted a large youth group for Adventure Camp where rather than guiding small groups out in the BWCAW, the entire group stayed at the cabin on base and went on daily adventures canoeing or rock climbing or dog scootering, etc. Jonny's highlight of the week was getting to teach each night. He challenged them in their understanding of the who they are in Christ, to fully surrender their lives and plans to the Lord, and how they can practically live out the will of God for their lives. He was encouraged all week long as leaders and kids alike responded positively and expressed to him how encouraging and timely the messages were for their lives.
A youth group from Fargo North Dakota came for a week of guided trips into the Boundary Waters. I had the privilege of guiding a fun group of 2 girls, 3 boys, and 2 men who had children in the group along with one of the guides in training. It rained and stormed for the first two days and we were so grateful to wake up on the third day to glorious sunshine. One unique aspect to being a guide is that even though I just met these teens, they respect me and are eager to hear what I have to say due to the fact that I become their mom for the week (cooking their meals, mending their wounds, and so on) but they also see me as Bear Grills since wilderness survival is my job. Therefore, I get to challenge them to deeper levels of faith and promote loving community. On the last night of every trip we always have an affirmation circle where every person in the group takes turns encouraging and affirming each other. This is one of my favorite parts of the week because it is so special to see the reactions of a teenager as their peers call out identity, life, and lovingly build each other up. This time was a reflection of the success of the week and it was particularly special to hear the children affirm their parents and vice versa.
