Camp season is here, and adventurous groups of youth are heading into the wild!
Starting on Sunday, July 13, summer adventures begin for the middle and high school students at Central. The middle school kids leave for Amnicon to paddle the Flambeau and a week later, the high school kids leave for Christikon, a mountain experience in the Absaroka National Forest of Montana. As the kids and their adult leaders prepare, let’s talk about why these trips are so important.
Connecting faith and daily life is a primary goal for wilderness camp experiences. In canoes, on the trail, and in the tents, kids and their adult leaders have an opportunity to talk about faith. They connect the dots between what they learn at church and in Sunday school to everyday life. Students on trail learn about love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control. These are the Fruits of the Spirit that we attribute to leading a life in Christ.
Perseverance is another remarkable skill learned while at camp. At the end of most weeks, kids share stories that highlight their accomplishments. They come away with a renewed sense of self-confidence and determination Years after leaving camp, students return to say that the confidence they experienced on wilderness trips inspired them to be brave in other situations and circumstances over the course of their lives.
And finally, relationships are at the core of every wilderness journey. Students learn to trust each other, and they learn to trust the adult leaders who guide them. The Lutheran camps who build and craft programs for the youth are anchored in their commitment to love and serve their neighbors (especially those in the 11-18 age range).
So, as Central’s youth and their leaders prepare for camp, please keep all who travel in your prayers. They are all taking a leap of faith and trusting that the Spirit will lead and guide them in a new place – a wilderness place.