repelling into the PIT

Back in mid-July, Andy (my roommate here at camp) and I had the opportunity to randomly decide to head to Virgin Falls to drop into this cave pit we had discovered a few weeks before. It was quite an adventure.

Check out this video...I know it's long, real long, but it pretty much sums up the whole thing. Some of the video has a banner statement right in the middle of it because I had to convert the files to AVI form in order to edit it all, so I used a free version of an AVS converter and ended up with that random blob in the middle of the video. Sorry if its annoying...



Hope you enjoy!

well...the video didn't upload. It was uploading for about 10 hours and I finally had to call it quits. Sorry, I will try again soon.

3 Days on the AT: Smokey Mountains

For more pictures of my trip check out http://picasaweb.google.com/ben.loho/SmokyMountainExpidition

Well, I had decided to take a solo trip on the Appalachian Trail in Great Smokey Mountain National Park and it was certainly an experience. First of all, I wanted this trip to take me out of my comfort zone and really push me by going alone, something I really don't like, and by going at a pretty strenuous pace of about 15 miles a day. The plan was to be on the trail for 5 days and 4 nights, but that turned into 3 days after a broken toe and sprained ankle. Therefore, one lesson learned can be that are plans are not always God's plans. There was so much more that I learned, things I was able to see in my life as needing change, metaphors that spoke to me as I hiked the trail, backpacking tips, the fact that I way overpacked...

Just like the last AT trip I was on I kept a journal and I will share a few of the many entries I had:

8/3/08 4:30 PM

Well, it took me an hour and a half to get to Mt. Collins, 4 miles from Clingman's Dome. Not even a 1/2 mile into the AT I nailed my little toe on my right foot and I think it's broken. That's gonna be a struggle. Just stopped to eat for a bit. No bears yet. 7 miles left and I will be fighting the daylight.

6:30 PM

2 hours to travel 4.7 miles ain't bad at all. I'm at Newfond Gap right now and the weather is absolutely gorgeous, that's why I'm just hanging around. My toe looks pretty bad right now, oh well.

8:20 PM

I am sitting at a really pretty open area that overloks the southeast side of the Smokeys and Newfound Gap Road. I think that I have decided to set up camp here because some guys that just passed me said that they left Icewater shelter because it was so crowded and my toe is really starting to slow me down. I am probably about a mile away from the shelter now. It's getting pretty chilly out here right now. To be honest, this is a pretty lonely thing to do. That's why all these ideas of "just head back" are swimming around in my mind. But I am here to push myself past all that. And so far, today, I have...one day at a time. The darkness is really starting to kick in now and I am about to sign off so I can set up camp. I need to remember that I made too much rice for dinner...

8/4/08 7:40 AM

Good morning. I have been blessed with another beautiful day. Last night got pretty cold but I was plenty warm inside my bag. I was fortunate enough to wake up in the middle of the night just as an extremely bright shooting star flew over my face. I have learned several things about the Smokeys thus far: 1) the weather is unpredictable and can change very quickly 2) the wildlife here is very real. I have already seen many close signs of bears all over this place. 3) the dew in the early morning is crazy this time of year...everything is soaked. Well, the plan today is to hike to Icewater and fill up on my water supply then continue on to Charlies Bunion which is supposed to be a cool rock formation. After that will be Mt. Sequoyah and Mt. Chapman before the shelter.

12:42 PM

Wow! Its been rough...but these views are what inspire me to keep moving. Charlies Bunion was awesome! Then I passed through this area called Porter's Gap with views all around me of the "Sawteeth". I am now at a lookout called Bradley's view which is this large rock on the side of the trail looking out to the east. It's been a tough time this morning. This is the first time I've taken my pack off today. When doing the mileage per day that I am doing you have to do a lot on the move; eat and drink on the move, plan on the move...I wish you could rest on the move. I've already hiked almost 20 miles in less than 24 hours, its crazy. My mind is stuck in between the feeling of accompishment and the fits of rage against myself for putting me through this. The AT follows the mountain ridge pretty much the whole way and some parts are so narrow that if I stepped to my righ or left I would fall considerably far.

8:45 PM

Well, I made it! I arrived here shortly after 6:00 joining a group of 11 here at the shelter. To get here it took a lot of pushing, a lot of praying, and a lot of resting to keep up my morale. I am learning more and more that this is all mental. There has been much controversy in my head, I've thought a lot about a lot of things. I prayed a little earlier that God would bring me into contact with someone who loved the Lord. And it was crazy when I got into Tricorner shelter I overheard a man talking to a young couple I had met on the trail saying that he was a Presbyterian pastor...then the couple (Danica and Matt) stated that they went to a PCA church and graduated from Indiana Wesleyan. The pastor is hiking with his son for 6 days and they are from Memphis. He actually knows some people from Covenant. Crazy how God answers prayer. Everyone here is real nice: a girl in her late 20s from Seattle, a family of 4 from New Orleans, an old man who has come all the way from Mt. Springer on July 10th. I appreciate this lifestyle, I enjoy being around these people hearing their stories, why they're out here. This whole summer has been like that for me, I knew absolutley no one, and God has opened me up to meeting so many new and amazing people. My toe still hurts and my foot really hurts today...we'll see how tomorrow goes.

8/5/08 2:10 PM

If there is one thing I have learned on this expedition its that perseverance is so intense yet makes such an impact. All day today has been about perseverance, pushing my body and mind to the limit. I have traveled 12 miles today since 8:30 this morning which has been very intense. I had to go back over Mt. Chapman and Mt. Sequoyah and Laurel Top and now am making my way down to 5000 ft. at Newfound Gap compared to starting at 6000 ft. today. Another thing I have realized is how much I miss people in my life and how greatly I will cherish them everytime I see them. My goal is to get to Newfound Gap by 4:30 so that I can find a ride up to the Dome to get my car.

4:56 PM

I got a ride! I'm in a ranger car right now heading up to Clingman's Dome...

8/7/08 1:15 PM

Well, I made it to camp safely the night of the 5th. I was a bum all day yesterday, which was great but it kind of makes me mad I wasted a lot of time. When I got to Newfound Gap, at 4 pm by the way (16 miles in 7 1/2 hours) I didn't write because I had to be alert for a ride up to Clingman's. I talked to a shuttle driver who said that no one shuttles up to the Dome and I should find a park ranger. Since my phone didn't have service I got a hold of a lady who letme borrow her cell phone, which didn't work either. So she told me that she would down to the visitor center and inform them I had a broken toe and needed a ride. 15 minutes later 2 ranger cars came flying into the parking lot with sirens going crazy. As they pulled in I walked up to them and they asked, "Are you the one with the broken leg?" and I said, "actually it's a broken toe, but I do need a ride." It was pretty funny, everyone was wondering what was going on and probably thought I was getting arrested. I did get my ride up to my car though, which was great. I hung out for a bit on the Dome and then headed back....got lost, and then finally made it to camp after midnight. All in all it was a great trip with a lot of experiences and learing opportunities.

thank you all for your prayers...

Ben

this is my life...

Well, things are crazy busy...so much has happened since my AT trip and since the last time I posted. I still want to post on High Adventure Camp, the Spartanburg group, me and Andy's adventure dropping into the cave pit, and our recently finished staff project on campus. Hopefully someday I will get around to it all.

Early tomorrow morning I will be heading to the Smoky Mountain National Park to do some hiking on the AT and connecting trails for 5 days...I will be saying goodbye to civilization and technology which I am kind of excited about. Plus, there is a ton on my mind that this trip will hopefully help settle and clear up. I have never hiked this long by myself and part of me is a bit nervous, yet I think it will be an amazing experience and a good thing to push myself out of my comfort zone mentally and physically.

Hopefully I don't run into any bears...when I get back I hope I havve stories to tell.

woo hoo,
Ben

3 Days on the AT: Carver's Gap thru the "Humpties"

For pictures check out http://picasaweb.google.com/ben.loho/3DaysOnTheAT which is a 90+ picture album of the trip.

Here are some of my journal entries:

July 15, 2008 11:30 PM

I have decided to document this trip, not only because I have done such a bad job at documenting my summer, but because I really believe this trip is going to be flat-out sweet. There are 16 of us, 3 leaders and 13 kids ages 12-16. We left camp today sometime after lunch and 6 hours and a time zone change later we finally arrived at the Roan Mt. State Park in the Cherokee National Forest. We are still in Tennessee but we could see the "Welcome to NC" sign from the parking lot. We came in and set up camp in the dark, there are six tents up spread around the uneven and rooted ground. Larry just called ou the "everybody quiet and light out" warning, but it has yet to make its full effect on two of the tents. From my understanding we have a pretty early morning tomorrow, but I'm not quite sure what that means. We are hiking 15 miles over the next two days, Carver's Gap to the Barn tomorrow. This is an amazing opportunity to get to come and I am looking forward to seeing God's beauty and pushing these kids on. God has really taught me today to appreciate life with each breath and the lives of those around me, thos who are dear to me. Life is really a vapor and if we spend our time getting ourselves to fit in with the world, to make oursleves comfortable and store our treasures here on earth, then we've wasted our time. Every second is so precious...living in the light of God's Kingdom is so freeing. Man, I think I'm really gonna enjoy this hike.

July 16, 2008 7:30 AM

Well, this morning didn't come as early as I thought it would, though it did come a whole lot faster than expected. I just read 1 Peter 1 and it is incredible to have read things I finished up my last entry with, being strangers in this world amd things here fading away.

9:45 AM

We are about to depart, starting at an elevation over 5000 feet. Larry and I made the car transfer this morning. It is gorgeous weather, what a blessing. It is obvious that we will have to work for our reward today.

2:00 PM

We arrived at the Barn about 30 minutes ago and it is absolutely beautiful here. From where I am right now I am looking down into a valley with mountains to the right and left, and just in front of me is a big grassy field filled with flowers and bees, along with a family of really pretty fir trees sitting in the middle of it all. The group just came back from the spring with more water and those of us here have been gathering firewood. We are about to build ourselves a sweat lodge. It is gorgeous here and it amazes me that hundreds of people come through places like this every day and yet do not see the hand of God...the CREATOR. 6.7 miles down 8.5 to go.

10:45 PM

We just got a visit by some park rangers who thought we had sent out a distress signal with our lights. Dinner tonight consisted of hot dogs and biscuits cooked over the fire, with cheesecake for dessert to top it all off. Right now, laying out on the bottom floor of the barn with an open wide view of the full moon reigning over the mountains, I feel such a sense of gratitude to be here...to be alive. And if God can create such a beautiful temporary home than I cannot even imagine the scope and magnitude of greatness that will come with our permanent home. If we are merely strangers and aliens, wanderers, how does our lifestyle match up to that. Well, tomorrow morning we hike through the "Humpties" which is Little Hump and Big Hump; a more difficult hike with rewarding views that will take much effort.

July 17, 2008 7:15ish AM
This morning I woke up to the most beautiful view of landscape I think I have ever woken up to. Our stuff sacks full of food seem to be hanging from the ceiling in one piece still, safe from the rodents.

Sometime before noon(10:30?)
WOW! We have reached the bald of Little Hump. The views that were seen were simply unbelievable and unexplainable; you have to see it to understand. We are 5300+ feet up with no hindrances for viewing in any direction. At the start the trail was dead straight up, but the view back at the barn was a good remedy for the difficulty…beautiful. We then went through a wooded area which eventually cleared into a wide open uphill hike with great landscape, tall grass, and plenteous flowers. The sun is out and the breeze is great! We can see all our progress: Roan Mt. and the ridge in front of the barn. Next stop, Big Hump.

2:00 PM
We are in the Hollow after hiking straight down from Big Hump (5900 ft.) for about 2.5 miles. The beginning of that hike was an amazing trail following along the ridge, wide open with great views. Going up to Big Hump was another amazing adventure. It really looked like something out of New Zealand. Halfway up you really have to dig down deep and push on to get up there. Very challenging, difficult, but so rewarding, so beautiful with the Smokeys surrounding us and the cool breeze blowing in our faces. Everyone here has pushed and done things they didn’t think they could do.

July 18, 2008 11:45 AM
Well, we made it back to camp safe and sound with a surprise waiting for the kids. We got in a little before 10 PM and drove straight up to Mt. Sallie. The showers and beds the kids were so eagerly anticipating would have to wait. Instead, we all hiked our packs up to the top, got settled in, and briefed for an all night firewatch. Still one more surprise for them today…an afternoon running in front of a van for about 7 miles. We are still pushing them and seeing changes all around us.

The hike was truly a blessing and it has inspired to get out on the AT again very soon...

in Him,

Ben

Leadership Pursuit (installment 2)

Well, what a turn around from week one. The kids really grew up after this last week and it was such a blessing to see and be a part of. They all left releived to finally get some rest, but very sad to say goodbye to New Frontiers, to us, and to each other. There is such strong bond between those of us who face trials and tough times with one another. And these kids had truly been through a lot with each other, especially this last week.

Saturday night there was a pretty intense talk with the kids that they needed to grow up and stop being such poor influences on each other, two of the kids left and honestly that made a big difference. The rest of the group started to realize how easly they had been influenced...and not for the good, and since we have been talking about leadership being influence, it started to ring a bell in their minds. Sunday morning we split the kids up to have 3 hours of alone time and one on one's with Brittanie and I, which ended up pretty well. We then hurriedly threw the kids into the cars and took them and their dirty clothes to the laundromat...which was an experience in itself.

Monday, after a couple of schedule changes, Larry and I took the group to the Caney Fork River east of the dam to do a more serious canoeing trip. We started on the river at 10 am and made our way downstream. It was a beautiful day and there were several fly fisherman out catching a good amount of trout in the river. After a few hours we beached at a rocky island in the middle of the river for lunch, but soon realized that the dam had been opened up and the water was rising quickly. We made our way to a bigger island, ate lunch rather fast, and then departed. The latter part of the trip was more exciting and easier on the muscles due to a much swifter current. Yet, that also made things a little more difficult for some of the canoes, trying to steer with obstacles in the way can be tough. If you get stuck on a rock or tree the current from behind could flip your boat and a rescue in that situation would be very difficult to perform well. All in all it was a good trip that took six hours, a lot of sunburn, and plenty of patience, but a good experience nonetheless, and a great stepping stone for the rest of the week for the group.



Tuesday morning began with paintball and then prepping to leave for the Appalachian Trail in Northeast Tennessee. The section we hiked at was in the Roan Moutain area, east of Elizabethton, right on the border of North Carolina. There is much I could write about this trip. The utter beauty...such a gorgeous portion of the AT, awesome! I can't fully describe how excited I was to be there each step of the way. Also, this trip was such a huge building block for each indivdual that was there, that had never realized the point in hiking. I kept a journal of our days on the trail and will share some of the entries in a later post. All in all, the hike was more than I expected and it began to mold and shape these kids to desire the challenges simply because they had realized that the reward was great.

When we arrived back at camp late Thursday night, the last thing the kids expected was to be driven straight up the hill to the Mt. Sallie shelter to spend yet another night outdoors, without a much envied shower or bed. Yet, that is what Leadership Pursuit is all about, pushing beyond expectations and norms. We were grinding the best out of these kids, because you cannot teach leadership, only cause it to flow from an individual. That night the group performed a fire watch, where each individual watched the fire for an hour of the nigh/morning, until everyone had done so. If the fire goes out the group fails. Each shift is responsible for waking the next shift up to keep the fire burning. When I woke up at 8 in the morning the fire was still crackling and the job was well done. We soon packed up to head down the hill and eat breakfast, shower, and clean up before the final "challenge".

The last event for Leadership was a Marathon run. The kids would each run, four at a time, in between to vehicles, until 26 miles had been run corporately by the group. I drove the Suburban in the back carrying those resting and the water, and when someone running would tire, I would stop and one of the kids would switch out with them. To see their desire was so special and so touching. A real transformation of attitude. One girl would get to where she would almost throw up, stop to take a breath, and then keep going despite her pain and our shouts to have her switch up with someone else in the car. Each camper pushed to the max until they finally were finished back at the top of the hill at Victory Hall, with a host of younger campers cheering them on. A very intense and touching moment that involved quite a few tears in my eyes. I could just see the joy of triumph in their eyes and the pain in their bodies after their combined 30 mile performance in the heat of the day. I came in screaming my face of for these kids, little kids who had grown into young men and women of God overnight. Praise the Lord for His faithfulness!

Tomorrow High Adventure camp starts...I can't wait.

So long for now,

Ben Loho

Leadership Pursuit (installment 1)

This week I have had the opportunity to lead Leadership Pursuit camp, which is the most intense course, and one of the few courses where kids come without their own counselors and chaperones. Most of these kids come with high recommendations and even some with scholarship to be here. Our goal for leadership camp is to truly push these kids beyond what they are used to, equip them with experiences and tools for leadership and prepare them to leave this camp and make an impact on the world around them. So, needless to say, I was very excited to be assigned to this course.

Yet, after one week this has been the most difficult, frustrating, and unresponsive group that I have had. Don't get me wrong, I love these kids, and we have had a lot of fun, but amidst all of that I have yet to see that real desire for leadership; that passionate and strong longing to step out for God. And it has been difficult. These last couple of days have been real good, but there is so much more in store for these kids and I wish they could see that. God has been teaching me a lot of patience and perseverence...that real love does not always impact someone off the bat, but rather, is a gradual process that takes time and continual amounts of effort.

To show y'all (yes I said y'all) what we actually do with these kids, I will go through what we have done this past week:
Moday morning the kids arrived and we hung out with them and played games until lunch. After lunch, we took off for the zipline where I introduced the story (which is the story of the Good Samaritan said dramatically with hand motions) and the theme (leadership and influence). After going through the story with them I brief the zipline, all the equipment being used, and the method of procedure we will take. However, since most of these kids have been here before, they all act like they know everything, which is probably part of the problem. After the zipline, we all hike back down the hill for an hour of freetime, which consists of ultimate frisbee, playing cards, or just hanging out. At 4 o'clock we jumped in the truck to go over to the horses and spend some time grooming and feeding them. That night after dinner, we took them out to the IG (initiative games) trail and played some games that are created to teach us experientially. Games like, Islands, Team Wall, or Wild Woozy can show us emerging truths (we call it etruth) that speak to us metaphorically in our walk with Christ. In everything that we do, IGs, high elements, horses, everything, we come back to the theme and the story, seeking the metaphors that give us the emergent truths which call us to live intentionally for God. Every debrief I have had, no matter which element it was on, there has been different metaphors seen. Yet, this group was a lot less willing as a whole to seek the etruth, being more concerned on what we were doing next.

Anyways, after sleeping with the boys Monday night (because they have no chaprones) I woke up and got the kids up a little after 7 am. A part of leadership camp entails service through working in the kitchen each meal. The kids take turns for each meal, preparing/serving and cleaning up, which I think is a very cool thing that we do. And because there was another group here this past week, the leadership kids served them as well. After breakfast I led a quiet time, where we look into a passage and take some time to apply it to our theme, the elements, and the story. We then went up to do the Flying Squirrel and then after lunch we took out the Giant Canoes to Indian Creek. The Giant Canoes are a huge tool for learning teamwork, and in leadership you will never lead others if you are never willing to follow. Afterwards it was just amazing to talk with Abbie and Allen, the other staff with me, about all the metaphors and what we, personally, can learn from just 2 hours in the river. That afternoon the kids went to the horses and then came back for dinner and their evening activity, which was getting deeper into their story by writing comic strips about it from all perspectives.

For me, Wednesday started with quiet time and then the X-Team, where we got poured on by an early thunderstorm...it was actually kind of fun. I had the afternoon off, while the kids went to the AP to participate in rock climbing and the high ropes course. That night, myself, Andy and Ashley made hobos with the kids for dinner. Hobos are basically chopped up carrots, potatoes, peppers, and onions with pieces of hamburger meat with a bunch of salts and spices and sauces, all wrapped up in foil and thrown on the fire to cook. SO GOOD! It is the best food we have, in my opinion. We let the kids make their own with whatever they want and have them chop up all their veggies. After dinner, Brittanie and I prepared to take them into the cave that night and have the kids participate in the labyrinth as their evening activity. After getting the kids settled down, we tried to get some sleep. With a lot of groups we have, we sleep in the cave and then make breakfast the next morning and go through the rest of the cave to finally come out at lunch. What most people don't understand is that, while the 50 degree, moist cave feels great at first, when it comes to sleeping in it, it's a totally different story. If you come in without a sweater you will be miserable. I woke up Thursday morning to some kids who hadn't slept all night. One boy who said he wanted to sleep without his sleeping bag, had changed his mind in the middle of the night and had made himself a coccoon.

Both Brittanie and I had off that morning as Andy and Ashley took the kids through the cave. That afternoon we took the kids canoing again, only this time with 2-person canoes, in preparation for the more serious canoing they will be doing this next week. We had to teach them how to steer from the back and control the canoes well enough to work the current in a bigger river. After dinner and another evening activity, I had to sleep with the boys again, who were starting to get on each others' nerves...and mine.

Friday the entire staff participated in the Golf Relay fundraiser which was a blast. It was awesome to see the kids thrive in serving those around them and participating in the event fully. I was very excited to see a lot more comradery among them all and much more respect given to one another as well. Today, I haven't seen the kids yet. Larry (co-owner) took them all to Virgin Falls to hike for the day and give Brittanie and myself the day off. Tonight I will be back with the guys and we will start a brand new week tomorrow morning. I don't know for sure what I will be doing after Monday, but I certainly hope that I can spend as much time with these kids as possible. This past week has been the most tiring of the entire summer, but I am looking forward to what God has in store for myself and these 15 kids. I hope the impact, if only in just one kid's life, will be great. That is why I am compelled to pursue and push these kids throughout the most difficult and annoying circumstances. As Christ loves me, I have no excuse not to love each one of these kids day by day...

Please pray for me this week, that God would give me strength and desire and a passion for these kids. Pray for the kids of leadership camp, that God would open their hearts so that they would see what He has in store for them. I don't even think that a few of these kids are actually Christians, so please pray for their hearts to break.

until later,
Ben

4th of July in Nashville & a look at Virgin Falls Pocket Wilderness

Tonight myself along with some of the other staff went to Nashville to enjoy what was ranked the 2nd best fireworks show in the nation this year. It was incredible to see and be a part of over 100,000 people crammed into the riverfront area, crowding the bars, getting food, walking and enjoying festivities.

The four of us found a spot on the walking bridge for the firework show which turned out amazing. The sheer fire power in the last minute of the show was mind blowing...or in other words, it was sick! I was able to take video of only a portion of the entire 20 minute show. But if you don't feel like watching the whole thing then at least check out the end...it really is a ridiculous finale. (Don't forget to take into account that all the videos and pictures in the blog are from my cell phone which isn't the greatest quality.) In the end it was a really good time, if you don't mind crowds, and I would really recommend checking it out and being a part of it in the future.

This week contained a lot of different things that were all very beneficial and some of them very fun. Since we had no groups in this week, we were able to do some maintenance at some of the elements and work on creating new labyrinths for the future. We had a really fun get together/party with popcorn and ping pong and such. I had the opportunity to take the guys from the boys' home through the cave and then make hobos with them, which was really fun. We also made a "sweat lodge", which was great. For those who don't know what that is, it is basically a home made sauna/steam room when you are camping; pretty cool stuff.

The other awesome thing we got to do was take a day-trip hike out to Virgin Falls in the VF Pocket Wilderness area outside Sparta. If you haven't been there and you are a camper/hiker/nature lover, then go there. It is a beautiful hike, 8 miles round trip. The hike is certainly more strenuous, but definitely worth every step. The trail takes you along side a creek which continually gets bigger, though not always full of water, and eventually runs into Big Laurel Falls, the first major attraction. And a very beautiful area it is indeed. Behind Big Laurel is a big dome cave that is accesible to all and which also makes a pretty cool campsite. Big Laurel is about the half way point to Virgin Falls. To get to Virgin Falls, you would have to make a left at the first fork in the trail (a right takes you to the Sheephead Cave) and then take a right at the second fork (a left here would take you to the river, another beautiful campsite that is wide open with plenty of space, water access, and a rope swing.) Stay on the main trail to the falls. You will eventually be able to find it by simply following your ears. Virgin Falls is a really pretty water fall with plenty of great campsites either up top or at the trail access. Each spot provides great background sound of the falls and a nice cool breeze from the water. Here is a secret that most people don't know about Virgin Falls. If the water is a little lower, you can walk down to the base and go under the water and behind the falls to find some really beautiful cave formations, tunnels, and bottomless pits. There are several pillars that form various rooms that all connect somehow through different tunnels. It's really a cool place to explore around in...as long as you are careful enough. A more well known cave is at the top of the falls, at the mouth of the creek. Inside the cave the temperature drops tremendously (at least in the summer) and most of it is filled with at least calf high, freezing water. The entrance brings three tunnels, all of which lead to the same room. This room provides an alternate way out or, if you make a left and travel through the big rocks, you will continue on throughout what seems to be an endless cave. I still haven't seen the end or even come to a place where it has gotten any smaller than 15 foot ceilings and very wide walls. The cold water is home to a large number of small shiny rocks, white sand, and transluscent white crawfish of some sort.

So, if you are looking for beauty, peace, adventure, etc...and especially a cool look at God's creation, than you should check out Virgin Falls. (Contact me if you want directions) God has been so good to me this summer. I had to stop and think why I was getting paid to hike trails and explore caves. It's been real...


in Him,

Ben

time flies when it's moving so fast...

6/30/08
Wow! That is all I can think to describe these last few weeks. I am extremely disappointed in myself that did not write one bit during these last three courses we had. But camp life is so crazy here…work hard from 7 to 10 and then pass out as soon as you hit your bed. I love it! I have begun to love this job so much that I now spend almost all my free time with the actual groups that I am leading during the week. I find myself staying up til midnight playing cards and talking, watching the stars and sitting around the campfire with these kids…because I want to. I have also found that the more time I invest into these kids, the more they trust me, love me, and follow me. They participate in the elements, fully pushing their fears and comfort zones and are therefore impacted all the more. If I can just show my group that I really do care about them outside of my “job” then they will be able to absorb the maximum effect that this camp has for them. That is sort of my philosophy that I have come up with; at least a small portion of it.

Needless to say, God has been at work here at New Frontiers…I wish I could explain it all, but it seems to be one of those things that you need to be a part of to truly understand. I can try to tell people about the camp and what goes on and they will say they understand…but I don’t think that they really do. New Frontiers breaks the barrier of the summer camp norm, definitely throwing the stereotype out the window. And it is a blast…every minute of it.

Not only is God doing so much here and in my life, but I am simply learning so much that will be of benefit to me as my life continues. We have to just do things sometimes, even if we don’t exactly know what we are doing. To me, that is an awesome way to learn. I have been learning how to cook for a bunch of people, how to lead people through each individual element, new card tricks and card games, how to inspire and push people, learned about the bug life here, about the stars (how to find the North Star and all that jazz about constellations. Kids think that stuff is cool.) learn so much about people and how to love and serve them, how to read them as groups and individuals, learn a bunch of fun games that have meaning, a bunch of riddles, how to belay, run the high elements well, how to live in a cave, canoe through a lake, etc. The list goes on. But one of the biggest things that I have learned is that God has called me in this genre/area of ministry. Whether its youth or outdoor or both, I have seen God work through me, I have had so much affirmation, and I simply love what I am doing so much…and that is really cool. I have never had such a feeling of impact as I had this last week with my group from Spartanburg, South Carolina. I wish I could tell all about this group, my love for them, and all that they taught me…but that would be near impossible. However, I will write about them in the very near future, as soon as I get a hold of some of their pictures and videos so that I can put them on this blog. In fact I am planning on dedicating an entire blog post to the SCC (Spartanburg Community Church) youth group. I miss those guys…I haven’t washed my dusty car because they wrote on the windows with car chalk. Such a great group, what a blessing.

The two courses we had before that were Quest, 85 sixth graders from World Outreach Church in Murfreesboro, TN, along with their 25 adult leaders, and the youth group from Cannon Community Church in Woodbury, TN. Quest was awesome. I really saw God work in the lives of many of the kids throughout the week. My group, the blue team, was made up of two smaller groups of 10 boys, 1 teen helper, and 2 adult leaders; overall that made a group of 26. I began to really enjoy these guys and have some really good talks with them. Even with the adults I had some very cool conversations getting to know them. I have also noticed while being here that my position is such a platform for all sorts of connections. One of the leaders wants to take me out to eat when I come visit the church, another one taught me some about cars, I got a bunch of pictures of the week from Mr. Dan, and a request to have me as a lead next time he came from Mr. Pat. The youth pastor of Cannon sells cameras and camera equipment on Ebay for a living and he might be able to hook me up with a good deal on one. SCC wants me to come visit them in the fall and speak to their youth group, and I can’t wait for that. There are also really good connections within the staff, the ability to get equipment through NF cheaper, Raymond wanting to detail my car, finding a cheap place to get Chacos in Cookeville, etc.

If there is someone that I really want to remember from Quest, it is Sam…he was such a joy to have in my group. God has such an awesome plan for his life. He was such a servant, such a learner, so willing to listen and to push himself past his fear of heights. Multiple people told me of the pure delight he was to them. Sam was the man! Canon was a such a strong communal group. They really loved each other so much, even though they were so different from each other. I wish they had been at camp for me than just the weekend because they were so great. They were a big breath of fresh air in a very busy time and they definitely were a joy to have around. I know that they were impacted and pushed beyond their comfort zones, and they loved it. They were so grateful to us and to me, it was such a blessing.

Hopefully I can write in more detail about those two courses later on, but for now I am really tired and am going to hit the bed.

Word,
Loho

PS- All these pictures are from the Quest week...thanks Mr. Dan. (By the way, Sam is the one climbing the ladder.) A shout out to my Quest boys : Sam, Aaron, Jeff, DJ, Sean, Tyler, Lee, Brady, Weldon, Adam, Andrew, Troy, Shane, Alex, Devin, Dalton, Cameron, Keaton, Lincoln, Brandon, Heath, Dan, Pat, Tim

continued

6/12/08

Well, my bruise has now colored up half of my entire thigh…the swelling has gone down but the pain is still there. If only I could show it off, people would be amazed at the range of color involved in this bruise. Seriously, it’s a real winner.

The last two days I have had off which gave me plenty of time to rest, visit Nashville for a few hours and go canoeing on Center Hill Lake today for about 3 hours. I think it was Monday that had our canoe training which was great. I haven’t been canoeing all that much in my life so it was really good to learn the J-stroke, sweep stroke, and such. Andy and I took that learning to good use today and got some good time in the canoe on the lake; canoeing is a really good work out by the way. In Nashville yesterday, part of my time was spent visiting Radnoor Lake State Park which was a really pretty spot to go for a walk. I was able to really just get away and organize my thoughts a bit and pray, which I really need to do a lot. I saw 11 deer not ten feet away from me while I was there. I was also convinced during my time in Nashville that I should have kept count of the churches I saw. I thought Chattanooga had a good amount of churches, but it didn’t compare to Nashville…huge churches too.

Anyways, tomorrow we start preparing for campers that come in Monday. Saturday I will be working the paintball arena for a father-son paintball day we are having here. I am pretty excited about putting all I’ve learned to action but it also makes me pretty nervous to realize that I will be leading and teaching all these kids and adults how to properly participate in all these ropes course elements. We took our final test on Tuesday; a written and practical test, which took quite some time. It made finally understand how much info that there is and that I will consistently have to be on my toes here at camp. It’s pretty intense…

After the test on Tuesday, we were able to spend some time with the horses. We each were given a halter and a leading rope and we got to pick out the horse we wanted to “catch”. I say “catch” because these horses are very tame and this was just a bit more of our training. To better understand, these horses are used for therapy for the boys’ home that is here at New Frontiers; a home for troubled boys, who struggle in their homes, with addictions, and/or with the law. This is an entire separate entity from New Frontiers Camp, except for every once in a while the boys are brought over to campus to partake in some of the courses if they have behaved well. These boys spend time with the horses on a pretty regular basis; not riding them, but basically everything else. Bonding with a horse is a very therapeutic way to reach guys who struggle with feeling unloved and unwanted. In my time with Generator (the horse I spent time with) I was able to simply to develop a certain bond that the horses take very seriously. Generator could recognize me afterward, which was pretty cool.

Well, there is still a lot going on, but time is limited, therefore, my posts must be as well. It will be an early morning tomorrow so I need some sleep. My encouragement to all of you is to take a look at the last two chapters in Hebrews. They were extremely beneficial to me in these last few days and there is some very impacting portions of Scripture there (let’s be honest though, what portions of Scripture aren’t impacting).
Until the next time,
Loho

the first week...

6/7/08
Since I have been here at New Frontiers, life has been a whirlwind. I have been leaving my room at 6:30 am and usually not returning until after 8 pm. So much has been involved in my time here at camp; emotionally, spiritually, physically, mentally. I have been stretched continually. And I have learned so much about so much…if that makes sense. It is very evident that God is at work here and that He uses the workers as His vessels to reach kids, parents, and each other. New Frontiers is a camp that is anti-comfort zone. They push you beyond what you are sure of, what you know you can do, what you are comfortable with, and even what you want to do. It is all about taking you beyond all of that and becoming a better child of God in it…or in some cases, learning about God in a way that they yearn for the gospel. In other words, it’s a pretty cool place.

I know it has been a while, but I am going to try to make sure I write at least one post per week which, if every week is like this past one, won’t be nearly enough to express everything that happens or that I learn. Because of that I am kind of frustrated that I didn’t force myself to write more times this week. Now I will probably forget and understate a lot of what has happened…but oh well.

When I left Covenant last Saturday I took US-27 north to TN-111 into Sparta, TN, which is one of my favorite drives. On it are some of the best views and overlooks that I have ever seen in the southeast. Once I got to Sparta I decided to pay a visit to Virgin Falls, which is one of the best backpacking trails I have been on. In my three times there each visit brought some excitement, from way too much water (extra huge waterfall and overflowing river) to no water at all (ability to explore in the caves) to average amount of water (shower in Laurel Falls). Virgin Falls wasn’t too much out of my way and I was able to get half way through the trail before having to stop and head back. The flowers were sure beautiful this time of year. Once I left, I quickly headed west toward Smithville and my final destination…New Frontiers, Dowelltown, TN.

Once I arrived on site I soon realized that I was the only one there, which wasn’t the biggest encouragement or confidence booster. I began questioning why I was there. What was I thinking? Why would I leave my home to come all the way up to a place where I’m not even welcomed? What a foolish thought; that is what New Frontiers is all about. And God soon answered all of those doubts and fears. I met Raymond, Andy and Don who have each been a great encouragement to me and it has been awesome just getting to know all of them. Hopefully I can write more about all of them in future posts, but for now I will keep it all very brief. Andy, my roommate, showed me to my room and talked for a bit before he had to head out, then Don, a 61 year-old (who acts like he is 20) took me out to eat at a local café. Then Raymond took me to Sonic that night for desert. Soon I found myself in just one night, in love the place and thoroughly enjoying the time I had spent with the other staff. The rest of the staff moved in the next day, Laura, Ashley, and Bill and Abbie (married). One cool fact is that Bill’s last name is Ferrell…so is actual name is Will Ferrell. Including me and Andy the six of us make up the group that is staying in the staff housing apartment together, which has been a lot of fun.

From Sunday night to Wednesday morning we had a group of 39 from Gwinnett County outside Atlanta, which was crazy awesome. It was crazy because we as the summer staff hadn’t even trained yet and we had to cook and serve food, clean, play games with the kids, help lead in the elements, etc. But because of all that it was so awesome to learn a lot through experience and participation. I learned so much in those few days that it blows my mind. I also found myself passionately being drawn to those kids, desiring to share with them an excitement for the gospel. Over the days I saw the time and effort that we had put into a lot of these kids really begin to show and shine. Concepts really began to click in their heads and their faith became so real to them that it made me cry (and them). Tuesday when I was with a group at the zip line, there was one girl who was terrified to make the climb up to the top of the course so that she could ride the zip. With each step that she took up the pole she wept louder and louder, but would continue to move upward. At one point she wanted to give up, but eventually continued on until she got to the top where she was hooked up to the zip line. Even then she was bawling her eyes out…until she took the step out and began the ride. One second later she turned her head back toward us and gave the biggest smile, her joy was evident. In the debrief, we were asking what they had learned from there zip line experience and this girl said, “I learned a lot about God from this. Sometimes being a Christian is really hard and I don’t want to do it, but I know that when I finally get to heaven I will be so happy.” God really taught this girl something, but also used her to impact others around her. As she said this, two of the chaperones, both parents over 40 years-old, began to cry. It was like it hit them out of nowhere…God used this little 10 year-old girl to move in the hearts of these two parents. One of them said, “I thought I was coming here for my daughter, but now I realize so clearly that God brought me here for me…to be with Him.” When this group left the next morning there were plenty more tears and a lot of changed faces from the time I first met all of them. They came in expecting to have a lot of fun, hang out, climb up stuff, ride some things, explore a cave, make a bonfire…but when they left, they had been impacted deeply from those very experiences. It was amazing. I couldn’t keep from feeling extremely sad to see that group leave. I had developed a pretty good bond with the eighth graders there (Michael, Geno, Maddy, Chrissy, Casey, and Wade) along with some of the younger guys and girls. When everyone left there were plenty of hugs and pictures to go around…and many good byes.

It’s rough for me to develop relationships like that, where I bond with kids and desire to continue that bond. It’s rough because I know this summer that there will be several groups like that that I will never see again. It was so hard to say good bye to a group of kids that truly loved me beyond the love I had shown them. All some of them wanted was to feel significance from me…a desire to simply hang out with them because I wanted to. Kids like this will come and go all summer long and that will be truly difficult for me.

The rest of the week has been staff training which has been extremely challenging. Maybe I can explain all of the elements a little better in the future, but for now I will just write about what I have taught and trained in thus far. I have learned how to tie all the knots (figure eight, half fishermans, etc.) and all that rope jazz, along with other gear knowledge, went through belay school and began belaying on the climbing wall. I learned the high ropes course, the Flying Squirrel, the big Swing, the zip line, the Pamper Pole, the cave, the low ropes/IGs, and the X-treme Team. Tomorrow we will go through some more of the low ropes, canoeing, and some backpacking stuff. Not to mention I have already learned to cook and clean in the kitchen more than I ever wanted to, gone out to feed the horses, and learned plenty of riddles and ice breaker games. Bill and I are both leads, so we have had to make sure that we experience everything that the campers will be doing. Therefore, I have found myself doing all of these ropes course things and loving them to death. Some of them have been extremely challenging and required a lot of mental concentration. Overall, an awesome week.

Yesterday was the most difficult day for me thus far. I wasn’t feeling too well in the morning and then on the X-team I jumped off one of the poles after fixing a pulley up top, forgetting that we were using dynamic rope which gives a bit. I ended falling from about 6 or 7 feet straight onto a “just right” belay anchor (basically a short telephone pole) right on my left butt thigh. It ended up turning into a goiter sized bruise which made squeezing through the cave (literally squeezing through 2x2 spaces) that afternoon awfully painful. Since then the swelling has gone a bit down, but the pain is still pretty bad. Needless to say, the location of the injury was in one of the few places on me that has any meat whatsoever which is a praise…it has also become kind of a joke to the others (“hey Ben, how’s your butt, ha ha ha” is usually how it goes). I am so thankful for everything that God has put me through this summer and I extremely look forward to what is in store.

I wish I could write it all down, every experience, everything learned, every person here, everything…but then this post would take hours upon hours to read. So until later, God bless. Thank you for all your prayers for me, don’t stop…

word,
Loho

the journey begins...

5/30/08
I intend to keep this blog updated so that those of you who wish to know about what is going on in my life, especially with camp this summer and the adventures that that will bring, can get a small taste…if I keep up with it. Currently I am in day two of my mini-roadtrip to New Frontiers (the camp I am working at this summer). This “roadtrip” has involved a stop at Georgia Tech, hanging out with some of the guys from my hall in the Atlanta area, stopping by Covenant College(my school) to say hey to some people, and eventually ending up in DeKalb County, Tennessee at New Frontiers. All in all, it’s a 3-day “journey”. (I am hesitant to know what to call this “trek” up to camp, which is why I am putting parentheses around every attempt.) Right now I am in Chattanooga, TN, planning on staying the night up at Covenant, and then heading north for the final leg of the trip tomorrow.

I am very anxious about what this experience will be like this summer. I am going to be living in the middle of Nowhereville, Tennessee, working with an entire staff of people that I do not know, in charge of things (such as ropes courses, big swings, horseback riding, caving, kayaking, etc.) that are potentially dangerous if not done right, being surrounded by little kids (and big kids) for two months…but at the same time I am so excited about what God will do and what I will learn this summer. It will be an awesome experience. I covet your prayers for me in that regard.

There is one thing that I found extremely interesting on my drive up, and that is the issue of gas. I never thought that the rising gas prices would affect me to the extent that it has, besides simply getting upset and trying to conserve the gas that I use. I found myself researching gas prices before the trip, seeing what cities off of I-75 had the cheapest gas. I would pull of the interstate if I saw a billboard with really low gas prices, even if I didn’t need gas (I did this once and realized that I was fooled by a billboard that had not updated its prices) and that just wasted my time. I also noticed that quite a few gas stations were now out of business, a lot more than I would have thought. And here’s a question: why is it that some cities have cheaper gas than others? I have no clue. It didn’t seem to have anything to do with location at all. Gas in Ocala, FL was $3.83 and then up in Lake City, FL it was $3.99. Yet just a few miles north on one of the last exits in Florida, the price was $3.77…simply random. Macon and Tifton, GA, were both $3.85, Atlanta was $3.99-$4.03, and from Dalton to Fort Ogelthorpe the price $3.75. I am befuddled; there’s got to be an explanation…right?

Currently I am sitting by the river at Coolidge Park in Chattanooga, Tennessee. I find it amazing that whenever the sun is just about to go down it turns everything gold. The water, rocks, trees. Everything appears all the more magnificent by the beauty of an ordinary sunset. How is it that at this short span of time can cause so much beauty and peace? Nature is simply reflecting the glory of God. And that makes me wonder how this tree this river can do that better than I can…how come the glory of God is not seen beaming out of my being. My feet, hands, face, yes even my earlobes and kneecaps, the very essence of me should be reflecting the golden beauty of the glory of the King. The truth is, we have created substitutes that suck this beauty out of us…this is evident by my excitement of winning a bid on ebay vs. my dull happiness when reminded of Christ’s sacrifice for me. These little trinkets are shiny enough to distract us from the real sunlight. Almost like choosing fluorescent lighting over natural light just outside the window (which I found that some guys do prefer, after living in a college dorm for 3 years…I think that’s stupid). It is at times like these that I see my foolishness and yearn to make God my magnificent obsession. We are afraid to look at something so bright straight on for fear of losing our sight, yet that is our only hope. To be blinded so that we can finally see…please pray for me; that I would make God my magnificent obsession.

Until later…peace out,
Loho