Arlington Students Take On Mighty Wenatchee...

Today I walked into school--my first day back since taking 16 Arlington students rafting this weekend. A kid ran up to me and said, "When's the next trip? Kevin said it was awesome, and I wish I would have gone." Well.

Five minutes later another kid ran up to me shouting, "Mandy said you almost killed her in your raft! She said she almost drowned! WHAT? Are you crazy?" Um, no. She just fell out. That happens sometimes.

The kids on my boat smile...this was before they saw the rapids.

The weekend highlight for me was definitely seeing the kids have so much fun. Two of the kids I invited were recent school acquaintances, and both of them had a blast. It's sooo enjoyable to see these kids that I only know in a school context open up and have fun and build relationships with other students.

Probably the most vivid experience on our boat all day was right before a rapid called "Snowblind." Before we hit the rapid, I asked the kids to think about their life--and to think about what they put their hope and their faith in--and to ask themselves the question, "What if this was it? What if this was the end? Do you know where you're going?"

At the bottom of Snowblind, we hit a pretty big hole that twisted our boat around, sucking out one of the girls. She tumbled out backwards, her head below the surface, and she floated downstream ahead of our boat. It took quite a few minutes to catch up with her, and by the time she climbed back in, she looked dazed and shivery. Once we were assured she was fine, I said, "So...Mandy, I just wanted you to think about the question--I didn't want you to actually take the opportunity to go today." The whole boat laughed...and we were so glad she was back on board safely.

All in all--the experience of taking kids on rafts and through big rapids is so enjoyable and meaningful in and of itself. I love outdoor ministry. I love that even though I'm not in full-time outdoor ministry, I have the opportunity to work with kids in this context. But seriously--what I love even more, is talking to them today at the lunch table and having taken those few steps forward in building relationships. To see the three kids who rode to and from Leavenworth with me in my car and have their faces light up when I walked up to their table, and to know that this weekend, I told them directly about the life and love that Jesus has for them...well...it makes me love this job.

Clockwise from top-left: My guiding friend Heidi and I....me in my official gear...and an Arlington group shot.