Tuesday, March 23, 2021

Off Grid

Well, we survived! We spent an overnight trip off-grid in the forest by camp in completely homemade shelters. We even made our own bread and jam for a fresh breakfast the next morning. The trip couldn't have gone better.


No bricks, Just Sticks





We began the morning by teaching about the different types of shelters that can be built and how to tie certain knots. Soon after, we headed out to scope out some good spots to build our shelters. What each group was looking for was a fairly flat area where they could have a base tree to lean other sticks and brush on. We had a Teepee style shelter, lean to's, and fallen tree shelters with a mix of their own creativity. Foliage and moss were added to the roofs of the shelters to protect them from wind and rain. 






Their shelters far exceeded our expectations. If you ever find yourself lost in a forest, just call Kaleo and they can set up a nice hotel for you in no time. 5-star rating, comfy cosy, with a few bugs to keep you sleeping with one eye open all night.  






Fire time
After they presented their shelters to each other, we had a fire building competition. The goal was to be the first group to burn a twine line set about a foot above their fire first. The only catch was that they had to use flint instead of matches or a lighter. It took quite a while, but eventually, each team was able to complete the task.



We piled into the beach later that night for a bonfire with hotdogs and roasted veggies as the sun set. It was a beautiful night. One by one people started to head back to their shelters to fall asleep. Every shelter held up great and it was a really unique experience being able to sleep in the very shelter you made earlier that day in just a few hours. 

Homemade Breakfast and the Listening Prayer
We woke up the next morning and made some bannock which is a type of bread. We wrapped it around sticks along with some bacon and roasted them over the fire. Man, some students know how to cook bread to a perfect golden brown. We even made some fresh jam that morning to spread over our freshly cooked breakfast. It was a gourmet meal for camping. 


Afterwards, we practised a listening prayer. It was a time where we split into groups and got to listen to what the Spirit would put on our hearts and minds for a specific person. The leader would write what we spoke out loud on a sheet of paper and hand them out at the end for each person to discern what was from the Spirit. It was a new experience and many were able to understand how they hear from the Spirit. 

To end off our time, a bunch of the students jumped in the cold ocean for a polar bear dip! IT. WAS. COLD. But so worth it.

Mystic Beach
The next day, we headed to Mystic beach. After a few hours of driving... and getting lost, we made it! We got to hike in and then just have some free time to hang out at the beach. We played football, took some photos, and explored all the unique parts of the beach. If you have never been, it really is mystical. There are waterfalls all down the beach, caves, and even a rope swing. We hiked back out and headed back to camp to end off our off-grid trip.






New Baby Riemer
Also, a BIG shout out goes to the Reimer family for having their baby girl on March 10th. Her name is Ashlynn Hope Reimer and she is healthy and well. Brynlee is officially a big sister now!




Prayer Requests
- Prayer for Korey and Kassi as they navigate life with a newborn baby again. And praise God for their rainbow baby.
- Students are in class this week studying the Pauline Epistles with Brian Westnedge: Prayer for God to work within their hearts and challenge them with the scripture they are studying.
- Saftey and healing: Many of the students have had re-occurring injuries that have been giving them problems with school work and events.
- Unity and making the most of their time here: Kaleo is nearing an end this year, and we would love prayer to make the most of every opportunity we have left together. 






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