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I am
so glad you spoke up this morning and sure appreciate all the encouragement you
have been through the years. Another Christian brother and regular encourager
sent me the following thoughts taken from an outline of a recent interview. I
hope you enjoy it and understand why I found it so effective in refocusing my
efforts on serving youth and especially boys and (whenever possible) their dads
through Christ-focused outdoor ministry.
“No
matter what our culture says, boys and girls are different. Boys need a place
where they are free to explore. Where covering themselves in mud and crawling
through a creek is celebrated and not met with sideward critical glances. Where
communicating with grunts, head nods, and hand signs is enough. Where ideas
don't have to be explained and analyzed to be accepted and acted on.
Boys need a safe place to run
bare-chested, jump from tree to tree, build forts, explore, and conquer, until
they collapse into the tall grass and get lost in the clouds. It is in the
stillness of those moments in nature, that boys truly commune with God.
Conversations deepen (even if only briefly) and transformation occurs.
Paul met God in the middle of a
hiking trip, Peter and his friends followed Jesus after they met on a fishing
expedition. It was in the dead of night, after a wrestling match with God that
Jacob received his true name. It is there – in the wilderness – where bonds are
forged, identities are fostered, and boys become young men. There they are
tested, learn what they are made of, find their place in the group, and
discover their personal identity.
Let us do all He allows to
support and encourage organizations training the next generation of courageous
young men who honor God, lead with integrity, serve others, and experience
adventure in the outdoors.”
To answer your request, yes, I would love
to show you the beautiful tract of land where we are developing (while also using)
the long-awaited mountain camp for the Outdoor Wisdom Leadership School. As you
know, a little over a year ago, God brought together factors which I see as a
miracle, allowing us to close on 55 acres in Lakemont (Tiger), GA for the
creation of the OWLS mountain camp and the establishment of permanent on-site
staff housing so I could spend more of my time focused on actual ministry
programming rather than travel and logistics . Controlling the entire valley
surrounded by a continuous ridge line, bordered by the Chattahoochee National
Forest, and only a few miles from lakes Burton, Seed, and Rabun, not to mention
the two most well-known whitewater streams in the area, the Chattooga and
Tallulah Rivers, this is the clear answer to prayers for an outdoor Christian
evangelism training center for the OWLS Ministry. I hope when I get you up
there we have time to hike the ridgelines, splash down the creeks, climb into
the "bear cave," visit the former moonshine still locations, and
survey the trails on and around the property.
Our early doubts as to how receptive the city kids,
their mentors, and families would be to traveling so far up to the mountain
camp have proven to be completely unfounded. We not only have continued
interest on the part of our existing mission base but now have some very
exciting additions to allied youth and family groups seeking to participate in
OWLS experiences. Just a few of these are Trail Life USA units in AL, GA, and
SC, Transitional Youth Programs sponsored by Fulton and Clayton County's
Sheriff’s Dept. Chaplains, and a renewed interest from City of Refuge through
their Redeem-Advance ministry. Seems like they all can't wait to go to a place
where they have to make hard choices over where to make camp, whether to go
backpacking or paddling, try their hands at shooting rifles or bows and arrows,
dividing up into teams for the most challenging game of capture the flag, or
working together to build a bonfire they will talk about for years.
With the Lord’s help and that of several very generous
donor/ministry partners, in the roughly 15 months since our acquisition of the
camp property, we have been able to reduce our indebtedness by almost 40%,
improved several miles of our trail system, roughed-in roads to eventually
access trailheads, campsites, and parking, removed approximately 48 tons of
dangerous and unsightly debris, entered into an agreement with neighbors and
the Rabun County Roads Dept. wherein the county has agreed to maintain the
access road to the camp property at no expense to us, negotiated a reduction in
cost-to-serve from the power company of about 20%, as well as, verified initial
PERC tests proving suitability for needed future septic installations.
As you will soon discover, at this point, our biggest
need is to complete grading and gravel spreading for the roads on the property.
This must be done, not only to allow access for the vans and other vehicles bringing
OWLS participants, but also to protect the initial investment, prevent erosion
from making the roads completely impassable, keep our creek clean, and permit future development requiring road
access (such as power line or water system installation, as well as any
building construction). That should not, however, discourage you from visiting
the property as I can usually get
most of the way up in my 4x4.
Please give me a call or email and let’s find a
convenient date when we can get together, catch up, and see what God has been
up to in N.E. Georgia.
Thanks again!
Blessings,
Ben Simms, Director
Outdoor Wisdom
Leadership School
The "OWLS" Program
Phone: 770-845-6900
Email: BenSimms@aol.com
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