Bansenblog

Hi everyone,

Sorry to be so out of touch. It's been a very busy Summer and Fall. It’s been hard to get to email at all right now... not b/c of internet this time - just our schedule. We are doing well. Just staying really busy with our duties, children, and trying to still connect with each other, too. Shawn has been in charge of the Maintenance dept. since August, and Ginger has been doing a lot more administrative stuff at the elementary school, since our Principal/administrator retired last year. (More about those major changes forthcoming.) Another newsletter is (finally) in process.... We wanted to at least get some quick notes and pictures out here for you to see on the blog. We’re trying to do better at sending short updates more frequently. Here’s the beef on Shawn’s leading Extreme Encouters this summer….

This summer I got to help lead the X-TEN program, which stands for Extreme Encounter. It’s a weekend (or 3 day) venture taking teams into the mountains, using games and exercises designed to push and challenge participants to work as a team and to excel personally beyond their own expectations. The week is strenuous and emotionally demanding as campers get a glimpse of what is truly possible when they believe in their team and learn that they are able to accomplish what they previously thought was impossible.

Many kids and youth come from difficult home situations, and a trip like this can be a positive shock to them. One of the greatest blessings is to be able to see kids who have a poor self image, or they’ve been told that they “can’t do it”, come out on top and conquer their fear or that wrong belief about themselves. We took long hard hikes, did a lot of team building exercises, ate some pretty rough food (just nourishment), learned some very important life lessons, and found in the end that God has gifted us with one another for strength and support.

One guy in particular, Roger, experienced a personal victory right in front of us. The entire group one-by-one had done a backwards fall from a three-foot height and then a seven-foot height to then be caught by their teammates. It was finally Roger’s turn, and he wanted so badly to accomplish this just like the rest of his team. He stood at the seven foot platform for almost a half hour while his team spoke words of encouragement. He was just too afraid to commit himself to his friends. He finally made us proud…with a deep breath he turned around and fell into the waiting arms of his teammates. Yeah!!! After that, there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do the rest of the time.

I got to lead two X-Ten’s this summer, both of which were very fruitful. The X-Ten teaches principals of leadership, servanthood, outdoor skills and teamwork. Together, all work, rest, and pay consequences for breaking team rules—as a team-- including the leaders. (I haven’t done so many “crunches” or “tree sits” since college!) Though the experience was physically and emotionally challenging, I would do it again in a heartbeat. Hopefully next summer, we will have more groups scheduled to come. Check out YWAM-Chico’s website, www.ywamchico.com if you’re interested in knowing more about these Extreme Encounters.

Our leadership team atop Pilot's Peak: Bruce, Me, Rebecca, and Evan.

The entire group made it after a grueling three hour hike/climb of Pilot's Peak.