Operation 10:44

We're coming home!

2008-11-25T12:07:00.004-05:00

Hi everyone - We are all packed up and ready to come home! In a few minutes we'll eat our final lunch here at Scioto Hills, say our final goodbyes, take a few more group pictures, and then load up for the 2 hour drive back to Columbus. We are right on time, which means we should be home around 3:30 or 4pm.

Last night was a lot of fun. The students shared, sang together, encouraged one another, and then played some fun games in the ARC. A lot of us just relaxed and talked, laughed, played music, and enjoyed being away from the busyness of everyday life.

This class has amazed me. In all honesty, I didn't know what to expect from this trip. But they have worked harder and complained less than almost any group I've been with. It has been a great weekend together.

Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving - stay tuned for video and picture updates, and any seniors that have good pictures, please give them to me on CD or memory card, and I will include them in the final DVD that everyone will receive.

A Wet Monday

2008-11-24T17:07:00.003-05:00

We woke up to a steady rain this morning. And it continued throughout the afternoon. Everyone was still in good spirits after last night's rousing games of "octa-ball" (you'll have to ask us when we get home), carpetball and Catch Phrase. We enjoyed another great breakfast - pancakes and bacon - and then went to work again.

The staff was kind enough to give us mostly inside jobs because of the rain. A few groups did a deep cleaning of the large recreation facility, others scrubbed paddle boats, and others cleaned lodges. After lunch I went with a few guys out into the woods, into the rain, in the mud, and chopped wood for a few hours. We had large stumps, about two feet in diameter and weighing over a hundred pounds easily - and we hacked and hacked away at them until they split. After 3 hours we were wet, sweaty, tired, but feeling good about our accomplishments and our contributions to the camp. It's jobs like that which go much faster with six people chopping wood than just one. Or ten people cleaning a full-sized recreation facility, instead of just one. Or fifteen cleaning a lodge.

That is what the 10:44 trip is really about - helping out in God's kingdom. We come alongside a great ministry, a great group of people who are dedicated to serving the Church through camp ministry, and we work as hard as we can so they don't have to work quite as hard (although I'm sure they do!)

Tonight, after dinner, we'll have another evening of singing, sharing, and then playing games. I've heard several comments from students about looking forward to getting home and getting some really good sleep in their own beds. We should be home around 3pm tomorrow afternoon. I may not post another blog before then.

It's been a great trip! And I'm sure the students will have many stories to bring home and share - see everyone soon!

2008-11-23T17:00:00.003-05:00

Before caving...

After caving...

The "New Birth"

2008-11-23T16:52:00.003-05:00

Although the weather was perhaps colder than any previous 10:44 trip, we still headed just across the KY border to Carter Caves State Park. The students were excited to experience the caves, and they were all very helpful of one another. It's about a 3/4 mile hike to the entrance to the caves, and then we start to get really dirty. Hunched over, trudging through cold water, and sometimes crawling on our stomachs, we made it through the first couple of caves fairly easily.

We all walked back to the bus and enjoyed the "sack lunches" that the camp had provided for us- sandwiches, chips and what seemed like leftover halloween candy. After lunch, we split into groups and began to re-explore the caves. My group (team BOOTS) found several small passageways that required army crawling for what seemed like a long time before the cave opened up enough that we could sit up. The team with Mr. Estes and Mrs. Gillespie discovered what has become known as "the birth canal" because of the extremely tight opening, as well as the wet conditions getting in and out. Zach Vance especially experienced the chilling water when he found himself suddenly in a deep pool, but couldn't get back out until the rest of the group turned around from the dead end. He eventually had to remove his wet clothes and take on some dry articles from other members in the group.

In the end, everyone made it back to the bus on time, plenty dirty, and feeling like true explorer-conquerers. And now that we are back at the camp, they are enjoying warm showers, resting a bit before dinner and games tonight.

Thanks to everyone posting comments to the students - they love to hear that you are reading up on them and looking at the pictures, and they are amazed when I tell them the messages you send. When you post a comment, be sure you tell me who you are, because "love mom" is a little too vague :)

To Mrs. Gillespie's kids, she says, "Hi" and she misses you. To everyone else, still a few more days before we make it home - more fun tonight, more work tomorrow. More updates to come.

Sunday Morning

2008-11-23T08:08:00.002-05:00

Today is a little bit different. Because it is Sunday, we take the day off from working (which some students are actually disappointed about, believe it or not) and we head down to Carter Caves, just across the KY border. It will be a cold hike, but once we get into the caves, the temperature is steady around 50 degrees, and the caves are a lot of fun. It's always a highlight of the trip.

Everyone is healthy and having a great time thus far. The food has been great (as always) and the student's attitudes are even better. We all enjoyed watching the Buckeyes run up the score on the team from up north - and some of the students are getting really good at carpet ball.

Hopefully everyone is enjoying the pictures. I'm not able to upload too many while here at the camp because of bandwidth restrictions, but when we get back home, I will make a DVD with video, pictures slideshows, and all of the pictures files for each student - no cost.

As always, feel free to leave comments, and I"ll pass them on to the students. Hope everyone is staying warm up in C-bus - see you in a few days!!

Latest Pictures

2008-11-22T17:45:00.001-05:00

Day Two - Conquering New Challenges

2008-11-22T17:37:00.002-05:00

It's been another great day! Here's a quick update:

We had a wonderful hot breakfast and then got back into our work groups. Many of the jobs we started yesterday will take several days to finish (or really are never finished, like chopping and hauling wood). Some finished taking down and cleaning the tee pee tents, others continued to clear brush, and then there was the ever-necessary raking of leaves! But at least today we got to burn some things :) That always makes it more fun.

After a hard morning of work, we enjoyed hot dogs with chili and cheese for lunch, and then headed back out for a few more hours of afternoon work. It's always harder working after you have had a big meal and just want to take a nap, but the students continued to put their all into it, and we really got a lot done. The reward was the "Avalanche"

The Avalanche is the name for the 80 ft. high, 200+ft. long zip line here at the camp. Two students can go down at a time, and it is a rush! Several students were are very afraid of heights still decided they wanted to give it a try, and although it wasn't easy, they made it to the top and enjoyed the ride down. The afternoon got cold very quickly, but students still stuck around to encourage one another as they climbed up and zipped down. I was especially proud as I watched students who initially had promised they would never climb up that ladder, conquer their fear and then have a great ride down.

After dinner tonight we'll have another time of devotions and group sharing, and then watch the OSU v. Michigan game! (Yes, we taped it, and I still don't know the score, so shhhhh....)

Thanks to everyone who is posting comments. I pass them along to the students, and they all roll their eyes back :)

Check out the new pictures too!

A cold night and a brisk morning

2008-11-22T08:04:00.002-05:00

We got to bed before midnight, but most everyone woke up in the early hours, freezing cold. The A-Frames are heated, but just not quite enough last night :) We'll be sure to turn them up so tonight won't be as cold.

It is brisk this morning for sure. Everyone is bundled up, ready for a nice hot breakfast, and ready to get to work. More pictures and updates tonight.

Pictures

2008-11-21T20:33:00.003-05:00

I have uploaded the few pictures I have taken so far - click on the "album cover" to the right to view all the pictures in a larger slideshow, and to download images if you want.

Day One - Already Amazing

2008-11-21T20:24:00.002-05:00

Beautiful blue skies - Positive attitudes - Hard work - Honest worship

Sometimes it takes students a few days to get into the "feel" of being on the 10:44 trip, but not this year. The students have jumped in all the way and are giving it their all. During our first few hours of work activities, the students finished several major projects, and tackled a few more with lots of energy. They took down tee pee tents, cleared brush, loaded and unloaded firewood, and raked a lot of leaves. The students had such wonderful attitudes that even the camp staff noticed that they came ready to work.

Around 5pm, we stopped for a wonderful dinner of pulled pork sandwiches - very delicious :) Everyone was cheerful, laughing and sharing fun stories at dinner. Then we headed to the "Upper Deck" for evening worship and devotions. Let me try to describe the Upper Deck to you -

It is one of the older buildings on the camp property with high ceilings, linoleum floors, folding chairs, and a wood burning stove. It has "character" to say the least. But there is also something very special about the Upper Deck. We began singing songs together, at first a little low-key, but soon singing with full spirit. Guitars, drums, piano and voices all joining together in worship. And God's heart was there, and was beautiful.

The students have amazed me already. They are honest, and they honestly love each other. They are challenging one another to reconcile past hurts, to forgive each other, and to bond as a class. (Usually it's my job to make those kind of challenges, but this class is doing it on their own!)

So after our first 8 hours, we already worked hard, eaten well, and cried a little. Who knows what the next 80 hours will bring?

We're here!

2008-11-21T12:45:00.002-05:00

We have arrived safely in beautiful Scioto Hills, Ohio. It's very chilly outside - the ears and fingers are getting cold very quickly. We just enjoyed a wonderful lunch of cheesy potato soup and breadsticks, with big warm chocolate chip cookies! Everyone is moved into the A-frame cabins and in good spirits. In a few minutes we will take a wagon ride around the camp to get oriented, and then jump right into work projects!!

I have a great internet connection, and will try to upload the first set of pictures here in a few minutes. Keep checking the site throughout the day for more updates, especially around meal times. Feel free to post comments, and I'll try to pass them on to the students.

Welcome to the website

2008-11-20T13:58:00.000-05:00

This is the second time we have tried the Operation 10:44 blogsite. Last year, many parents, friends and family members found it useful and exciting to keep up with the trip and to see pictures.

Primarily, this page will provide updates for parents back home. I will try to put up a short post every day, describing the activities and highlights of that day. I will also post pictures online and provide links so you can view them.

You can comment on a post simply by clicking on the "comments" link below. You can use this to send a message to your son or daughter, or to ask questions or get information.

Hopefully this site is helpful for everyone! Please let me know if you have any trouble or any questions.

Mr. Schroeder