This past week we participated in Outdoor Education Week as an entire school. This is a week focused on getting kids outside and interested in the resources God has placed around them. While elementary primarily stays on campus, middle school gets split up into 2 groups. The 8th graders go on an intense backpacking trip to climb the highest point in the Caribbean, Pico Duarte. The 6th and 7th graders go camping for 3 days to Manabao which is where Doulos' coffee farm is located. It's about 45 min outside of the city and its beautiful!! But when you add middle schoolers to this beautiful scenery here are some things that happen:
-loud voices and screaming
-middle school flirting (which means boys hit girls and the girls share the "wonderful news" with their friends)
-complaining while trekking up the "hill" with their backpack and at some points just sitting down wanting to give up...let me remind you that I was at the back with these kids and we had plenty of teachable moments while hiking:)
-kids realize they can live without their cell phones and carry everything they need on their back.
-great cool weather with little showers here and there
-boys wanting to take off their shirts and be manly while beating their chests with sticks (no lie...actually happened)
-hiked to a waterfall
-kids get away from town for the first time ever!!
-teambuilding activities that at first didn't go so well, but after some teachable moments, got much better second time around...still a success.
-yummy breakfast burritos, spaghetti, and quesadillas
-time for silence and reflection with just us and the mountains...sweet times.
-kids realize they can be away from their families for 3 days
Our goal this trip was to teach them about solitude and reflection while in the outdoors. Now I know what all of you are thinking that we are crazy to try and teach this massive concept to middle schoolers of all people!! Yes, we are crazy for attempting this but we really felt that our kids don't know what to do with silence b/c they live in a society where there is no silence literally. There is always a party, music, baby crying, people talking, yelling in the house constantly, motos driving up and down the streets, etc. This is something our kids battle daily and they don't know how to find solitude within that kind of environment. We got to look at scripture and see how many times it said Christ purposefully left the crowds to be alone in solitude. There is purpose in reflection and it's not just to draw away as a recluse but a chance to look closer at our own lives, see what needs to be changed, etc.
I have to say that while we didn't master this concept, we did introduce it and will continue to work on this process throughout their time at Doulos. I used to hate mom or dad asking me "Why?" about everything or making me think (heaven forbid!) about a decision I had made. Now and only now can I say that I am thankful for them teaching me that at such a young age. I still don't like to do it now, but I can now see the benefits and fruits that come from reflection. I challenge you this week to reflect through silence, listening to music, dancing, exercising, drawing, or whatever medium get some time alone and allow the Holy Spirit to bring things to light that need changing. Stay tuned for future posts about what the Spirit has been revealing to me lately...