Last Thursday and Friday Ethan and I took a trip to a Young Life camp in Antelope, Oregon. It was interesting, to say the least. Ethan was there for work but I just came along to visit with him. The camp is in the same place where the Rajneesh cult used to be. I guess the people tried to poison the local water supply back in the day and had to relocate, or something like that. Anyway, it's very pretty there and they have remodeled many of the compounds. (Thank goodness!) It would be really strange to live there year round but some of the staffers do just that. We talked to one gal who lives there with her husband and they had to travel 2 hours to get to a hospital to have their baby last summer! I would have been scared to death. Their mailboxes are 12 miles out but someone goes each day to pick up mail for everyone. Antelope is in the middle of nowhere, Oregon, it seems.
One funny thing that the Young Life staff never took down was the gun turret that was there from the Rajneesh days. It's the first gun turret I've ever seen in real life (and the only one I'll probably ever see!) They also have a big lake, a great swimming pool, and an enormous gym with a skate park, weights, rock climbing, and more. Outside there are trails everywhere you can explore with mountain bikes. There isn't a shortage of stuff to do.
I really admire the people who work with Young Life. There are many who do it full time and many who volunteer. There's this big rock pile there that one of the guys told us about. Each rock represents a kid who has accepted Christ. They get to pick out their own rock and add it to the pile at the end of the week. They had to move the pile a year or so ago and there were more than 6,000 rocks in it! And the camp has only been operating 8 years.
All in all, it was a great getaway. It was just enough time to have a break from the kids without missing them horribly. We would like to take them out there sometime too . . . but only when they can handle a looong car ride.
One funny thing that the Young Life staff never took down was the gun turret that was there from the Rajneesh days. It's the first gun turret I've ever seen in real life (and the only one I'll probably ever see!) They also have a big lake, a great swimming pool, and an enormous gym with a skate park, weights, rock climbing, and more. Outside there are trails everywhere you can explore with mountain bikes. There isn't a shortage of stuff to do.
I really admire the people who work with Young Life. There are many who do it full time and many who volunteer. There's this big rock pile there that one of the guys told us about. Each rock represents a kid who has accepted Christ. They get to pick out their own rock and add it to the pile at the end of the week. They had to move the pile a year or so ago and there were more than 6,000 rocks in it! And the camp has only been operating 8 years.
All in all, it was a great getaway. It was just enough time to have a break from the kids without missing them horribly. We would like to take them out there sometime too . . . but only when they can handle a looong car ride.
2 comments:
Very interesting! I never know these things because when I come over, there are 6 little hands all over me & 3 lively bodies with all varieties of noise blocking anything you try to tell me. I sure miss them :(
You're so interesting when I can "read" you. :)
I found you! Thanks for sharing your address- I posted it on my blog, if that's ok!
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