Purposeful Adventuring

Doulos Staff Member, Josh Griffin, has blogged about his experience accompanying Doulos 8th Graders to Valle del Tertero

I love what I do, and I love that working at Doulos also means I get to pour into kids’ lives!
I recently had the opportunity to go with the 8th grade class on their Outdoor Education trip for this semester. It helps that I’m very personally connected to this class – I was able to go on the trip not only as a Doulos employee, but also as a dad to my 8th grade daughter!

This class tackled a tough trail for 36 total kilometers of hiking. Two nights of camping, lots of soggy shoes (and one pair toasted too much while drying by the fire), and a few tears shed along the way. More importantly, though, were the jumps into the river, fears conquered, accomplishments gained, and relationships built. Imagine the opportunities for staff and parents to have small meaningful moments with 8th grade kids along the trail:
“Hey, tell me about your family.”
“I know this trail is really hard right now, but I believe in you and KNOW you can do this.”
“Wow, I’ve noticed what a great leader and encourager you are to your classmates – so cool!”

One of the many things I love about Doulos is the opportunity to teach a Christian worldview through all of these experiences. During the 3 days together, the students were able to share in multiple devotional and small group opportunities. Challenging hike? Pair that up with a devotional about looking beyond obstacles to see God’s ability to solve a problem for us. Perseverance, teamwork, and courage were all covered in devotional times. Then students were able to have small group discussions with their teachers, parents, and staff members and share their reflections from the week.

As a staff member, I love what I do. I love that this trip was just one of the many ways that I am given an opportunity to build up our students and share the love of Christ with them. Sometimes that’s best done on a tough trail or along an amazing mountain river. As a parent, I love knowing that my kids are receiving these opportunities and that they have an incredible team of staff members who love the same things I do about Doulos!

More than just your average field trip, this was a great adventure for some amazing 8th graders! Good job friends!