Freakin’
Boy Scouts
Matthew 10:16
Jesus said to his disciples: "Stay alert. This is hazardous work I'm assigning you. You're going to be like sheep running through a wolf pack, so don't call attention to yourselves. Be as cunning as a snake, inoffensive as a dove."
Jesus said to his disciples: "Stay alert. This is hazardous work I'm assigning you. You're going to be like sheep running through a wolf pack, so don't call attention to yourselves. Be as cunning as a snake, inoffensive as a dove."
What is a sign that spring has arrived? Melting snow and mud season? Wildflowers? How about a Boy Scout Troop needing a rescue from the backcountry? It is a sure sign of spring when you hear a news report that a Boy Scout troop has needed a rescue from the backcountry.
Could these seasonally recurring rescue episodes be averted? Yes. Following are some standard principles of wilderness trip planning and preparation that can eliminate or reduce the need for these annual Boy Scout rescue attempts.
To start, how about checking the weather forecast? If there is the threat of inclement weather you either reschedule your trip, adjust your trip, and go out with the appropriate gear. Because of "summit fever" combined with the difficulty of scheduling a date for your trip and not wanting to disappoint your participants, a trip leader will push ahead with their plans and then expose the group to conditions that they are not ready for.
Let's look at a couple of ways to be prepared. How about when it rains? How do you keep the gear in your pack from getting soaked? The best way is to have a separate pack cover to keep your entire pack. If just wear a large poncho it will not fully cover the pack. In camp, you do not have space to bring your pack into a tent with you to keep it dry. A pack cover will keep it dry outside.
Another example of being prepared is bringing the right type of tent. You need a backcountry or backpacking tent, not a camping tent. A backpacking tent should have a fly that covers all the walls of the tent down to just a few inches from the ground. Your tent should have a ground cloth or footprint that fits underneath the floor of the tent. It should be waterproof and then not extend past the floor of the tent. If the footprint is exposed outside the floor of the tent, rain will fall on it and cause the tent floor and anything laying on it to become wet. Your backcountry tent should have a vestibule as well, a part of the tent fly, that creates a little porch area on the front of your tent. Underneath the vestibule you can place your footwear and other items to stay dry and help keep dirt out of your tent.
You may have been already thinking already, what about the Boy Scout motto "Be Prepared". In a wilderness environment your level or preparedness will determine the experience you will have. Being prepared and having experience in numerous situations will give you confidence and skills in helping you and others have a positive and safe experience in the wilderness.
Jesus as a leader was preparing his "scouts", the twelve disciples and many others to live in a new world, a wilderness that was unknown to them. What did Jesus do? In reading parts of the New Testament, Matthew chapter 10 and other passages you discover the following principles. Jesus had a specific objective or outcome to focus on. He gave daily or precise instructions on how to achieve the objective, including a list of what was needed or not needed for the task at hand. Jesus warned of potential real life problems and how to address those. Clear explanations were given on the causality and effect of certain effects.
Many wander into the wilderness only thinking of wildflowers and beautiful sunsets. You can enjoy the rewards of your wilderness experience more if you are prepared for the weather and other challenges. On our journey with Jesus through the wilderness of this life, it will benefit us to be an attentive student, a disciplined learner, and to continue to grow in the knowledge and wisdom that God can provide us.
