By Ken Kniepmann

Adventure… The very word speaks to hearts of men, young and ‘not so young’ alike. And the first Summer Camp was loaded with adventure! The brothers engaged in rock climbing, riflery, archery, high and low ropes and hiking. If that wasn’t enough, camp director Tommy Van Horn threw in a hike in the clouds atop Mt. Mitchell (the highest peak east of the Mississippi), an afternoon at Sliding Rock (which included a plunge into 50 degree water), a rafting trip, and a 4 am thunderstorm that left 2/3 or our ‘tent city” awash in water. The adventure couldn’t have been better.

While engaging in all this activity, we were also adventuring with God. During the week we learned about Gideon, one of God’s great warriors from the Old Testament who loved the Lord with all his heart. During small group time, brothers reflected on and shared how they are walking with (or without in some cases) God. It was amazing to see the boys grow as individuals, as brothers, and as Christian men.

As the Tallahassee Commander, camp was a real treat for me (aside from the pulled calf muscle and wasp sting). I don’t have the opportunity to lead a squad of brothers during the school year, but at camp I spent the week leading Tallahassee’s rising seventh graders. I was able to see so much of their formation from the previous 9 months come together at camp. We laughed, worked, rested, ate, played and prayed as a team. While I can only imagine what future camps have in store for us, I know one thing for certain - I will be there!