LOVEWHITEWATER
That's my man! So we have been married over 36 years. Every now and then I realize how wonderful it is to be in love with this man. It has not always been fun for either of us, but we praise the God who gave us the power, worked the miracles...and gave us the gumption and vision to hang on.
It feels like we are living the rewards!
So not only do we head off to Oaxaca every year to work with an amazing group of brothers and sisters at Roca Blanca, but He has given us a great church AND an unbelievable bunch of crazy outdoorsy people to share life with as well. That crazy bunch is our Youth Dynamics Adventures family.
Eddie's email address is lovewhitewater@hotmail.com. Mine is lvlvwhitewater @hotmail.com..... do you get it? (I love lovewhitewater!)
At 62 1/2 years he has become one good lookin' guy!
In May we had a group from our church, the Gathering, join us on the river for the YDA Annual Fundraiser.
Eddie's crew
For Eddie to show you a good time you have to paddle hard. Wimps don't get to do the fun stuff, it just wouldn't be prudent...or safe!Summer Staff Raft Training
Eddie and I went over to Stonewater Ranch the from the 6th to the 15th of June to help out with training the new summer staff on the river. Eddie brought his experience, and ability to don two wetsuits and stay in freezing water. I brought my ability to drive a van and trailer, my ability to tan well and The Gathering Storm by Winston Churchill.
Staff was trained in all that they need to know and do to run the river, from inflating and rigging boats (we use electric blowers, and top the boats up with the hand pumps)...to keeping your clients safe, and giving the clients a fun time... as well as opportunity to reflect on the revelation of God experienced by the beauty of His creation and the ways of the river.
At the put in I do little things, like filling water bottles and helping collect stuff for rigging (cam straps, carbiners, paddles, etc). On client days I help hand out equipment (wetsuits, splash jackets, PFD's), I also shuttle the drivers down to the take out, go and pick-up the lunch from Safeway and set up lunch. I follow the float down the river stopping at various places to watch them pass. I stay available with my cellphone for safety. I meet them at the take out and help with all the equipment.
We leave for the river at 7:30 AM and get back around 6:00 PM, and I do all the driving, I don't know why I get so tired.
Sizing up a client and giving him or her right size wetsuit...now that is a challenge. After they get off the river we wash the wetsuits....do you know how much work it is to wash and hang 40 soaking wetsuits?
I love working with these feminine, mighty women of God!
Shane was in charge of training
Rafts do capsize from time to time, and the guide has to know how to right the boat. Eddie must have been in the water for an hour here in a eddy helping the new guides practice flipping boats, climbing on to boats and unflipping them. This is not an easy task....just getting up on the upside down raft from the water is hard, hard work, especially for women. We do not have the upper body strength the guys do.
And then they had to be able to do it in the rapids...the most likely place where their boats would flip.
And of course, they need to know all about getting their clients back in the boat. This is called throw bag practice.
Can you say "recirculating"? It takes power to get out of some situations, and skill!The Wenatchee River is all about skills.....reading the river, avoiding danger, keeping your clients safe....
and screaming like a girl!!!!!!!!!!!
oh, and getting wet
and bonding through challenging adventures!
Please view our new promo video
It is quite a privilege that God has given us to be out in the wilds with kids challenging them with life and knowing God. It is an amazing thing how God touches them. It takes "camping ministry" to a whole new level.
Now it is July and I am back home working....and Eddie has just headed back to the other side of the mountains to join an extended trip on the Lower Salmon River in Idaho. You might find a little about what he can expect to experience if you check our archives.
I on will be working, and also volunteering at some migrant camps with a local clinic. I look forward to being with Mexicans again!
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