The Greatest Secret

You know the greatest secret that this universe has to offer.

You know the greatest secret that this universe has to offer.

You know it, but I will go ahead and remind you. It is this: You are known- beyond the point of intimacy, beyond those skeletons that fill your walk-in closet, even beyond those things that you can't stand about yourself so you've suppressed those pieces of you behind everything else just so you can bear to look yourself in the mirror each day- you are known beyond all of this. You are known, and you are loved.

You are loved with a love that abides eternally. You have been freed from petty attempts at trying to earn salvation. You are loved, you are loved, you are loved. I cannot say those words enough times or with enough power, that their true severity would be understood by our human minds and human hearts, but you are loved.

As Jesus died on the cross, He bore the full weight of every specific, individual sin that we have ever committed. And you can bet that He did not ignore a single one. Every sin, every time we pushed God out of our conscience just to have a little fun, every dark thought that we indulged in for just a moment, and even those soul-crushing decisions that we have begun to define ourselves by. Jesus was crushed by those same weights. Oh, how He must know you!

In the garden that night before He went to the cross, He was given a taste of what was to come. He was given full understanding of that burden He must bear. He was given full knowledge of who you are. He saw the full map of your heart. And He still went. And His grace abounds.

This love is what you have been looking for all of your life. And nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. He will never leave you; He will never forsake you.

You are known, and you are loved.

You know the greatest secret that this universe has to offer.

How will you respond?

-Tyler Jewess, Base Camp Staff 

Part of Something Larger

Rain: loud enough to force our voices to shout in order to be heard above the noise.

Wind: strong enough I fear my body will become airborne and swept away with the clouds.

I, a human, am out of my element in the midst of these elements.

Life stories. Questions asked. “In a hypothetical cage fight who are you fighting and who do you want to impress?”

I think this mountain overheard our private McKinley Fly conversation and said, “challenge accepted.”

To the mountain nothing is private. To the mountain nothing is left as personal. My feet are no longer my own. My toes are so cold that I almost feel the mountain might’ve taken them, and will keep them for good.

Then why am I here? Is it to feel small? Perhaps, but not quite.

Not to feel small, but to realize that I am not my own. I am not personal or private, but a part of something much larger. Something that I’m not at the center of. Something more powerful than myself.

And in that realization, once I embrace it, there is peace and rest. An end to striving and the beginning of watching (in awe) as the power moves, and joining with the power in its movement. Allowing myself to be moved. Realizing that I’m not the primary mover. That there is a primary mover greater than the mountains themselves, who even controls their movement. 

-Skye Cornell, Mountain Guide 

Freedom from Struggle

Peyton (middle) works in the kitchen at base camp. In her free time, she enjoys swimming in the inlet and playing monopoly deal. She is currently attending SDSU in California for biology. Peyton is passionate about Jesus, In-N-Out Burger, and the ocean. 

Sometimes it is important to be in a place not shaped by the hands of humans, somewhere where it doesn’t matter if you’re barefoot because your shoes hurt too much, and a place that doesn’t respond to the command of a light switch. It is important to be humbled and to realize how human we are. I am grateful for Beyond because it makes me celebrate simple things like hot coffee in the morning, loud singing during dish duty, community, worship, and pure silliness. Base camp has become home, but my week in the mountains climbing JJ taught me a whole new meaning of trusting God and truly relying on His strength. 

During the majority of our time ascending, we were in a whiteout. We were cold, wet, and anxious. As difficult as the weather was, I felt that it was very fitting for our group. Although we could not see the beauty beyond the clouds, we all knew that it was there. The same concept works in regards to our walks with Jesus; we may not be able to see him, but we know he is always there. All we have to do is invite Him in.

On our summit day, the clouds opened up and the sun came out for the first time. I have never witnessed anything so beautiful. That moment of sun on the summit made me realize that God had a plan for our group. His plan was for us to realize that it is okay to struggle, it is okay for things not to be perfect, and it is okay not to have any idea where you are at or where you are going.

The whole JJ group before leaving for the trail

Before going on this trip, I had a lot of fear. I am a “lupie”, meaning I have lupus along with my autoimmune disease; mixed connective tissue disorder, and arthritis. I am told I can’t do things pretty often, and I let a lot of those negative comments pull me down. Even in the midst of these physical struggles, I felt God tugging at my heart telling me this was something I needed to do.

The strength God gave me throughout this trip made me reevaluate how I place my identity in Him. The feeling of conquering that mountain with the Lord was far more empowering than nursing my wounds and clinging to my pain all the time. There is something about the outdoors that fuels my soul, my spirit, and my overall well-being. I was forced to lean on the Lord when I was uncomfortable in the whiteout, and the way He met me was with this beautiful mountain experience I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

-Peyton Cook 

Thoughts from the Pack Shack

Madi Krueger works in the pack shack at base camp. She spends her days meticulously measuring ingredients for trip meals, making sure that each camper, leader, and guide who goes into the mountains has enough food to conquer the trails. Madi is a senior at Western Washington University and is studying journalism. While here at base camp, she loves playing her ukelele named Whimsy, spending time on the dock, and reading through the Harry Potter series for the first time.

It’s funny how my priorities have changed since arriving here at Beyond. Objects that once used to be strapped to my body or mind have taken flight from my thoughts and now wither in the cobwebbed corners of my mind. My phone currently sits at the bottom of my backpack, lifeless and untouched for days. I only use it to read downloaded sheet music for my ukulele, which gets a lot more action since I’ve gotten in the habit of worship on the dock or subtle strumming with the sunset. The makeup I devoted twenty minutes of every morning to and the chemicals and substances which, I believed, made me “pretty” and “enough,” were hurriedly tucked away to the bottom of my bin. The few mirrors here at base camp show me an old and familiar face that God always saw as beautiful and enough, mosquito bites, sunburns and all. I had cautiously tucked away that face full of childlike wonder and playful curiosity in the name of growing up. I bathe in the salty inlet, breathe in open and star-lit skies from my sleeping bag on the dock, and laugh at how very ridiculous it is to get frustrated over exactly 33 bags of skim milk powder. I cram my body on the floor of a crowded room to watch the first movie I’ve seen in a month, forget what a flushing toilet sounds like, and give thanks for a massive bowl of that rare vanilla ice cream. I wish I could save up enough of these moments to last the rest of my life.

My mind, even, has been freed from the shallow places I once anchored it to in order to keep it afloat in the busyness of life. The magnifying glass I once spent too much time under, the self I built up and hid behind to show my worth, has been kicked aside and traded out for a better view of others and of God. I’ve been able to dive deeper into what it means to be a follower of Jesus, what it really means for his redemptive love to wash over me, and what it really means to realize His sufficiency is more than enough for my inadequacies. I’m raw and flawed and human here because I’m allowed to be. Learning to set aside self-centered thoughts gives me the freedom to look more closely at others, flawed and human themselves, and love them better for it. I see the blistered feet of guides who walk kids along the mountainous horizons, the sore backs from raking trails, and the stress tears from food that never got shipped in. I’ve also seen the smiles that stretch around campers faces while guides sing and dance in goofy costumes at opening club. I’ve watched their eyes widen while “holy cow, another meal!” gets added to their already humongous backpack, and their nervous looks while gazing up at the mountain they’re told they can climb. It seems I’ve seen them expand and shrink in a paradox of growth here. Eyes grow, smiles widen, and faith expands while standing on the summit or in a small room called the “Pack Shack,” feeling smaller than ever before. In it all, God remains the same size, just a little clearer here, to them and to me.

-Madi Krueger

Community

Shane Besmer began serving at Beyond when he was just 19. He has worked as the boat driver, male base camp coordinator, a guide, maintenance man, and eventually just as The Shane. He is in grad school now studying third world community development. Here are some of his thoughts on community in the Beyond context.

Living with forty other staff members in an isolated wilderness camp has given me a rare view of what close community can be like. Sharing the most mundane and extreme of life’s experiences, we were given a glimpse of the tremendous possibilities of community.

Beyond Malibu is an adventure camp with the purpose of removing kids from their everyday lives in hopes that they might see themselves, and Christ, more clearly. The staff at Beyond is almost entirely volunteer, and many staffers are required to make a two year commitment. Operations are run out of a small base camp that is accessible only by boat or seaplane. Running water and electricity are very limited. Absent constant contact with the outside world and electronic entertainment, the staff naturally develops a very close community. Each member plays a very important role, serving one another along with our campers, and inadvertently painting a beautiful picture of the body of Christ.

The jobs of the staff range from mountain or sea-kayaking guide, to food packing and maintenance. Each member is completely dependent on the others to continue with his or her job. If one person becomes ill, the impact spreads throughout the community. If two members are not communicating well, the rest of the body is aware of it and often affected. In the evenings when the work is finished, co-workers and bosses become friends and family, and look to each other for the love and support they need. Nearly all aspects of the life of one person are tied in one way or another to the lives of others, creating a micro-example of the definition of community.

I loved the years I spent at Beyond and I cherish them even more now that I am more removed from the experience. I have come to realize that this kind of community is nearly impossible to duplicate in the chaotic obligations of the city, and to attempt to do so can become incredibly frustrating. Despite the rarity of the Beyond base camp experience, it has been a challenging, yet joyful experience to see my community grow and change and settle into the ebbs and flows of community life in the city. We cannot live as in tune with one another, or with God, here as we did so far away from the distractions of the world. Instead, we struggle, and mostly succeed, to intentionally seek out relationship amid the business of everyday life. More significantly, we are challenged to learn and grow through the process of integrating our family of friendships with the various communities we intersect as we go throughout our lives. The result is beautiful and messy. We fail often, and just as often we accept grace, get up, and try again. This is community. I praise God daily for my time at Beyond, and for beginning this life long adventure.

Paddling Towards Faith

If you missed last weeks quarterly email newsletter,  you also missed this great story.  Justine was a Sea Kayak guide for us the past few years and wrote this for us.

On the first night of most Beyond Malibu Sea Kayaking trips everyone gathers around a campfire and listens while one of the guides shares his or her life story.  Last summer my trip with Emily started the same way.  The first night I shared my story as a way to introduce myself and set a tone of intentionality, vulnerability, and community for the rest of the week.  That first night last August, I looked around the circle and every kid seemed intrigued and present.  Every kid except Emily.  Emily sat with her ipod headphones “secretly” slipped into her ears and annoyed expression resting on her face.  She clearly did not want to be there.  I immediately liked her.  Not surprisingly, Emily had the hardest trip of anyone that week, but she also had the best.

After that first night we loaded up our kayaks and set out along the mighty Jervis.  As we paddled along the coastline I found myself asking God what He had prepared for this week, and for this girl.  I paid close attention to Emily, in my head I wondered what kind of person she was.  By the way she was paddling, determined and quiet, I assumed she was strong-willed, stubborn, but also precariously independent. As I got to know her throughout the week, I realized that she was indeed all of those things… but for good reason.  She had come from a difficult family background. Her father wasn’t around, her mother was decently stable but often left her daughter to fend for herself, which left Emily to be raised largely by her emotionally abusive grandmother. I found out she worked at Dairy Queen for months just to afford this trip. She came hoping to connect to this youth group that invited her.  Emily came pretty much as a loner. She hadn’t yet developed friendships with everyone on the trip. She was guarded against their genuine love because these kids had a faith she did not. As far as Emily was concerned faith was beyond her comprehension.

I was thrilled to spend a week with brave, independent, tenaciously authentic girl.  I admit my excitement didn’t come because I felt she had “things to learn,” or because “this could be her chance to experience God.”  God works in His own time, and I trust that.  I was just so excited to spend a week with a girl that reminded me so much of myself when I was her age.  We noticed our similarities right away, and found ourselves talking every chance we could.  She admitted to me that she has gotten used to doing everything for herself for so long that she rarely accepted anyone’s help.

I am always amazed by Beyond trips, how beautiful and intentional and downright unpredictable they always end up being.  This same girl who worked so hard to get on this trip, who was excited to develop some real friendships, who had spent the first couple days opening up to me, suddenly had everything cut short.  We had stopped at a beach for the afternoon and on her way up to a waterfall she slipped and dislocated her shoulder.  This girl, Emily, had worked harder than anyone around her just to be there and suddenly she had to be whisked away to base camp, separated from group.

It took us two days to paddle to base camp, a standard campsite for this route, where we finally got to meet up with Emily. We planned to stay for just a day so we took advantage of our night with Emily and had her tell her life story. So we gathered around the campfire in the stillness of the inlet and let her speak.  When she finished, her need for this group of friends that encircled her was astonishingly clear.  We had to find a way for her to finish the trip with us.  The problem was she couldn’t use her left arm to paddle. My guide partner, her leaders, and I spent the evening and the next morning talking with the doctor going over our options and just praying.  Finally we decided to put her in a double kayak with a guide.  She obviously wouldn’t be paddling but the guide would do the work, with a little help of some towing by the stronger paddlers in the group.  The result: the girl who never relied on anyone for anything had no choice but to let people take care of her for the rest of the week.

It was beautiful, and let me tell you, Emily did not always like it.  For me it was awesome.  The experience allowed her to open up in ways that I had never seen before. I paddled her to our next campsite that first day, and she poured out every question that she’s ever had about God, parents, life, pain, friends, everything!  She couldn’t name it but she slowly began to realize that something bigger than her was going on.  She wanted a part of this Love that was so unexplainable. Still, she was afraid to trust something so unknown to her.  So we kept the dialogue open and just continued to care for her.

Emily, despite obvious difficulties, had one of the best weeks of her life.  She learned that if a loving community is worth trusting, maybe God can be looked at in a similar light.  She went home with that group feeling  love from people and from God, knowing that her life had been changed.  I have kept in touch with Emily a little bit. She still has her questions and doubts (like everyone does), but she has fallen hard into this crazy thing we call faith.  She started a dialogue with God, attends church, and was even baptized with all of her Beyond friends surrounding her.  The story of Emily reminds me how incredible Beyond trips are.  I am so thankful for the way this experience truly creates an environment that lets kids feel comfortable and safe to ask questions, to search, and to feel loved by God.  Everyday I am blown away by the ways in which God works and breathes into our lives. I’m grateful for having seen this through Emily’s story.

First Training Weekend

Oh-So-Ko-No, Jeff's favorite.

It’s spring here in Seattle and training has officially started for the 2011 Beyond guide staff. We kicked off the season with our first training weekend March 24-27. As usual the returning guide class showed up early Thursday evening for a fun reunion and a few extra sessions on leadership training. They locked themselves in a room, caught up on their adventures from across the country, and went about setting their goals for this upcoming summer. After a day and a half of work, our newly fearless leaders had developed a their own mission statement, “Cultivating encounters with God through worshiping together,” and were ready to greet their partners, Beyond’s newest class of sea kayaking and mountain guides.

By Friday evening the new guide staff had arrived at Concordia Lutheran Elementary school to a warm welcome from the returning staff. We have fourteen new guides this year who traveled from all over North America including New Jersey, Southern California, and even Canada. The excitement from the welcome, with the help of plenty of coffee and animal crackers, carried on throughout the night. After plenty of get-to-know-you games, the great Beyond historian Jim Caldwell graced our presence and filled the guide staff with a sense of eagerness and anticipation for the joys of weather and surprises of the wilderness that the mountains and inlet holds for them this summer.

Jim Caldwell back in the day. Not much has changed.

Saturday, too, was filled with some amazing guest lecturers. Sarah Field, a Young Life leader from Tacoma, shared about the Beyond experience from the leader’s perspective. She spoke about her trip last summer with 14 high school girls and shared some valuable insight on the goals, expectations, and experiences of a trip leader. Dudley and Kathleen Miller returned again this year, too. These wise counselors have given our guide staff instruction the past few years on interpersonal communication. The skills they teach our staff consistently prove to be invaluable tools on almost every trip. We so appreciate their willingness to serve us, plus that egg toss was totally epic.

Of course the weekend was littered throughout with instruction on hard skills and opportunities for physical and spiritual development. We want to send out a huge thank you to all of our trainers. I won’t list them all by name because I’m sure to forget someone but we are so grateful for your continued support of our program. We couldn’t do it without you. Thank you too to the guide staff for your sacrifices and commitment to serving God and serving kids. We’re excited for the ways in which God will work and eagerly anticipate the new Beyond season.

Beyond Sea Kayaking: The Depths of Adventure

If you're looking for freedom, flexibility, and depth in your next outdoor adventure, you should check out Beyond's sea kayaking program. Enjoy the freedom of paddling some of Canada's most beautiful inlets and exploring the wilderness that skirts their edges. Sea kayaking trips offer an extreme amount of flexibility in both the length of the trip and the size of the group. Spend the day spotting God in the wildlife around you and in the conversations you share as you paddle. Enjoy streams and waterfalls and water that literally glows at night. End your day cozied around a beach campfire listening to the stories of the lives of your fellow travelers and sharing your own. Sea kayaking is a challenging but low-impact sport, making it an excellent choice for participants of all ages. So get a high school group together and ask a couple of moms or dads (or grandpas) to join you. The best part is, we're still booking trips for this summer. Check out the calendar below and then click here to get your trip planning started.

Life as a Beyonder

It's hiring season here at Beyond. We have a huge summer coming up so we need a large staff for 2011. I've found it difficult to put into words why people should be on staff. Being on Beyond staff was an epic experience for me and it's been hard to convey that epic-ness in small get-the-word-out posts. So I thought I'd get a little more in depth. I learned so much about God, myself, community, and service at Beyond. Here is a snapshot of what Beyond staff was like for me. Maybe it will encourage you to serve with us this summer

I was a mountain guide for three years (that's right, I liked it so much I came back for an extra year), and I have to tell you, there's nothing like it. I loved guiding because it demanded everything of me and more. I loved planning our weeks, setting up our route and then poring over God's word with my guide partner. I loved reading about the group we would spend the next week with, throwing ideas back and forth, thinking outside of the box, and inevitably being drawn back to the outrageous mystery of God contained in the simplicity of Jesus' words. I loved jumping up and down on the dock on Saturdays as the Papoose came in and having to be on my gregarious A-game as we greeted the campers with skits and ice-breakers. I loved sitting around the campfire that first night, our stomachs over full from the delicious juicy hamburgers we just inhaled, listening to each other as we talked honestly about our fears and expectations for the upcoming week. Beyond taught me a lot about listening, about putting my own fears and expectations aside in order to serve and connect with each kid in each group. It was such a privilege to be brought into the story of each of my campers' lives, to be able to ask difficult questions and have them respond with honesty and vulnerability. I learned the real meaning of authenticity when I saw it on the tired faces of fifty-year old men and sixteen-year old girls who trusted me to take them up a mountain.

Beyond was physically challenging in a way that was also mentally challenging. I never knew how many miles I hiked in a week or just how heavy my pack was when I had to carry water up to our first night campsite. But I grew to appreciate the sometimes inexhaustible strength in my legs and the immediate presence of life that greeted me with every heaving breath I took. I loved the puzzle of high school girls and finding the right words to convince them that they will make it, and it will be worth it, even though it's only the first day and they already want to sit down and never move again. I also loved the puzzle of figuring out a route in the thick fog of a white-out. I felt like I was the best I could possibly be when I guided Beyond trips and I was never more aware of how much I was dependent on God. I was my most confident and simultaneously utterly filled with humility.

Every other week I had to come down out of the mountains and work in base camp. My second and third summers, once I got the hang of guiding, I preferred the mountains to base camp. But my first summer base camp was the best. Even on the summit I would look down at base camp and long to see the smiling faces of my friends and community. Six of my closest friends are the women in my guide class. I have countless more from the base camp and guide staff of the years I served at Beyond. At base camp, we rose early on Saturday mornings to share coffee, laughter, and tears on the dock before we headed up to celebration breakfast. We dragged ourselves out of bed "before" the 7:15 breakfast bell and staggered down to set the table, satisfied despite the sleepiness because we were beautiful and we were together. Every morning we took an hour just to sit with God. I have felt God's presence more distinctly in those hours than in any other time of my life. God dripped from every branch and saturated the air as tangibly as the rain. And we worked. Hard! But that was good too, because at 4:30 everyday I could relax and swim knowing that I had spent my time well, I had served people, and I had worked hard.

Life in the community of base camp was not always easy. We, forty of us each summer, for all intents and purposes lived on an island. We ate together, slept together, and worked together and we did not always get along. The thing about an island though is that you have to figure it out. It would not suffice to let conflicts go unresolved. More often than not those conflicts ended up being the fertilizer to deeply rooted life-long friendships, and in some cases even marriages (wink, wink). Oh, and then there was the singing. Crazy, raucous and hilarious, or quiet, beautiful, and reflective but always a capella at celebration breakfast. Evening dishes usually included an ad hoc band which usually included a dance party. Either way, I learned a lot of Pearl Jam and Canadian folk music and we all pretty well figured out how to harmonize with each other.

These were my experiences as a guide at Beyond. They changed my life. They showed me more of who God created me to be than I had ever seen before. They showed me how great it is to give that me freely in service to others, both campers and fellow staff. Most significantly, through my experiences I knew God, and because of my experiences I know God more. If you want to see what your experience would be you should start by sending in an application. Click here to get started. It's worth it.

Oh the Things We Learn

A big THANK YOU to all who participated in Beyond this past summer! Last week, Jenny (Head cook, 2008 and Guide, 2009-2010) went through all of your participant evaluations to see what you had to say about your week long adventure. It is truly amazing the impact that God has made in each one of you. One of the questions that you were asked was, “What did you learn from your trip that you can use in situations back home?”

Here is what you said:

• “I learned about perseverance. And that God rewards those who faithfully persevere. There were so many times I wanted just to go home but I knew I had to keep going and it was so worth it in the end.”
• “God has provided people in my life that will help me even when I won’t help myself.”
• “So much – I can’t write it all down. But I am going to reach out, pray about and follow God in my community of women.”
• “I learned to take initiative while serving others. And I really learned how to love others sacrificially.”
• “God will never leave or forsake me, ever! And because of that, I can take on whatever comes my way with God.”
• “Life can be lived wonderfully and simply.”
• “It’s okay to ask questions and still be a believer.” 
• “I feel better in knowing a group of teenage Christian girls because normally I feel very alone.”
• “I learned to pursue people the way God wants to pursue me. I want to allow people to see more of me, and open up.”
• “I learned what is actually important in life. I learned tolet go of things, including pent up emotions and insecurities. I learned to seek answers, to learn peoples’ stories before judging them, to forgive…and so much more.”
• “The entire climb paralleled life for me and all its challenges. So I will always use the strength I learned here in life.”
• “God is faithful and it takes me deciding that I am just going to keep walking through the crap till I get in the clear and see God.”
• “The trip had me reflect on what I believe, question God’s existence and love, learn why I want to be a Christian, and learn about Christ-centered relationships.” 
• “There is so much beauty in the scars because they are an integral/joyful part of the journey.” 
• “Nothing will be as challenging back home as climbing mountains.”

Thanks for sharing with us, and thank you for everything you taught us this summer!

A LETTER FROM BIRMINGHAM

Forty years ago Beyond Malibu was born out of the idea of going beyond the resort camp setting into the rugged outdoors where more situations exist that afford the opportunity to go beyond one’s self physically, mentally and spiritually.

This summer I had the wonderful opportunity to take 9 teenage guys from Birmingham on the Beyond Malibu backpacking expedition into the rugged Western Canadian Coast Mountains surrounding the Princess Louisa Inlet in British Colombia. The trip was by far one of the most relationally enriching experiences I have ever encountered in my time pursuing kids with the extravagant love of Jesus Christ.

At the end of our trip, I huddled the guys together and asked, "Can you imagine trying to do what we did without our guides to lead us through the mountains?" They emphatically responded, "No way, we would never have made it!" I then replied, "Fellas, life itself is a rugged wilderness and Jesus Christ says, 'Follow me.'"

May we follow Him together in this grand adventure, pressing on, full of hope and abundant love. Thank you for supporting this mission and allowing trips like this to exist.

Much Love,
Jason Zinn

Birmingham Young Life
Alabama

"That you may tell the next generation that this is God, our God forever and ever. He will guide us forever." Psalm 48:13-14

Eye Candy

Just a few fun photos I ran across.

Rain Drops

Blue skies turned to a grey wind-blown canopy above our campsite at Morrie’s Mound, and not only was the wind blowing in rain clouds, it was making our task of setting up the tents difficult.
The eight guys from Tuscon and Seattle were out on an overnight solo, to experience the most quiet, still hours some had ever felt. Ryan and I, as guides, kept a watchful eye on the campers and the weather. Dark clouds to the west had pushed in. We had a great vantage of each individual, as we were able to monitor their safety from a distance. Our hope was that rain and wind would not be a limiting factor in their solo. As we were having trouble with the tents, and drops started to smatter the rocks, we called everyone in for dinner under the McKinly Fly, our community canopy.

The fellas wandered in one-by-one, thankful for warm food and dry shelter. As the storm calmed, Ryan sent the participants out again, this time for the night. We knew it would continue to sprinkle but prayed that God would change the winds and allow blue skies beyond the Albert range, the direction from which our foul weather was generated. And God did just that.

I sat up for a while longer watching the clouds pass, revealing white pinholes in the night sky. And when I slept, I felt cool rain on my face for a few minutes, but continued to sleep.

In the morning, Kurt, the leader from Tuscon, mentioned that the night was a great parallel to how God cares for people. He sends us out, allows some storms to pass through, but is always watching for our safety. Then, when the circumstances are too stormy, he calls us in, provides us shelter, feeds us when we are hungry and sends us out again.

Psalm 36:5 – 7 ‘Your unfailing love, O Lord, is vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the ocean depths. You care for people and animals alike, O Lord. How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings.

We still encountered rain, but was refreshed by the reminder that cares to know us. He wants our attention, and that night He had 11 undivided hearts and minds. Some were fixed on His amazing display of beauty in the mountain peaks, some on from the stillness during a star-studded night, and others asking if there is He is really there at all. I was encouraged that we didn’t have to call it off, that it didn’t rain or blow too hard.

The solo was a great experience for the guys, and was something they will remember and draw from next year as they go off to their first year in college, where they will be on a different kind of solo. Hopefully they will think back to their time on the mountaintop, where they saw blue skies turn to a grey wind-blown canopy and remember God was there, present in their lives. Maybe they will wonder where else they can experience God if they stopped to listen. And they will know Him.

 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Brandon Sawaya is a first year mountain guide at Beyond Malibu. 

Back to Beyond after 30 years

I hadn’t been back to Beyond in 33 years. Why? Life happened…marriage and moves and Young Life and a child and jobs and, and, and... It had been such a great part of my life story and God had met me there. Ha, maybe I didn’t want to go back because I thought Gordy might ask me to lead a trip and I knew I couldn’t do it anymore (I know even Gordy wouldn’t take that chance!).
 
Then, this summer (June 2010), my husband, Bill, and I were invited to a week in Base Camp to help lead a group of college students from Northern Arizona University.  Bill and I had met at Beyond when he brought up a group of kids from Arizona the summer of 1977. I greeted their trip on the dock covered in balloons which, for some crazy reason, wasn’t initially that impressive to him! Anyway, this summer I was prepared and willing to go be with the college students from NAU; it would be great for them to see life at Beyond and to do a work project, it would be a good experience for them. But, wait a minute…now we’re on the boat and we’re on the Princess Louisa; shafts of sunlight are hitting parts of the ridges and I’m recalling a long ago sense of anticipation that God is up to something. I remember this feeling….looking forward and yet afraid at the same time of the awesomeness of God’s presence.  Stepping off the boat onto the dock at Base Camp was overwhelming for me; I got that “weak in the knees” deal. I was home. I had to walk very slowly back along (much wider and less devil’s club obscured) paths around the place where I was born in so many ways; the place I learned to overcome fears and Go Beyond my own no-risk safety net. It was a place of kindness and quiet and peace. A place of reflection and a reminder of who I was and am at the core.  I returned to this place to lead college students and realized the trip was actually a homecoming for me. A lot has happened in the years between the summers of ‘76-77 and 2010, blessings I never would have imagined, pain I never would have chosen, failures and victories.  But, this was the place where I became convinced that the Creator of this amazing universe loved me, was far beyond all I could ask or imagine and would never leave me, no matter what.

Jim Caldwell has said that Beyond is a thin place; a place where the separation between “I and Thou” is a little more narrow. That is true. For me, I also feel His presence is heavy there…heavy in a palpable weight of the evidence of His presence, beauty and power. His voice is a little clearer. It was a blessing to be back, and a great week with the group we were with. I became reminded of so many truths that sometimes get lost in this crazy world that is not our home. I know we don’t want to get too comfortable here. We need to be ready for that trip someday when we all get to Go Beyond…won’t that be awesome? I think I’ll wear balloons.

-Jan Hamilton
 Mountain Guide 1976-1977

College Week at Base Camp

Two weeks ago I spent an amazing week at Beyond Malibu Base Camp. Since we began planning this trip I've been super excited to see how it would all pan out. My wildest expectations didn't even come close to the experience we received. I think the way one of my friends talks about Beyond Malibu sums it up nicely. In his words, "[Beyond] Malibu is a very thin place" a place where the Lord's voice is clearer, louder and more frequent. We all need that, don't we?

We played hard, worked hard, ate like kings and queens, laughed, lounged and simply enjoyed life together and it was amazing! We were in one of the most beautiful places in the world. We enjoyed silence and the presence of God. We were welcomed with open arms into the Beyond community. We shared our stories, adventure and life and it was a remarkable week to remember forever.

A day in the life at Base Camp started with breakfast around a huge table, followed by a hour of silence with the Lord (AMAZING), work projects, more food for lunch (yummy), some sort of adventure in the afternoon (wake-boarding, visiting Malibu Club, a short hike, sea kayaking, napping in a hammock, swimming with sea lions), more food (dinner) hanging out around a fire sharing life stories and being encouraged by teaching from Bill and Jan Hamilton or singing songs around the fire, then off to bed until the next amazing day.

I will always remember the time (years ago) that I ventured into the mountains at Beyond and now I will always remember the Base Camp of Beyond and how it impacted me in different but equal ways to an epic trip up into the wilderness of Beyond Malibu. One of the coolest things about this opportunity is that it served college aged students so well. This trip is perfect for anyone who is leading college students and I believe will bless them in ways you could not have imagined. Thanks Beyond Family, you blessed us.

-Jason Rinne
 Area Director
 YoungLife Northern Arizona

Training Complete - Let the summer begin!

In June, I participated in my 4th Beyond Malibu 10 Day, this time as a trainer. My first go-around with 10 Day was frightening. The hike up Chatterbox was endless. My VW Bug-sized backpack toppled me like a house of cards as we swung under logs, crawled through Caldwell's Corridor, and kicked steps up the... snow!?!? (I'm from Arizona). One reason I think God placed me at Beyond Malibu as a camper, then as a guide, and now as a trainer is that being in His creation allows change, growth, and hope in the face of discomfort and fatigue and fear. Making myself available to RISK makes room for God to do his thing. Climbing up Chatterbox will ALWAYS be a challenge, but the difference this time around is I understand what we're aiming for-- geographically and spiritually.

A few days of mountain life shared with fellow guides is SO fun. This year on 10 Day we shared life stories, led one another in Bible studies, talked about mountain metaphors, practiced self-arresting with ice axes, followed the leads of maps and compasses in white outs, roped up on a glacier, and as the song proclaims: hiked it like your mama's stairmaster.

Here's the rundown of our week on Sun Peak & JJ:

Day 1, teams “Risk-Eh?”, “Boot Axe”, and “[Whistle]” (pronounced, “brackets whistle”) said "packs on!" and began hiking on the boardwalk at Chatterbox Falls; which soon turned to something more closely resembling a staircase. As the day turned to evening we reached Panorama Point, and as the sky began to sprinkle our muddy knees clean we finished the long trek to Sun City for the night. The rest of 10-Day -can you believe this! - it didn't rain or snow!!! Some people were bummed about this "less-extreme-weatherless-experience", but I was elated to sleep in a dry sleeping bag.

On Day 2, we found Rock-'N-Roll rock covered with snow and proceeded down to Contact Lakes where we got to camp on ROCK! The guides then practiced their rope skills of fixed handlines, anchors, and belays.

Day 3, piled with sunscreen and polypro tee's, we focused on map and compass, rappelling, and self-arrest. That night, the guides and mice alike breathed in the delicious aroma of Mexi-Meal.

On Day 4, a nimble rope team tracked down the perfect crevasse for "Hurk" and "Z-Pulley" rescue system practice. Gallons of "Ricky" were guzzled, numerous up-the-nose sunburns were acquired that day and spirits were high as we withdrew from the glacier and headed back to the Moraine to camp.

Day 5, we compass marched across the JJ Glacier amidst huge, rolling clouds with intermittent glorious views of surrounding mountains and valleys. All 3 groups summitted that day... Happy Snickers to all!

Day 6 commenced our commute home. By this time life stories had been traded, mountain treats devoured, and skills polished. Talk began of upcoming trips - kids and adults were on their way to Beyond for week #1 already! Excitement stirred as we all contemplated what was waiting for us in the Valley below.

Day 7: Each team awoke early to retrace their steps back down towards the inlet. Upon our return to base camp, we thankfully pulled off our boots and sock liners, dried out the tents and flies, shared stinky hugs with gracious base camp staff members, and sighed with relief as we donned cotton shirts and bare feet.

10 Day 2010 was a journey of redemption, humility, stillness, and huge leaps outside ourselves. God tugged all 24 of us up and down the mountain to be affected and maybe even changed by what He had made. I am SO thankful to have gotten to join this summer's guide staff at the beginning of their summer pilgrimage with kids and adults into the mountains of Beyond. Let the summer begin!

- Lauren Hamman

  Mountain Guide 2006-2008

“Let’s pick up that hitch-hiker!”

In anticipation of our Beyond Malibu hiking trip my YL guys & I were driving to Tacoma to make custom BEYOND T-shirts at Mable design.  As we approached the I5 on-ramp a kid in the back seat yelled “Let’s pick up that hitch hiker!”  Standing on the side of the road was a goofy looking dude with scraggly blond hair protruding from the coolest K2 hat I’ve ever seen.  His thumb was up the air & he held a sign reading ‘TACOMA’.   He jumped in the car and introduced himself as Joe. We gave him a ride and he ended up spending the rest of the evening with us.  He even made a custom Beyond T-shirt.   Joe was one of the coolest dudes my guys have ever met!  By the end of the evening we invited him on our Beyond trip, but he declined. 

One week later my guys & I are sitting outside the barn at Beyond Malibu as they introduced the guides.  One guide walks out with scraggly blond hair protruding from the coolest K2 hat I’ve ever seen AND wearing the custom Beyond T-shirt he made a week earlier.  My guys go CRAZY “Dude, it’s Joe the Hitchhiker!”  We rushed him and tackled him with a hug.  My guys quickly learned Joe is one of my good friends and we set the whole thing up.  Joe had instant rapport with the guys and we had an epic 7 days on the mountain.

Thanks Beyond Malibu for helping facilitate a lifelong memory for my guys!
 Thanks Joe for sharing your story and helping my guys grow in their faith in Jesus Christ!

Casey Price
Young Life Leader, Everett, WA
Trip Leader - 2005, 2007, 2008