The Journey

Staff Arrives at KIVU, an Interview with Luke Parrott

KIVU is Open!! 

Yesterday we had 100 staff people arrive for training, and we had our first frisbee golf tournament, our first picnic by the barn, and our first evening program filled with lots of dancing, skits and FUN!!

I decided, this morning, to take a second out and interview Luke Parrott, the KIVU Men's Director.  He has been with KIVU for 13 years in various roles, and there's just not many people out there who know the operation aspects of EVERY SECTION of KIVU.  

The podcast below is 9 min. of my interview with Luke.  

Just saw some buses role up.  The Retreat Program at KIVU is open for business, and today we're expecting 120 students from Valley Christian High School from Phoenix.  They are doing their Senior Trip, so I gotta go and start moving and shaking.   

Listen to the Podcast.  And Enjoy.  We're having fun!!

Andy and Luke First Day at Camp

120 Staff + 100 Kids Tomorrow = KIVU is HERE!!

It's a quiet corner on the Los Pinos River in Southwest Colorado.  
In less than 24 hours there will be almost 100 staff, 120 kids, and The Adventure will begin.
For 15 years, I've been working on a dream to develop a place where Teenagers could begin to work with University Students to life live together.  

With the help of thousands of staff over the years...
Hundreds of thousands of donor dollars...
And a little over 10K students who have actually attended...
The dream is once again becoming reality.

Some might say, "Well there are hundreds of summer camps all over America, what makes KIVU different?"  

1. At KIVU, we provide the Best in Class Outdoor adventures for teenagers to explore, discover, and develop a long life story.  Imagine rafting through Class III and IV river rapids, or biking some of the world's greatest mountain bike trails, or climbing some of Colorado's best Rock Climbing sites.  Students who come to KIVU are exposed to the BEST OF outdoor adventures to make Memories that will last a lifetime.  Bottom line, we are proud to have fun, and we believe teenagers like to have fun.  Today, the FUN begins.
2. At KIVU we have a philosophy of living life together.  So many summer camps have the dreaded reputation of counselor and staff members who tell people what to do without regard to where they are in life.  Whether it's a high ropes course where a student is afraid, or a long backpack trip they wanted to try out; our philosophy is "Do what you want to do, and we'll do it with you."  We have a deep desire in our DNA to connect with students, and we feel like the friendships that develop at KIVU have a long lasting play in the lives of the students who come.  They find mentors, they find adventure colleagues, and most of all they find people who don't judge them for what they're not.  We live life together no matter where our students come from.
3. We have a Jesus centric core.  We're certainly not "church camp," but all our staff are walking the Journey road of faith.  We don't have any kind of quantitative conversion charts to judge our effectiveness by how many kids choose to live life our way.  But rather; we have a long history of just accepting kids where they are, asking them hard questions about what they believe, and allowing them to walk at whatever speed they want.  We've had Atheists, Agnostics, Buddhists,  Jews, and Muslims all attend at various times.  And we see our mission to simply Love and Encourage students through the lens Jesus teaches.  "Love God..."  "Love Others..."  It's as Simple as that.  

So for the next 12 weeks, we'll be hosting students from all over America and have over 20 countries represented.  We'll have students from Israel, Jordan, Spain, Australia, Canada, England, France, and most of the 50 States right here in our backyard.  

It's such a beautiful picture of how The Journey mission continues to play in real life.  I've been a part of conversations in Church circles, Para-Church circles, Government Peace Organizations, and Civil Service Groups who all talk about wanting to do something like this.  Well, We're doing it.  The Dream is Reality, and KIVU starts today.

If you'd like to know more about what's going on this summer, be sure to stop by our website at http://www.campkivu.com.  Or if you jsut want to look as some quick action pictures, take a peek on our facebook page filled with photos and videos at http://www.facebook.com/campkivu.  

If you're looking for a cool Colorado Summer in a unique place doing some of the of the most cutting edge life on life work with Teenagers, hit the registration button today, and come join us.  We welcome new people as if they've always been here.  

 

Graduation Season is Here

It's that time of year to watch our students cross the finish line.  Whether it's High School or University level graduations, there's nothing like the feeling of watching the completion of a road traveled so long.  To the graduates of 2013, CONGRATULATIONS!!

The road you're now on is one that will bring new challenges.  You'll be tested in ways that push you from your comfort zone, and help you develop into the Best YOU that you can be.  You've been through much academically, physically, relationally, and spiritually, and I encourage you to continue.  

The misnomer of graduation is, well; it's over.
Life has ended and now it's time to just soak up your rewards.
But don't forget...The Work has Only Just Begun.

Now you have a unique opportunity to enter the world and contribute something to the whole of humanity that YOU were created for.  WE NEED YOU!!  

We need musicians and artists.
We need academics and social workers.
We need athletes and celebrities.
We need scientists and business people.

The world is a better place because you are in it.  

So as you march across that stage, keep your eyes fixed on the horizon, because the sky is the limit.  Live today as if there's nobody else that can live it for you.  And you'll do just fine.

CONGRATS!! 

The Conversation Today: The Great Commission

A Few years ago, I had an interesting opportunity to visit the Grand Mosque in Bahrain.  The Al Fateh Mosque is one of the most beautiful structures in all the world.  Literally, marble flown in from Italy, Lights fashioned in Paris, rugs from Persia, it's an absolutely wonderful building to take in.  

I was meeting a Muslim Friend at the Mosque, and we were going to talk about the similarities of the Christian Faith and the Muslim Faith, but were were also going to outline some important differences.  

Of course when we talk to people of a different faith than the one we claim is truth, there's always a bit of a poker game going on.  To try and be cordial while still holding to truth is an interesting skill.  Most of us just think "well, we're right, they're wrong and that's that."  But when you start really discussing the issues, there are some great places to share life together.  

His first shot across the bow, "How do you read your Great Commission?

Jesus said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20

Most of my life, I was taught this verse meant that we need to go out and ask people to say a prayer, sign a card, or give their heart over to Jesus.  But of late, I've been wondering what the word disciple really meant.  

The Encyclopedia says, "A disciple is a follower and student of a mentor, teacher, or other figure."  So if Jesus was referring to making disciples, he was actually telling the disciples to simply follow.  He referred to this in John 10 where he said, "I am the way the truth and the life..."  The way actually refers to a method of behavior.  

I stumbled across a video I thought was interesting in describing this problem.  David Platt is a well regarded pastor in Birmingham Alabama.  He gave 2 minutes to discuss this problem like this.

When I revealed to my Muslim friend the fact that I believed the Great Commission was to help people follow God, he looked at me with great interest.  "You mean you aren't trying to convert me?"  

"Well, if by conversion you mean I'm asking you to dance a little mantra, then...No."  

His eyes grew wide and he said, "Andy, there's something different about you.  We need to continue this conversation."  

I started talking through this concept today at KIVU.  As we mentor and train students in the fullness of the gospel, how might this change the worldivew of our day?

Feel free to chime in at your leisure.

Brokering Peace in the Middle East, One Relationship At a Time With Teenagers!!

Turn on the News, and all you hear about the Middle East is destruction.  Syria, Arab Spring, Afghanistan, it just goes on and on.  The images we see are hopeless, filled with pain, and leave Americans wondering if there is any way to solve some of these enormous global problems.

I'm not sure there's one solid answer that would make sense to everyone around the world, but I've traveled to the Middle East quite a bit.  I have friends in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Israel, and the UAE.  One thing I've noticed, the older groups I hang out with are pretty much already set in their ways, but the students...well, that's another story.  

I've taken what I've learned over the last 20 years working with teenagers, and I've started applying it to my relationships with Middle East Students.  This Volleyball game was on the Arabian Gulf with American kids, Australian kids, British kids, and Saudi kids, just having a good time.  We played volleyball, kicked the soccer ball, had a cook out, and at the end of the day I made some new friendships that are continuing even today.  

I started thinking....

What if we extended our hand of frienship, and started bringing more and more Middle Eastern kids to experience some fun "American" style adventures.  After all, I've been working at a Colorado Adventure camp for the last 13 of my 20 years in youth work, and so I tried it last summer.  

We brought over 10 students from Jordan who had an absolute incredible time!! We rafted, hiked, biked, rock climbed, and shared life together.  It was nothing short of a U.N. style peace accords, only it was with teenagers, and we weren't trying to prove anything...we were just allowing the relationships to take their own life.  

This summer, I have a unique opportunity to bring 50 students from Jordan and Bethleham.  

Wouldn't that be AWESOME!!  
We could begin  long term friendships with people from the Middle East in hopes of helping to heal relationships here in America.  The only Caveat...We need Resources.  

I've only asked for money on this blog a couple of times, but THIS IS IMPORTANT!!  If we can continue to develop long term relationships between Middle Eastern Teenagers, American Teenagers, Muslim Teenagers, Christian Teenagers, and Jewish Teenagers, What would our world look like in 20 years?  

I'd love to invite you to help me on this journey.  If you, or you know someone who can see far into the investment future of relationships with the Middle East; please contact me, andy@campkivu.com. I have a few donors starting to work on this project, but we need more.  We need people who want to help change the course of history, who trust in the fact we are going to work tirelessly to help mend relationships between East and West.  

We're changing the course of the future, one student at a time.  Come join us along the way!!

Brokering Peace in the Middle East 4.2013