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2022 Camp Report: Challenger Sierra

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2022 Camp Report

Challenger Sierra

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Emigrant Wilderness, CA—What a week we had! With 41 miles of backpacking, friendship and spiritual growth, 13 young adults learned that the challenges we face develop us into people who are better equipped to face future challenges and help guide others. Led by pastors Scott McKeon and Troy Phelps, participants formed a cohesive group who worked together to face obstacles. We explored the meaning of becoming sons and daughters of God and held discussions about various Bible characters and their discipleship traits that we can emulate.

The group spent Thursday and Friday hiking up to Buck Lake, camping at 8,500 feet elevation. The journey included beautiful scenery, gorgeous lakes, long climbs and even a rainy morning. At the time we were all feeling wet and starting to get cold, so we prayed for God’s will to be done with the weather to help us have the experience He desired for us, and the precipitation immediately and miraculously stopped! God answered another prayer and provided a beautiful campsite at Buck Lake where we stayed for the Sabbath and held outdoor services with the lake as the backdrop for our granite amphitheater.

The messages focused on how the physical challenges in this life help us to transform into the Spiritual creation that God has given us the potential to become. He guides, directs and protects us as we are prepared to become members of His Family!

We enjoyed hiking, swimming in the cool lake waters, fishing and conversations around the campfire. The conversations in camp and on the trail helped build relationships that we will treasure for our lifetimes.

The final day we hiked to the trailhead filled with gratitude for the wonderful experiences we’d shared and lessons we’d learned. We concluded Challenger with a finisher’s banquet at a local pizza restaurant. It foreshadowed for us all of the grandest banquet yet to come—at the return of Jesus Christ!

Throughout the week, we learned that facing challenges may seem to be about becoming stronger, but it is really about tapping into God’s strength where ours runs short. We give the glory to God for the success He gave us!