One of the views of Half Dome, Yosemite NP.
Digging up blackberry bushes at Yosemite NP. This was part of our service project through Yosemite Institute. Here Emma and Stephanie working hard together.
All digging and pulling those invasive blackberry bushes. Hot, dirty, work!
Cooling off in the Merced River. Lots of splashing, bonding, and plain having fun together.
The group in Yosemite NP, with Yosemite Falls in the background.
Our Yosemite Institute guide, Delaney Sharp. He was wonderful with the kids, held their attention throughout the day!
Emma, preparing dinner! Delicious!
The kids enjoyed climbing up then sliding down this big rock!
Our trek to dig blackberry bushes. Very hot today. Close to 100 degrees.
Delaney sharing his knowledge of the history and resources of the park.
Sliding off the rock!
The kids' first impression of some large trees!
More digging of the blackberry bushes!
Drew digging blackberry bushes.
Heading into the cave area, where we were going to do a team building exercise.
Emma in front of Yosemite Falls
Coming out of the cave!
Another emerges from Spider Cave.
They, too, made it out successfully, despite not wanting to go inside.
No one was allowed to stay outside of the cave. We all had to rely on each other to make it through the cave. This was great for team building, confidence building, and communication skills. Success on all of the above! Fears were overcome, the bonding began.
A gorgeous view of Upper and Lower Yosemite Falls.
Posing for the camera!
Wednesday, July 14, 2010 Drew’s Prayer/Activity Day
Theme: Finding God in Nature
5:45 am Wake up (Adults prepare breakfast)
6:15 am Morning Prayer @ Breakfast (Must be on time - Bring everything needed for the day)
7:00 am Vans to Yosemite (Yosemite Lodge)
9:00 am Hike with guide, Yosemite Valley, Spider Caves, stewardship project (lunch provided – noon prayer)
4:00 pm Meet back at vans (drive to Mariposa Grove)
6:30 pm Dinner (Emma prepares dinner) dinner prayer
7:30 pm Evening Activity
8:30 pm Evening Gathering (prayer/reflection)
9:00 pm Personal time
9:30 pm Lights out
Daily Questions:
· "In the beginning God created ... and saw that it was good." Reflect on all that you have seen today that was good and beautiful.
· Does your experience of the beauty of nature deepen your faith in the Creator God?
Our first day in Yosemite. The ride there was extremely curvy! Some exciting moments as the kids saw the mountain views for the first time. Lots of "WOW's"!! We got up at 5:45, after not many hours of sleep. I think 5!! We met our Yosemite Institute Guide, Delaney Sharp, and he immediately was liked by all! What a treasure. We hiked to Lower Yosemite Falls, and went into the dark for a team building adventure in Spider Caves. Some were reluctant to go in, as Stephanie said, "This is not an entrance"! We all had to learn to communicate with each other and trust one another. Go toward the light was our mantra, as we all appeared at the other end, safe, dirty, and a little bruised! All were chatting excitedly, talking about their experiences within the cave! Then it was on to lunch and our Spirit walk in Cooks' Meadow. How moving! The Holy Spirit was definitely with us! We arrived to our "home" at Sugar Pine rather late, and exhausted, and Emma cooked us a delicious meal, and it was off to bed.
“In the beginning God created… and saw that it was good.” Reflect on all that you have seen today that was good and beautiful.
• All of the mountains and cliffs “regular dome”
• Everything is big and majestic and makes me see how large and powerful God is
• The Giant Trees and tiny things, acorn woodpecker, stellar jay, fawn male deer
• Yosemite Falls
• Cross section on Sequoia > 1000 years
• Acorn pounding wholes- generations old- Awhaneechee
• Experienced Spider Cave, working together inside the cave
• All in the Merced River splashing and becoming more comfortable with each other having fun
• House sized boulders
• People looked like baby sugar ants standing next to waterfall (lower Yosemite Falls)
Does your experience of the beauty of nature deepen your faith in the creator God?
• Yes- makes you realize something bigger, human race is not dominate
• Standing in valley and looking up is so huge unbelievable, mind blowing miracles of God
• Complexity of nature- woodpecker hides the acorn, then harvests it and feeds off the insects that feed of acorn.
• Delaney explains how the acorn woodpeckers tongue works; birds family support dominant birds to mate and the rest of the family does not.
Highlights of the day
• Eating lunch at Cooks Meadow (praying in the meadow, too!)
• Spirit walk through Cooks Meadow (very emotional for some)
• Seeing park for first time- initial drive in
• Showering
• Scenery- seeing all of it!
• Dunking head in Merced River
• All of the laughing
• The cave
• Getting out of the cave
Quotes of the day
• “Can I go climb that?”
• “That is
not an entrance!” (Stephanie not wanting to go inside Spider Cave)
• “The sky’s up there!”
• “Did you just touch my butt?” (comments like this were numerous in the cave, since we had to be within arms reach of each other, and it was dark!)
• “Max! Where are you?” (not within arms reach?)
• “We were able to experience our hunger muscles today.”
• “Go to the light!” (leaving the cave and seeing daylight again)
Our “Aha” moment
• Spirit walk (very emotional, enlightening)
• Bumping heads on rocks (listening to directions)
• Obsessed with the soil (couldn't believe how rich it was, how dark)
• Impact of white people moving in on Ahwahneechee Tribe
• Want to learn more about the Ahwahneechee
• Realizing we are not in Michigan anymore (perhaps there is another world outside our own)
