Thursday, October 28, 2010

So, as most of my blog posts open...its been a while......this time there is a good reason. I have been gone leading teams and training...Ok what in the world am I doing with my life.

Here goes the last month. It all started on Oct 3rd. I jumped on a plane and was heading for the High Sierras. My job, help lead 70 people in the back country for a few days...no, problem. My trip started off pretty good...bought lunch and ate it in the car I rented. (I had to drive from Sacramento all the way to Fresno, get picked up and taken into the mountains.) Now, this job is pretty great, I enjoy taking people out...I get to work with them at their most basic times in life...they may have all the right gear, and say all the right things...they might even know how to get bearings on a compass and build a fire from scratch...(the last two are things I know I suck at.)

Anyways, disaster strikes the first night early in the morning at about 3:30. I get woken up by thunder and lighting right in my face! It was the craziest thing to yell as loud as I could to kids 2 feet in front of me any they couldn't hear a word I was saying because it was so loud. First the rain, wind, and soon sleet pounding against a tiny mega mid on an exposed ridge....Awesome!! In one moment I have never been so pushed by nature for the safety of my participants and so awe struck by the beautiful power of Gods hand. Fortunately nothing to extreme happened that couldn't be fixed...we dodged things for sure, but that goes without saying...one of the biggest things was cold kids, which could be fixed, and 70 sopping wet sleeping bags plus clothes....this was slightly more of a hassle. However, eventually I was able to talk to the local resort to let us use their commercial sized dryers...(oh yeah, I am reading this book right now called You Can Negotiate Anything...this came into play during that :) haha). We eventually got everything dry and camps moved down about 4k feet...sad cause I wanted to run around in the high country but smart cause these kids weren't fully prepared for what the weather was like at those altitudes. After a night of not knowing exactly what was gong on and playing the "Ring Master" for 70 people we aka, Jordan pulled a little something together.


Let me stop here for just a second...Jordan is an amazing man...I had the privilege to walk beside him part of the time all this was going down...just imagine over 3 months worth of planning down the drain in just a few hours, and we have still have 70 people waiting to see what's going to happen....logistically what we did shouldn't have happened but I believe with Jordans attitude of not giving up and not wanting to take people into an uncalculated enviroment really speaks well about his heart. Way to go man...Ok, so after playing ring master the next day we went out on our hikes that we planned the the the rest of the trip was somewhat uneventful. Don't get me wrong it was great to see the things we saw...for example the picture with all the lady bugs...I have never seen so many in one place! Walk around the corner and there is more! So beautiful...

It ended up being kind of a hard ending to a backpacking trip because of the deeper friendships I made with the staff and the ones which I am not sure when I will see next.

And then RescueNet! RescueNet is a team of people from around the world being trained in First Response in a disaster such as an earthquake, tsunami, ect...The last 4 years I have been involved with the training (and have been trained) in Wilderness First Responder...a WFR. I am just taking that experience and moving that to an even more dynamic environment here or overseas...or within 24 to 48 hrs of an event like this.
So we had 10 days worth of training in class and also scenarios of things we had learned that day...little things like sucking chest wounds, flailed chests, broken bones, shock, and all this plus more and how to work with an Aid Organization or Government that is set up in that area for that time. I spent most of my time in a class room typing away on this computer taking notes (and once in a while doing some work for the communications office in Salem.) I am excited where this might lead me. I really hope to get out there and document this organization, help them out with media on their website and ultimately motivate other people to get up and do something in the physical realm.

Right now, I am currently in San Diego praying about what this next step has for me. I have done this training, I know I can mold myself into a team and perform the proper medical techniques, part of that time I can document and do that aspect of the job...but whats next? Whats going on with the Communications Office? Niko? YWAM? A few days ago I was talking to my friend in Salem and she asked if I was asking YES or NO questions to God....hummm go figure...sometimes I forget that this Jman really is simple....so, I have that and a few other things just to ask myself...here is kind of a list I am going through right now...careful its what has been in my head the last few days....

Where am I? and Where am I going?

What areas of my life do I want to grow in right now....(character, competencies, behavior, activity, production...can all these be goal oriented?)
What attitudes, behaviors, or beliefs are holding me back?
What is holding me back that is NOT within my control?
What is holding me back that IS within my control?
What is one small step I can take to bring about this change?
Whatever consumes my attention most determines my actions; what currently consumes my attention and thought life?
What person, situation, or source is most influencing my thinking right now?
What am I taking to God in prayer?
What is God telling me these days?
What lessons am I learning currently?
What is my biggest felt need?
Where do I want to see change take place? (not self). What’s within my range to influence; what do I have to let go?
What is one small step I can take to bring about this change?

P.S. thanks Mario for the motivation to ask hard questions.

All this reminds me of my One on One when I first got here to Salem...Ryan Hale and him always asking me...Ok...thats good but what is some sort of Action...what can you do about this? Bahhh!!!Ryan! Oh well, it is for the best.

Well, its been a long time in posting this and my brain is really tired....I need to stop and start listening to God...hear what he has to say about all of this...maybe tomorrow I can update all those questions......(yeah right.)

At the bottom you will find a quick synopsis of the photos..check em out.























The First one is me eating my meal driving from the airport to Fresno.
The Second is my team in the back country after all the drama out there
The Third and Fifth is the mountains we were backpacking in....great stuff!
The Fourth is a bunch of Lady Bugs we saw on EVERYTHING...so amazing.
The Sixth...one stop along the way out of the back country so I could get to RescueNet. Thanks Greyhound
The Seventh and the last is the bay bridge on the water front
and the numbers 8,9, and 10 are random photos found through out San Francisco.

I am sorry this post is so long...if I could have posted one every day I would have...but I will have to filter the next few...enjoy...oh yeah...the photos have all been taken on my droid...not my best work but "The best Camera is the one you have with you." Chase Jarvis

1 comment:

  1. Ryan, you are always an encouragement to me! I love reading your posts about your crazy adventures, seeing your awesome photos, and just loving the fact that you are living with God!

    Lord, I ask that You will guide Ryan. Keep him in Your path. Help him to know the next step. Give him boldness and courage. Thanks God. Amen.

    If you do email updates, I am interested in being added. jcforgod at gmail.

    Yeah, know that you rock! Oh, and know that if you ever want to come to Butte, we have some cool hikes to go on over here!

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