This March a unique Christian wilderness/extreme sports ministry is going cross-cultural, and we’re excited to be involved. Josh Vander Meer coordinates Camp Bighorn‘s Journey program, and visited us for several days earlier this year to talk about how to bring their experience to Mexico. No, the group will not be scaling any cliffs while in Ixtapaluca, but they will be braving different cultural assignments that we’re working on, like: “Ride public transportation from your host home to the supermarket” “buy a kilo of cebolla and a kilo of chile de árbol at the local open market,” and “so now that you’ve eaten that, what exactly do you think it was??” Their time here will involve some classroom time talking about group vs. individual identity, linear and cyclical communication and a whole lot more…but also learning on the fly as we visit different historical and cultural sites here in the Mexico City area.
After Ixtapaluca, on to Puebla, where they will be climbing mountains with Victor Magallón’s Cumbre Expediciones, among other activities. Victor likes taking groups up two nearby volcanoes, Iztaccihuatl (17,000+ feet) and Matlalcueye, more commonly known as La Malinche (over 14,000 ft.).
Really, the Journey is an intensive discipleship program. We’re honored to be a small part of it. Or as the Journey program’s tagline puts it…discipleship through adventure.
As far as the picture above (header), for those of you who know Samuel, you know there’s no better person to stretch visitors’ culinary experience! Here with Josh back in April.
Check out the videos below…wow, I think I want to go to Idaho!