MU’s ‘Venture Out’ High Odyssey Ropes Course
By Carlin
This program named “In2Action” is designed to give clients the tools needed to improve their lives and redeem themselves spiritually. The programing includes many comprehensive ways to learn responsibility, plus ambition to gain a worthy lifestyle. Recently, one particular activity gave me and several other residents a chance to work on trust and courage. The High Ropes course was the official name of the event and little did I realize just how much it would test me physically and emotionally. We arrived on sight and were greeted immediately by a facilitator who both gave instructions and led us through this obstacle course like challenge. At three stories high, we were asked to move in groups from one platform to the next, and with nothing except a cable and a harness to protect us from what seemed like a fall to our deaths. We had no choice but to rely completely on our peers to work together to reach the goal of all 4 challenges. I personally thought that there would have been no way to make it through each challenge successfully, however, with each step I took with my teammates toward the goal, I began to rely on those teammates more and more. Surprisingly and amazingly, every resident completed the challenges successfully. The facilitator had expressed the rarity of that with most groups, and at that moment, I realized the men from “In2Action” were quite brave, even during such a vulnerable time. At one point, I lost my drive both emotionally and physically, and I truly wanted to give up. With the help and support of my peers and mentors, I was pushed to follow through. I was in the”yellow”, and a very dark shade at that. The course describes three states of comfort the clients can be in during difficult or easy parts of the course, ranging from very comfortable in the “green” as they called it, to being terrified in the “red”. Being somewhere in the middle, or the “yellow” was a state of comfort we had been told was where true growth occurs. This is a true-life applicable concept, as I and the other residents at “In2Action” are often out of our comfort zone in trying to learn how to live what often feels like a foreign lifestyle. As long as we will ourselves to try and live life in the “yellow”, what once was uncomfortable will become natural. This was evident in the final course of the High Ropes Course, as the final challenge seemed much less daunting after having pushed through 3 previous challenges. The experience was empowering and challenging all at the same time. Not only have we grown closer as “brothers in Christ” as we often like to say, but we learned a little bit about each other and ourselves. Sometimes life can seem to stand still, and when we stay still, we really are moving backward in actuality. Living life in the “yellow” is what “In2Action” is all about, and we continue to move through our own obstacles.
And a few remarks from other residents:
“This experience changed the way I felt about the others – being able to trust in people again.” – Brandon
“We grew to trust one another. I care about them more now.” – Shaun
“I learned to always live in the yellow, and to try new things. It was awesome.” – Monte
“I took away that I may be able to tackle certain obstacles on my own, but others you do need something or someone else to help guide you through.” – Jacob
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