I just spent nearly two days with fourteen young men at the Covenant Ranch in Buchanan, Kentucky. There, boys from ages 10 -14 come to learn about the outdoors. They spend five days learning things like canoeing, archery, how to shoot rifles and shotguns, and camping. There are also activities like swimming, fishing, and the one hundred foot long “slip n slide.”

They go non-stop from about eight in the morning until lights out, at 10:30 p.m.

It was refreshing to see a place that is teaching young men and women these outdoor activities. But it was not just about the outdoors. It was also about team building, ethics, and where God fits in to their life.

Those two days reminded me of a similar trip that I took as a 12 year old boy. Troopers Island camp taught me much of these same outdoor skills and helped to impart the love I have now for the outdoors.

I firmly believe that our children just need to be exposed to these things for them to love them. And it’s especially natural for a young man to be drawn to these outdoor activities. I saw it anew this last week.

I also saw learning take place at an accelerated speed. These boys, who might normally fight against things like scripture memorization, now were doing it amazingly fast because it added points for their team.

My favorite activity was The Battle of Tipacanoe. It was a canoe race across a pond, followed by one team member hitting a target with a 22 rifle and the other hitting another target with their bow and arrow. After the targets were hit they would race back to the canoe and paddle to the finish line before the other team could do the same.

But the Battle of Tipacanoe would not be a battle without one team trying to turn over the opposing team’s canoe. I think some boys spent more time in the water than in the boat. Some of those attending had been there before and they promised to come back next year.

Since God placed creation in its place for us to be able know Him, the sooner that we are exposed to that creation, the sooner we will know about God.

For some reason, I’m not too concerned about how those 14 young men are going to turn out one day. I just feel that, because of what they have been exposed to now, they’ll end up being good men, good citizens, and good Christians.

Check out the Covenant Ranch at www.sonrise adventures.com.

Outdoor Truths is written by Gary Miller. He can be reached via e-mail at gary@ outdoortruths.org