There is one tradition and one only that will always be a part of the All-Teen Summer Camping Trip: Bridge Jumping! Just before you reach the Salmon La Sac campsite near Cle Elum, Washington, there is a bridge that is about 25-30 feet above the river. Only for those who extremely brave and probably a little crazy, the bridge is a stepping stone for many people to take the plunge into the river. If you have never been, you must go to the campsite during the summer and watch as droves of people come up to jump off the bridge into the water. Although many do jump off, many others get set up to jump and later decide to not take the chance. As soon as someone thinks that they will jump off the bridge easily, they are quickly humbled as they look over the ledge into the water. One teen girl named Paige Kelly sat on the bridge for about 45 minutes contemplating whether or not she would really jump or not. In the end, she jumped and conquered her fear of the bridge. Amen for Paige! However, most who wait as long as she did, usually decide not to do it in the end.
As a youth minister, I see how jumping or not jumping off the bridge is similar to those who choose to become or not become true disciples of Jesus. In Christianity and in jumping off the bridge, you must not let your fear overcome you. You must “Step out on Faith” and be bold! Bridge jumping this year was only one of many great memories of this year’s summer camping trip. We ate tons of great food (like Spaghetti for dinner and sandwiches for lunch), watched an outdoor movie (Night at the Museum—you have got to see this great movie), played lots of card games, and played Mafia (a murder mystery game where a group of people seek to discover who within the group are a part of the Mafia—the greatest camp game ever created!) until most of us passed out for the night.
Unfortunately, this was the pinnacle of our trip because as we woke up Sunday morning, most of us were soaked because of the rain that had come down (and was continuing to come down) from earlier. As the rain came down, we decided to shut down the camp early and jump on the road as soon as possible and get home to our warm houses and comfortable beds. However, this was a daunting task! Our chairs, tents, and clothes were all being rained on as we strove to put them away. It was rough to say the least! Thankfully, it only took us an hour and a half to close down camp and jump on I-90. In the Northwest we learned why it is often said that there are only two seasons: one when it rains and two when it is about to rain.
Although this year’s camping trip was cut short because of the rain (go figure), we still had a great time spending time with one another. God has created a great family within the Teen ministries between the Seattle and Tacoma. As the teens begin another school year, already I am asking myself, “Who will jump off the bridge next year?” Will I ever jump (even though I can’t swim)? Or better yet, who will jump off “the bridge spiritually” and decide to become a disciple for Christ this year? Only time will tell.
Marcus Wallace
South Sound Church of Christ Youth Minister
August 27th, 2007
