A handful of students got up early for the first morning devotionals. As they enjoyed the beautiful view outdoors, Ray Bohlin instructed them to savor God’s creation this week. |
Through the worship lead by “You Before Me,” Erin Singleton, Lauren Smith, and Emily O’Neil (left to right) worship with their heart, soul, and mind. |
During the “Worldviews” session, Britney Bearden reads for her group from Acts 17 to discover how Paul interacted with people holding a different worldview. |
At lunch, Byron T. Nelson (bearing an eerie resemblance to Ozark Program Manager Loren Ransom) begs for students to be part of his "GEAKS in training" (Gallant Exploring Archeologist Kids Society) club. Although camp director Michael Holets "assured" him the students wouldn't want to join, many of them still wanted to. He introduced the first organized recreational activity, the low ropes course. |
Karla Evans (center) shows off her hat while Britney Bearden (left) smiles for the camera and Kenny Pearson (right) pretends not to notice the camera. |
Lydia Arrington relaxes while listening to the instructions for the week’s readings. |
 The girls--Rachel Smoot, Lydia Arrington, Kathryn Jones, Heather Frey, Erin Singleton, and Britney Bearden--roll up together for the low ropes course. The students were divided up into their reading groups, together facing the problem-solving challenges of the different elements of the course. This is the first year the Ozark staff provided this opportunity for the students to get to know each other and bond with each other so early in the week, and we are grateful for what a difference it's making. |
Nick Peterson, Kenny Pearson, Ryan Jones, Lauren Smith, Whit Buck, Pat Zukeran, Shelly Nething, and Mary McNeese from Ozark Staff get excited for the outdoor activities. |
Tesia Arnold (Ozark staff), Josh Rowley, Stephanie Wood (Ozark staff), Don Closson, Holly Porter, Keb Ramey, Erin Singleton, Britney Bearden, Josh Looney, Mary Ellen Miller (Ozark staff) strike a "Charlie’s Angel’s" pose for their group picture. |
Matt Mann, Jared Clayton, Emily O’Neil, Ray Bohlin, Brian Lange, Danielle Kouri (Ozark staff), David Robison, Lydia Arrington, Bek Davis flash their “We’re #1!” sign. |
Holding himself "stiff as a board," Matt Mann trusts his group to catch him as he falls around in a circle. They never failed him. |
Josh Looney is passed by his group through the “poisonous” spider web. |
Stephen Baker (left) and Britney Bearden (center right) helps Stephanie Wood step over Josh Looney (crouched) in order to cross over the log. Erin Singleton and Holly Porter (right and far right) look on. |
Emily O’Neil crosses over the “hot lava” with wood planks and bricks to figure out a puzzle. |
Russ Forrest (left) and Tyler Bennett (right) try to put a tire around the tree without letting the tire touch the tree, and with only two people allowed to touch the tree. |
Tyler Bennett (blue shirt) and Kathryn Jones (grey shirt) ride on their teammates’ backs to make sure their spaceship takes off. The only way for the spaceship to take off is if there are only six feet on the platform, but there were nine people (and eighteen feet). This group successfully figured out the challenge to do it with only four feet on the platform, three |
During the afternoon break some students played basketball in the pool. It was a refreshing conclusion to two hours out on the low ropes course. |
Some brave students played volleyball in the hot sand under the hot sun. The adjacent pool beckoned them to cool off when they were done. |
In Sue Bohlin's evening “Human Nature” session, the students were visited by Dr. E.O. Wilson, the role played by Ray Bohlin. Dr. Wilson is a Harvard entomologist (bug guy) and a naturalist who believes the only purpose to life is to reproduce. Many students were outraged by the doctor's beliefs and drilled him with questions during and after his presentation. |
They were also visited by "Apolo-Jedi," played by Pat Zukeran. Apolo-Jedi is a pantheist who told the students the material world is all an illusion. |
E.O. Wilson, Apolo-Jedi, and Richard Rorty (left to right) were all invited in speak about what they believed. Richard Rorty, a postmodern philosopher, assured us there is no truth. |
Brian Lange, Emily O’Neil, and Erin Singleton (hands up from left to right) all have burning questions for the “special guests.” |
Kenny Pearson, Jared Clayton, and Nick Peterson drill Ray Bohlin about “E.O. Wilson.” |
Kathryn Jones, Stephen Baker, and Kris Griffith are excited to hear the last session of the night, “Introduction to Ethics” by Don Closson. |