RecLife Snow Retreat challenges faith

BY CAMRYN MANNING Staff Writer

A group of students led by Shane Seaton, director of recreational life, and Hannah Seaton, discipleship coordinator for Campus Ministries, departed from Ouachita on Jan. 9, for the OBU Snow Retreat at HoneyRock Camp in Wisconsin. After two days of travel, the students enjoyed a variety of activities at the camp, including skiing, horseback riding, broomball, ice canoeing, snowshoeing and more.

Amidst the activities, the students were challenged in their faith and strengthened friendships. The trip was made possible by the Seatons, who attended graduate school at HoneyRock.

“The Snow Retreat gives the students an affordable trip to experience all that a winter wonderland has to offer,” Seaton said. “Thanks to the amazing people at HoneyRock, the trip not only gave students a chance to play in the snow, but there was also intentional programming to draw them closer to God and closer to one another.”

The trip featured many snow activities. Freshman Rebecca Danuwar particularly enjoyed cross-country skiing.

“None of us had ever done it before,” Danuwar said. “It was hilarious because we were falling all over the place. When we went on the trail, we accidentally took a wrong turn, and about 85 percent of us fell down the hill because we didn’t know how to slow down.”

Another hit activity was broomball, which involves running around on ice while trying to hit a ball into a goal with a stick that has a rubber triangle on the end.

“I loved playing broomball with the students,” Seaton said. “As can be imagined, the ice is very slippery so there is a lot of comical falling and sliding around. We played almost every night we were there. The students had a blast every time and were always encouraging. It was great to see them increase in skill, confidence and teamwork as the week progressed.”

When not playing in the cold, students were encouraged to dive into their faith.

“One of the goals of the trip was that the students would experience God and draw closer to Him,” Seaton said. “Therefore, everything we did was worshipful. There were also intentional activities where students participated in devotionals, went on a snowy prayer walk one evening, had two hours of solo time where they were alone with God, shared their struggles and stories with one another and worshipped God through music.”

The students participated in a devotional each day that was themed, “Drawing Closer to God.”

“I’ve never felt closer to God than I did that week,” Danuwar said. “We were out in nature, not on our phones and disconnected from technology. Being close to God with these people and being vulnerable with them was an amazing experience.”

Senior Jenna Barnes enjoyed the devotionals because they were different from the ones she’s completed in the past.

“They weren’t like a typical devotional with a passage and then thinking about it,” Barnes said. “It was more of a ‘here’s a topic, share your experience if you’re comfortable’ type thing. There were so many things we shared. We were all strangers before this trip, but now we know each other on a deeper level.”

The students were given two hours of reflection on their own, which was meant to draw them closer to God in nature.

“The solo time went along with the devotionals, and then we’d come together,” said senior Alexander Browning. “We talked about things we were seeing that God had done in the past year, bringing us all closer together.”

Several students left the trip with a new understanding of stillness in God’s creation.

“I think this trip was the first time I’d ever, that I can remember, been fully still in nature, seeing God’s craftsmanship and beauty of his creation,” Danuwar said. “I’ve taken away how to be still outside and listen to God.

Danuwar added, “One day on the trip I was on a hill with another girl watching the sunset, and you could look all around and hear the wind around us. It was surreal, crazy and just beautiful.”

Freshman Leah Gamble explains how nature impacted her. “Seeing the magnitude of the snow and mountains, I felt small but not insignificant because God made all of this for us to enjoy,” Gamble said. “My takeaway from the trip is seeing that there is much more to life than just where I am now. I need to stay open-minded and think about the big picture.”

The students on the trip didn’t know each other much or at all before going, but that quickly changed as the trip was underway.

“Though all these activities were super active, we got to build each other back up through the times we sat and talked with each other, not only about everyday things but also about our relationships with God and what we were learning on the trip,” Gamble said.

The trip included students from across OBU, and many students who were once strangers or acquaintances became close friends.

“All the friends I made had the biggest impact on me,” Barnes said. “I’m a music major and stick within the department, and I know most of the people there. I got my core credits in high school, so I’ve never really interacted with other majors. Now, I have friendships across the campus, from dietetics to communications to business.”

Browning added, “We really got to know each other closely, and we still have a group text we talk in constantly. It was great to get to know a bunch of other people that I either didn’t know or wasn’t close to beforehand and get to know how God has worked in their lives.”

The Snow Retreat is held once every two years, and students who went on the trip would be quick to advise going.

“If you’re thinking about going, just do it,” Gamble said. “I made a last-second decision to go and it ended up being the best decision I’ve made in a long time.”