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"It was an incredible trip to celebrate others, many of them doing things they would have never done but showed that they are capable of much more than they thought. We came back stronger because of it. Strength is looking beyond your own nose to see the people around you. Strength is utilizing others’ strengths and talents. Strength is cheering people on even when you are struggling. Strength is finding refuge in the Lord Almighty." - Bethany
"The lesson I got from climb day is to trust people and trust God. If I didn’t decide to trust the people and the equipment then I wouldn’t have even hooked myself on. Doing things that we really don’t want to do or are scared to do has great rewards because it pushes us to do harder things on a daily basis. It makes me think: am I more scared of rock climbing or having this hard conversation?" - Andrew CER’s annual 15-day backpacking trip serves as an opportunity for our students and interns to unplug from the responsibilities and distractions of daily life and experience the great outdoors. CER has been leading wilderness backpacking trips since the 1970’s. "The trip helped me grow in my faith as I was able to realize that praying and just sitting still long enough to talk and connect with God really does have a positive effect. Countless times we would be hiking through rough hard terrain, and I would think I couldn’t keep going but would stop and pray to God to give me strength.... Every time I prayed about one thing, the Lord helped me in other things as well, things like appreciation for the beautiful nature we were surrounded by, as well as appreciation for other people in the group going through the same hike and probably struggling with some of the same things as me." - Brent
"He was definitely out there walking alongside me, showing me endurance that I never thought that I had." - Sophie "Not relying on people and not trusting has been a thing I’ve struggled with my whole life. I have always had the mindset that I had to do things myself because there never really were people there for me when I needed someone to rely on. This trip helped me learn that I have people to rely on in times of need." -Addy CER’s annual 15-day backpacking trip serves as an opportunity for our students and interns to unplug from the responsibilities and distractions of daily life and experience the great outdoors. CER has been leading wilderness backpacking trips since the 1970’s. "One of my favorite things to have witnessed while in nature was the beauty surrounding me. When I was hiking, I would usually just keep my head down and stare at my feet, making sure I wouldn’t lose my balance... However, I remembered on occasion to look up and take in what surrounded me.... Sleeping under the stars, seeing the Milky Way, the shooting stars and satellites making their way across the sky, all of it had my awe." - Brooke
"When I started to rely on the Lord and let go of my pride, things got easier. I wanted to help and stay in the back; I wanted to cook dinner, and I wanted to talk and hear about the struggles that my teammates had. I suddenly had the genuine want to help people.... This trip is one I’ll never forget, even though it rained...It didn’t grow me in the ways I thought I wanted to grow, but instead, planted the seeds, and cleared the dirt for real growth to take place." - Zaeda CER’s annual 15-day backpacking trip serves as an opportunity for our students and interns to unplug from the responsibilities and distractions of daily life and experience the great outdoors. CER has been leading wilderness backpacking trips since the 1970’s.  Riders depart from Beckwourth SAG with a few hours left on the clock. The Agony Ride is an annual 24-hour bike-a-thon fundraiser held in the Sierra Valley. All money raised goes toward student tuition scholarships. This year we’re celebrating a new fundraising record!
 Bryte Church in Sacramento hosts a week-long camp for 100 refugee children. God has given each of us gifts and calls each of us to use them. Some of us will receive the call to go overseas or into unusual circumstances, but the starting point for each of us is: serve God where you are and with what you have. Last year, after Russia invaded Ukraine, I wished I could go help with the relief efforts. I knew that wasn’t what God was calling me to do, though: my assignment was to focus primarily on His work at Christian Encounter. A couple of years ago, seeking to serve God with everything He had given us, we asked Him if there were additional ways we could use Ranch resources. The Angels’ Meadow facility had 12 cabins with five beds each, a campfire ring, an outdoor amphitheater and stage, a fishing pond, and a few other amenities. It’s a beautiful spot, and it sat unused most of the year. Perhaps the Lord had additional purposes for it. Some volunteers built an outdoor kitchen to complete the facilities and we opened it to guest groups. As a church, we decided to make it totally free; we never want money to be an obstacle to ministry with any of our programs. Groups could donate if they were able. It felt a little adventurous and risky. We didn’t know what would happen.  Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) NorCal hosts their annual Christian Youth in Action (CYIA) camp. The first group was a men’s retreat. The pastor had prepared a theme and messages and expected ten men would come. When they heard the only cost was the food they would bring, twenty came. We never want money to be an obstacle to ministry with any of our programs.. How encouraging! The ministry doubled when money wasn’t an issue. It confirmed our plan. God has continued to use the Meadow since. This summer we had college groups, a men’s retreat, a wedding, a baptism service, family camps, a Child Evangelism Fellowship camp of 100 youth (many of whom responded to a Gospel invitation), and … four camps for refugees from Ukraine and Russia. Three were family camps and one was a week-long camp for refugee children put on by a Russian church in Sacramento. Families traveled to Sacramento from as far as Texas so their children could participate, and there were 300 kids on the waitlist. Most who came had never heard the Gospel before.
We have received as freely as we’ve given. Groups have donated picnic tables, a shed for supplies, labor help, food, money, and more. Giving is God’s design, and it is good.
I never would have guessed that serving God where we are with what we have would mean refugees from the war in Ukraine would be finding respite, peace, and the Gospel–all only a hundred yards from my home. God may use us in different ways than we expect, but the gifts He’s given us fit into His plans in ways more beautiful than we could design on our own. Nate Boyd, Executive Director |
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