REPORT!!!
Southwest Division Pow Wow was held this last weekend at Pomona, MO at
Camp Winterhawk.
Forecast said 3 inches of rain was due. We left at 5:45 for a 100 mile
trip from Springfield, Mo 12 rangers
"Ready" for anything. While on the trip in the Ranger Bus Commander Rob
held a Round Lashing class and also taught the prussic knot. The 2 hour
trip went fast and before long we were pulling in to Camp Winterhawk. We
got camp setup and right after council fire and snack it started to
rain. A soft slow rain through the night settled the dust and calmed the
snores and the after lights out night owls.
CAMP WINTERHAWK!!!
West Plains Sectional Commander John Lowery owns 200 aces just outside
Pomona, Mo about 4 miles and has graciously set aside a remote section of
his land for a Pow Wow setup with pavilion and 60 by 60 sites with pre
made entryways and roped off sites. Really a nice setup. Just down the
hill at the pond is where the council fire was held and just this last
year over 32 boys have accepted Christ for the first time as well as many
times over that of rededications. What a blessing and a great host.
The Pow Wow had a lumbar theme with Log Toss, Rope Climbing, Log Roll,
Timber Hitch log drag, Cross Cut, Disc Throw, Isotope, Chariot Race and
wood Chopping. We all had a great time and lots of ribbons and plaques
were given out. Council fire had 2 new souls for Christ and over 15
eradications.
Our event was the Rope climbing. With 2 rappel ropes and 2 baleua's
setup we showed the Rangers who to climb a rope using 2 smaller ropes
using a prussic knot; a version of the taunt line hitch with one more
hitch. The rangers loved it and it took a good 2 minutes for each boy to
climb up 8 foot to ring a bell and then come back down using a foot
prussic and a harness prussic. My hands were sore and by neck was stiff
but well worth the great time.
What a way to go!
On the return trip I noticed the Ranger Bus was not running right it
coughed and gasped a couple of times and we wondered if it had some water
in the gas. We stopped to pray as we left camp winterhawk and asked for
Gods provisions and protection and angels to go with us as we traveled.
The bus backfired a couple more times and I pulled the choke out and up
the big hills and out to the main highway we went misfiring as we went.
About 24 miles away was a McDonalds and I had my sites set for a ice
cream cone for me and the boys who were in Ranger Uniform on the trip
down. Had a half a tank of gas and as I was driving down the highway I
came to a Gas Station that would accept our charge and I thought it was a
bit early for gas but felt compelled to pull in and get gas. I filled up
the tank and the boys spent there last monies on candy bars and pop.
With a full cup of coffee that was given to us by the station for a 32.00
fill up we started the bus and it backfired about 10 times and died. I
started it again and was able to get the bus 100 feet around back of the
station and the bus died dead. We popped the hood and poked around for
about 10 minutes cranking and cranking and cranking the battery. Whelp.
We prayed for the bus and tried one more time. As I was setting in the
drivers seat one of the commanders said well it is 6pm on a Saturday
night and we are in the middle of no where I wonder what that 18 wheeler
is doing in that big garage about 50 feet away. So I wondered into the
BIG TRUCK SHOP and found 3 mechanics working on all kinds of stuff and
explained my situation and asked if he could help. It was pouring rain
by this time and he said he wouldn't be sending any help out in the
pouring rain. I kind of took that as a not interested as it was a 18
wheeler shop and he said he would look at it in a little while. I went
back out to the bus and the boys were eating freshly made sandwiches and
cokes and cookies and having a great time joking and as usual
carefree...while I was starting to sweat it.
Commander Rob brings his cell phone and I called Pastor and explained
the situation. 82 miles from home in the middle of no where with a dis
interested mechanic there and talking over our contingency plans. He
headed towards church to get a van and placed a call to our Towing
service. We were in a BIG BUS full of camping stuff and Rangers. I was
thinking a tow would cost a bunch, just then the mechanic showed up with
a few tools and poked his head under the hood. After a few minutes of
testing he declared your coil or the pickup in the bottom of the
distributor is bad. I called pastor and we put a hold on the 18 wheeler
tow truck for the time being. The owner of the business had a parts
shop but everyone was out after all it was Saturday night at 6:30 and
raining hard. The last call sent a new guy to the parts store and after
20 minutes or so a coil was located and on its way back to us. We called
pastor again to advise the coil was on its way and we called parents to
advise we would be 45 minutes later then expected. It was poring hard
rain and while waiting for the coil to show up we had a good talk with
the mechanic and some of the motor heads that stopped in... found out
that two of them had been in Rangers and the mechanic used to attend
Church but with 6 kids and 40 miles from the closest church he wasn't
attending very often. Pretty soon the coil showed up and I held a small
tarp over the mechanics as they changed it out. Pretty soon the bus was
running "GREAT" and I thanked them very thankfully and said lets settle
up. The mechanic said no charge for the labor and the parts are donated
and turned around and headed back into his shop. I stopped him and said
can I send a letter of thanks or anything? Nope, just carry on.
As we were heading back to Springfield tears welled up in my eyes as I
considered all that had happened to us in the past 2 hours and the
provisions that God had taken care of to provide everything we needed.
Brothers and Sisters, Our God is a Awesome God. Thank you Jesus.
Mark Jones
Mark Jones, Ozark MO, [EMAIL PROTECTED] Download a Free Royal Ranger
Database visit my website at: http://home1.gte.net/mjones02/index.html
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