SROM - Outdoor Ministries That Will Serve Children of Divorcing Parents
Some readers of the Enlightened Divorce Blog™ are Christian men and women who find themselves locked in a divorce they do not want. I've found that divorce can be particularly hard for Christian children - and is made even more difficult when one parent acts in a way that severely embarrasses the other parent, or their kids.
One common way I see this occur is when a husband or wife has taken up with another church member. Often the new "couple" will attend services at the same time and place as do the intact family members, which can be mortifying for teenagers, particularly where the break-up is recent and they are suffering deep confusion and grief.
This is a time in these families' life-cycles when strengthening the bonds between children and God is particularly important. There are many ways to accomplish this, and they tend to be very personal. Particularly with teen aged children, refocusing them on higher values may provide not only great solace but wonderful opportunities to grow.
I want to share one resource that might be of interest for helping your children survive and thrive even in the face of family disintegration and reconstruction: a wilderness summer-time leadership ministry that will put them in the hands of highly moral and skilled role models in safe but challenging settings.
Solid Rock Outdoor Ministries (SROM) is celebrating its 30th anniversary of wilderness ministries. It was begun by my cousin, Rev. Drew Arnold, in 1983. Drew has since retired, and his son Andrew Arnold and son-in-law Josh Horak now design and manage the Christian leadership programs.
One particularly interesting outdoor workshop is their 40 days and 40 nights wilderness backpacking trip. There are also missions' trainings, father and son outings, all-women backpacking, female teen trips, and others. SROM's programs aren't developed to serve severely troubled youths, and there may be better options for those situations. Nor is it specifically designed to address divorce related issues and concerns. But it could be perfect for young adults who are experiencing the normal consequences that accompany such trying times.
T.W. Arnold