A DAD'S DISCUSSION

Meet Steve Spinden, the senior half of a pair of river warriors, and get a view of the adventure through his eyes.

A SON'S STANDPOINT

Meet Phillip Spinden, the 15-year-old half of a pair of river warriors, and get a view of the adventure through his eyes.

Rockin' Out

The day we rock climbed, I was scared to death. It was pretty hard and scary just being on the rock, but the guides from Noah’s Ark helped and supported us.

I was proud of Phillip because he charged right up there and climbed the rock like a monkey. Phillip could tell I was scared to death about the rappelling. I did not really want to do it. But he helped me and was really encouraging. He was like, “C’mon, Dad, we gotta go.” He went out on the rock with me and said, “Dad, it’s a blast. You can do it.” And I did it. It was a rush going down that mountain. Hanging over that rock with nothing but air below was quite an experience.

I was extremely proud of my son for standing by me and encouraging me. He even sacrificed a second climb in order to help me because our time was running out.

Rockin' Out

I had climbed on a climbing wall before but hadn’t rappelled. I was really nervous on the rappelling, and I was mostly thinking, Am I sure I'm completely sane and want to do this? The most nerve-racking part was leaning back off the 80-foot cliff right at the beginning. After that, it was pretty easy.

My dad said I encouraged him to rappel. I think it was more like I coerced him because he really didn’t want to do it. I just told him that even though it may be scary at first, it’s easier after you get through the beginning.

Perfect Storm

The storm on the river was one of the hardest rainstorms I can remember being in. But having to abandon camp and raft out of there was one of the biggest highlights. There were a few times I was nervous that the raft was gonna flip. There was lightning flashing around us. At one point, I had to reach under and pull out a tree branch that was caught under our raft. It added an element of danger and spontaneity that was not written into the script. God gave us some extra excitement. I will remember that part as long as I live.

Perfect Storm

Rafting in the storm was even more fun than rappelling and rock climbing. Seriously, it was raining so hard that our littleas barely holding the water off anymore. There were big canals washing through our campsite. It was serious fun. And it was really awesome when we rafted out with the water so high because the rapids were a lot bigger and more fun.

I was worried that some debris might hit the raft and pop it or something. I don't know if that's possible. But having to help the guides paddle so hard showed us that teamwork is pretty critical, especially when the stakes are high.

And that adventure made me realize that all God’s plans are perfect. Initially we were disappointed that we were going to have to leave our camp, but we realized it was a lot more fun than if things had gone according to the original plan. It taught me that sometimes God’s blessings are not what you initially expect.

Powerful Words

The final day everyone gathered for a blessing ceremony. Fathers are proud of their sons, but how often do we tell them? I said some things to Phillip that I probably would not have ever said. It was moving. A lot of tears were shed during that ceremony. It was so heartwarming to watch all the fathers and sons bond and talk to each other.

The experience opened the door for me, and I think about telling Phillip more often that I love him and that I'm proud of him. We still have our moments, our typical father and son arguments, but we can both look back at our father/son adventure and be thoughtful and thankful. It was a time of unforgettable experiences and a wonderful opportunity to become closer together and closer to Christ — one that other fathers and sons should take advantage of.

—Steve Spinden as told to Jeremy V. Jones

Powerful Words

Even though the raft trip and the rappelling were both really fun, the best part of the trip was definitely the blessing ceremony at the end.

My dad told me how much he loves me and that he thought I was a really neat son. It was really special to me. He had said similar things to me before, but I think that in all the busyness of life, I hadn’t noticed as much. I really got the point more than I had before.

It was equally awesome that all the sons got to tell their fathers something and give them a blessing too. Some of the sons and dads were so touched that they started to cry. I told my dad how forgiving he is. No matter how much of an argument we get in, no matter what I’ve done wrong, he always forgives me.

Originally I was wanting to go on Breakaway's Summit Adventure, but my dad noticed the father/son trip. We decided to go mainly because we could do it together. I think the whole trip — just getting to know each other and understand each other a little bit better — has made a difference in our relationship. We just seem to get along better since then.

Fathers and sons considering the trip should go if they're able. It's pretty much a life-changing experience.

—Phillip Spinden as told to Jeremy V. Jones