Contributed by Younng-Joo Scharf
CARP Bay Area has had some very exciting activities in April, getting to experience the richness of God’s creation, and learning and practicing the Divine Principle!
CARP Chabot Backpacking Trip: April 5th-7th
CARP Chabot organized a backpacking trip over spring break!
A small group of members of the Chabot College chapter headed out on a backpacking trip to Point Reyes for some intentional time in nature. The trip was under the theme of “Viewing Life from a New Lens” since for some it was their first time diving deep into nature to experience life in a new environment. The group hiked nearly eight miles towards the beach—a mile west of Alamere Falls—and were met with a gorgeous view of the ocean atop a grassy ledge full of grass and grazing elk. The trip was full of exploration even during down times. The group slowly headed back towards the trailhead and even met a pair of campers who joined in all the card games, food, and laughter we had to share. Despite being an arduous hike for some, it was definitely a rewarding experience that God has given us to challenge ourselves, reflect deeper on our lives, and/or experience God through a new lens.
“On this trip I learned many things, I got to know new things, new places and above all I got to know many people deeply. This trip made me feel at peace… there is a phrase that I love that says: look deeply into nature and then you will understand everything better. That is what I did; I gave myself the opportunity to be deeply in nature and see the great things that God has given us so that we are at peace, we know ourselves, clarify many doubts about our life and above all that we connect with him.
“ This experience was one of the best experiences I had in my life, walking in a forest with big trees, listening to how the water from the rivers flowed, connecting with friends and getting to know each other better, then arriving at a different point, which was the beach, the sea, witnessing the moon, incredible things. They are simply a treasure of memory in my life and if I learned something on this trip I learned that there is much more to observe nature and we must learn from it learn to accept the change in our lives. Nature is changing every day with small steps. It begins with a simple little tree, then it grows and in the end it will be a big tree with big branches and roots. Also, [I learned to] let everything flow in our life like the water of the rivers and simply be like the sea of incredible beauty. The teaching is to learn to accept change. Because God always gives us every day the opportunity to be someone better than yesterday.”
- Yader, new CARP Chabot member
CARP 3 Day “Discover my God-given Value” Retreat: April 14th-16th
Bay Area CARP had our 3-Day Spring retreat. The theme for this retreat was, “Discover my God-given Value”. For several participants, it was the first time seeing snow! Our location this year was near the Calaveras Big Tree National Park at a quaint Air-bnb location. Upon arrival, all participants took part in a live-action Among Us game to break the ice and then shared intentions over dinner. Participants could receive spiritual renewal through Divine Principle lectures from Kazuya Morita and Markus Von Euw. For many, the highlight was in-depth discussion and sharing in their teams.
“My overall experience at the retreat can be concluded as inspirational, emotional, and challenging. It was inspirational hearing the presentations from the mentors and members. How they have overcome some very difficult things and how God has helped them overcome. It was emotional because we had to open ourselves and dive deep to our memory of how we have lived and what we want for the future. It was challenging because there was unexpected obstacles and we had to be intimate with new people we just met for the first time. The retreat overall brought us closer and I have gained some new friends that I will miss and some enlightenment about the good in people. I learned there is still good in people, they can be sympathetic and give words of encouragement when your in tough situation. They also try to help without wanting something in return.”
- Angela, new CARP Cal State East Bay member