The Vision We Have For The Wilhite Wilderness Children’s Ministry
“He (Elijah) will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers. ” — Malachi 4:6
The Vision of Father Led Homes where authority and submission, love and loyalty, along with empowerment and trust is learned and lived as a way of life is our concern. Just as the “mantle” of Elijah’s spirit and power was placed on his successors, so we have taken up the task of renewing and restoring that deep desire in our day.
The Wilhite Wilderness Children’s Ministry is intentionally designed to advance this vision in those who journey with us on wilderness adventures.
“A son or daughter must go with dad on a journey
… to ignite the flame of a godly walk with the Savior
… to fuel the blaze in the hearth of the soul by the Spirit
… to know the warmth of love they can have from the Father
… to make the path clear that the sons and the daughters must follow.”
My First Venture into the Canadian wilderness began over 45 years ago with men from my wife’s home church in northern Wisconsin. What a great time camping on a remote island near Upsala, Ontario, north of the Minnesota/Canadian border. Godly men, good food and fellowship, along with great camping/fishing, lured me back from time to time during the next ten years. In the late sixties, my heart was gripped for good concerning the potential of wonderful father/sons relationships building on such trips.
I began taking my three sons along with other fathers and sons in the mid-sixties. The making of great memories and strong bonds became more evident as we returned to the Canadian wilderness over the years. What wonderful memories of shooting rapids, catching fish, observing wildlife and sharing our faith and values around the campfire.
The lasting value of such trips was confirmed to me in the early nineties when my three sons planned a surprise “kidnapping” and took me back where many times I had taken them — five wonderful days I will never forget! The special memories and our closeness as father/sons overwhelmed me with gratitude to God and them for the depths of love through father/children bonding. The continuance of the Wilhite Wilderness Children’s Ministry derives its birth and growth from these personal roots.
It is my firm conviction that the “mantle of Elijah” is taken up again by recommitting ourselves to such a ministry as the Wilhite Wilderness Children’s Ministry.
The Values we share with our children are without parallel in importance if presented in the right context and circumstances. We believe that the Wilhite Wilderness Children’s Ministry provides the optimum opportunity for this lifetime bonding and sharing to occur.
During the father/son week in the wilderness, the values the fathers share with their sons will consist of:
• The essentials we believe
• The excellence we desire
• The endurance we develop
• The enthusiasm we enjoy
• The encouragement we experience
• The emotions we feel.
Each morning of the week a different dad will share on one of the above topics for the day to set the stage for a dad/son sharing and study time from a prepared lesson on these same value issues. The ultimate result of such interaction is echoed in the Hebrew Torah which expresses the deepest longing of a father by saying, “In the years to come ‘when your son asks you, ‘what is the purpose of these laws which the Lord our God has given us?” you must tell him … ” — Deut. 6:20,21
Likewise, on the yearly father/daughter trip, a sharing of values and virtues is at the core of daily activities.
