Jungle Challenge

We finally finished the obstacle course! It’s taken over 5 months of back-breaking work to get it done but it’s finally completed! What would’ve only taken a couple of weeks to complete in the States has literally taken months and hundreds of man hours to complete, here in the jungles of Brazil. No machines were used to mix cement or move materials. No crane was used to raise and lower the larger pieces into place. No. Everything was done by hand and mostly with child labor (sorry kids!). There were a few doubters and naysayers (in yo’ face!) but with a lot of teamwork and determination it was able to be completed. 

And just in time for all the camps we’ll be having throughout the Spring and Summer months (September-March) here in Brazil. 

I’d like to publicly give a big thank you to my father-in-law who was able to take the vision that I had (along with a few pathetic sketches) and actually make this a reality. Thank’s to all my kids for moving most of the materials (sand, gravel, cement, wood, etc.) deep into the jungle even though you only received candy for pay. Thanks to my brother-in-law and my nephews who somehow got suckered into helping with all the most laborious work. It’s a miracle none of us got hurt... for real.Thanks to the Firth’s who came for 2 weeks from the States and helped us pour a majority of the concrete. And finally, a big thank you to all of our supporters who gave financially throughout the months of April-August. Your giving literally made this project possible. Thank You!

Love Ya!

Jim and MJ

Jungle Challenge: A Quick Overview

The Jungle Challenge is a team building obstacle course that we’ve designed and constructed so that we can have another “draw” for the camp. Getting children and teenagers here is step number 1. Because once we have students here at the camp, amidst having a great time, they're going to experience the Gospel. This is always our main purpose for doing everything that we do... "presenting the Gospel and making disciples."

The course starts out with something we’ve named “The Trust Fall.” Students have to (one at a time) stand on top of a 2'x 2' concrete platform 4’ off the ground, face away from their team, cross their arms, then fall backwards into the hands of the rest of their team. 

The Obstacle "Born Again", with "Islands" and "Giant Finger" in the background

After that, they move-on to an obstacle called “Born Again,” where they will have to get the entire team from one side of a large tire (the bottom of the tire is 6’ off the ground) to the other. The team can only help others from the side of they tire that they are currently on.

The next obstacle is called “Islands.” There are 3-6'x 8'  cement platforms that are 7’ apart. The entire team starts out on the first platform and must get the entire team to the last platform using a single wooden beam that isn’t quite long enough to reach from one platform to the other. This obstacle takes a little thinking and a lot of strength to accomplish.

Moving on, the team reaches the next obstacle called “Giant Finger.” In this obstacle the team must stack on top of each other so that they can get a small tire up and down the 2 parallel pipes that are 10' tall. It’s a little harder than it looks since the tire must go through the bends that are in one side and on top of the pipes.

"The Low V" is 2-25' parallel cables 1' off the ground.
Balance and teamwork is what it takes to beat this obstacle 

Then each team member (two at a time) step on to the next obstacle... “The Low V.” In this challenge, two people stand on top of a 25' cable suspended 1’ off the ground. And, as  they move toward the opposite end of the cable (facing each other with hands clasped together for balance), they get farther and farther apart from each other as they try to reach the end.

"Jungle Gym" is a series of cement filled pipes that take strength and endurance to conquer. 

The next obstacle is called “Jungle Gym". In this obstacle each person sits on top of a cement filled pipe that's 3’ off the ground. As they slide up, the pipe gradually reaches a height of 9’. Then, when you reach the first turn, you have to flip to the underside of the pipe (holding on with your hands and legs) as you're upside down 11’ up in the air. And you continue along (upside down) the remainder of the pipe until you reach the end.

"Bridge Out" is a series of cement pillars and boards that cannot be beat without teamwork and balance.

After reaching the end of “Jungle Gym“ the team then steps up to the obstacle called “Bridge Out.”  This obstacle consists of 7 concrete piers that are 7’ apart and 18” above the ground. There are 3 boards that span between the piers. The team must all walk (balancing along the way) from one end of each board to the other. When they reach the end of the third board, the last person in the line picks up the board and they pass it to the front of the line so that they can go to the next pier. This continues until the entire team makes it to the 7th and final pier.

"The Pelican" as it was being put in place with a series of ropes and pulleys.
This massive piece of steel (that we designed and had manufactured for our course)
was the most difficult of all the obstacles to set-up since no machines could be used.

Next, the entire team must swing from one 8'x 8' concrete platform to another using a rope that's attached to a steel arm 15’ in the air. The difficulty lies in the fact that the arm swivels and each person gains speed as the get closer to the 2nd platform. If a player over-swings the platform, touches the ground or comes in too fast (knocking other team mates off the platform), everyone must start over on the first platform.

The 14' Climbing Wall has hand holds that are rated medium-difficult
and takes strength and coordination to reach the top.

The Climbing Rope may look easy from the ground but when you're 14'
up in the air (looking down) it takes a leap of faith to go over the edge.

Then the team must get every member up a 14' climbing wall and over the top to the cement platform suspended high above the course. Once everyone reaches the upper platform, the entire team must repel down a smooth wall (using the climbing rope) to the ground.

The team must then run over and then all jump up onto the small 2'x 2' concrete platform 4' off the ground called "All Aboard" and hold on by any means possible (without touching the ground) for 30 seconds.

The platform for the "Tightrope Walk" is high above the jungle floor. Team members have
to master their fears as they walk to another platform 75' away balancing on the small cable.

The finish line is reached as each team member holds on and rides the zip line
across the small pond that also known as "The Snake Pit."

Nearing the end of the course,everyone must then push their fear aside as they climb up a ladder to a platform (built up in the trees) and walk across the cable that's suspended 10' above the jungle floor. Balancing along the way, they must walk the entire distance (about 75') to another platform. Then, climbing down, they ride the zip line across the pond that border's the obstacle course to the end.