Acadian Baptist Center (ABC) is gearing up for its Acadian Outdoor School (AOS), which camp officials hope to use to teach children the truth about God and his creation, said Guy Atkinson, outdoor education director at ABC.
EUNICE – Acadian Baptist Center (ABC) is gearing up for its Acadian Outdoor School (AOS), which camp officials hope to use to teach children the truth about God and his creation, said Guy Atkinson, outdoor education director at ABC.
The target audience for AOS is fifth through eighth grade students in home schools, private schools, public schools or charter schools, Atkinson said. The aim is to create opportunities to share the gospel.
“For years I’ve dreamed about having an outdoor education ministry,” said James Newsom, ABC director.
“If we could get kids to have field trips during the week, it would be an additional ministry and give us additional exposure,” he added. “With the Christian schools and home schoolers we can ofter classes on creationism. With public schools, we can offer classes on birds and trees, but also be able to invite them back to evangelize them.”
“We’ll be a witness, regardless, even to public school groups,” he added, indicating that just being on the ABC campus would expose children to Christian attitudes and give staff an opportunity to develop relationships.
AOS is designed to offer outdoor science classes for teachers who want to bring their classes for a day, Atkinson said. The program can tailor the lessons to the audience so that Christian classes will have Christian programming—specifically focusing on the Biblical creation model—and secular classes, i.e. public school students, will be taught the design of animals and how to identify them, with no reference whatsoever to evolution.
“In short, at least four classes will be offered in the Autumn of 2007, with the push to have nine available,” Atkinson said. Classes are to include knot tying, basic compass use, birds, and trees.
Want to help? Teachers, including home schooling parents, can help by reviewing the curriculum for AOS, Atkinson said. Also, the center is accepting donated items such as animal skulls, bird wings, birds, skeletons of animals, plastic lamination sheets, and nature identification guides like Peterson Field Guides.
If you are interested in helping in any way, please contact Guy Atkinson at ABCOutdoors@aol.com or (337) 457-9047.