SAN MARCOS—Participants in Texas State University’s Baptist Student Ministries recently were able to incorporate fun and a bit of derring-do into an effort to raise money for missions.
Each of 10 small groups with the TSU BSM chose one representative to participate in Survivor Ranch—a weekend on a remote site north of Blanco.
“They each made their own list of things they would want to take—a tent, pillow, food—and then for each $20 raised for missions one of those things was knocked off,” BSM Director Abe Jaquez explained.
This year, students raised $1,200 for missions. In the three years the Texas State BSM has held the event, $5,500 has been raised.
“In years past, we’ve raised a little more than we did this year, but I think that has a lot to do with the economy and with college students having a little less money than they might have had in the past,” Jaquez said.
“It’s a guys against girls event, and this year the girls raised more money, so the guys got to bring less stuff with them. As a matter of fact, the only thing the guys had was a tarp.”
The girls had the opportunity to bring a little more equipment, but that didn’t quite work out as planned, either.
“The girls had a tarp, a machete and a tent, but no poles. They were so excited about having a tent, but when they got out there, they discovered no one had brought the poles to put it up,” he said with a laugh.
Since both teams lost their food and water, Jaquez provided each person with water and a granola bar.
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Throughout the weekend, the teams competed against one another in various challenges. They competed in a balance competition where a 4×4 beam was hung with ropes between trees and participants attempted to be the last one on the beam. They rolled a large rock down a hill and tried to knock down bowling pins set up at the bottom.
Contestants also had to run to one end of a large field, look a various pieces of art, run back and try to put similar pieces of art in the same order as the ones on the other end. Another event featured an obstacle course with puzzle pieces at the end that had to be put together.
The girls outperformed the guys on the challenges and were rewarded with a supper of half a peanut butter sandwich, a banana and a sports drink.
“More than anything, it was a chance for us to have a little fun and raise money for missions,” Jaquez said.
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