tomahawk may-june 2013

TOMAHAWK May - June 2013

TomahawkTomahawk Potomac District Royal Rangers News and Information for Royal Ranger Leaders May - June 2013

POTOMAC SAFARI,POTOMAC SAFARI,

THE LION OF JUDAHTHE LION OF JUDAH

Preview Highlights Events PlannedPreview Highlights Events Planned

for Potomac District Pow Wow 2013for Potomac District Pow Wow 2013 0Page 10

Pathfinders Return to Ecuador VillagePathfinders Return to Ecuador Village Page 4 Page 4

Triple Gold Medal Ceremony Triple Gold Medal Ceremony

is Outpost’s Firstis Outpost’s First Page 6 Page 6

Construction Starts on Construction Starts on

East Africa Training CenterEast Africa Training Center Page 9 Page 9

TOMAHAWK May - June 2013 2

POTOMAC DISTRICT ROYAL RANGERS www.potomacrangers.org

tomahawk

Potomac District Commander

Rev. Bobby Basham

Publications/Outreach Coordinator

Newsletter Editor

Gary Wagner

The Tomahawk newsletter is published bi-

monthly as a means of communicating news and information to Royal Ranger leaders throughout the Potomac District. Sectional

staffs and outposts are invited to submit arti-cles and photographs that feature activities of Royal Ranger ministries on a local level, or to

share ideas and successes. Email material to [email protected]. Please submit photos as separate jpg image files.

The Tomahawk is distributed via email as an electronic publication. Email address correc-

tions, or requests to be added to the distribu-

tion list, should be forwarded to Potomac District executive secretary Denise Raduano at [email protected].

Royal Rangers Emblem © 1962 by the national Royal

Rangers Office, The General Council of the Assem-

blies of God; Springfield, Mo. 65802. The Royal

Rangers Emblem may not be reproduced, stored in a

retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by

any means—electronically, mechanically, photocop-

ies, recording, or otherwise—without prior written

permission from the national Royal Rangers Office.

Royal Rangers is a principal ministry of the

Assemblies of God focused on discipling boys

for Jesus Christ. We provide Christ-like char-

acter formation and servant leadership devel-

opment for boys and young men in a highly

relational and fun environment. Our mission is

to evangelize, equip and empower the next

generation of Christ-like men and lifelong

servant leaders.

The Potomac District administrative region of

the General Council of the Assemblies of God

takes in Washington, D.C., Maryland, most of

Virginia and northern West Virginia. Over 100

churches throughout this region currently

provide Royal Ranger ministry to more than

2,500 boys and young men. We use many

tools to achieve that goal whether it be camp-

ing, merits or interactive skills, all designed to

help develop a boy into a man while having fun

and getting to know God.

We want to develop both men and boys in

mentoring relationships and leadership skills,

and guide them to Jesus Christ. We reach

boys, so they may reach another in their

world.

Potomac District Royal Rangers on Facebook www.facebook.com/PotomacRangers

Dog For Sale

A guy is driving around the back woods of Montana and he sees a sign in front of a broken down shanty-style house: “Talking Dog For Sale.” He rings the bell and the owner ap-

pears and tells him the dog is in the backyard. The guy goes into the backyard and sees a nice looking Labrador retriever sitting there. “You talk?” he asks. “Yep,” the Lab replies. After the guy recovers from the shock of hearing a dog talk, he says “So, what’s your story?” The Lab looks up and says, “Well, I discovered that I could talk when I was pretty young. I wanted to help the government, so... I told the CIA. In no time at all they had me jetting from country to country, sitting in rooms with spies and world leaders, because no one figured a dog would be eavesdropping. “I was one of their most valuable spies for eight years running. But the jetting around really tired me out, and I knew I wasn’t getting any younger so I decided to settle down. I signed up for a job at the airport to do some undercover security, wandering near suspicious characters and listening in. I uncovered some incredible dealings and was awarded a batch of medals. “I got married, had a mess of puppies, and now I’m just retired.” The guy is amazed. He goes back in and asks the owner what he wants for the dog. “Ten dollars,” the guy says. “Ten dollars? This dog is amazing! Why on earth are you selling him so cheap?” “Because he’s such a liar. He’s never been out of the yard.” So, might there be a real life lesson contained within this hyper-bole? I think there is, and I think it’s fairly simple. If you were to view this as a parable of sorts, then the meaning of the story could be explained like this: talent doesn’t account for nearly as much as char-acter. Through life’s journey, it’s common for us to take on a task or tackle a problem from the perspective of what abilities we might have. We are driven to strive for success, but if we’re not careful we can be capable of compromising our integrity, and our Christian wit-ness. As Jesus put it, “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness … it is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men” (Matt. 5:13).

BACK COVER PHOTO: “Early Spring Shenandoah” by Ed Cooper, oil on linen, Susan Callo-

way Fine Arts, 1643 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC 20007, www.callowayart.com.


By Rev. Bobby Basham

District Commander

I magine you are in the jungle on a great safari, the forest is quiet and every twig that snaps making you jump. This jungle is full of deadly animals that are ready to

attack. Snakes slither overhead, the screams of monkeys are heard in the distance. But you are with a guide that knows the terrain and who is mighty and keen about the dangers that lurk around every corner. You trust your guide, he is very experienced and fearless. The sounds around you seem a little less frightening when your guide is close by. You know he can be trusted! This year at our annual Pow Wow gathering, we are going on a safari, and our guide—the Lion of the Tribe of Ju-dah—is our companion and He is the king of the jungle! He will defend us! We hope everyone will come to this year’s Pow Wow excited about our events, ready to see old friends from other outposts and hopefully ready for some new adven-tures. I am excited about some of the changes we are making this year, adding some new events and competitions for our young men. Our Speaker, Gavin Brown, will be enjoyable and comes to us with a background in Royal Rangers and God is using him to reach young people with the news that the King of all Ages, Jesus Christ, has given his life and through his resur-rection, remains our protector in the jungle of life. Come expecting great things from God and come expect-ing to have a great adventure. The Pow Wow team under Pow Wow Coordinator Harry Hawthorne’s leadership, has worked tirelessly and I know they have some great things for all of us. I look forward to seeing you at Pow Wow, where we will begin the Great Safari!

Get Ready to Safari with the ‘King of the Jungle’

Supporting Churches,

Businesses & Individuals

Special thanks to our Supporting Churches, Sec-tions, Businesses and Individuals. Your generosity enables further enhancements to this ministry. Any-one wishing to join our group of supporters may request an application from the Potomac District Royal Ranger office, email [email protected].

SILVER MEMBERS

Rev. Bobby Basham Cross Junction, Va.

GOLD MEMBERS

Projects Unlimited - Gary Groves Eldersburg, Md. Walt Eger Service Center Severn, Md.

SUPPORTING CHURCHES

Outpost 2 Trinity Assembly of God Lanham, Md.

Outpost 6 Pasadena Assembly of God Pasadena, Md.

Outpost 9 Calvary Assembly of God Frederick, Md.

Outpost 18 Eastern Assembly of God Baltimore, Md.

Outpost 27 Glad Tidings Church Norfolk, Va.

Outpost 46 Bethel Assembly of God Savage,Md.

Outpost 47 Trinity Assembly of God Lutherville,Md.

Outpost 49 Centerpointe Church at Fair Oaks Fairfax, Va.

Outpost 60 Chapel Springs Church Bristow, Va.

Outpost 64 First Assembly of God Elkton, Md.

Outpost 81 Trinity Assembly of God Fairmont, W.Va.

Outpost 89 Bethel Assembly of God Martinsburg, W.Va.

Outpost 100 Hancock Assembly of God Hancock, Md.

Outpost 124 Julilee Christian Center Fairfax, Va.

Outpost 186 Hazel River Assembly of God Rixeyville, Va.

Outpost 215 River of Life Assembly of God Spotsylvania, Va.

Outpost 240 Living Word Community Church Mechanicsville, Md.

Outpost 277 Ocean City Worship Center Berlin, Md.

INDIVIDUAL DONORS

Homer Kitchen Gerrardstown, W.Va. Gary & Faye Groves Eldersburg, Md.

DIRECTOR’S MEMO


By Bill “Red Paddle” Chestnut

H ey, you guys look so offi-cial in your green shirts. What have you been do-

ing?” That was the question heard numerous time by the team as they moved through the airport on their way home from the latest, Blue Ridge Chapter sponsored, Path-finder’s trip. This trip held special meaning for both the team and the village where they would be work-ing. Twelve years ago, the Blue Ridge Chapter sent a team to the village of Kutsuka, Ecuador on the western edge of the Amazon rain forest to build a school building. This time they were there to build a library. While this team consisted of eight Royal Ranger leaders and boys, for three of the leaders, this would be a return trip; they had been on the original team from 2001. Just the process of reaching Kutsuka proves to be an adventure all by itself. The team would fly from Dulles International Airport to San Salvador, El Salvador and then on to Quito, Ecuador. After spending the night in Quito, they would ride for seven hours, 350 miles on a bus, then three at a time climb into a circa-1950 Cessna air-plane and fly the remaining 16 miles which brought them to their final destination.

Pathfinders ReturnPathfinders Return

to Ecuador Villageto Ecuador Village

and installed the meal roof panels. It is really amazing the accura-cy with which the local wood cut-ters are able to cut the boards to the required thickness. However, before the lumber could be used, each board still needed to be cut on each edge to straighten it so it could be installed with little or no gaps between the adjacent boards. So with that in mind, the team divided into two groups, set up their work stations and began the arduous task of installing the boards and fitting them together, one at a time. In what seemed like no time at all, the floor was in-stalled; and it was time to start on the walls. Seven window openings were framed, and then the process of installing and fitting the siding boards was begun.

Months before the arrival of the team, the work had begun. Woodcutters had been contacted to begin to cut the lumber that would be needed for the library. Not only would the lumber be cut in the jungle, the locals also need-ed to carry the wood three miles, three boards at a time, to the vil-lage. Then just a few weeks before the work was scheduled to begin, the sheet metal roofing was carried into the village along narrow jun-gle trails. Finally the day came, and the team arrived to begin the work. The people of the village had pre-pared the building by removing the existing roof. For the next sev-eral days the team members worked on installing the floor boards and siding, while a local crew of workers framed the roof

Under construction and project completion photos of the

library built by the recent Pathfinders team visit to Ecuador.

SEE ECUADOR ON PAGE 5



IN MEMORY

James Preston

P otomac District Royal Rangers fondly re-members James Pres-

ton, who passed into eternity on Jan. 18. Jim had served in Royal Rangers ministry faithfully for over 40 years, in Potomac District as senior commander for Outpost 64 at First As-sembly of God in Elkton, Md. for 35 years. Jim was an instructor for the first Leadership Training Camp in Potomac District, and through the years did stints as Eastern Section’s training coordinator and sec-tional commander.

The work was hard but was only a part of the experience of the jungle. Every evening the team went to a church service in the vil-lage, where it was evident that the Holy Spirit was in residence. Some of the most memorable experienc-es of the entire trip were centered on what happened at the church. On Tuesday evening the pas-tor, deacons and other leaders took time to conduct a “foot washing service” where they washed the feet of the team members and then prayed over each person. On Wednesday, there was a baptism service, which was held in the same, knee-deep spot where the team bathed every day. Pastor Diego and the missionary, Tim Anderson, baptized 14 people, five of whom had only been saved for a few days. Of the newly converted, there was a “witch doctor” who had giv-

en his heart to the Lord just the day before. Later that evening, the team was invited to be special guests at the service where Pastor Diego and his wife Annabella re-newed their wedding vows, cele-brating 10 years of marriage. It was a service performed in tradi-tional Shuar costume and lasted long into the night. The returning members had found that life goes on even in a small jungle village. The village had changed. People that they had known before had moved on. But the one thing that never changes is the bond that comes from being brothers and sisters in Christ. Just like before, the team found a warm welcome and left with a new set of memories just as pre-cious as the ones from before. Of the members of the team for whom this was the first time, they experi-enced many new and wondrous things, not the least of which are the new friends who made them feel like they were a part of the church family there in Kutsuka.

ECUADOR

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

Royal Rangers and Leaders who made the recent Pathfinder trip to Ecuador pause

for a group photo at Dulles International Airport.



SEE GMA SPOTLIGHT ON PAGE 7

O utpost 294 at Calvary Assembly of God in Fort Ashby, W.Va., celebrat-ed a milestone event on April 21 when they conducted a Gold Medal of Achievement ceremony to recognize—not only their first, but their first

three Rangers to earn the GMA. Potomac District Commander Rev. Bobby Basham officiated for the ceremo-ny at the North Central Section church, to present the Gold Medal of Achieve-ment to Eli Barr (GMA#504), Trae Miller (GMA#505) and Daniel Coleman (GMA#506).

Eli Barr, son of North Central Section Commander Greg Barr, has been involved in Royal Rang-ers for eight years. Among all his Ranger experiences, Eli cites friendships and lessons on leader-ship as having the most impact on his life. “I have built strong friend-ships and made memories I will never forget,” says Eli. “I am part of a group of six at my church that have come up through the ranks since we were Discovery Rangers. We have pushed each other to suc-ceed and reach our goals. We are very competitive with each other, but we have a strong bond. If one of us goes to the altar, we follow him and pray. We all have strug-gles as teens, but we can share them with each other. In strange ways we relate to each other, and have each other’s backs. This friendship was formed through

Rangers. “As a Ranger, there is a lot of emphasis on being a leader. At JLTC we were put into groups with Rangers from other outposts we didn’t know and had to com-plete tasks throughout the camp. Each day someone different had to be the patrol guide, so you learned how to lead others and follow them too. To be a good leader you must learn to follow. This is a val-uable lesson that I will carry with me for life. I will be put in many situations throughout life, and the knowledge I have gained will be put to good use. “I have discovered what it means to be a servant. There have been many times over the years our pastor has called on us as Rangers to serve. We get a lot of the jobs nobody wants to do, like directing parking in the rain, snow and hot sun. If our pastor needs it

done, we do it. Over the years we have become his go-to crew. What-ever the event, we are there to work. One of the events is our ‘Big Giveaway,’ where the whole church participates. We give out free backpacks, shoe vouchers, lunch, and a free yard sale. It is our hardest event of the year, but we know it’s worth it to give back to the community. When you see some of the kids that you know wouldn’t have new shoes or a backpack for school, it makes you feel good. It helps you understand a little more about God’s love for us. “Royal Rangers has taught me what a great responsibility we have as Christian men. The lessons I have learned in Rangers have helped me to prepare for those responsibilities. “ In reflecting on his Royal Ranger experience, Trae Miller takes great delight in all the learn-ing experiences provided through the ministry. “While becoming a Royal Ranger I discovered how to do many things I could never do be-fore, like treading water for five minutes, sewing a button on a shirt, and speaking in front of large groups. Other enjoyable ac-

GOLD MEDAL SPOTLIGHT GOLD MEDAL SPOTLIGHT

Outpost 294 Celebrates First Three Gold Medal of Achievement Recipients

Eli Barr Trae Miller Daniel Coleman

GMA #504 GMA #505 GMA #506


GMA SPOTLIGHT


tivities I participated in were how to lash a rope bridge together, shoot a rifle, and even go down an icy hill on a snowboard.“ But Trae is quick to emphasize that Royal Rangers has most im-pacted his life through teaching him how to be a leader. “Royal Rangers has shown me how to be a spiritual leader by un-derstanding the importance of reading the Bible, taking time for worship, and incorporating prayer every day. Because of this, I lead my Cross Country team at school in prayer before every race. “The Royal Ranger ministry takes an ordinary boy and through the years forms them into a man of God. This is what happened to me, and I value the commanders that poured into my life because they gave me love and attention. “The way Royal Rangers brings people together to share God’s word is very exiting. Boys are engulfed in the ministry by the worship, games, and big events. God touched me through the Roy-al Rangers ministry as a young boy, and over the years I changed into a young man of God. Without the guidance of Royal Rangers, I would not be the Christian that I am today. “I value Royal Rangers not just for the social activities, physical challenges, mental questions, or even the spiritual foundation, but all those things together. After be-ing a Ranger for over 10 years, I understand that without any of these four things, I would not be the same. “Royal Rangers has been the greatest experience I have ever participated in, and I would like to serve as a commander in the fu-ture; to help other boys that are in

equipped me with unique gifts and talents and that He wants to use me. I learned to be a servant leader and to lead by example. “Through the years, I have had the opportunity to experience many great events—camping trips, fishing, biking, hiking, Frostbite Field Days, getting to go to the 50th Anniversary Camporama, boating, tubing, Canoe Camp, Pinewood Derby Races and many more. “I was also fortunate to be able to attend all the JLTA camps fo-cused on teaching leadership skills and learning to take initiative. I learned the importance of being obedient to God’s Word and doing everything wholeheartedly as unto the Lord, being thorough, diligent and faithful in all things. I learned the value of teamwork and being a team player, getting along with oth-ers, reaching out to newcomers, making them feel accepted, wel-comed and loved. “Royal Rang-ers are always available to help serve the people of Calvary As-sembly of God and the community in any way that we can. Some of the ways that I have been privi-leged to serve are that I helped cut and deliver firewood to widows and the needy, did yard work for the disabled, and helped with “The Big Giveaway” every year. All of these activities were instru-ments used by God to teach me life skills, to build character and integ-rity in my life, to teach me leader-ship tactics, and to disciple me as a follower of Christ.“

need of change. I would be hon-ored to share my gifts and talents with the next generation as I con-tinue my journey.

Daniel Coleman was just three years old and in the Rainbows class when he accepted Jesus as his savior and began his Royal Ranger adventure. “My commanders worked hard instilling the Word of God into our young and tender hearts, while at the same time giving plen-ty of opportunities to have lots of fun making Bible crafts, singing and playing games. I learned disci-pline and social skills as well as memorized many Bible verses. “When I turned five years old, I became a Straight Arrow—an official Royal Ranger! I was so exit-ed! Every boy was given an awards vest to wear each week. Whenever I put my vest on, I wore it with pride because I was a Royal Ranger—not just in class, but all the time! “My next step in Rangers was Buckaroos. I thought it was so cool now, not only to have a Royal Ranger vest, but to have the Buck-aroo neckerchief and bolo tie to wear as part of my uniform. I earned all the badges that I possi-bly could, including the Gold Fal-con Badge.” By the time he had moved up to Expedition Rangers, Daniel had earned his Silver Medal of Achievement. In Expedition Rang-ers, he was able to complete a lot of merits that were unfinished from the previous class. “As the years went by, so did my level of maturity—as a young man and a Christian,” says Daniel. “I credit Royal Rangers for this growth. Royal Rangers helped me to realize who I am in Christ. I be-gan to see myself as God sees me. I started to understand that He has


T he Royal Ranger Alum-ni (RRA) in Potomac District has been grow-

ing! Congratulations and wel-come to the following individ-uals who’ve recently joined RRA:

“Linseed” Arnold

Cmdr. Gerald Griest

Cmdr. Sara Frey

Thomas Kroon

Kenneth Robinson

Spring Trace Support

At this year’s Frontiersman Camping Fellowship (FCF) Spring Trace, 16 RRA members attended to support the event. RRA president Gary “Blazin’ Bear’ Groves characterized the trace as “the best one ever,” and expressed his appreciation for all the members’ contribu-tions to the event.

RRA Applications

As a reminder for those in-terested in joining RRA, all ap-plications should be sent di-rectly to Potomac District’s RRA president (with a photo please). Do not send RRA ap-plications to the Royal Rangers National Office. The RRA application is available on the Potomac Dis-trict Royal Ranger website: www.potomacrangers.org. If you have any questions or would like additional infor-mation regarding RRA, please call Gary Groves at (410) 428-5317.

RRA Background

The Royal Ranger Alumni (RRA) program was recently inaugurated to provide a meth-od by which Ranger leaders (age 55 plus) may continue to

MISSIONS TEAM READY TO GO

Funds Needed for

Church Construction

in Havana, Cuba

H avana, Cuba is the site for the next Men’s Ministries missions trip. In this communist country,

the walls have been coming down! Reviv-al has hit the island from ocean to ocean, and the church is exploding in growth. Houses have been turned into churches and streets into open air meetings. All of this in a country whose government re-fuses to believe in God! God will not be confined to any politi-cal agenda. As the church has experi-enced unprecedented growth, I hope you will join me to help provide a facility where believers can gather to worship God. In a community where people have done without for so long, they can come to a place to meet with God and find hope beyond their circumstance. We will be one of several teams that will be working on a church that will seat 700 people. What a miracle for the gov-ernment to issue the permits for such a facility. This is God’s time for Cuba! We have a team of 12 men ready to go. What I need help with is the construc-tion costs. We need to raise $12,000 to pay for the supplies needed for this team to build. The men are willing, many of them sacrificing personally to go, but we need the support of others to help us with con-struction costs. Just a few short years ago, who would have thought, we could build a church in Cuba? Will you help us with a one-time gift to build a church in Cuba? We can provide you with a short vid-eo about Cuba and God’s work, if you would like to show your church or Mis-sions Board. Funds are needed by June 1, 2013. Make checks payable to 'Men's Ministries' and write “Cuba” in the memo line. Mail to Potomac Men's Ministries, P.O. Box 690, Gainesville, Va. 20156.

serve as a vital part of the Roy-al Rangers Ministry. RRA provides an oppor-tunity for leaders to share their knowledge, expertise and ex-periences with boys and local commanders. The RRA pro-vides the opportunity for you to continue to be involved in Rangers as your time permits. Royal Rangers leaders upon reaching retirement age or when medical problems or other reasons prohibit them from serving as a commander, may feel they no longer have a part in Royal Rangers ministry. This is certainly not the case, as many of these leaders have a wealth of knowledge and ex-periences and are willing and able to serve on a limited basis. RRA will provide the struc-ture by which these Royal Rangers leaders may continue to be a vital part of Royal Rangers and assist their dis-tricts on their time schedule. The objective of the RRA is to provide opportunities for ser-vice and ministry for former/retired Royal Rangers leaders. Those interested in joining the ranks of the Royal Ranger Alumni can contact their sec-tional commander or sectional RRA coordinator for assis-tance.

Royal Ranger Alumni Report


P otomac District’s Andy Whitman, an Assem-blies of God missionary and staff member for Royal Rangers International, reports that suffi-

cient funds have been collected to permit the start of construction on the ministry’s East Africa Training Center in Kenya. The building will serve the entire region for leader-ship training and international Royal Ranger events, in addition to also serving from time to time as a home for our Royal Bridging Centre ministry for ado-

T he Royal Bridging Centre (RBC) is a part of the Royal Ranger ministry in Kenya

and was started by Rev. Patrick Kawe as an “alternative rite of pas-sage” for adolescent boys and girls. In Kenya, tradition dictates that a boy is circumcised around age thirteen. This pagan ceremony in-volves a one to two week period of recovery in which boys are encour-aged to prove they have become “men” by experimenting with drugs and alcohol and to “cleanse” themselves by seeking out a sexual relationship. Many Kenyan Christians allow their boys to participate because of cultural and social pressures, much as a parent in the United States might feel pressured to al-

ROYAL RANGERS IN MISSIONS

low their child to celebrate Hal-loween or for their teen to go on a questionable spring break trip. As a result of the ritual, many boys do themselves great spiritual harm. Furthermore, there was a big church dropout rate for the ones that had been previously at-tending a church. Rev. Kawe describes it, in a classic African way, as leading a child by the hand until we reach a river, and because there is no crossing, we ask a crocodile to fer-ry the child to the other side. Of course the child never arrives be-cause the crocodile eats him on the way. Instead, we should be building a bridge across the river to safely guide the child on the way to adulthood. RBC was created as a

one-week alternative event where boys are circumcised by a Chris-tian doctor and then surrounded with a godly environment during the recovery period. Pastors, spe-cial guests, and Christian counse-lors teach the boys what God’s word says about manhood and help them prepare to be a godly husband and father one day. As a result, 100 percent of the boys who have gone through the program so far have stayed in the church and also have grown spirit-ually. Some non-churched boys have even found Christ through the Bridging Centre. The program has now been expanded for ado-lescent girls to spend a week learn-ing how to become a godly woman and keep themselves pure until marriage.

lescent boys and girls, and as classrooms for the Ken-ya Kids home for street children. The first phase will be a basic “tabernacle” build-ing which is the roof and structural supports for the main hall. The walls and interiors will be finished in later phases as funds become available. This is an official Assembly of God project (project # 15038) and if you or your church would like to be involved, please contact Andy at www.whitmansinkenya.com.

Construction Starts on East Africa Training Center

Rangers Provides ‘Alternative Rite of Passage’ for Kenya Adolescents


S afari. This one word imme-diately prompts vivid imag-inations of a trek taken into the wild expressly for the

purpose of experiencing adven-ture. Whether your point of refer-ence is a recollection from an old Tarzan movie, or remembering the riveting dinosaur hunt scene from the second “Jurassic Park” film, it’s all the same. Derived from the Arabic safari-yah, safari means journey. Adven-ture? Journey? Sounds a lot like Pow Wow to me! And this year’s Potomac District Pow Wow will be one that promises to deliver an unforgettable experience for our Rangers and leaders. It’s not too early to start making plans for your outpost’s participa-tion at Pow Wow. Scheduled for Aug. 15-18, it will be here before you know it. All the information you need to start preparing for this event is contained in our Pow Wow infor-mation book, available on line at www.potomacrangers.org. Here are some highlights of what’s in store for you and your outpost at Pow Wow in August ...

Guest Speaker Gavin Brown is the Student Ministries Pastor at Trinity Assem-bly of God in the greater Baltimore area. He has also traveled exten-sively in the Baltimore/D.C. Metro area for the last eight years as a motivational speaker in high

SPECIAL EVENTS

A wide variety of special events on tap for this year’s Pow Wow will provide your Rangers with plenty of excitement and oppor-tunity for fun.

The Grinder Obstacle

Course a fun inflatable that will challenge your speed and stamina.

A Safari Canoe Race on Lake Strauss will decide who has the best paddling team.

A Zip Line will excite you as you float across the “tundra.”

A Safari Pellet Fun

Shoot is for only the bravest of hunters.

Safari Paint Ball will be a “splattering” good time.

Safari Archery Fun

Shoot will “aim” to please you. Additional activities for your Rangers to explore include a Wrecking Ball and Dunking Booth, as well as “pick up” volleyball and flag football games.

Competition

For those who “thrill in the hunt” and have a more competi-tive spirit, the Pow Wow schedule will offer the following opportuni-ties.

Archery and Pellet Gun

Shoot: Boys will shoot at one tar-get that will be provided at the event. This competition is on Fri-day only. Saturday is a fun shoot only.

Potomac Safari,

The Lion of Judah

schools and middle schools with the 7-project organization. He graduated from Valley Forge Christian College with a bachelor’s degree in youth ministry and is currently pursuing his Master’s of Divinity degree from Liberty Theo-logical Seminary. Gavin has a passion to impact this generation abroad with a mes-sage of hope.

Praise and Worship

The Troy Carver Band returns to Pow Wow to lead us in worship. Troy has been playing, writing, and producing music for the body of Christ since 1988. With a pas-sion to usher in God’s presence, Troy is able to bring both energy in celebration and sensitivity in con-templation at the right moment for the right engagement of God’s Word. His worship team is profes-sional yet personable, prayerful and enjoyable.

2013 DISTRICT POW WOW PREVIEW2013 DISTRICT POW WOW PREVIEW

SEE POW WOW ON PAGE 11



Games will consist of two 3-minute halves with a one-minute rest period. Each team may call one time-out. Teams should dress in the same color jerseys or shirts. Each team’s coach must supply one referee at the start of the com-petition, a roster listing players on their team (each player must have chartered with their outpost for

the current year) and their age.

Main Event:

The Safari Challenge, at 1:00 p.m. Saturday on the main assembly field. Each Section must provide a team of 6 to participate in this challenge event. The team will consist of 2 Discovery Rangers, 2 Adventure Rangers and 2 Expedition Rang-ers. (Discovery or Ad-venture Rangers may

Fishing Competition:

Compete for first and longest fish caught.

Bench Press: Expedition Rangers, Leaders under 40, Leaders 40 and older and Leaders 50 and old-er, may compete against other con-testants in their age group. Winner’s calculation will be based on the lifted amount in percentage to his body weight. 1st, 2nd and 3rd place will be awarded in each age group.

Sectional Basketball Tour-

nament: Each Section may enter a team consisting of 1 Coach and up to 9 Boys (Adventure and Expedition Rangers only). Substitutes must play and may enter the game as needed as long as a minimum of 2 Adven-ture Rangers are on the court at all times.

POW WOW


Registrations must be postmarked by July 17th to guarantee Pow Wow T-shirts & Hats

DOWNLOAD THE POW WOW BOOK AT WWW.POTOMACRANGERS.ORG

be substituted if Expedition Rang-ers are not available.

Swimming: All fast swim-mers may compete for the fastest swimmer in the District. Contest-ants must be at the pool ready to compete at 4 p.m. on Saturday. 1st, 2nd and 3rd place will be awarded in each age group (Discovery, Ad-venture and Expedition Rangers).

Trap Shoot: The boys will test their skills at shooting clay birds. Each boy will get 10 shots, the greatest number of birds shot will be the winner. (This is an Ex-pedition event only). The cost of the event is $7; this includes the shells and the clay birds. Rangers will not be permit-ted to participate in this event without presenting the Trap Shoot Permission Form and Waiver signed by the Ranger and an adult parent or guardian.



By Glenn Sorrentino

I was standing with a group of boys, and they were talking about some of their exploits. The subject

of weapons came up, and how they nev-er seemed to have one when they needed one. One of the boys pulled his shirt to reveal a tattoo of a hand gun on his chest. “I’ve always got my piece with me!” he proudly proclaimed. The other boys were admiring it, some were say-ing they’d like to get a similar tattoo, but the boy standing next to me was shaking his head and saying “No, that’s the old me. No more. When I get out, I’m staying straight.” I congratulated him on his deci-sion. One of the boys I prayed with was Tyquan, a large boy who could probably play linebacker for any football team. He told me the per-son who had hurt him the most was his mother. He shared a few details, and very quickly I was finding it hard to hold it together. I was standing in proxy for this woman, and I genuinely felt really sorry for the wrongs done to him. He has scars all over his body; his face, neck, arms. I could feel them on his back as I was hugging him. He says they are from a house fire. I asked if he has received Christ as his Savior, he said no. I asked if he realized e was a sinner. He said "Oh, Yeah!" I asked if he thought he could save himself. He said "No." I asked if he believed Jesus died on the cross for his sins and rose again. He agreed. I then asked if he was willing to con-fess Christ as Savior and Lord. He said,"I'm not ready." I thanked him for his honesty, and prayed for him for the Lord to reveal Himself to

him. I'm looking forward to seeing him next week. (The following week…..) I got to pray with Tyquan, the large boy I spoke to last week who said he wasn't ready. He said he had made considerable progress in for-giving his mother, and that now he was ready to receive Jesus. "I couldn't hardly wait for ya'll to show up today!" he told me. "I'm ready!” I had a hard time holding it together as I led him in the Sinner's Prayer, but we got through it, and Tyquan hugged me as I congratulat-ed him and welcomed him into the family. I had already given him a Bible last week, he said it's the first one that belonged to him. "And this one I can read!" After a game of Stick Race, we had them seated and Chuck started sharing from Luke 15, The Prodigal Son, also called The Extravagant Father, from the Youth Encounter. Chuck stressed that they each have a Father who loves them, no matter what their earthly father has done. Both Chuck and Tim Rush shared from their experience what wound fatherlessness leaves on a young man. After sharing a couple of videos, Chuck invited the boys to come to the back of the room to receive a father's blessing. Quite a few of them respond-ed. I had the opportunity to bless three of them. Roger had the privilege of leading one of the boys to Christ. As we were leaving, Asst. Super-intendent Leo Washer told us about one of the boys who was at the Youth Encounter last week, who was released

earlier this week. Leo talked to him, as he usually does, telling him he does not need to come back to the Detention Center. The boy, who mentioned the Father's Blessing he had received at the meeting last Saturday, told Leo, "I've made up my mind. I'm not go-ing to hurt my mom again like that!" Frank Timmins has been a faithful part of this ministry since we started. He comments: Tonight I felt truly blessed by God to have had the honor and privilege to lead Nathan into Gods Kingdom with the sinner’s prayer. It's hard to believe he's only 11 yrs old. I could see the childlike innocence in his eyes and wanted to hug him but you know the rules, the hand shake had to do. I told God on the way in that I was empty and to give me something, and look what He did! Awesome! I came out full again. Others don't know what they're missing. This ministry is a blessing to the boys and to the men who are in it as well.

Just Stuff Recollections from Royal Ranger leaders involved

with juvenile detention ministry in Potomac District.



Potomac District Royal Rangers on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/PotomacRangers

EXECUTIVE STAFF

Rev. Bobby Basham - District Commander

166 Serviceberry Ct. Stephens City, VA 22655

[email protected] (540) 869-8432

Homer Kitchen - Deputy District Commander

8614 Apple Harvest Dr. Gerrardstown, WV 25420


Bill Chestnut - FCF Chapter President

346 Reservoir Rd. Perryville, MD 21903


Harry Hawthorne - Pow Wow Coordinator

3005 Lochary Rd. Bel Air, MD 21015


Phil Georg - Training Coordinator

111 East H St. Brunswick, MD 21716


Bob Blessing - Junior Training Coordinator

302 Stiemly Ave. Glen Burnie, MD 21060


Chris Basham - Media/Productions

166 Serviceberry Ct. Stephens City, VA 22655

(540) 869-8432

Gary Wagner - Publications/Outreach Coordinator

3905 Swanson Ct. Fredericksburg, VA 22408


Mike Cocolin - Missions Coordinator

8413 Elvaton Rd. Millersville, MD 21108


Gary Groves - RR Alumni President

2326 Liberty Rd. Eldersburg, MD 21784


Linda Cocolin - Health Officer

8413 Elvaton Rd. Millersville, MD 21108


Seth Van de Ven - Special Aide de Camp

3202 Amberley Lane Fairfax, VA 22031


Tyler Mazer - GMA Coordinator

99 Shenandoah View Harpers Ferry, WV 25425


Isaac Brannon - Special Aide de Camp

P. O. Box 390 Owings, MD 20736


Dale Eger - Special Aide de Camp

8213 WB & A Rd. Severn, MD 21144


Cliff Jewell - Staff Advisor

9150 James Madison Hwy. Warrenton, VA 20186


Sam Linn - Staff Advisor

1687 McCoys Ford Rd. Front Royal, VA 22630


Tracy Groves - Staff Advisor

2340 Liberty Rd. Eldersburg, MD 21784


Dick Aldridge - Staff Advisor

46 Tadcaster Circle Waldorf, MD 20602


POTOMAC DISTRICT ROYAL RANGERS STAFF

SECTIONAL COMMANDERS

Mark Brannon - Capital Virginia Section



Mark Brannon - Capital Maryland Section



Ken O’Maley - Central Section

11042 Settletown Place Rixeyville, VA 22737


Marvin Boswell - Southern Section

P. O. Box 35 Rockville, VA 23146


Phil Vieth - Tidewater North Section

200 Treis Trail Yorktown, VA 23693


Roger Riendeau - Tidewater South Section

7719 Doris Dr. Norfolk, VA 23505


Ken Black - Eastern Section

P. O. Box 58 Manchester, MD 21102


Robert “Buzz” Gregory - Eastern Shore Section

9260 Hickory Mill Rd. Salisbury, MD 21801


Jerry Sinden - Northeast Section

1805 Milstream Dr. Frederick, MD 21702


Northwest Section

Jerry Sinden (Acting)

Greg Barr - North Central Section

Box 384, Fort Ashby, WV 26719


Western Section

Greg Barr (Acting)

tomahawk may-june 2013

Documents

royal rangers emblem

potomac safari

royal ranger leaders

national royal rangers

royal ranger ministry

ecuador village page

tomahawk newsletter

discipling boys