Tuchekoi - The Place of the Wild Dogs

There is a beautiful spot here in Australia. It is located about an hour inland from the Pacific Ocean in South Queensland. Tuchekoi.  It is an aboriginal word meaning "place of the wild dogs".

We don't see too many wild dogs around here...only the two scruffy dogs from the neighbour down the road who come to say hello every once in a while.

This place is the Tuchekoi Outdoor Center. We have been here since the end of August working with different groups of Aussie grade 9 students from a private, Lutheran school in Brisbane. The students' "Tuchekoi experience" is a compulsory element of their education.

After working with some wonderful, very intelligent, very humble students from Hong Kong in July and August, it was a bit of a culture shock to jump straight into working with "western" kids again.

It was an adjustment for Colin and I to get back into the swing of things. Working with kids that are full of energy and enthusiasm...and occasionally attitude.

The program we are working with is unique in that the staff are the only adults present at the camp. Unlike other outdoor education programs we've worked with in the past, the school that the students attend do not send teachers up with them. They are all ours for 4 weeks. This gives us the responsibility for not only teaching and instructing, but also physical, emotional, and spiritual care as well as discipline.

Being so constantly involved with every aspect of the students' journeys leaves us both exhausted and rewarded at the end of the day. Getting to see the change that takes place over a month long program is well worth the work.

While the kids are at Tuchekoi, they are completely unplugged from technology such as phones, computers, etc. Clothes washing is done by students with washing boards and tubs and dishes are washed by hand. The students are also responsible for morning chores such a taking care of the four horses, the chickens, or the ducks.

Although there is a bit of resistance and technology withdrawals toward the beginning of the program, the students generally find that playing outside and being in nature is enough to capture their attention and keep them entertained. One of the most rewarding aspects of this program is seeing the students that may have a hard time in the classroom absolutely thrive in the outdoor setting. We go on two expeditions in the outdoors. We mountain bike, rock climb and rappel. We spend days canoeing and the students have multiple solos, spending anywhere from 2 to 8 hours by themselves outside.

Colin was able to introduce some of his students to roasting marshmallow over a fire for the first time. He watched his group show great care for a student who was struggling during a long day of expedition. I saw a student who was visibly shaking from fear climb up to our "leap of faith" jumping platform, and, emboldened by his fellow students' encouragement, jump and face his fear of heights.

We saw kids from different social circles back at school laughing and playing together. Students, some for the first time, found a place in the outdoors and were able to appreciate and respect nature in a new way.

It's not all sunshine and daisies though. These are teenagers living in a small community for a month, being challenged in new ways that are difficult and uncomfortable. There are definite struggles and sometimes the hard parts of the job can seem overwhelming. While most of our interactions with the students are positive and uplifting, there have been a few low times when we've had kids swear at us, show disrespect, completely ignore us, or call us names. There have been moments where I have had to leave my group in the hands of my co-instructor and walk away because I was too overwhelmed to deal with the kids or situation. Colin has dealt with the same.

But then I think about the time one of my student told me that she wanted to find a place back home in nature that she could go to be alone and think and pray. I think of Colin's students committing to being more grateful and responsible for what they have back home. The time that I was able to help two young girls reconcile a friendship that had been ruined by petty gossip and misunderstandings.

We are constantly challenged. We continue to learn and grow and adapt. And in it all, we see how God uses nature and challenges to make us, and those around us, stronger.

This is why we do what we do.



Some pictures from our most recent home...