Sigung and Sibak leave Wednesday evening for Philmont scout ranch in Cimarron, New Mexico. (They will be gone until July 14th.) Philmont is a great, often life-changing experience offered through the Boy Scouts of America, a fantastic organization. They will be hiking about 85 miles over 10 days and hopefully catch a lot of fish. On some days, they change elevation in a range of 5,000 feet. They will get rain, snow, heat, follow the strict rules of no-impact hiking, eat a lot of crackers and cheese and live within a bear triangle every night. There isn’t a television, Gameboy, Computer, Ipod, cell phone, bubba keg, modern plumbing or can of Axe in sight.
This will be the fifth time that Sigung has made this trip since 1999. (The pictures are from their 2008 Trek.) The hardest part is that he is totally cut off – no phones or email – and away from his businesses, family and passion of martial arts. He always misses Sisuk Cameron’s birthday during these trips, as July is the best month to go. The leaders pay their own way and usually miss at least two weeks of work. This is a trip, which often turns teenagers into men as they leave the world behind and get back to basic survival and beauty of the outdoors. It provides opportunities for the scouts to bond with their adult leaders and have mentoring relationships that last a lifetime. It’s quite a special event for all involved.
Sigung and I are often asked “Why they heck would do you do this? Why do you spend the money (it’s about $600 per person)? How can you sacrifice your work and family time?” The answer is simple: performing a service to others has huge payoffs, both immediate and in the future.
Service to others is so important and so often ignored as we focus on our own problems and ourselves in our daily lives. Sometimes it is so hard to think about someone else and their needs when ours seem so overwhelming. This is precisely the time that we must remember to help someone else! Nothing gives us better perspective, understanding and focus than service to others.
I am not saying that one must desert your family and head to the mountains of New Mexico! Little things have big payouts too! A helping hand pulling weeds, a meal for a busy family, hours of babysitting…these are simple things that that mean a lot to others. We receive the added benefit of feeling good about doing something good for others.
Kaju AZ would not be the awesome dojo that it is today without the helping hands of many people! Rides to and from the dojo, keeping the dojo neat and clean, teaching in class, picking up meals, polishing the floors, building our Gilbert school, our self-defense clinics and simply introducing your friends and families to Kaju AZ are all examples of service. Quite simply – there are too many to name! Know that all your efforts are so appreciated and more importantly, will continue to have an impact many years into the future for every single student.
Sigung and I are driven by the positive impact that martial arts has on people. We have the benefit of seeing it in our children who have been training for their entire lives. We know that each of you will see the same impact on your children and yourselves in the future!
For me, Philmont is a love-hate relationship. I hate the time Sigung is gone and the accompanying stresses, but I love the man/husband/father/instructor/leader that service has helped him become. I look forward to seeing my sons become the same service-oriented, patriotic, compassionate, hard working dedicated men.
Thank you for your continued service and support of Kaju AZ. Thank you for your understanding that things may be a little different while Sigung and Sibak are gone. We will maintain our schedules with all of our awesome instructors! As Sijo Emperado said, “In Ohana there is strength” and I am grateful for all the strength I see at Kaju AZ!
Sifu Jen
PS - The picture below is the 2008 Crew and they are standing on Mt. Baldy at an elevation of 12,441 ft.
