Dear parents:

We understand that you have loved and cared for your child their entire life, and that you are concerned for their well-being.  Thus, when your son or daughter arrived home saying that they want to go to the mountains to an extreme discipleship program, we imagine that you are interested in finding out as much as possible about this program before deciding to approve or support it.  We understand this reaction, as we also have children and desire the best for them. That is why we include this information here, so as to respond to any potential fears and the most common questions that a parent might have when their offspring wants to leave the nest to participate in a program like this. If your questions are not resolved with this “letter from the heart” and the other information published on this website, please do not hesitate to send us an email with your comments.

 

Risk

The activities at EXUS do involve a certain degree of danger, and we want to cultivate in our students a positive attitude in light of such.  We strive to develop a sense of courage in the face of fear, but not senseless daring, nor ignorance, nor carelessness, nor the seeking of a pure rush of adrenaline.  We want to have men and women who can face adversity with courage and dedication. The adventures help us encourage these attitudes, but they are handled with wisdom.  We avoid unnecessary risks created by the empty  desire to just “live the feeling”.

Those in charge of the adventures are trained to guide the students in each discipline, according to its genre.  They also are certified in first aid and in wilderness first responder and can thus respond adequately in emergency situations.  But more than that, we are convinced that the best way to deal with emergencies is the prevention of such.  We cannot guarantee that there will be no accidents during the semester.  Neither can we guarantee that staying in the city, there would be no accidents.  What we can assure you is that we ALWAYS to everything possible to avoid the unforeseen, and to teach the students the safest and best way to handle each activity.

It is possible that during the semester you will receive a report in which your son or daughter shares a story with you like, “Can you believe it?! Today we crossed a raging river full of freezing cold water… and yesterday we climbed a vertical face over 150 feet high!”  What he or she might not include in his or her report is that they have been properly trained for these activities (and accompanied by our experienced staff) before completing them, so as to do them in the safest manner possible.

Our children participate in some of the same activities that we offer your children, and as you can imagine we do not put their lives nor well-being at risk.  Even so, if you feel that your son or daughter should not participate  in this program (for example, due to the fact that you know that he or she doesn’t follow instructions closely in similar circumstances), then we respect your decision and support you in your denial of permission for their participation.  What good would it do us to encourage students to rescue and restore lives in the spiritual realm, if they don’t want or know how to take care of their own in the physical realm?

As far as on-site safety (i.e.: delinquency, criminal activity), the ranch is an extremely safe place. To get to our campus and to the head of the ranch, you can only get in if you have keys to the access gates. The ranch’s administrative office maintains strict control over the use of the keys and of who can drive into or have access to each pasture. So far, praise God, we have't had any serious problems in this area, and we trust that it will continue in such a manner.

 

Room and board

We are sure that EXUS food does not compare with the casseroles and BBQ that you eat at home. But we do our best, within the simply-living philosophy that we follow, to provide a flavorful and nutritious menu. The food we prepare – and that the students help us prepare – is very balanced so that it will provide enough carbohydrates so as to complete the daily aerobic exercise and at the same time enough protein for muscular development.  In short, you’re going to eat well, so, no worries

The dorms have sufficient amenities and protection for students to be comfortable and safe.  Of course, there might be an occasional rodent who decides to visit the students, just to scare the boys and give the girls a run for their money.  And if you pay close attention, you might find a spider or a lizard in the corners of the rooms, trying to make themselves at home as well.  But, other than that, the beds are comfortable, the facilities are clean and functional.  And, as far as the interaction between the men and women, we have strict rules of conduct which, up until now our students have been great about respecting.

Note: The page on Community Life covers some of these aspects in greater depth.

 

Finances

In most cases, our students come with the spiritual and financial support of their parents and families. This is something we see as very positive, as it’s better for parents to be involved in this experience from the beginning.  You who have provided for all the children in your own household, plus the friends and extended family who love to arrive at mealtime, know that the EXUS price per student is way under the total cost of operation. This is intentional so that, among other reasons, we will not cause the families of our students to go into debt.

If you decide to support your son or daughter financially for the semester, we recommend that it not be with the total amount. We suggest, if you permit us, for you to encourage the “interested party” to look for support from different. This not only shares the brunt of the cost, but it also brings in others who can be involved in this very important experience in your child’s life. Also, if your child has to put some effort into it, and it costs him something, this makes him value the experience even more.  Can you imagine if we had all had this kind of an experience at this age and stage of life?

For more information on this topic, we recommend that you visit our Finances page where we offer more details.

 

Thanks!