On our camping trip, we gave Emily and Hannah a course on how to start a fire. The plastic bags you see were for the first step of the first starting lesson using a magnesium rod and flint. We used the bags first so they could SEE the shavings fall and learn about how much to shave off before they struck the flint with the back of their knives.
In order to earn their magnesium rod and flint, they later had to start a fire with nothing but natural materials and no help from anyone else. They also learned how to build a shelter, how to start a fire with a fresnel lens, purify water, and a few other things. We have taught all of our children and youth basic survival skills. When one of our students learns to be proficient with an item, we give them the item to keep.
Our children have their own go bags. (Look, we've seen some stuff. Search the blog for hurricane, flood, wildfire, appendectomy, etc.) Each of them has a machete, knife, magnesium fire starter, water straw, a three-day supply of food, a change of clothes, toiletries, a mylar tent and blankets, change for vending machines, a map, etc. We're covered fairly well no matter if it a weather threat or a trip to the ER. It is a simple thing to quickly unpack things we do not need for a situation to lighten the bags if necessary. My husband and adult children keep their go bags in their vehicles.
Much of our survival gear, we received free because I was willing to test it with our family and share any pros and cons I saw with the product developers. That was a lot of fun!** I had made all of us go bags after an event we went through, but these items added to our bags by helping fill in holes.
Life is unpredictable. Our human minds handle events better if we have thought ahead and prepared as best we could for them. This is why buy insurance and practice childbirth techniques. Helping my children face whatever crises come tomorrow is my main goal in teaching them. Teaching others how to purify water, forage for edibles, and other skills gives them confidence and makes our community stronger during those big events. Teaching these skills has been very beneficial to youth who are struggling with self-esteem issues. Their confidence grows step by step. Just believing in these young people as Clint and I work with them builds them so much.
Dear Reader, The Proverbs wife thinks ahead and prepares her family for the coming storms. I believe almost every sincere Christian wife/mother will see the wisdom in following that example given to us in Scripture. I was approached by a reader who is concerned about cyberattacks. She asked me how life might change and how we might prepare for them. I jotted down some notes and will share those thoughts soon.
*While I have the images from my digital camera, I lost almost all of the pictures and videos I had on my phone's camera of our camping trip. I am having some kind of time with my new phone and new computer. Clint or Brandon might be able to recover the files I lost. I've not asked yet because everyone is quite busy.
**For many years, I worked with manufacturers of household goods and outdoor gear in and outside the US. You may have read my written product details in advertising and not even known it!
