By Cathy,

After a week of cold, rainy days, the sun was shining brightly in a clear blue sky as the South Austin Inner Lights (SAIL) Pathfinders loaded into vehicles and started on the 4 hr drive to the Mineral Wells Fossil Park in Mineral Wells, TX. Each car had been given a list of questions and Bible verses to discuss creation and how fossils fit with it. The interesting conversation helped to fill the time on the long ride there. Finally the last, "are we there yet?" had been asked, and we stopped at the end of a dirt road overlooking a big gully in the middle of nowhere.

The SAILs were soon joined by the Joshua Wildcats Pathfinder club, and the fun began. Each Pathfinder was given an Altoid box to collect their fossils, and boxes began to fill with crinoids, brachiopods, and trilobites. The gravel seemed to be made up of these tiny fossils. When every box was filled, everyone piled back into their vehicles and headed to the Joshua SDA church school.

Both clubs enjoyed a fun evening of worship, pizza tacos, and games in the gym. One group of Pathfinders worked on their baking honor by making several varieties of fruit breads. The delicious smells made it hard for the guys sleeping outside the kitchen doors to resist the temptation to sample their work.

The next morning, Pathfinders packed their sleeping bags and sack lunches, ate their breakfast, and headed out once again. This time it was a short trip to the Ft. Worth zoo to observe endangered animals from around the world. Pathfinders eagerly spread out to see meerkats, giraffes, tigers, and many others. One exhibit, in particular, drew a lot of attention. The MOLA, or Museum of Living Art, housed an amazing number of reptiles and amphibians from all corners of the globe. The zoo held more creatures than there was time to see, and all too soon it was time for the long trip home.

The SAILs are looking forward to the day when we can enjoy all the plants and animals we studied this weekend without the hindrances of cages, glass and fossil remains to block the wonders of God's creation.