Updates & Reports

Surfers and Cowboys Movie Debuts in Zane Cook’s Hometown

If you were to ask any of the 9 people who traveled to Fort Gibson, Oklahoma, what best describes their 4-day visit, most likely you will hear about the constant display of unparalleled generosity and hospitality from the entire Cook Family. Well, perhaps 8 out of 9 would list that as their primary memory…Conor (who still shakes in his flip-flops at the thought of it) got off the plane, jumped in a car and was strapped to two rank bulls just 5 minutes after getting to the Cook’s home. We’ve got the footage to prove it too…these guys were untested and no joke! Our team also was able to help with the Zane Cook Bull Riding Invitational that the Cook family hosts each year!

We were so impressed that Aaron and Corinne Gold made the effort to come all the way from Hawaii! Surfers and Cowboys was scheduled for two showings and not only was it in Zane’s hometown, but it was to be shown at the High School from where he graduated. Each night the rows were filled with family, friends, fans, and those who had eagerly awaited the film's arrival. It was thrilling to hear the crowd's laughter and cheers of encouragement as past events play before their eyes on the big screen. These events they all knew very well.

As has been the tradition, each show ended with a time of question and answers with the team. The comment that made a lasting impact on our team was Zane's grandpa sharing, that was the first time he had heard his grandson speak so intimately about his faith in God.

To the folks of Fort Gibson and to the entire Cook Family, thank you for hosting us.  Photo gallery of the trip is here: https://walkingonwater.smugmug.com/OklahomaV-April-2017/

Sincerely,

The Oklahoma Team

Buck Waters, Long-Time Friend and WOW Partner
Aaron Gold and wife, Corinne
Scott Clark, WOW Board Member
Sean Marin, Surfers and Cowboys Movie Editor and Narrator
Conor Beatty, WOW Assistant Camp Director
Kahlee Liesik, newest WOW staff member and her husband, Dan Liesik

Grom Weekend Updates

Recently WOW hosted a GROM weekend for the girls and one for the guys! They were both super successful; here are some quick highlights from Katherine and Kyle:

About the GIRLS: The girls had so much fun together; we talked about “Spending yourself” out of Esther chapter 3. Specially, we talked about spiritual gifts. All of the girls took a spiritual gift test, which was fun, and helped them start thinking about their gifts and how they can use those gifts to “spend themselves” for others, and be the face of Jesus to those around them. We surfed, went to thrift stores, fellowshipped, and adventured all weekend long. We even had some time to meet up with the guys’ group at the campground! Overall, the girls were stoked and want to have a girls weekend every month!

About the GUYS: The GROM guys had such a cool weekend! It was great ministry, and great relationship-building with students. Everything ran smooth and all the kids seemed to leave having had a really fun time. We talked about prayer, and were blessed by having Clay Norian and Corey Colapinto share brief testimonies. We camped out all weekend and held “Grom Games” on Sunday morning: 15 minute Wavestorm surf heats followed by a wavestorm relay race and saltine cracker speed-eating, and Sprite-chugging contest. Pretty classic!

Overall the GROM weekends are proving to be a great blessing for both the girls and guys. We are excited to continue in the new year!

Surfers and Cowboys Filming Update

We are thankfully getting very close to finishing the Surfers and Cowboys movie! The story has been changing because of all that God has been doing in big wave surfer Aaron Gold’s life over the past year. We recently flew to Hawaii to film some of the remaining shots that we needed, including a reenactment of the day that Aaron almost lost his life in huge waves in Fiji. We still need to film a few important scenes with bull rider Zane Cook as well as raise the remaining funds needed to finish this movie. Sean Marin is busy editing and we hope to finish it by February 2017. To find out more about the movie or to make a donation please go to www.surfersandcowboysmovie.com

Surfers and Cowboys coming 2017

THE TRAGEDY IN LIFE IS NOT DEATH ITSELF, BUT WHAT DIES INSIDE YOU WHILE YOU’RE STILL ALIVE!

Watch the trailer now for our newest movie coming in 2017 at surfersandcowboysmovie.com

The time has come to finish this special movie. Our team is working hard to finish the Surfers And Cowboys movie by February 2017!  Over the next two months we will be filming a few final scenes with big wave professional surfer Aaron Gold and professional bull rider Zane Cook. The story will cover Zane’s intense journey to qualify for the world tour of bull riding and Aaron Gold’s desire to ride the biggest wave ever paddled into. We can’t wait to show you what happened…

Support Surfers and Cowboys Movie

Surfers and Cowboys is a movie about three professional surfers and three professional bull riders and their lives intersecting.  Hold on tight for this inspiring adventure where faith and fear collide

We are so excited to share this movie with the world.  Our next steps are to raise the money needed to finish the movie, finalize the story, film all the footage still needed, edit the movie, show rough edits of the movie to test audiences, begin planning the screenings, and work with our music composer. If you would like to make a donation to help fund this movie, please go to walkingonwater.com/donate and please email [email protected] to host a screening or help us finish the movie. You can watch the trailer at surfersandcowboysmovie.com

What We Do: Movies, Camps, Missions

At Walking On Water, we call it our Big 3.  The three main things we do at Walking On Water is produce movies that will impact the world in positive ways, run camps throughout the year that will challenge and change students lives, and we run missions trips around the world to make a difference in the lives of others.  Take a look below and check out some upcoming opportunities to get involved with Walking On Water.

CAMPS

• Aspen Young Leaders Retreat
  February 17-20
  A weekend trip to the insanely beautiful Aspen, CO during President’s Day Break. This trip is focused on students ages 16-22 having a blast and pushing deeper in our faith. All the while learning to be powerful leaders in our community. Snowboard/Ski/Jacuzzi/Laughing.

• Summer Camps 2017
  Walking On Water offers Overnight and Day Surf Camps in Southern, CA throughout the summer. These are unique and powerful environments where fun is had, and life-transformation is expected. RSVP now to stay updated for 2017 camp dates. Be the first to know as dates are announced, to make sure you claim your spot! Email [email protected]

• Overnight Camps 2017
  High Overnight Camp: July 10-14   ·   High School Overnight Camp: July 17-21
  Spend the week with other Jr. High or High School-aged students in San Diego, CA at the beautiful beachfront Pt. Loma Nazarene University. Eat at the cafeteria, head to morning bible study, and then down to the beach for a full day of surfing and relaxing. Close out the day with a time of worship through teaching and music. Then do it all again the next day. You won’t want to miss out on this opportunity!!! CLICK HERE for more info.

• Kauai Young Leaders Retreat
  August 10-14
  A 5-day trip focused on having a blast on the beautiful island of Kauai and pushing deeper in our faith. We want to challenge you to go back to your schools and homes equipped to take on the challenges of being a leader.

• Lowers Grom Weekend
  Friday September 8 @4pm – Sunday September 10 @4pm
  A weekend surf trip during the Hurley Pro Lowers. Focused on having a blast and pushing deeper in our faith. All the while learning to be powerful leaders in our community. Watch the best surfers in the world, and even surf with them, during this San Clemente based weekend outing. To learn more and sign up email [email protected]

MISSIONS

• Scotland
  Dates: January 2nd-16th, 2017
  Status: Accepting applications
  We are heading to Scotland in January on an all girls mission trip to serve the community and share the hope and love of Jesus Christ!
  For more information email: [email protected]

• Middle East
  Dates: January 17-27, 2017
  Status: Closed
  For more information email: [email protected]

• Japan
  Dates: August 2017 (exact dates TBA)
  Status: Accepting applications
  Join us for our 13th annual mission trip to Japan! There are more surfers in Japan than Christians and there is no better place to use your love for surfing to reach the lost.
  Watch the Japan trip promo video: CLICK HERE.
  For more information email: [email protected]

MOVIES

• Beyond Sight Movie– this incredible movie just toured through New Zealand, and it can come to your city too.  The story and film of our amazing friend and blind surfer – Derek Rabelo – is an inspirational film that no one will forget.  For more information on the film CLICK HERE or email [email protected]com to bring Beyond Sight to your city.

• Surfers and Cowboys Movie– some new twists in this story that have thrust two of our stars onto a world-wide stage – have us filming new footage, and working hard to finish this great movie. If you would like to help us finish Surfer's and Cowboys movie you can do so financially by donating (CLICK HERE to donate) or email [email protected] to find out how you can join our production and world tour planning team.

Here are more ways to get involved with Walking On Water:

• As our staff grows, we need more office space.  If you have office space in San Clemente, CA that could be donated to WOW, please contact us here.  ([email protected])
• Be a part of our graphic design team by clicking here.  ([email protected])
• Be a part of our web team.  ([email protected])
• Be a part of one of our intern homes.  ([email protected])
• Be a part of missions and become a host home, hosting traveling surfers.  (missions@walkingonwater.com)

“A Coastal Safari with Aaron Chang” featured on Forbes.com

Aaron Chang has partnered with the Four Seasons Residence Aviara hotel to create an epic vacation package for the hotels guests. It is a photo safari through Southern California led by Aaron Chang and hosted (quite luxuriously - white robes post surf session included!) by the Four Season’s concierge service. The crew travels through some of San Diego’s beautiful scenery and gets a first hand photo lesson from Aaron Chang himself.

Beginning with morning coffee on the coastal bluffs, and ending with a helicopter ride, it is pretty amazing. Walking On Water got to share in this safari by providing surfing lessons for the guests at one of our favorite photogenic beaches. For the first Photo Safari, Forbes.com writer David Hochman, his wife and son were the guests. He wrote an article describing the day and absolutely loved his time surfing with the WOW crew. One quote from that article: “Learn surf basics from Connor and Kyle from Walking on Water, a local surf school (It’s part of a Christian surf ministry but they don’t get preachy).” We were so glad the Hochmans enjoyed their lesson, and we actually got word that he and his family just might have purchased a surfboard for themselves after their session.

Written by Kyle Lane

Surfers and Cowboys Movie Update

What I love about making documentary movies is seeing how God reveals the story as we step out in faith to film them. During each of the 12 Walking On Water films we have made major story changes during the filming stage due to real life circumstances. Our latest movie Surfers And Cowboys (currently in post production) has proven that trend to be true once again. Since we started filming two years ago one of our main characters, Aaron Gold, has had major events take place in his life. About 6 months ago, the entire surfing world watched in amazement as Aaron paddled into the biggest wave in history (63 feet documented by the Guinness Book Of World Records). Then a month later he split his head open surfing a much smaller wave. After healing for less than 8 weeks, he flew to Tavarua Island to catch a huge swell. He caught the first wave of the day and ended up being held under water for so long that he blacked out. Thankfully his big wave surfing friends miraculously rescued Aaron and he lived to tell the surf media how once again God had taken care of him! The Surfers and Cowboys movie is scheduled to be finished in December of 2016 and we will begin showing it in theaters in January of 2017! We still need to raise $50,000 so we can pay for the post production expenses and finish this special movie.

To donate, please visit walkingonwater.com/donate

For more info, visit surfersandcowboysmovie.com